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Topic: Fake Book help |
Jim Bloomfield
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 8:34 am |
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I'm having trouble transposing music from fake books to steel (I'm playing E9 pedal but this question could apply to any tuning or lap). I want to play 3 note chord melody but am not sure how to transcribe it. I have a decent grasp on theory. For example, do I start the song playing a C chord because that is the note indicated or do I play an F chord making sure that the note of C is the highest string/pitch in the F chord? Do I make sure that the note on the staff is always the highest pitch? How much attention do I need to pay to the written chord above the staff? I have tried several different ways of approaching this and sometimes it sounds right and other parts just don't. What is the consistent approach to take or is there one? I know 2 note harmony would be simpler but I like the full sound of 3 notes. Hopefully I made myself somewhat clear... |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 8:57 am
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| ...or do I play an F chord making sure that the note of C is the highest string/pitch in the F chord? |
Yes, the melody note should be the highest note in the voicing so it stands out. As far as playing the chords with the melody... it's not always possible to get full (3 notes or more) chords under the melody, especially on non-pedal steel, so you should try to get whatever notes of the chord you can, along with the melody. That could the 3rd, 5th, or 7b of the chord, played below the melody. Two note harmonies are very effective. You don't need to play full chords all the time.
Often the melody note is not within the chord shown, so you look for a position that has the melody note and one or two other notes of the chord. This is where chord theory comes in handy. You need to know what the intervals are and where to find them on your guitar.
_________________
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 9:24 am
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| The first thing I do when writing tab is to remember the three primary chords in the key. For instance, in the song shown, in the key of F, the primary chords are F, Bb and C7. The song basically revolves around these three chords. And you have to be aware of the notes contained in these chords. If you have an F chord and the melody note is an E, at first blush I would play an Am chord which contains 2 notes of the F chord, and so on. I greatly prefer working off of music that contains the bass clef, that's where you can really get a clue as to the chord. |
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DG Whitley
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 9:49 am
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I'm with Erv, transcription is hard enough when you have the full treble/bass clefs, it would be a nightmare for me with just the melody note. Any possibility you might could find it in the form Erv suggested? Maybe a church hymnal would have it?
Just my 2 cents, YMMV. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 11:53 am
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I have that Christmas Carol tabbed out in chordal melody for E9th if you would like a copy. 
Last edited by Erv Niehaus on 21 Nov 2014 12:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 12:13 pm
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I always visualize the staff as numbers and forget about the ABC's of it. The key is F so F is "1" etc.. then I can see how the melody relates to the chord.
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Jim Bloomfield
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 4:58 pm
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| thanks for the suggestions guys! If you don't mind Erv, I'd take a copy of it in tab form. |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 21 Nov 2014 5:21 pm
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Erv, You da man...Thank you for all you do for us.
Blessings on you my Brother..Bill
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2014 9:24 am
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Jim,
E-mail me your postal mailing address and I will get it to you.
Bill,
You're much too kind. |
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Don Drummer
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2014 12:31 pm
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| Not to be too nit-picky but the pick up note for the first syllable is better harmonized as C7. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 28 Nov 2014 5:27 am
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| Stuart Legg wrote: |
| I always visualize the staff as numbers and forget about the ABC's of it. The key is F so F is "1" etc.. then I can see how the melody relates to the chord. |
I find that more useful too and the melody relationship being the deal in theory.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2014 10:11 am
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Don,
Regarding the pickup notes, they are F,A,C, if that isn't an F chord I'll chew off my arm.  |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2014 10:28 am
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Erv, Don's only talking about the first note... imagine the bass as a 5 at this note ('A-'), going to a 1 for the second note ('way'), and you'll see what he's talking about. He's giving the pickup note 5dom7 tonality, leading into the 1.
(strictly speaking, there's only one pickup note)
_________________
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2014 11:40 am
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| Not if you're playing piano, there's four! |
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Don Drummer
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2014 11:12 pm
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Thank you, Stephen. Erv someone is playing a Bb note somewhere. I think our disagreement is the use of hymnals as a defefinitve arbitar of backgrond chordal harmony as it is written in these hymnals.
Thanks, Stephen. Erv, I see your point. The problem is that Hymnals are verbamtim the harmony of the chior. Not the accompaning instrument. |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 29 Nov 2014 7:53 am
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Fake books are great for musicians in that they give you the uncluttered basic map on a napkin to where you want to go and assumes you know how to color in the bridges, railroad tracks, hills, tunnels, trees etc.
If a person has to paint by numbers they ain't ready for a fake book. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2014 8:32 am
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I guess you can put any kind of spin you want on a song. But I like to give honor to the way the composer wrote the song.
You can argue all you want but FAC is an F chord. |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 29 Nov 2014 8:56 am
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could be a Dm7 but I'd play a Csus but that's just me.
Or a C13 with the 11 included would be the best choice. or.........maybe.......butt who nose |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 30 Nov 2014 4:07 am
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Assuming a 5 in the bass, knowing the song, a Dm7 would be unlikely even as a passing chord.
My memory from early Christmasses hears a C chord as the pickup at 'A-' so a C sus would work for me, particularly on pedal steel,
but I might use an F sus or Gm7 and there's some guy who plays a C aug 5th....
And it keeps going around and around until it becomes jazz.
I love theory.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Nov 2014 7:01 am
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| Speaking for myself, I like the old KISS theory: Keep It Simple Stupid. |
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