Barry Galbraith Chord Melody Arrangements

[Mick-7]

This is a study group for Barry Galbraith's solo guitar arrangements.

We'll be working on a book of his arrangements that I uploaded here:
https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/atta...-galbraith-pdf

Rob MacKillop suggested we start with Barry's arrangement of Last Night When We Were Young, which appears to be a good choice because it's one of the easier arrangements in the book.

Here is Barry's Galbraith's rendition of it (I think it is Barry anyway, not sure about that.)

Barry Galbraith - Last Night When We Were Young

If anyone has trouble translating the standard notation, I could write it out in tablature - or at least the more difficult passages.






P.S. - We talked about starting this study group in this thread, and as I said there, we can keep the Jeff Arnold chord melody book study group going too -- Possible Jazz Ballads by Jeff Arnold Study Group - Who's In?

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks for starting this, Mick! I think Barry’s arrangements are about the best there are.

I should mention that Mel Bay publish two books of Barry’s arrangements with TAB, and the first volume includes a great introduction to the man. I think all the pieces in the two books are in the free copy Mick provided a link to, but that doesn’t have the TAB. The choice is yours.

Here is my first take of Last Night When We Were Young. It was recorded 13 years ago, and having just watched it for the first time since then there are two things that surprise me: I am playing it fingerstyle (I play it with a plectrum these days) and I seem to have been playing it down a coal mine!

I also recorded it nine years ago on a gut-strung classical guitar at a slightly lower pitch:

I’ll try to make a plectrum version soon, and also talk about the harmony.

[Jabberwocky]

Good to hear from you, Rob. I hope that you are well on the mend.

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Jabber. On the mend, but told it might take a few years. One of the drugs has caused some skin cancer, so I have an op coming up to remove that. It’s not life threatening, I’m told. So, still here, still playing, but not able to play fingerstyle well - my right-hand muscles are not working properly. Such is life. I just get on with it. Feeling quite content.

[Rob MacKillop]

Here’s the Boss:

[Rob MacKillop]

I forgot to mention that the Mel Bay editions come with recordings by one John Purse, a new name to me. I’ll have a listen later, and compare it with the soundfiles you provided, Mick.

[Jabberwocky]

Sending you my well wishes and good vibes, Rob.

[Mick-7]

Thanks for starting this, Mick! I think Barry’s arrangements are about the best there are.

I should mention that Mel Bay publish two books of Barry’s arrangements with TAB, and the first volume includes a great introduction to the man. I think all the pieces in the two books are in the free copy Mick provided a link to, but that doesn’t have the TAB. The choice is yours.

They have only this one volume on their website: barry-galbraith-guitar-solos

I will probably write out the tab so I can better understand his chord choices, however, what you played doesn't quite match the arrangement in the pdf I shared.

Here is my first take of Last Night When We Were Young. It was recorded 13 years ago, and having just watched it for the first time since then there are two things that surprise me: I am playing it fingerstyle (I play it with a plectrum these days) and I seem to have been playing it down a coal mine!

Looks like the power went out so you played it on your acoustic guitar and recorded it with a battery powered recorder.

I forgot to mention that the Mel Bay editions come with recordings by one John Purse, a new name to me. I’ll have a listen later, and compare it with the soundfiles you provided, Mick.

I found the audio files online, I suspect they came from Mel Bay. I don't know who played the pieces but as you said, it probably isn't Barry Galbraith.

[Mick-7]

I don't know this tune, found one lead sheet for it:

[Rob MacKillop]

I can't find Volume 2 on the Mel Bay website either, but it's definitely out there: Jamey Aebersold Jazz: Product Display and in the UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barry-Galbr.../dp/0786687746

Yes, there are slight differences between the two versions of Last Night When We Were Young. Most were collated from hand-written scores, which may or may not have difficult-to-read parts.

[Rob MacKillop]

Steve, I asked Mel Bay about that site, and it is illegal. Just FYI, without judgement.

[Steve_b]

Steve, I asked Mel Bay about that site, and it is illegal. Just FYI, without judgement.

Thanks, post deleted now

[AllanAllen]

This time might be the best candidate for chord melody I’ve ever heard. So much space and predictable rhythm.

[Rob MacKillop]

I assume you meant to say “This tune…”, Allan? I agree I look forward to hearing what people do with it.

[AllanAllen]

I assume you meant to say “This tune…”, Allan? I agree I look forward to hearing what people do with it.

I did. And I hope to work through the sheet this coming week and post something.

[Rob MacKillop]

Looking forward to it.

[Mick-7]

Yes, there are slight differences between the two versions of Last Night When We Were Young. Most were collated from hand-written scores, which may or may not have difficult-to-read parts.

We may want to look at Barry's handwritten scores too, they are the subject of this thread:
Hand Written Chord Melody Arangements by Barry Galbraith

Here is a link to a zip file of those arrangements: http://www.andypolon.com/BG/barry-gif.zip

[Rob MacKillop]

OK, that’s very different from the Mel Bay version. I’ve been playing it with a plectrum lately, and have no problem playing what is written, sometimes anticipating the beat, which is ok to do in such a romantic piece, and sometimes using a left-hand finger to mute a string. But I would agree that some of his arrangements seem to be geared towards fingerstyle playing, others to plectrum, and others that could go either way or utilise a hybrid technique. It’s up to the player to do what fits best for them.

[Rob MacKillop]

I’ve looked at all the available scores now, and for me the best seems to be in the two Mel Bay publications. Why? Well, Allen Johnson Jr helped edit the arrangements. He studied with Barry, and also produced Barry’s Jazz Guitar series. No one knows Barry’s playing better. He also writes a four-page article, “My Friend Barry” for the edition. Allen also interviewed guitar greats for the book, which includes short story’s regarding Barry by Jimmy Wibble, Bucky Pizzarelli, Mundell Lowe, Tony Mottola, Don Arnone, and Jim Hall. Also included is a biography by Barry’s son, Don. All that’s in Book 1, but Book 2 contains the song we are looking at. Plus you get all the recordings by John Purse, who also worked on the engravings.

We all like to have things for free, but I personally think these two Mel Bay editions are worth every penny/dime.

[Rob MacKillop]

Mick, can you check the high note in measure 21? I think it should be a C#, an octave leap from the last note of the previous bar?

[Mick-7]

Mick, can you check the high note in measure 22? I think it should be a C#, an octave leap from the last note of the previous bar?

Ah, yes, my mistake, I'll correct that. Are there any glaring differences between the Mel Bay print version and the version in the pdf I shared? I tried to compare it to his hand written scores but they are very hard to read.

[Rob MacKillop]

I don't want to detail every note, Mick, but you can hear the Mel Bay version in my two videos above.

[Rob MacKillop]

Three short phone videos where I talk through my approach to the arrangement, which might be of interest to some. The first covers bars 1 to 8, the second bars 9 to 16, the third 17 to the end. I manage to get the name of the song wrong at the start of the first video! But I'm sure you know what I mean.

[Rob MacKillop]

[AllanAllen]

Three short phone videos where I talk through my approach to the arrangement, which might be of interest to some. The first covers bars 1 to 8, the second bars 9 to 16, the third 17 to the end. I manage to get the name of the song wrong at the start of the first video! But I'm sure you know what I mean.

This is very helpful because I can't read chords for s***. Part of why I want to do this.