Barry Galbraith Chord Melody Arrangements

[Question]

@Alltunes

there are other benefits of learning someone else's arrangement that you may not of considered.

I personally find that getting my ears and hands around the way that someone else plays something really gets me to see someone else's approach to the same song. (this includes harmonic/melodic as well as fingering choices)

Also, the discipline needed to actually play it in time will benefit your technique.

Afterwords you don't need to play the arrangement the same way every time; in fact I might not play the two arrangements that I posted here ever again!

It might seem senseless to learn something that you will never play again, but for me it speeds up the rate at which I can learn something new.

Just my two (euro) cents.

[lawson-stone]

@Alltunes

there are other benefits of learning someone else's arrangement that you may not of considered.

I personally find that getting my ears and hands around the way that someone else plays something really gets me to see someone else's approach to the same song. (this includes harmonic/melodic as well as fingering choices)

Also, the discipline needed to actually play it in time will benefit your technique.

Afterwords you don't need to play the arrangement the same way every time; in fact I might not play the two arrangements that I posted here ever again!

It might seem senseless to learn something that you will never play again, but for me it speeds up the rate at which I can learn something new.

Just my two (euro) cents.

When I was starting out I bought 3 or 4 little books by Steven Crowell that presented CM arrangements that specifically illustrated different CM devices. To play one of those arrangements was to learn some really solid CM vocabulary, and working through all 25 or so tunes taught me a lot about how to do these kinds of arrangements. In addition, I learned how to do CM improvisation, though at an elementary level to be sure. I have not since found better arrangements than his for that purpose, but I do know there are some very good ones out there, and Barry Galbraith seems to lead the pack for intermediate-to-advanced CM arrangements.

[alltunes]

@Alltunes

there are other benefits of learning someone else's arrangement that you may not of considered.

I personally find that getting my ears and hands around the way that someone else plays something really gets me to see someone else's approach to the same song. (this includes harmonic/melodic as well as fingering choices)

Also, the discipline needed to actually play it in time will benefit your technique.

Afterwords you don't need to play the arrangement the same way every time; in fact I might not play the two arrangements that I posted here ever again!

It might seem senseless to learn something that you will never play again, but for me it speeds up the rate at which I can learn something new.

Just my two (euro) cents.

yes, I know, and I have spent many many hours learning or attempting to learn someone’s CM arrangement grip by grip…. Nothing wrong with that, and as I stated above, those type of arrangements are great to steal ideas from…. Personally, I have a lot more fun starting with a lead sheet and trying to develop my own arrangement as bad as it may be, and then I start looking at other people’s ideas to incorporate into my arrangement. Things just stick with me better that way obviously we’re all free to do whatever we want.

Regarding speeding up process, yes I agree after 10 years of hacking away at this jazz stuff it’s become a lot easier for me to learn (and grip) something new

I have two of Steve Crowell’s products the one where he has the grids on a different page and you have to relate back to the standard notation. That’s a lot of fun

I also have a Crowell book with an accompanying DVD of CM arrangements…lots of great moves in both.

[AllanAllen]

After 10 years, how much time does it take you to read through 32 bars?

[alltunes]

After 10 years, how much time does it take you to read through 32 bars?

32 bars of what?

[AllanAllen]

A chord melody arrangement. I’m 5 years deep and it takes me a very long time. Give me some hope. lol

[alltunes]

sorry no hope to offer :-) my chord melodies are a continuous work in process…. as I mentioned, I almost never memorize anybody’s entire arrangement…..I mix and match them…add in my own stuff. I will say I stay away from the big block chord type CMs. Not only are they difficult for me to play but I don’t like the sound of them….too heavy and plodding….I prefer the Frisell approach…wish I could do it better but I enjoy trying

on this site there were a couple of threads where everyone would post their CM of a tune….Days of Wine and Roses was one such thread….that was a really helpful thing….so much could be learned by seeing how other folks approached a tune….nobody played it the same way

[lawson-stone]

After 10 years, how much time does it take you to read through 32 bars?

If it's like the one's in the Jeff Arnold books, I can read down a 32 bar arrangement in about 30 minutes and then play it (looking at the chart) reasonably well. The harder ones like Barry Galbraith take longer. But most of them I work through for about a half hour and then I can play them without too many (or too noticeable) clams.

[Mick-7]

This thread is now 3 weeks old and only 3 people (including me) have posted a recording of Barry Galbraiths arrangement of Last Night When We Were Young (actually 4 people if you include Rob, but his recording was made before I started the thread). I'll take that a sign of disinterest in this project.

