Stella by Starlight - Jeff Arnold Ballads, Song #5

[DeArmondX155]

When I've been learning these arrangements what I'm doing is finding a really straight vocal version.(Someone like Jo Stafford)

Then I follow along with my eyes on the book so I can see what is melody and what is filler material.

Then I listen to several other versions until the song is firmly in my head.

I'm glad to hear that you are analyzing the harmony as you go, I am getting a lot out of doing that. Mostly like you say, coming to realize that there is more freedom/options as you go from place to place.

If I make up my own chord melodies I have been very basic as well, so it's doing me good to learn some of these moves.

And yes indeed, some of the tricky shapes become less tricky with practice, then you have a new weapon at your disposal.

Yes, it is definitely important to get the tune in your head. I like the idea of listening while examining the book.

New harmonic ideas, more chords to have in your arsenal and a cool song to play. Well worth the effort.

[DeArmondX155]

First take... it's got the old hissy-fit audio issue, which I figured out how to fix, however I saved this take because I liked it. I'll post another later with better audio.

Stella By Starlight - Mick 1b - Box.com

Sound good to me, Needs more hiss though.

Does the guitar you're playing match your forum name, i.e., Dearmond X-155?

Yes, I am playing a DeArmond x-155 are you familiar with it? I love it.

[DeArmondX155]

Here's one I did 6 or 7 years ago that I think was pretty much "roll my own"-I'll post the Arnold arrangement a bit later today.

Excellent. I like your version better than Arnold's.

[Mick-7]

Look Ma, no Hiss! - Stella Take 2 - Box.com

I want to thank BobbyTimmons and Starjasmine for their recording tip, i.e., turn the amp volume up very high to record directly into the Zoom unit, which I didn't think I could do until I discovered that I could simply unplug the amp speakers and listen to it through headphones. You were correct that would drown out the hiss.

Yes, I am playing a DeArmond x-155 are you familiar with it? I love it.

Seen em, but never played one, the older Korean ones appear to be well made instruments.

I like the "rubato" feel but try to stay away from, the accidental rubato.

I may have to steal that phrase, "Excuse me but that was not a mistake, merely an accidental rubato!"

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

[lawson-stone]

Excellent. I like your version better than Arnold's.

Thank you. Believe it or not, it was improvised on the spot. I'd been trying to do an arrangement and got nowhere, and started thinking of the most wild substitutions I could imagine, and just banged it out using whatever came to mind in the moment. I couldn't play that again if you put a gun to my head and demanded it!

[Mick-7]

There are certain more "modern" chord voicings I am trying to integrate into my playing and added to this arrangement, for example:
x-x-8-6-5-5 - or: x-x-8-7-5-5. It can serve as both a IIm (m7b5) or V7 chord (13th or altered dominant). I think I used it 2 or 3 times in this arrangement.

And I prefer more harmonic movement in my chord melodies, Arnold doesn't seem to know what to do with a static chord progression (e.g., when there is only 1 chord per measure) other than arpeggiate the chords, which can get old fast.

[alpop]

Arnold doesn't seem to know what to do with a static chord progression (e.g., when there is only 1 chord per measure) other than arpeggiate the chords, which can get old fast.

I think you are missing the point with this kind of criticism.

These are entry level arrangements that are accessible to players with not a lot of experience playing this style.

To say that the author doesn't seem to know what to do with a static chord progression is unfair and probably untrue.

More likely these are designed to avoid complex, dense, strings of chords which would make the pieces too difficult to slog through, and discouraging to players just learning chord melody.

You may want to consider that your criticisms might be discouraging forum players from joining in and learning these pieces, and getting started on the journey towards more advanced concepts.

[DeArmondX155]

Look Ma, no Hiss!

Mick's Take 2: Stella By Starlight - Box.com

Take 3: (Lullaby for Stella) -Box.com

I want to thank BobbyTimmons and Starjasmine for their recording tip, i.e., turn the amp volume up very high to record directly into the Zoom unit, which I didn't think I could do until I discovered that I could simply unplug the amp speakers and listen to it through headphones. You were correct that would drown out the hiss.



Seen em, but never played one, the older Korean ones appear to be well made instruments.



I may have to steal that phrase, "Excuse me but that was not a mistake, merely an accidental rubato!"

I miss the hiss already.

I have had good luck with Korean made instruments.

The accidental rubato can imply many musical statements. Like I did not practice this enough or that is a really hard chord to grab.

[Mick-7]

I think you are missing the point with this kind of criticism.

These are entry level arrangements that are accessible to players with not a lot of experience playing this style.

To say that the author doesn't seem to know what to do with a static chord progression is unfair and probably untrue.

More likely these are designed to avoid complex, dense, strings of chords which would make the pieces too difficult to slog through, and discouraging to players just learning chord melody.

You may want to consider that your criticisms might be discouraging forum players from joining in and learning these pieces, and getting started on the journey towards more advanced concepts.

Thank you for the feedback. Arnold's arrangements are generally very good, I certainly don't want to discourage anyone from learning and playing them.

My point was that there are simple ways to create harmonic movement with easy to play passing chords (dim.7th chords, etc.). I could give some examples of how I did that in this arrangement if anyone is interested.

[DeArmondX155]

I like what you did with it.

[alpop]

My point was that there are simple ways to create harmonic movement with easy to play passing chords (dim.7th chords, etc.)

