Barry Galbraith Chord Melody Arrangements

[Mick-7]

The Mel Bay version (my preference) has: E / Am9 / FMaj7#11 / BbMaj7#11 / EMaj9 - same thing, different spelling.

There are differences, though, in the notation of the chords in that second bar - both 4-note chords. The FMaj7#11 chord is (from the bass) Fnat E A B and the BbMaj7#11 has only one e - not the open string. The added note in the FMaj7#11 chord creates a beautiful a/b clash for the top two notes. And the three e notes after that are all on the third string, allowing the upper notes to sustain. Likewise the open e near the end of that bar should be the 5th fret on the second string.

For those who do not want to pay for the Mel Bay version (edited by one of Barry's students) be aware that Mick (bless his cotton socks) made his own tab, with his own interpretation of where the notes should go. Nothing wrong with that, Mick, but when you present it without detailing your changes, some here might think these were Barry's choices, and this study group is in part about trying to understand and appreciate what Barry wrote. Of course, he could have written out a few versions of every song, each with slight differences. Then it's important to compare them to help get inside his mind.

I repeat, doing your own thing is fine, it's what jazz musicians do. But for a study group I personally would like to know what and why you made the changes. If this isn't what the group is about, I'll gracefully bow out. No worries.

You're saying the ending in the pdf (below) I uploaded is incorrect? Where is the A in the FMaj7#11 chord? (10th fret on B string?). Think I added the open string notes, don't have the book tablature so can't be sure about some of them, but the notes I tabbed out are from the pdf I shared.

[Rscudder58]

The Mel Bay version (my preference) has: E / Am9 / FMaj7#11 / BbMaj7#11 / EMaj9 - same thing, different spelling.

There are differences, though, in the notation of the chords in that second bar - both 4-note chords. The FMaj7#11 chord is (from the bass) Fnat E A B and the BbMaj7#11 has only one e - not the open string. The added note in the FMaj7#11 chord creates a beautiful a/b clash for the top two notes. And the three e notes after that are all on the third string, allowing the upper notes to sustain. Likewise the open e near the end of that bar should be the 5th fret on the second string.

For those who do not want to pay for the Mel Bay version (edited by one of Barry's students) be aware that Mick (bless his cotton socks) made his own tab, with his own interpretation of where the notes should go. Nothing wrong with that, Mick, but when you present it without detailing your changes, some here might think these were Barry's choices, and this study group is in part about trying to understand and appreciate what Barry wrote. Of course, he could have written out a few versions of every song, each with slight differences. Then it's important to compare them to help get inside his mind.

I repeat, doing your own thing is fine, it's what jazz musicians do. But for a study group I personally would like to know what and why you made the changes. If this isn't what the group is about, I'll gracefully bow out. No worries.

Rob… is this the sheet music you are using?




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[Rob MacKillop]

That’s volume one of two. The piece we are discussing is in book 2, which you can buy here: Jamey Aebersold Jazz: Product Display and elsewhere. Both books are well worth having. They also come with recordings, standard notation, tab, and lots of info about Barry. Recommended.

[Rob MacKillop]

The A in the F chord is just below the high B. The b is on the first string, the a on the second. It’s really nice. Pity to omit it.

But, as I say, Barry might have written any number of versions from memory, with slight changes here and there. I prefer the Mel Bay versions, as they seem more complete, thought out, more interesting. YMMV.

[pcjazz]

The A in the F chord is just below the high B. The b is on the first string, the a on the second. It’s really nice. Pity to omit it.

But, as I say, Barry might have written any number of versions from memory, with slight changes here and there. I prefer the Mel Bay versions, as they seem more complete, thought out, more interesting. YMMV.

I also like the Mel Bay versions, but do we know for sure that the tab accurately reflects BG’s fingerings?

[Rscudder58]

That’s volume one of two. The piece we are discussing is in book 2, which you can buy here: Jamey Aebersold Jazz: Product Display and elsewhere. Both books are well worth having. They also come with recordings, standard notation, tab, and lots of info about Barry. Recommended.

I ordered both volumes. I’m on board for a Barry Galbraith study group


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[Mick-7]

The A in the F chord is just below the high B. The b is on the first string, the a on the second. It’s really nice. Pity to omit it.

But, as I say, Barry might have written any number of versions from memory, with slight changes here and there. I prefer the Mel Bay versions, as they seem more complete, thought out, more interesting. YMMV.

Actually, the full Fmaj.7#11 chord is shown in his handwritten copy of the arrangement (see below), I should have checked it.

Here is a link to a zip file of Galbraith's handwritten arrangements: http://www.andypolon.com/BG/barry-gif.zip
(but many of the pages are barely legible)

[Mick-7]

I also like the Mel Bay versions, but do we know for sure that the tab accurately reflects BG’s fingerings?

He's using standard chord forms in this arrangement, it's just the typos that have caused confusion, and presumably they've been corrected in the published books.

[lawson-stone]

I just got the Mel Bay book and also have an earlier book of his arrangements so I hope I can carve out some time to learn these arrangements with you all.

[AllanAllen]

Working through the A. Not sure about that F#13 in bar 3, but I like harmonizing 6ths on my way to it.

[Mick-7]

The attached tablature should match the notation in the pdf I shared, I only used open string notes when they were obvious.

Not sure about that F#13 in bar 3

Yeah, a G or C (5th string) rather than F# in the bass is easier to manage, i.e., consider it a C7#9 rather than F#13. There are a couple of places where that makes more sense to me (e.g., measure 15).