If forum members would rather do something such as alltunes mentioned, I'd be open to starting a thread for that. He said, "there were a couple of threads in this forum where everyone would post their chord melody of a tune." Folks could play or modify someone's arrangement, e.g., Galbraiths, or make up their own.

[mr. beaumont]

Actually, I've enjoyed listening, I just don't like learning other people's arrangements (though Barry's are among the best)

[Mick-7]

Actually, I've enjoyed listening, I just don't like learning other people's arrangements (though Barry's are among the best)

Yes, I think that most people would rather create their own chord melodies and incorporate other people's ideas into them, so a more open-ended thread would probably be better received.

I just picked up a book entitled, Modern Chords, by Vic Juris, which has some some interesting polychord ideas I'd like to apply to chord melody playing.

[AllanAllen]

I’ve been out of town for a week and haven’t touched a guitar. I really wanted to wrap up the last 4 bars before I left.

I’m going to do at least one more arrangement after that.

[Mick-7]

I’ve been out of town for a week and haven’t touched a guitar. I really wanted to wrap up the last 4 bars before I left.

I’m going to do at least one more arrangement after that.

I counted you as one of the people who posted a recording of LNWWY, Allan, so the participation stats have not changed.

Question recorded two arrangements so he gets a gold star.

I like this arrangement, it's fairly short and has some nice counterpoint - seems the final chord got erased though.

Imagination by Barry Galbraith - Box.com

[LuckyLuck]

This thread is now 3 weeks old and only 3 people (including me) have posted a recording of Barry Galbraiths arrangement of Last Night When We Were Young (actually 4 people if you include Rob, but his recording was made before I started the thread). I'll take that a sign of disinterest in this project.

If forum members would rather do something such as alltunes mentioned, I'd be open to starting a thread for that. He said, "there were a couple of threads in this forum where everyone would post their chord melody of a tune." Folks could play or modify someone's arrangement, e.g., Galbraiths, or make up their own.

I'm an amateur player mostly self-taught. I enjoyed working on that arrangement and learned a lot from other BG arrangements (mainly about chords...). I also worked a little from the lead sheet in G. However, I'm far from an expert at reading music. Because of that I'm afraid I can't play it exactly as written... I like Sinatra's version a lot, the feel, the expression, etc. I found a solution I like for bar 14 : Abm7b5 4-x-x-7-7-7 and E9b5 : 0-x-6-7-7-6 or x-7-6-7-7-6, etc. (with or without the root...)

[AllanAllen]

What part can't you play as written? Rob posted 2 great clips to fill in the gaps and even a 3 part series going over the arrangement bar by bar.

[Mick-7]

I'm an amateur player mostly self-taught. I enjoyed working on that arrangement and learned a lot from other BG arrangements (mainly about chords...). I also worked a little from the lead sheet in G. However, I'm far from an expert at reading music. Because of that I'm afraid I can't play it exactly as written

LL, I shared tablature of the corrected music notation in this post (#61) -- Barry Galbraith Chord Melody Arrangements

I found a solution I like for bar 14 : Abm7b5 4-x-x-7-7-7 and E9b5 : 0-x-6-7-7-6 or x-7-6-7-7-6, etc.

You're making it harder than necessary, try:
| x-x-6-7-7-7 | > | x-x-6-7-7-6 |

[lawson-stone]

This thread is now 3 weeks old and only 3 people (including me) have posted a recording of Barry Galbraiths arrangement of Last Night When We Were Young (actually 4 people if you include Rob, but his recording was made before I started the thread). I'll take that a sign of disinterest in this project.

If forum members would rather do something such as alltunes mentioned, I'd be open to starting a thread for that. He said, "there were a couple of threads in this forum where everyone would post their chord melody of a tune." Folks could play or modify someone's arrangement, e.g., Galbraiths, or make up their own.

My own reticence has come from the fact that in a group ostensibly using a book of arrangements, I personally want to hear how people play the actual arrangements, not how they adapt or change them. The latter is okay to do, but if I am working on a project in a group, I want to hear how others do the project, not how they do something varying from the project. I imagine that sounds a little rigid to a lot of folks, and likely it is. But I don't want to invest the time and energy of working through an arrangement when others in the group are just going to use it as a kind of spring board.
I realize this is a minority opinion, of course. But that's why i was initially interested but almost immediately lost interest.