Please consider that if your suggestions for improvements could be made without denigrating the author of the book we are studying, it would be a more gracious way to present your ideas.

[Mick-7]

Please consider that if your suggestions for improvements could be made without denigrating the author of the book we are studying, it would be a more gracious way to present your ideas.

Well, I did qualify my statement with the word "seem" ("Arnold doesn't seem to know what to do with a static chord progression").

My comment is based on the fact that in these arrangements he harmonizes each melody note with only one chord, even if the melody note is a whole note. He has published quite a few chord melody books, are there others that are more advanced?

P.S. - Actually, the sparser harmony of this arrangement by Arnold is suitable for faster tempos, I'll record an uptempo version of it using his chords.

[DeArmondX155]

P.S. - Actually, the sparser harmony of this arrangement by Arnold is suitable for faster tempos, I'll record an uptempo version of it using his chords.

It is a ballad you have to play it real slow.

[Mick-7]

It is a ballad you have to play it real slow.

George must be on the jazz police most wanted list then....

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tplNrpLiomU

and maybe Dexter too.

[DeArmondX155]

This is the one I always listen to. I don't think I heard any other versions before trying to learn Arnold's arrangement. Joe actually takes his time with it, aside from some of the runs.

[DeArmondX155]

If you look at Arnold's Arrangement next to the real book, he has not changed his chord choices at all. You can see more movement in some of it like bar 2 but he looks at it like he is just being on A7b9. I would not think of doing that. I like his arrangements overall.


I am playing around with Stella right now. I am playing a chord under every melody note. I mainly look at it as steering the harmony off the base. I start on the pickup note with Bb move a fifth to F, I go to Db from there, but I view it as a C with a flat 9 in the base. Then a fourth back to F a couple of half steps, Gb G then back to Bb, B, A, Ab. I recorded just the first line. I think it sounds OK, but Arnold's probably sounds better just off the stock changes. I doubt I will be able to finish it before we are on the next song. I have a busy week ahead.


I am curious to know how you all go about it.

Stream Stella First Line Study by DeArmondX155 | Listen online for free on SoundCloud

[Mick-7]

Here are my chords for the intro and first several measures, in C Major. In case it's not obvious by now, I like to use open strings.

[lawson-stone]

This is the one I always listen to. I don't think I heard any other versions before trying to learn Arnold's arrangement. Joe actually takes his time with it, aside from some of the runs.

But in fact there are many performances at medium swing or up-tempo paces. Bop players especially like the fresh challenge of the changes, which don't adhere to the standard AABA or blues formats. Birelli LaGrene, Jimmy Raney, Rene Thomas and many other have played it fairly briskly. I don't think we have to be bound by the original ballad format. If so, you also have to give it a horror-movie vibe, since it was composed as part of the soundtrack for a horror movie. "Stella" evidently.... is long dead...

[lawson-stone]

For more up-tempo performances by guitarists, I suggest Joe Pass and NHOP, Jimmy Raney with Sonny Clark and also with Stan Getz, and Jim Hall on the "Jim Hall Trio" album. There is also Tal Farlow on both his first "This is Tal Farlow" and his later "Chromatic Palette" albums. Oliver Gannon "That's What,"

Even Chet Baker recorded it at a medium-up swing tempo as well as doing a slower vocal version.

So I think jazz players are free to pretty much pace the tune however they wish!

[DeArmondX155]

For more up-tempo performances by guitarists, I suggest Joe Pass and NHOP, Jimmy Raney with Sonny Clark and also with Stan Getz, and Jim Hall on the "Jim Hall Trio" album. There is also Tal Farlow on both his first "This is Tal Farlow" and his later "Chromatic Palette" albums. Oliver Gannon "That's What,"

Even Chet Baker recorded it at a medium-up swing tempo as well as doing a slower vocal version.

So I think jazz players are free to pretty much pace the tune however they wish!

No doubt. I was just kidding about playing it slow. I like to hear all the different variations that is what keeps it interesting.

[DeArmondX155]

Here are my chords for the intro and first several measures, in C Major. In case it's not obvious by now, I like to use open strings.

Thanks for posting it. I will look it over when I have some time. Maybe I can learn some new tricks.

[Mick-7]

I don't think we have to be bound by the original ballad format. If so, you also have to give it a horror-movie vibe, since it was composed as part of the soundtrack for a horror movie.

The original 1944 movie is a ghost story, as the title suggests, but apparently the 2009 remake of it was gory and violent as modern movies are more apt to be -- The Uninvited (1944) - IMDb

The harmonic structure of the movie theme song is more refined than lead sheets of it indicate.

[lawson-stone]

No doubt. I was just kidding about playing it slow. I like to hear all the different variations that is what keeps it interesting.

AHA! I just checked and the batteries in my Acme™ HumorDetector are nearly dead! Fresh batteries and I'm chuckling again!

[lawson-stone]

The original 1944 movie is a ghost story, as the title suggests, but apparently the 2009 remake of it was gory and violent as modern movies are more apt to be -- The Uninvited (1944) - IMDb

The harmonic structure of the movie theme song is more refined than lead sheets of it indicate.

Several years back on this forum we had an EPIC fight over the proper first chord for this tune. Originalists versus How-its-played-in-jam-session-ists. Wow that one was good. Teeth hair and eyes all over the forum.