[AllanAllen]

It’s not hard to grab, just sounds weird. I think. Hard to say when the tune is so new to me.

[Mick-7]

Working through the A. Not sure about that F#13 in bar 3, but I like harmonizing 6ths on my way to it.

Seems like you're moving around more than is necessary, thus making it harder than it needs to be. The entire A section can be played without leaving the first 4 frets (even your 6ths) - except for the first chord, that is.

It’s not hard to grab, just sounds weird.

Another chart I saw has a major II chord there, in this key it would be F#6 rather than F#13 (but that doesn't sound any better).

[Rob MacKillop]

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, saying the same thing over and over. Let me summarise it for the last time: The Mel Bay editions give the most polished arrangements by Barry, and if we are a Barry study group we should study what he did and not quickly jump to changing things just because we find them weird or too hard at first.

He didn’t write in tab, so there can be debate about which string a note might be played on, but the tab in the Mel Bay edition was notated by one of Barry’s best students. The chord naming is also more accurate and consistent. The two books are not THAT expensive. That said, the free pdf contains a few more tunes, which is why I have both.

There. I won’t repeat myself again. It’s great that more people are joining in! I’ll take a back seat.

[Mick-7]

I don't disagree with with what you said, Rob, but some forum members may not be familiar with Barry Galbraith and/or may not be convinced they want to invest in the books now. They may want to study a few of his arrangements first and decide if it's something they'd like to pursue further.

For what it's worth, I found this guy on YouTube who plays several of the tunes from the first book and shows the notation/tab in his videos.

Barry Galbraith - 42 Chord Melody Arrangements for Solo Guitar - YouTube

[AllanAllen]

Seems like you're moving around more than is necessary, thus making it harder than it needs to be. The entire A section can be played without leaving the first 4 frets (even your 6ths) - except for the first chord, that is.



Another chart I saw has a major II chord there, in this key it would be F#6 rather than F#13 (but that doesn't sound any better).

Yeah, but then I’ll have to use those open strings.

How can it be F#6 when it’s got a b7 in the notation?

[Rob MacKillop]

The videos are not much use if the guy is playing from that pdf. But I suppose it’s a start for some.

[Mick-7]

Yeah, but then I’ll have to use those open strings.

There is only one chord in the A section (besides the very first chord) that contains open strings, the E13 in bar 5, which can only be played in the first position - it has an open E bass note.

Actually, my reading of the notation may be incorrect. I play the chord like below, but does it contain the 5th? (B)

E13 | 0-2-0-1-2-x |

Without the 5th, it could be: E13 | 0-5-6-6-x-x | - but this would necessitate jumping down to the F#m7b5 (first fret) that follows it.

How can it be F#6 when it’s got a b7 in the notation?

I should have said another lead sheet for the tune, Galbraith's chord changes are pretty close to those in the lead sheet I posted (post #9 in this thread), which is from the "Great Gig Blue Book."

If someone who has Vol. 2 could proofread my notation/tab (in post #64) and let me know if it contains any errors, I'd appreciate it.

[Mick-7]

I've spent enough time on this arrangement, I'm ready to darn a dream, or more precisely Darn That Dream. I am comparing Barry Galbraith's and Jeff Arnold's chord melody arrangements of the song, which are similar, figure I'll take the best of each.

Maybe I should start a Darn That Dream thread for this study group: Possible Jazz Ballads by Jeff Arnold Study Group

P.S. - It turns out that Arnold pretty much copied Galbraith's arrangement, just made a few small changes.

[lawson-stone]

Guys
Since I'm really just interested in focusing on a single arrangement, and don't want to get in the way mud of comparing or combining arrangements, I'm going to just work on my own. I will not be contributing to this study group because I just don't have the mind-space right now for expanding on what are already, at many points, challenging musical projects.

[AllanAllen]

I've spent enough time on this arrangement, I'm ready to darn a dream, or more precisely Darn That Dream. I am comparing Barry Galbraith's and Jeff Arnold's chord melody arrangements of the song, which are similar, figure I'll take the best of each.

Maybe I should start a Darn That Dream thread for this study group: Possible Jazz Ballads by Jeff Arnold Study Group

Did you post a clip of LNWWY?

[Mick-7]

Guys
Since I'm really just interested in focusing on a single arrangement, and don't want to get in the way mud of comparing or combining arrangements, I'm going to just work on my own. I will not be contributing to this study group because I just don't have the mind-space right now for expanding on what are already, at many points, challenging musical projects.

Not sure what you're saying... A single arrangement? Which one? Not Last Night When We Were Young?

I'm only doing Darn That Dream myself because it's the third tune in the Galbraith book that's also in the Jeff Arnold Ballads book that we did not study. The other two tunes we'd already studied (in the Arnold study group) are When Sunny Gets Blue and Here's That Rainy Day.

Did you post a clip of LNWWY?

Yes, here -- Barry Galbraith Chord Melody Arrangements

[AllanAllen]

Lawson, come on, you can do the first 4 bars! I believe in you.


Nice work Mick, I'm still stumbling through the bridge.

[AllanAllen]

These two grips are killer for me. Excited to have them around.

xx5877

to

xx5876

[Mick-7]

These two grips are killer for me. Excited to have them around.

xx5877

to

xx5876

Allan, That was the error in measure 14 that Rob pointed it, the G bass notes should be G#'s, I corrected them in the tablature I posted here: https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/atta...albraith-1-pdf

But as I said, I didn't play them.