Robert Yelin Books - Care To Comment On His Chord Melody Series?

[AlsoRan]

Yelin may have arranged these pieces years ago, for students and he may have wanted to keep it close to the written harmony, just a guess....They are dense, so you don't need to play all the cords.

Yes, Artcore, you and others hit it right on the head.

This quote from the Amazon reviewer:
"Actually, Yelin in the forward says he intends the player to learn from these arrangements and perhaps become inventive."

It really seems these books are more of a foundation or exercise rather than an end in themselves.

Once I get this song up to speed, I will listen and see how it sounds in my own opinion.

Also, I happened across my Fred Sokolow book, "Building a Chord Solo." It explains everything very well and in very small steps, with 4 versions of each song, from simple to rather advanced. Every song version is explained in detail.

Finally, I started to order Robert Conte's book/DVD set but the wife did not go for it and I am content with what I have. Christmas is coming......

[djangoles]

After having looked thru the book again...my feelings are pretty much the same as before. This review sums up how I feel about the one I have....

"I bought a couple of solo guitar books by Robert Yelin based on the reviews about how "lush" the chords are, and I am very disappointed in them. First of all, let me warn potential buyers that these are in no way "arrangements". They are basically harmonizations of the melody of standard tunes in which a chord is applied to almost every melody note. This brings me to my second complaint which is that the chords are not very inventive. There are lots of unaltered dominant chords that include the fifth which is a very muddy and unpleasant sound in my opinion."


I have no problem with a fifth sometimes, but in a number of chords he uses it's a doubled fifth.

[AlsoRan]

After having looked thru the book again...my feelings are pretty much the same as before. This review sums up how I feel about the one I have....

"I bought a couple of solo guitar books by Robert Yelin based on the reviews about how "lush" the chords are, and I am very disappointed in them. First of all, let me warn potential buyers that these are in no way "arrangements". They are basically harmonizations of the melody of standard tunes in which a chord is applied to almost every melody note. This brings me to my second complaint which is that the chords are not very inventive. There are lots of unaltered dominant chords that include the fifth which is a very muddy and unpleasant sound in my opinion."


I have no problem with a fifth sometimes, but in a number of chords he uses it's a doubled fifth.

Wow! That was a good review and analysis! I am seeing more and more both where the book series excels and where it lacks - and more importantly, the authors intentions.

FYI, I looked over my "Jazz Guitar Standards" from Mel Bay, and my "Brazilian Jazz Guitar" and they are full of chord melody pieces that are not nearly as busy as those in Mr. Yelin's series, yet sound really good. (I have been working "The Girl from Impanema" and "Invitation" into my new solo guitar repertoire.)

[jazz.fred]

Hi,

I'm just curious. Why do you leave the "h" out of the word "Chord(s)? Is that a European or Brit spelling?

[jazz.fred]

Hi,

I own four of the Yelin Books and they are okay (not great, just okay). One thing they seem to lack is the last bit of sophistication that would make them an interesting play, such as single note lines that tie the melodic chords together. One or more of the members have mentioned that the charts are chord after chord after chord. This makes them sound somewhat bloated in my opinion.

A couple of other books that may interest you are:

1. Jazz Guitar Standards (Chord Melody Solos) - Mel Bay/Alfred Pubs. WMB011BCD
A small step above Yelin in sophistication and melodicism (I think that's a word)

2. Jazz Guitar Chord Melody Series - Hal Leonard
I own two of these books: Latin Standards (Bossa Nova charts) & Christmas Standards. The quality of the Charts ranges from absolutely wonderful (The Christmas Song - Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), to absolutely awful (Summer Samba- So Nice). There are at least enough nice arrangements to make the books a decent value.

3. I also believe that there are two books of solos arranged by the late, highly respected Barry Galbraith. The solos range from fairly easy to very difficult (at least for my level of ability).

Hope this helps. Regards.

[mrbean]

Yelin is in the Johnny Smith school, using as others have said, a chord for every melody note. You like that or you don't.

[artcore]

True, many styles in solo guitar....personal taste.....in the end I doubt that most guys will take arrangements and play them note for note anyway......or play every cord suggested...

[jazz.fred]

True, many styles in solo guitar....personal taste.....in the end I doubt that most guys will take arrangements and play them note for note anyway......or play every cord suggested...

Much Agreed. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I own four of the Yelin Books and don't play any of the charts note for note. It seems to me that if you're going to play charts, you really should change them to make them your own.

Ella Fitzgerald once said, "Steal but don't copy."

Billie Holiday said, "If you copy, that means you ain't got nothin' to say."

On the other hand, George Benson once said, "If you don't want me to steal it, don't play it!"

I was taking a lesson from my first Jazz teacher one night. He laid down this incredible line and I said, "Man, I'm never going to sound like that". He replied, "I don't want you to sound like me, I want you to sound like you".