chord melody question

[Jonmiller]

How do you play chord melody?
I come from a plectrum banjo background (CGBD), and chord melody is where we live, with melody on the top string, but playing on mando, it sounds best to me playing 3 course (string) chords instead of 4, and keeping it below the 5th fret when possible. I love the 2 course melody that the fellow plays on the "Mandolin" Store sound examples.

[Perry]

I would say the same rules apply as in any other instrument. Try and keep the melody in the upper voicing. Interesting moving harmony underneath. Not every melody note needs a chord behind it etc...

BUT Michael Lampert (you out there?) once pointed out to me at a lesson that the melody note does NOT always have to be the upper voiced chord tone. That little bit of freedom from the usual chord melody "rules" really opens up a lot on the mando.

He wrote out a couple of cool ideas for "All the Things You Are" utilizing that approach.