[LuckyLuck]

LL, I shared tablature of the corrected music notation in this post (#62) -- Barry Galbraith Chord Melody Arrangements



You're making it harder than necessary, try:
| x-x-6-7-7-7 | > | x-x-6-7-7-6 |

Yes, this also... Just trying to add a little bass and toying with various possibilities! I've gone a long way since i picked up the guitar again years ago! I've studied a little of everything! Took a few lessons... Older now!

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

The choice of this tune is way to difficult for beginners…
Simpler tunes of Barry should be presented within this post, old cat
HB

[Mick-7]

The choice of this tune is way to difficult for beginners… Simpler tunes of Barry should be presented within this post, old cat
HB

Don't think there are any simple arrangements in the book, HB, this is one of the easier ones, some parts are a little tricky, e.g., the Section A turnaround, but there are far harder pieces in the book. I haven't looked at all the arrangements though.

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

Don't think there are any simple arrangements in the book, HB, this is one of the easier ones, some parts are a little tricky, e.g., the Section A turnaround, but there are far harder pieces in the book. I haven't looked at all the arrangements though.

I spoke also for you…

[AllanAllen]

Simpler tunes of Barry should be presented within this post

such as?

[Cunamara]

I’m not really concerned about playing every head 100% unique at every gig. I feel like that’s unrealistic.

I heard Gene Bertoncini say that he thought about Duke Ellington and other bands with head arrangements who then improvised from there. Realizing that, he was fine with creating an arrangement for the heads of the songs he was playing. And his heads are really intricate and modern sounding.

[Hyppolyte Bergamotte]

such as?

For a beginner guitarist studying chord-melody, I give this piece to my students( one of his easiest piece I think):


“Autumnin New York” : from Barry Galbraith Guitar Solos, Vol. 1 (Mel Bay MB94353).



Why this one ?

• The melody is simple and clearly defined, always placed in the upper voice.
• The voicings are mostly basic triads and seventh chords, with lots of drop-2 shapes in closed position.
• It’s played entirely between the 5th and 9th frets, with no large position shifts.
• The arrangement perfectly illustrates the chord-melody concept (bass + chord + melody), but without the complex tensions (like 9ths or altered 13ths) found in the more advanced studies.
• It sounds jazzy, even at a slow tempo.
• Here the first four bars
• Bar 1 – Gmaj7

• Melody: B (3rd of Gmaj7) sustained on top.
• Chord: Drop-2 voicing rooted on the 10th fret (A string).
• Sound: Warm and full, sets the tonal center.

Bar2 – A7?9

• Chromatic movement downward from B -A - Ab.
• The 9 color (Bb) gives that sophisticated “autumn” tension.

Bar3 – ii–V (Am7 ? D9)

• Classic Galbraith motion: inner voices move by step, bass anchors on 5th fret.
• Simple drop-2 shapes, easy to finger, and perfect for beginners.

Bar4 – Return to Gmaj7

• Resolution, melody note returns to B, same shape as bar 1 ; He loved symmetry.

cheers

HB

[alpop]

For a beginner guitarist studying chord-melody, I give this piece to my students( one of his easiest piece I think):


“Autumnin New York” : from Barry Galbraith Guitar Solos, Vol. 1 (Mel Bay MB94353).



Why this one ?

• The melody is simple and clearly defined, always placed in the upper voice.
• The voicings are mostly basic triads and seventh chords, with lots of drop-2 shapes in closed position.
• It’s played entirely between the 5th and 9th frets, with no large position shifts.
• The arrangement perfectly illustrates the chord-melody concept (bass + chord + melody), but without the complex tensions (like 9ths or altered 13ths) found in the more advanced studies.
• It sounds jazzy, even at a slow tempo.
• Here the first four bars
• Bar 1 – Gmaj7

• Melody: B (3rd of Gmaj7) sustained on top.
• Chord: Drop-2 voicing rooted on the 10th fret (A string).
• Sound: Warm and full, sets the tonal center.

Bar2 – A7?9

• Chromatic movement downward from B -A - Ab.
• The 9 color (Bb) gives that sophisticated “autumn” tension.

Bar3 – ii–V (Am7 ? D9)

• Classic Galbraith motion: inner voices move by step, bass anchors on 5th fret.
• Simple drop-2 shapes, easy to finger, and perfect for beginners.

Bar4 – Return to Gmaj7

• Resolution, melody note returns to B, same shape as bar 1 ; He loved symmetry.

cheers

HB

Thanks for this suggestion. I will try working on this one next.

I have been working on Last Night When We Were Young and almost have it memorized and ready to record. I'm hoping to post it here within the next week.

There, now I've said it, no backing out now!