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Chord-Melody Arranging Tips?

 
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BarbNY



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 29
Location: NY

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:27 pm    Post subject: Chord-Melody Arranging Tips? Reply with quote

Does anybody out there have any practical tips on writing a chord-melody arrangement? I've been working on a few tunes, but still feel like I'm not on the right track. Obviously, some songs are easier to deal with than others, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Dave Illig



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 67
Location: Houston, TX

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the easiest way would be to pay Mark to do the arrangement. Very Happy Seriously, the vast possibilities on how to reharmonize tunes makes it challenging.

Dave
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BarbNY



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 29
Location: NY

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave Illig wrote:
I think the easiest way would be to pay Mark to do the arrangement. Very Happy Seriously, the vast possibilities on how to reharmonize tunes makes it challenging.

Dave


Ha! Thanks, Dave. Laughing I've bought a few books of arrangements over the years and have taken bits and pieces from each of them and added my own interpretation. Obviously, each ear is different and what sounds good to someone else might not sound good to me. I guess I always hold out hope that there is a focused "method" out there to spare me the work I sub-consciously know has to be put into arranging. So I guess it's time to just stop hoping and get to work Wink
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Mark
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Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BarbNY wrote:
I've bought a few books of arrangements over the years and have taken bits and pieces from each of them and added my own interpretation. Obviously, each ear is different and what sounds good to someone else might not sound good to me. I guess I always hold out hope that there is a focused "method" out there to spare me the work I sub-consciously know has to be put into arranging. So I guess it's time to just stop hoping and get to work.


Barbara,

Thanks for getting this conversation underway. There are so many unique approaches to arranging for solo guitar, and it's a skill that most guitarists (like myself) have learned by the seat of their pants, through constant trial and error (plenty of the latter Laughing ).

Due to the number of unique yet effective approaches, I really don't think that you're going to find a perfect method book on the market. If I were you I'd continue doing exactly what you're doing with respect to "bits and pieces" gleaned from various sources, but challenge yourself for even 10 or 15 minutes a day to put chords to a melody. It's like anything else in that you get better and better at it over time, but not without that steady commitment.

And remember to err on the side of simplicity in keeping the average listener in mind. Sure, you can potentially have elaborate intros, endings, fills, criss-crossing harmonies, walking bass lines, fancy substitutions, etc, etc, but in the end as long as someone can recognize the tune and enjoy what they're hearing, it's a home run!

- Mark
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"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple" - Mingus
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BarbNY



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 29
Location: NY

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark wrote:
BarbNY wrote:
I've bought a few books of arrangements over the years and have taken bits and pieces from each of them and added my own interpretation. Obviously, each ear is different and what sounds good to someone else might not sound good to me. I guess I always hold out hope that there is a focused "method" out there to spare me the work I sub-consciously know has to be put into arranging. So I guess it's time to just stop hoping and get to work.


Barbara,

Thanks for getting this conversation underway. There are so many unique approaches to arranging for solo guitar, and it's a skill that most guitarists (like myself) have learned by the seat of their pants, through constant trial and error (plenty of the latter Laughing ).

Due to the number of unique yet effective approaches, I really don't think that you're going to find a perfect method book on the market. If I were you I'd continue doing exactly what you're doing with respect to "bits and pieces" gleaned from various sources, but challenge yourself for even 10 or 15 minutes a day to put chords to a melody. It's like anything else in that you get better and better at it over time, but not without that steady commitment.

And remember to err on the side of simplicity in keeping the average listener in mind. Sure, you can potentially have elaborate intros, endings, fills, criss-crossing harmonies, walking bass lines, fancy substitutions, etc, etc, but in the end as long as someone can recognize the tune and enjoy what they're hearing, it's a home run!

- Mark


Thanks, Mark. As always, you're so good at dispensing wisdom Smile I guess I've always known that I'd have to "put in the time," as with anything else worth doing. (Couldn't transcribe or notate worth a damn until I just "did it.") I'm going to print out your response and put it in a prominent place on my desk!

