Certain styles of music require a specific accompaniment to get the right feel.
The particular identifying characteristic maybe rhythmic as in Latin dance music.
It maybe harmonic as in cocktail piano.
It maybe a combination of both.
It's fun to utilize a variety of musical styles in different contexts.
The larger the stylistic vocabulary youc an quote from, the versatile you will be and the less monotnous your playing.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Intros, turn arounds and endings
1. When beginning a song, it sometimes helps to use an intro based on the last two or four measures of the tune. This is useful when people are singing along cuz it helps them to get started.
2. use I VI7 ii7 V7 vamp
3. use C C#dim D7 G7 I #Idim II7 V7
4. use iii7 biii7 ii7 bII7 I Em7 Ebm7 Dm7 Db9 C
5. Use I Iim7 ii7 V7#5 I C Cdim7 Dm7 G7#5
Of course, the specific choice of intro depends on the rhythm and tempo of the tune and the mood you want to create. With a slow ballad, often a simple arp on the dom 7th chord (V7 chord) perhaps in the augmented #5 form can effective set up the entrance of the melody.
G7+5 Cmaj7
G B D# G B D# G B G
-------------
Turn around
When you finish playing a song and you intend to repeat it, you want to avoid a sense of finality, so you have to keep playig after you reach the last melody note and chord.
It's acceptable to just vamp on the final chord of the tune for a measure or two, keeping the rhythm going, but it's better to use other lead in chords as we did for intros.
If the song begins on the I chord, we could throw in a quick V7 or ii V7 progression to create the sense of starting over.
----------------------------
If the tune begins on a chord other than I, a chord or progression which will lead back to that opening chord can similarily be used.
For instance, if our song opens on the ii chord..... Body and Soul, Satin doll,
a dom 7th on VI which is a V of ii chord can serve as the pivot.
VI7 -> ii7
which is really
V7 --> I (implied)
for eg. Bb7 Eb6 C7b9 Fm7 (beginning)
C7b9 is VI7 to ii 7
or V to I (implied)
Another way which is easier:
a dim chord a semintone below to lead into the min ii chord.
Bb7 Eb6 Edim7 to Fm7
#Idim7 to ii7
2. use I VI7 ii7 V7 vamp
3. use C C#dim D7 G7 I #Idim II7 V7
4. use iii7 biii7 ii7 bII7 I Em7 Ebm7 Dm7 Db9 C
5. Use I Iim7 ii7 V7#5 I C Cdim7 Dm7 G7#5
Of course, the specific choice of intro depends on the rhythm and tempo of the tune and the mood you want to create. With a slow ballad, often a simple arp on the dom 7th chord (V7 chord) perhaps in the augmented #5 form can effective set up the entrance of the melody.
G7+5 Cmaj7
G B D# G B D# G B G
-------------
Turn around
When you finish playing a song and you intend to repeat it, you want to avoid a sense of finality, so you have to keep playig after you reach the last melody note and chord.
It's acceptable to just vamp on the final chord of the tune for a measure or two, keeping the rhythm going, but it's better to use other lead in chords as we did for intros.
If the song begins on the I chord, we could throw in a quick V7 or ii V7 progression to create the sense of starting over.
----------------------------
If the tune begins on a chord other than I, a chord or progression which will lead back to that opening chord can similarily be used.
For instance, if our song opens on the ii chord..... Body and Soul, Satin doll,
a dom 7th on VI which is a V of ii chord can serve as the pivot.
VI7 -> ii7
which is really
V7 --> I (implied)
for eg. Bb7 Eb6 C7b9 Fm7 (beginning)
C7b9 is VI7 to ii 7
or V to I (implied)
Another way which is easier:
a dim chord a semintone below to lead into the min ii chord.
Bb7 Eb6 Edim7 to Fm7
#Idim7 to ii7
counter melody
Another way to make music more interesting -- use counter melody.
this is a secondary melody which interweaves with the main tune, or fills in when the main tune pauses.
An arpeggiated chord pattern, particularly if it appears above a separate bass line, can often be seen as a simple counter melody.
Since counter melodies tend to be short phrases, great complexity is not always possible or desirable.
