A Chord-Melody Methodology for Guitar (Harold Combess)

**herkimer** · 10-21-2014, 10:12 AM

For those of you who may be interested, I have a book just released entitled 'A Chord-Melody Methodology for Guitar'. I have attempted to organize various principles and 'rules' into one volume. In a nutshell, it's a Van Eps-inspired work for any player wishing to expand on his/her chord-melody knowledge.

Thanks to Mark for allowing me to post this. I will include the Amazon link here. Other versions are available as well. Feel free to PM or email me at combess@gmail.com. Happy to answer any questions.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OKKAAXI

Thanks to all
Harold Combess

**MarkRhodes** · 10-21-2014, 10:17 AM

Congratulations on the book. Good luck with it.

Think you could post a short clip showing how your approach looks in action?

**herkimer** · 10-21-2014, 10:22 AM

Having never made a video in my life, afraid I'm at a complete loss there.

**MarkRhodes** · 10-21-2014, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by herkimer

Having never made a video in my life, afraid I'm at a complete loss there.

Yikes! I had no idea. A simple webcam is sufficient---you'll see a lot of such videos posted hereabouts (not to mention on YouTube). It's a good way for people to see / hear what you're about.

**artcore** · 10-21-2014, 11:31 AM

same here, never posted a video, not that the world is missing much!...haha...yeah, you should make some vids of your approach, it will sell your book....you don't have to give everything away.......looks interesting, checked it out on Amazon

**herkimer** · 10-21-2014, 11:45 AM

Thanks for that. As for video, i doubt that would be of much help. Trying to summarize a 300+ page book in a brief video seems like a pointless effort.

**AlsoRan** · 10-21-2014, 12:45 PM

I looked through the book using Amazon's "look inside" feature.

I liked the pacing and the examples. It was like having an actual conversation with the author. I also like the way it goes chord by chord with recommendations for useful (and non useful) grips.

You may have a future customer here as I have been delving into Chord Melody a little more these days.

Oh, and the price is nice too.

**herkimer** · 10-21-2014, 12:47 PM

Thank you, sir.

**MarkRhodes** · 10-21-2014, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by herkimer

Thanks for that. As for video, i doubt that would be of much help. Trying to summarize a 300+ page book in a brief video seems like a pointless effort.

I agree, but that would not be the point. It's just a way for people to sense what your approach is like and how it may differ from chord melody books potential buyers may already have.

**djelley** · 10-28-2014, 02:39 PM

Any idea when Amazon will have the paperback in stock? I can't stand music books on Kindle.

Thanks!

**herkimer** · 10-28-2014, 03:35 PM

Other formats are available here:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/485307

**djelley** · 10-29-2014, 09:59 AM

So is a printed version not going to happen? My complaint isn't just with Kindle, unlike other books, I strongly prefer printed music books.

**herkimer** · 10-29-2014, 10:08 AM

Try this:
https://www.createspace.com/5056667

Not sure if its live yet, but should be soon...

**djelley** · 10-29-2014, 01:46 PM

Ordered - thanks!

**herkimer** · 10-29-2014, 02:00 PM

Thanks to you, let me know of any questions you may have.

**PaulW10** · 11-03-2014, 02:37 PM

I first tried the Kindle sample and after reviewing it I bought it. It seems to be a wealth of useful information which I believe will be of great benefit to my playing. Thanks for letting us know about it.

**herkimer** · 11-03-2014, 03:20 PM

Thanks for that, and you're more than welcome.

**2bornot2bop** · 11-09-2014, 04:00 PM

That example 13a., a barred 13th chord using fingers 1x123x....I see it on youtube players often...for the life of me, how does one voice bar chords like that while silencing the 5th string?

I'd like to know, for I've yet to see it explained how one mutes the 5th string while voicing strings 6 and 4...finger style, no problem...strumming, big problem.

**monk** · 11-09-2014, 04:34 PM

To answer your first question use 1/6, 2/4, 3/3 4/2. The first number is the finger, the second number is the string.

The answer to your second question is to slightly tilt the finger on the sixth string until the pad of that finger mutes the fifth string.

**2bornot2bop** · 11-09-2014, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by monk

To answer your first question use 1/6, 2/4, 3/3 4/2. The first number is the finger, the second number is the string.

The answer to your second question is to slightly tilt the finger on the sixth string until the pad of that finger mutes the fifth string.

I've been playing it w/ the 1,2, 3, 4...duhhh

I'd like to learn to bar it, covering the 6th and 4th with only the 1st finger...no luck as yet.

**AlainJazz** · 11-09-2014, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

That example 13a., a barred 13th chord using fingers 1x123x....I see it on youtube players often...for the life of me, how does one voice bar chords like that while silencing the 5th string?

I'd like to know, for I've yet to see it explained how one mutes the 5th string while voicing strings 6 and 4...finger style, no problem...strumming, big problem.

Hey 2b, you just mute the 5th string with one of your other fingers. It is well worth the effort to learn the inversions of major, minor, and dominant chords using the 6432 chord group. I also like the 5321 chord group that has the same issue where you have to mute the 4th string. Those voicings are less "muddy" for lack of a better term.

**monk** · 11-09-2014, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

I've been playing it w/ the 1,2, 3, 4...duhhh

I'd like to learn to bar it, covering the 6th and 4th with only the 1st finger...no luck as yet.

As long as you're playing fingerstyle barring won't be an issue. But if you want to strum it, a barre won't work. That fifth will be audible.

**tbeltrans** · 11-10-2014, 07:39 PM

My copy of this book just arrived today and I have looked through it - skimmed it. There is a way of thinking presented here that is open-ended. Really, once this way of thinking about what notes you are playing for the harmony (notice I said "what notes for the harmony" rather than specifically "what chord"), you can go well beyond the grips presented as examples. Luckily, I have all three of the Goodchord books by Mick Goodrick. I think that this chord melody book "A Chord Melody Methodology For Guitar" could be used to apply material from the Goodchord books.

The system presented in the chord melody book is one that should be apparent to those who have thought about the fact that the particular notes being played at any given moment could really be thought of as any one of several different chords. Think inversions, extensions, etc. As the author says, the fewer notes being played in the chord, the more substitutions/interpretations are possible. Context is everything when looking at where you are and where you want to go.

Right now, I am focusing on teaching myself to play piano, having just recently purchased the Roland V-Grand (a fantastic digital piano!!!). If a book seems particularly interesting to me, I will buy it whether I am ready for it at the moment or not. I knew the three Mick Goodrick books on voice leading would be quite worthwhile at some point, so I grabbed them when they were still in print. This chord melody book is like that in my opinion.

I have posted almost exclusively about Conti's materials in this forum, and I really have benefited from them, and will continue to do so for years. However, this book by Harold Combess, from what I have briefly seen, does not conflict with Conti's method, so I would think the same would be true with regard to whatever else one may be studying.

From my perspective, the ideas presented in Harold's book are the important thing to grasp. His example gris are really examples of application of those ideas. Grasp the ideas and do it your way.

Tony