Barbara
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woland99



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 155
Location: Austin, TX

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 3:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Chord-Melody Arranging Tips? Reply with quote

BarbNY wrote:
Does anybody out there have any practical tips on writing a chord-melody arrangement? I've been working on a few tunes, but still feel like I'm not on the right track. Obviously, some songs are easier to deal with than others, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Barb - check some freebie arangements at:
http://www.lickbyneck.com/

Specifically chord melody stuff is here:
http://www.lickbyneck.com/SoloGuitar-Fatt-Jazz.html

Those lessons are distributed as executables but many folks used
them w/o any problems - if in doubt run virus scanner on them 1st.

JT
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BarbNY



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 29
Location: NY

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Chord-Melody Arranging Tips? Reply with quote

woland99 wrote:
BarbNY wrote:
Does anybody out there have any practical tips on writing a chord-melody arrangement? I've been working on a few tunes, but still feel like I'm not on the right track. Obviously, some songs are easier to deal with than others, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Barb - check some freebie arangements at:
http://www.lickbyneck.com/

Specifically chord melody stuff is here:
http://www.lickbyneck.com/SoloGuitar-Fatt-Jazz.html

Those lessons are distributed as executables but many folks used
them w/o any problems - if in doubt run virus scanner on them 1st.

JT


Thanks, JT, I'll check it out.

Barbara
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Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BarbNY wrote:
Thanks, Mark. As always, you're so good at dispensing wisdom Smile I guess I've always known that I'd have to "put in the time," as with anything else worth doing. (Couldn't transcribe or notate worth a damn until I just "did it.") I'm going to print out your response and put it in a prominent place on my desk!


Barbara,

You're welcome. I don't know about the "wisdom" part, but I have been called a "wise guy" from time to time. Laughing

Since you brought up transcribing, let me just say that there are SO many subtle things that are gleaned through these high-quality pursuits if done on a regular basis. Surrendering to it and believing in it is the key. Now, this is easy for me or anyone else who has logged thousands of hours arranging to know as gospel truth, but believe me when I say that it doesn't take longer than even a couple of weeks to start experiencing the magic.

For instance, let's say that you decide to arrange a classic standard, like Misty to name one of countless possibilities. The very second that you come up with even one combination of a melody note with a chord voicing that sounds appealing, well... you just made a valuable deposit into your chord-melody "bank account." Why is it so valuable? Because rest assured that the next time a similar harmonic challenge arises (i.e. same melody and chord relationship), you've already got the $$ there. You simply make a withdrawal, but the great thing is that it stays in there collecting interest. Smile

This is totally analogous to an improviser developing a working vocabulary based on great licks used successfully in the past, or a writer or speaker using that special word that is now a trademark of the way that they express themselves and effectively communicate with others.

Okay, now take this microscopic experience from one note in Misty and do the math by multiplying it by the totality of the song, then consider where you'll be as a chordal thinker after the next arranging project? Or after the fifth, or the tenth? How about after a hundred or more?

Even though this should make complete sense from a logical perspective, it's so easy and common to see the artistic results of others "after the fact" and not realize that it's a step-by-step process, one that once began with a simple decision and commitment to arrange even 10-15 minutes each day.

- Mark
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BarbNY



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 29
Location: NY

PostPosted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:51 pm    Post subject: Chord-Melody Arranging Tips Reply with quote

Mark's Advice:

"For instance, let's say that you decide to arrange a classic standard, like Misty to name one of countless possibilities. The very second that you come up with even one combination of a melody note with a chord voicing that sounds appealing, well... you just made a valuable deposit into your chord-melody "bank account." Why is it so valuable? Because rest assured that the next time a similar harmonic challenge arises (i.e. same melody and chord relationship), you've already got the $$ there. You simply make a withdrawal, but the great thing is that it stays in there collecting interest. "

Thanks, Mark. I did exactly as you suggested, and after only 2 days of concentrated effort (at least 15 minutes each day), I've been very pleased with my progress. Just as you said, as I came up with a successful voicing in one situation, I found it useful when facing a similar harmony later on in the song. There is no getting away from it: we just have to do the work and put in the time to see results. I know that the next time I sit down to continue my arrangement, my attitude will be a positive one, based on my earlier success. Inspiration just breeds more inspiration! Thanks, again.

