Re: [jazz_guitar] Advice on good chord melody method

[rle...@calstatela.edu]

Hi Mark,

Have you checked out Robert Conti's materrials
(http://www.robertconti.com/)? i think they are top notch. Also,
check out JUST JAZZ GUITAR magazine. Each issue has wonderful
arrangements with analysis by top guitarists like Conti, Howard
Morgen, Jack Wilkins, etc.

Regards,

Ron


------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jazz_guitar/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jazz_guitar/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
jazz_guit...@yahoogroups.com
jazz_guitar-...@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
jazz_guitar...@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[musicmaker1245]

Hi Ron

Thanks for your suggestions. Actually a friend mine gave me his copies of Robert Conti's material (he didn't want them). I am sorry to say I am not a fan of his arrangements or method, it is too guitaristic or formulaic, like learning to paint by using color by numbers.

I am more looking for a book which has notation and talks more in depth about arranging for guitar, more from an arrangers perspective, more about voice leading. I like Barry Galbraith, Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel's arrangements and would like to get more insight into their approach. Does anyone know what materials or person they studied from? Perhaps classical?

Mark

[musicmaker1245]

Can anyone give me some recommendations on a good chord melody method?

I have been playing Barry Galbraiths Chord Melody arrangements and I am looking to expand my knowledge.

I would prefer something with standard notation and chord boxes rather than tab, that goes into good explanations on harmonizing melodies, substitutions etc. Do any of you teachers use a method book with your
students?

All advice greatly appreciated

[Chris Smart]

www.truefire.com has a couple chord melody courses as well.
Chris

[rle...@calstatela.edu]

>Hi Ron
>
>Thanks for your suggestions. Actually a friend mine gave me his
>copies of Robert Conti's material (he didn't want them). I am sorry
>to say I am not a fan of his arrangements or method, it is too
>guitaristic or formulaic, like learning to paint by using color by
>numbers.
>
>I am more looking for a book which has notation and talks more in
>depth about arranging for guitar, more from an arrangers
>perspective, more about voice leading. I like Barry Galbraith, Tal
>Farlow and Barney Kessel's arrangements and would like to get more
>insight into their approach. Does anyone know what materials or
>person they studied from? Perhaps classical?

Hi Mark,

You are most welcome.

Best wishes,

Ron

[JVeg...@aol.com]

Mark,

It's probably not exactly what you're looking for, but there's a book
by Ivor Mairants, a British jazz guitarist, called "Arranging for the
Guitar" that you might want to try to track down. It talks about
some of what you're asking about. Jim Hall may also have some
stuff published, not sure. Rob Yellin has a bunch of books
that are completely chord melody, and you might find it useful to
look at them, not so much to play the tunes, as much as to see
and hear how he approaches this playing style. A lot of Rob's
material is somewhat too "thick" for me, but there are some real
gems scattered throughout his material. Howard Morgen also has
some arrangements you may want to track down.

Unless you take some theory and harmony classes in order to learn
for yourself, everything is going to sound "formulaic", because you're
being "told" how to do it, instead of learning it yourself. You may
also want to give pianist Bill Evans a listen, and try to adapt some
of his harmonic style into your playing. Good luck!

Cheers,
JV

Juan Vega




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Brian Kelly]

I know some people are very critical of Conti's work sometimes but I am in the other camp. His harmonic sense is very personal and unique and I think he generally has lots to teach.

He also goes out of his way to make it as simple as possible to learn to play jazz guitar.




Brian Kelly



----- Original Message -----
From: joe_jazz_2000
To: jazz_...@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 1:53 PM
Subject: [jazz_guitar] Re: Advice on good chord melody method





I got the Conti materials back when they were sweeping through the discussion groups, the paint-by-number version without any discussion of what was going on. I don't recall the title. I did not like it; it was too much to memorize and you couldn't really learn it otherwise.

However, he has another book in which he does discuss reharmonizations and substitutions. That book, along with a book of arrangements actually make an interesting study. Since his arrangements are not really in lead sheet form with grids, and not really fully formed as performance pieces (a chord for every note, highly simplified rhythm notation), you really make up the arrangement yourself. Put the chord where you want it, choose an appropriate sub, experiment with rhythm; the arrangement will be yours.

The title of one of these is "The Assembly Line," and the other is "The Formula." The person who took my phone order knew which one to send when I described my problem with the cookie cutter approach of the first book.

I love the Galbraith arrangements, but I just play them without a thought as to what's going on. I have other books of ready-to-play arrangements, but I always come back to Galbraith.

[musicmaker1245]

Thanks guys for the advice

John - love some of your arrangements very nice & thanks for chordmelody.com

Ammo - will check joe pass red book

Chris - looking over truefire, i am more a book/cd guy, anything specific you recommend?

Dave - will check out Martin Taylor's method

Juan - "Arranging for guitar" looks very good. Seems to be out of print but found it on the web
http://rapidshare.com/files/171049177/mairants__ivor_-_arranging_for_the_guitar__1976_.pdf

Tim - Will check out Fred Sokolow

James - Checking out Ted Green Site

Thanks

Mark

[JamesM]

--- In jazz_...@yahoogroups.com, "musicmaker1245" <musicmaker1245@...> wrote:
>
> Can anyone give me some recommendations on a good chord melody method?
>
> I have been playing Barry Galbraiths Chord Melody arrangements and I am looking to expand my knowledge.
>
> I would prefer something with standard notation and chord boxes rather than tab, that goes into good explanations on harmonizing melodies, substitutions etc. Do any of you teachers use a method book with your
> students?
>

Mark,
Check out the Ted Greene tribute site. There are a number of great arrangements in grid form with hand written annotations that he supplied for his students. A few have been transcribed. All are filled with cool voice leading. Thanks again to Ted Greene. He is a continuing inspiration for chord melody.
Jim