Chord Melody Masterclass
"Over the Rainbow" Solo Jazz Guitar
About this masterclass
Jake Reichbart teaches his solo jazz guitar arrangement of "Over the Rainbow" in this 90+ minute video lesson. He opens with a complete performance in the standard key of Eb — full head, improvisation, and a half-step modulation up to E at the end — then breaks the arrangement down note for note and chord for chord, showing the exact fingerings he uses.
What's covered
- The many ways to connect melody notes — starting with the tune's first two Eb's — by "squeezing in" scale and bebop notes
- Fills (micro improvisation): melodic and harmonic detours between melody notes
- Common, gig-ready chord substitutions that work alongside other jazz musicians
- Use of intervals, bass movement, and blended voicings with open strings
- Right-hand approach in the Joe Pass style: thumb on bass notes, fingers on chords and melody
- Lifting a ballad with a half-step modulation near the end
Throughout, Jake emphasizes that any passage can be played in multiple ways — the goal isn't just to copy his fingerings, but to come up with your own version of this straight-ahead jazz ballad arrangement.
Lessons in this masterclass
Lessons
- 1Over the Rainbow Full Class + Download1h 33m
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About the instructor
Jake Reichbart →
Jake Reichbart won WEMU-FM’s Emily Remler scholarship for best jazz guitarist in 1991. Since then, he has been among the busiest guitarists in the greater Detroit region. As a sideman, he appears on countless recordings and jingles and has performed alongside Motown legends and jazz greats alike, logging over 4,600 live gigs. Reichbart’s passion, though, has always been solo guitar, citing Joe Pass, Tuck Andress and Tommy Emmanuel as his main influences, while creating a unique voice of his own. He can arrange for the guitar nearly any tune imaginable, drawing from any and every musical style. His CDs 16 Songs and Long Ago and Far Away have received nominations for best jazz recording at the Detroit Music Awards and have garnered rave reviews from such prestigious publications as All Music Guide, Just Jazz Guitar, and Cadence, as well as from numerous radio stations across the US and abroad. He has performed for two US presidents, the Michigan Governor's Inaugural Ball three times, and for countless other similar events. His instructional DVDs are distributed by the largest publisher in the world, Hal Leonard Corporation and he was featured on the front cover of the May 2012 issue of Just Jazz Guitar magazine, which included a lengthy interview and a transcription of one of his arrangements. Jake cites his most enjoyable solo work as being the “restaurant guitarist,” creating long-term relationships and enjoying a loyal following. For the past 20 years, he has been performing on Wednesday evenings at Ann Arbor’s most famous restaurant, The Earle.