Re: [Harp-L] Group Arrangement

[Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

I often make arrangements for chromatic and guitar.  The guitar part is always a combination of bass notes and chords.

Although there is much more to bass arranging, the following is a beginning:

Working from music where the guitar chords are given...such as "fake book" type lead sheets:
1.  The name of the guitar chord is a potential note for the first note of the measure. (C in a C chord)
2.  The fourth  below or the fifth above is a potential for the third note of a 4/4 measure. (G in a C chord)
3. The note below the slash indicates the bass note to be played. (C/E) 
4. It sometimes sounds good to "walk" up or down the scale of the "old" chord to the "new" chord.  If the "old" chord is E7 and the new chord is A7, the walk could be E, F#, G#, and A on the first beat of the A7 measure.
5. Any note in the current chord is OK but some sound better than others. 

If you have piano music, the lowest notes of the bass clef staff are potential bass notes. You might have to play them in a higher octave on guitar.

The above won't make you a skilled bass arranger or player but it will get you by as you learn.

There is an old joke:
Parent: "What did you learn today?"
New bass student: "I learned to play C"
Next day:
Parent: "What did you learn today?"
New bass student: "I learned to play G"
Next day
Parent: "Why are you late?"
New bass student: "I had a gig"

Vern

 

On Jan 31, 2011, at 12:13 PM, Hal Iwan wrote:

> Hello All
> 
> Anyone one on this list just use harp, guitar and piano or harp, guitar, drums? In both arrangements the bass is not represented. Any hidden pitfalls from your prior attempts with either of these configurations?? 
> 
> Thanks as always,
> 
> Hal in MI