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Topic: Autumn Leaves - C6th - Barney Kessel-style |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 24 Oct 2021 3:00 am |
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I'm a lifelong fan of Barney Kessel's playing. I've been working on this for the last week or so. I took two versions of the head melody of Autumn Leaves that Barney played and combined aspects of them I liked with my own ideas. There were places where what BK played exactly translated to C6th lap steel and others where I had to substitute voicings, simplify rhythms or otherwise change things around to be more playable and better fit C6 lap steel.
BK played both versions in C minor and clearly had the same core arrangement in his head. Unlike so many hard swinging performances, Barney had an almost classical feel here and only starting to swing hard when the improv section came. I dig how he would go in and out of dissonances to paraphrase the melody. So, I've been knitting, tacking and pearling this thing for days but I'm happy with how it came out. This is a bit challenging in places but hope you enjoy it! Midi of arrangement ....
https://soundcloud.com/aev/autumn-leaves-barney-kessel-style-c6th-lap-steel
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Oct 2021 6:14 pm
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| I'll get at that soon as i can, thanks Andy. Back to pumping out my yard! |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 25 Oct 2021 4:47 am
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You're welcome! You guys in CA have just been nailed by climate catastrophes this year. Keep your steel guitar on high ground!
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
Last edited by Andy Volk on 25 Oct 2021 4:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 25 Oct 2021 4:47 am
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I will have to try this! Very cool Andy!
Thanks! |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 25 Oct 2021 5:39 am
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You're welcome, JB. Lots of cool lessons embedded in here in the way BK would arrange things. Like .... using half step higher approach chords to the target chord (bars 11, 19); a climbing fill followed by a descending fill (bars 7, 9); out of key fills that land on an in-key target chord (bar 15,16); using a diminished run over a m7b5 chord (bar 23) and using chromatic descending chords to lead to the target chord (bar 32, 33 ). BK's overall musicality in both arranging and off-the-cuff improve was staggering throughout his career. Tom Morrell was one steeler who was a big Barney fan.
I especially dig how Barney would use open strings in his chords for beautiful, ringing dissonances - like the open E pedal point in his classic intro to "Foreign Intrigue."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlIX7Kh0AvY
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Ethan Shaw
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 25 Oct 2021 10:07 am
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| Sweet arrangement, Andy! |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 25 Oct 2021 11:49 am
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Probably easier to just play strings 1-3 open for the Am.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 25 Oct 2021 11:45 pm
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Barney Kessel is my favourite Jazz/Bop guitarist also for his phrasing feel tone, Gibson Lap Steel Pickups and playfulness with arrangements.
Not many realised that I loved him when I was a kid as he was also the guitarist who composed many looney tunes, bugs bunny guitar parts etc.
His voicings in fact are how I test my tuning to the next level (still a work in progress) and as Andy said his half step movements were techniques he copied from many other players he jammed with.
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Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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