Belleville

"Belleville" is a gypsy jazz standard written by Django Reinhardt. He recorded the tune seven times between 1942 and 1951.

The greatest gypsy jazz musicians often play this brilliant tune in their repertoire.

In my "Belleville" gypsy jazz lesson you will learn how to improvise over the changes and learn the main theme note by note, as well as the improvisation.

It is full of useful licks that you can use in your jazz vocabulary.

I have provided 7 pages with complete tabs where I have marked the right chords (with the exact position and fingering that I have used to play the rhythm guitar) and the picking patterns for the solo (upstrokes and downstrokes) of EVERY NOTE so you can get the maximum insight of how it is played.

The 2 backing tracks included in this lesson are in different tempo - 255bpm and a version which is 25% slower. Depending on your skill level you can choose which tempo is right for you.

There are 14 slow and fast videos showing each section separatelly.

- 4 videos for the main theme

- 6 videos for the improvisation

- 4 more videos for the main theme to end the tune

The 32 bar form of the composition is A-A-B-A. Also note that the solos are following a bit different progression, more like a rhythm changes type with only difference in the B section.

--------------------------THE PROGRESSION ( THEME )-------------------------------------

//: D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 A7 / D6/9 A7 /

/ D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 A7 / D6/9 D7 /

/ Gm6 / % / D6/9 / % / F#6 / Gdim / G#m7 C#9 / F#6 A7 /

/ D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 A7 / D6/9 A7 ://

--------------------------THE PROGRESSION ( FOR SOLOS)-------------------------------------

//: D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 D9 / G6 Gm6 / D6/9 A7 / D6/9 A7 /

/ D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 D9 / G6 Gm6 / D6/9 A7 / D6/9 D9 /

/ Gm6 / % / D6/9 / % / F#6 / Gdim / G#m7 C#9 / F#6 A7 /

/ D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 Bm7 / Em7 A13 / D6/9 D9 / G6 Gm6 / D6/9 A7 / D6/9 A7 ://

These are the main chords for the composition. Those of you who use Guitar Pro 7 can view the right position of the fingers used to play the chords - just click on CHORDS)

I hope you will like this lesson. Good luck practicing and feel free to leave a comment.

Have fun!

Damjan Pejcinoski