Barbara
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Don Mitchell



Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 8
Location: Portland, Oregon

PostPosted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me start off by qualifying my advice to fingerstyle arrangements only. While chordmelody work can be done with plectrum, I feel it limits the single most important constituent of solo guitar--namely rhythm--as to be uninteresting to me.

When I first started arranging, I was obsessed with reharmonization. It's an easy trap to fall into since the more complex harmony of jazz was one of the main things that drew me to the genre. And it can easily substitute for what can often be the more difficult and challenging aspect of solo guitar: swing, latin or rock groove. So, my first advice is to get your fingerstyle chops together, especially with respect rhythm.

If you can get some video of Joe Pass, you'll be surprised to see that the chords he played were pretty generic, standard grips--no Allan Holdsworth finger-torture stuff. And his reharmonizations weren't all that adventuresome; some occasional flat five subs, but mostly back-cycling or dominant subs for minors. What made Pass's playing so wonderful was it swung!

Try doing an arrangement of a standard that already has interesting changes so you don't have to worry about spicing it up with extensive reharmonization, and just focus on making it swing, and emphasizing the melody.

Another rule to follow is arrange in "guitar friendly" keys so as to utilize open bass strings, you know, E, C, G, A, D.

I've got plenty more advice, since it's probably my biggest passion related to guitar, but I'll save it for later.

Don
www.donmitchell.us
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Jokron



Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark wrote:

For instance, let's say that you decide to arrange a classic standard, like Misty to name one of countless possibilities. The very second that you come up with even one combination of a melody note with a chord voicing that sounds appealing, well... you just made a valuable deposit into your chord-melody "bank account." Why is it so valuable? Because rest assured that the next time a similar harmonic challenge arises (i.e. same melody and chord relationship), you've already got the $$ there. You simply make a withdrawal, but the great thing is that it stays in there collecting interest. Smile


First, congrats, Mark, to the new forum! You seem to be a very nice person and I really like you're approach to studying!

Actually I've been noodling around in different educational materials and theoretical books for a year now, but last week I deciced to put away all that, get some tunes and just play them, applying what I know and especially what I feel. So I decided to learn the melody and chords of Misty so I could play them without the lead sheet. Then I begun to puzzle it together and, man, I learned more about playing this week than ever before...so yesterday I took the tune "All the things you are" and to my own surprise, it almost directly fell into my fingers...once again I'm convinced that you really should practice only what you actually are going to play. At least when you've past the 50's birthday, as I have and just doing it for fun Embarassed ...My goal is that next summer be able to mix up with some descent chord-melody playing on my gigs where I play and sing folk-songs and pop-songs.

And, Mark, the contacts we have had and what you share on your web-site and in other forums has been a great help for me!

/Jokron
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Mark
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Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Wed May 14, 2008 8:33 am    Post subject: Tip: Arrange Intros & Endings Reply with quote

Hi! I was just reading some of these posts from over a year ago. What a shame that there isn't more activity happening over here Sad, because this is such a rich area and a great way to evolve as a chordal thinker, whether you're playing solo guitar, rhythm guitar, ensemble jazz chord solos a la Wes, or anything in between.

Without citing any one particular standard (there are countless, and each could warrant its own discussion), one thing I would highly recommend is to spend time on a regular basis arranging intros and endings, because you can apply the results to so many tunes and playing situations.

With that in mind, I'm presently working on a new "Cool Chords" lesson series for my students, and part of the thrust is using standard turnaround formulas (e.g. I-IV-II-V and subs) to explore the numerous harmonic possibilities and chord voicings. All for now...

- Mark
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nylenny



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 291

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a few ideas I use from time to time:

Hold common tones between chords and move others to the closest tone in the next chord. If both chords are seventh chords and common to a tonal center, they will have at least one common tone. You can find lots of great sounding chord sequences using this method.

Write a logical bass line. If there are appealing melody notes and a decent bass line, chances are that it sounds OK. I learned this from traditional harmony -- the ear focuses on outside voices.

Focus on guide tones (3rds and 7ths). If chords are moving in 4ths, you often can get these to move in seconds. Sometimes, all you need is the guide tone to imply the harmony, which is refreshing for the ear.

Vary textures on repeats or phrases.
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