Arranging

[namaste]

I was just wondering if anyone would be interested in learning how to arrange for solo guitar, for those who are beginning this endeavor? I would be willing to start a thread on the process I go through.

[Professor]

When I took jazz guitar lessons a few years ago, my instructor taught me how to do the solo jazz guitar arrangements. It was based on the 'drop 2' voicing system primarily, with occasional non-chord tones and suspensions, etc.

It takes a good bit if thinking through and setting the right chord voicings, when to shift octaves, or (rarely) use an octave instead of a chord, but it sounds really cool, and is well worth the effort. I devised my own version of staff paper that incorporates blank chord charts above the staff so that the 100-odd chord changes per tune show up graphically. Otherwise, that sort of thing ends up being very difficult to memorize, especially if you aren't consistent with your chord shapes each time.

[morjaz]

Your insights into arranging for solo guitar would be much appreciated,Namaste....great idea for a thread....

[namaste]

I think the first thing one must do prior to picking a tune to arrange is ascertain their proficiency level. I'm going to assume people who begin arranging have some music reading skills. Aside from that, I think the following would be useful:

- an appropriate guitar chord book, one that shows four note chords in three segments: the two outer four strings and inner four strings voicings. As an addition, a knowledge of open string jazz chords would be useful (i.e., 7ths, 9ths, 13ths, altered - b5 #5 b 9 #9).

- beginners would be advised to start with ballads, because of tempo and note values.

- I generally try to arrange songs in their original keys as much as possible. I only change the key when the melodies don't lie well on the guitar.

- When perusing a melody for arrangement I check the lowest and highest notes and ensure that they fall on the first and/or second strings. There are exceptions, but I use that as a general rule to allow for adequate harmonization.

- I think it would be a good idea to harmonize from fake books, in particular any of The Real Books. (I have access to this material and could help someone if they are in need).

- Start harmonizing using existing harmony (i.e., the chords above the melody). Use voicings that will place the melody on the first or second string. Try to keep the voicings together, that is don't jump too much around on the fretboard initially.

- Playing in time vs. rubato is personal. Those with a classical background may wish to play as written. Those who know the song well may prefer a rubato approach. I personally like to start off slowly, especially with those tunes I don't know that well, and play in time first. Then I go for the rubato at a later time.

- I have some examples here www.acousticfingerstyle.com/midifil8.htm, under Kevan Tolley. Most of them are quite simple and are meant to be played loosely or with rubato. They are known as shells or skeleton arrangements, the intent being to fill in the spaces with personal scale/lick choices.

- I can't emphasize enough to listen to artists who utilize the chord melody style. People like Joe Pass, Gene Bertoncini, Lenny Breau, Herb Ellis, plus many others too numerous to mention. It will help in developing your ear to this style.


This is a start. Please feel free to contact me, as well as do your own investigation. The internet has a lot of material on this topic, and a lot of arrangements. Have fun folks.

[morjaz]

Guaranteed and satisfying progress will be yours if you follow the clear guidelines that Namaste is laying out.....
I'd also like to recommend the website mentioned there.A very good selection of standards that can be read or printed out in TAB form ,..or if you like..play and read along with Tab/edit.....

[namaste]

Thanks for the kind words morjaz. I don't profess to being a real pro at this, but what I described works well for me. And for the beginners, it takes a while to hear success. I've been at this for years so patience is definitely needed. You will get there, though, if you commit yourself.

[morjaz]

Near the beginning of this thread Prof.mentions "drop 2"voicings...
Would anyone like to explain what this is in terms of chord formation....maybe give a couple of examples...

[Professor]

Drop 2 chords are a system of 4-note chord voicings in which one can choose the melody note and voice the correct chord beneath it.

In "All The Things You Are" the first note is Ab (A flat), the first chord is Fm7. So, we want to play an Fm7 chord with an Ab as the top (melody) note.

Write the chord out from bottom to top, vertically:

Eb
C
Ab
F

Now, write it again with the Ab as the top note, keeping the correct order of notes:

Ab
F
Eb
C

Now, "drop 2" -- the second note from the top goes to the bottom:

Ab
Eb
C
F

This is your 4-note chord voicing. The F is on the 5th string. Do this for every note in the piece. Write it down carefully and explicitly. Your choice of where to put the bottom note of the chord will depend on which chord comes before and after the chord in question. Remember, you want to make this to be a fluid, coherent performance piece.

Some notes will not require a shift of chord shape, merely a passing tone going to the next chord, which will be a regular drop 2 chord. These are on a case-by-case basis. What you end up with will be a series of chords that has the melody in the soprano voice at all times, and makes a nice chord melody solo.

Now, for extended harmonies, You won't be able to get them all in to a 4 note chord. At this point there are some other rules to apply. The extended notes will "replace" the regular chord tones in the following fashion:

9 replaces 1
11 replaces 3
13 replaces 5

Noone will notice that you might be playing a chord that has the root omitted, or a chord with no third.
For a copy of "All The Things You Are" arranged this way with all of the appropriate chord diagrams above the correct notes, mail $742,317.43 in small, unmarked bills to my house. Be sure to include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. ;D

[Professor]

Hmm....I didn't realize this would result in absolute silence.

Any questions about what I wrote?....or are you all too busy working up new arrangements?

[morjaz]

Well Prof.....I'm still cramming small bills into a suitcase for you....keep an eye on the mailbox...
Yeah....I'm still working on what you posted(i've a bit of a head cold so a bit slow)
The first Fm7 you wrote is a position for that chord I'd never played(F on 5th would be 8th fret...then 6th fret,5th and 4th?).....Following then what you laid out I finished up with a really nice melody chord.....thanks for that....
In terms of the extensions I thought you'd have to use more strings in the chord....is it in the inversion that 1 becomes a 9 etc..I'd say I don't fully understand the way that works......for a smaller suitcase of money could you post some more about the extensions part of what you were explaining.......
I love that drop 2 system tho'...

[namaste]

Prof, no disrespect, but I think you're explanation is a little too complicated. I tell folks (mostly beginners mind you) just to find a chord to fit the melody note. For "All the Things You Are", all the chords from existing harmony are easily found in any chord book. Just find the inversion that places the melody on the first or second string.

[Professor]

namaste said:

...all the chords from existing harmony are easily found in any chord book. Just find the inversion that places the melody on the first or second string.

Well, those chords may be in the book, but not all the possible inversions will be. Just putting the melody on the first or second string is sort of an over-simplification. Not all the melody notes are chord tones. Also, as far as using more strings for extensions, that doesn't work sometimes, or the chord shapes are impractical for certain inversions.

Remember, the system I described is one of 4-note chord voicings. I was just trying to answer the question and share a really cool technique. If you want to use a different system that uses chords with a varying number of notes...well, then that would be different than what I wrote. It's not just a matter of choosing an inversion of chords, it also includes a way to choose which notes to use in a voicing: not all possible notes are necessary or even desireable.

I know that this is not the only arrangement technique.

[morjaz]

Yep....4 note voicings....ok......so within the 4 note context Prof. could you explain a bit more about extensions.....when does a fifth(or is it the sixth),for instance,become a 13th.
In fact,having looked it up,I see that you have to add it on to the basic triad..
the way I read it.....9,11,13=2,4,6
so in a 4 note voicing to get an 11th,let's say,I would just add a 4th to the triad....
Then,if I wanted a 7th in the chord I'd drop the 3rd or 5th(to keep with 4 notes)
Am i on the right track,here???

[Professor]

Umm...No.

Keep in mind that "extensions" are just that, extended tertian harmonies. A 9th chord is a dominant 7 chord with another interval of a 3rd, (ex. F9=FACEbG) so that all 5 notes would normally be in the chord. Also, there is a difference between 9, 11, 13 and 2, 4, 6. That octave above the bass note is significant. (Even though you might ignore it in the method I described above.)

Now a regular triad with a 9th "added" would say so. (ex. Cadd9=CEGD, no 7th, Bb), a really cool sounding chord, BTW. Play it at the 3rd fret = CGCDG

11th and 13th chords imply the 7th (and 9th, but perhaps to a lesser degree) is there as well. So, CEGBb(D)F would become CGBbF, with the chosen melody note on top.

So, a 4-note voicing of a 9th chord (FACEbG) would not contain the F, or if the F was a melody note, then the C (the 5th of the chord) could be omitted.

In fact, the 5th is often omitted in general, when it is unaltered. So, a 4-note voicing of a 7th chord could also be CEBbC.

Does that help?

[morjaz]

thanks for that,Professor,.......I've read it through 3 times....I think a further few readings and it will start to fall into place.....