Counter melodies can add real style to yoru arrangements,making them sound more orchestral.
How does one go about spontaneous creating a counter melody?
What notes are the right ones?
Where and when can we fit them in?
Any dead spot (a rest or long note in the melody) is the most likely place for counter melody.
Counter melody must often occurs just underneath the main melody but it can also be played above the piccolo in marching band and arrangement.
he simplest way to create a counter melody (one that goes beyond chord arpeggios) is to use the scale from which teh chord is derived. We can't go wrong using our key scale(the F scale is the key of F for example) as the basic source of our counter melody.
We will want to use enough chord tones to help outline the harmony, so using a chord arpeggio as th framework for our coutner melody is also a good idea. We will want to vary intervals and direction; a good ocunter melody never just uns up and down mechanically.
When creating your own melodies, either as counter melodies or as improvised variations to the main melody, you can add more spice by going outside of the diatonic scale and using some chromatic notes.
this is a secondary melody which interweaves with the main tune, or fills in when the main tune pauses.
An arpeggiated chord pattern, particularly if it appears above a separate bass line, can often be seen as a simple counter melody.
Since counter melodies tend to be short phrases, great complexity is not always possible or desirable.
Counter melodies can add real style to yoru arrangements,making them sound more orchestral.
How does one go about spontaneous creating a counter melody?
What notes are the right ones?
Where and when can we fit them in?
Any dead spot (a rest or long note in the melody) is the most likely place for counter melody.
Counter melody must often occurs just underneath the main melody but it can also be played above the piccolo in marching band and arrangement.
he simplest way to create a counter melody (one that goes beyond chord arpeggios) is to use the scale from which teh chord is derived. We can't go wrong using our key scale(the F scale is the key of F for example) as the basic source of our counter melody.
We will want to use enough chord tones to help outline the harmony, so using a chord arpeggio as th framework for our coutner melody is also a good idea. We will want to vary intervals and direction; a good ocunter melody never just uns up and down mechanically.
When creating your own melodies, either as counter melodies or as improvised variations to the main melody, you can add more spice by going outside of the diatonic scale and using some chromatic notes.
Varying Melody
There are several reasons why we embellish the melody.
the fist is that it helps to change a song the 2nd time around so that our listeners do not get bored.
Another reason is that a simple melody, esp one that is slow moving, may sound sparse in a solo piano arrangement.
And by embellishing the melody, we can fill in dead spots, places where the melody rests and prevent the music from losing continuity.
Grace notes, trills, arpeggios and tremolos are among the devices that can provide accent and flair to melodies.
If overdone, such ornamentation can get corny sounding.
Tremolo on the sustained notes.
play melodies in octaves give stronger effect.
It is possible to fill out the sound even more by filling in the chord tones completely or partly within the octave.
One special kind of grace not is the slip note used in much country flavored music.
A slip note slips into a chord tone from a neighboring suspended note. It is struck on the beat with the other notes before it goes to its resolution.
With major chords, this device often goes from the second of the chord up to the third, or from the 6th down to the 5th,.
minor chords often have this grace note slipping from the 7th up tot he root.
The slip note can be used to embellish the melody; you can also add another chord tone on top of the melody for that real stell guitar.
------------------
the fist is that it helps to change a song the 2nd time around so that our listeners do not get bored.
Another reason is that a simple melody, esp one that is slow moving, may sound sparse in a solo piano arrangement.
And by embellishing the melody, we can fill in dead spots, places where the melody rests and prevent the music from losing continuity.
Grace notes, trills, arpeggios and tremolos are among the devices that can provide accent and flair to melodies.
If overdone, such ornamentation can get corny sounding.
Tremolo on the sustained notes.
play melodies in octaves give stronger effect.
It is possible to fill out the sound even more by filling in the chord tones completely or partly within the octave.
One special kind of grace not is the slip note used in much country flavored music.
A slip note slips into a chord tone from a neighboring suspended note. It is struck on the beat with the other notes before it goes to its resolution.
With major chords, this device often goes from the second of the chord up to the third, or from the 6th down to the 5th,.
minor chords often have this grace note slipping from the 7th up tot he root.
The slip note can be used to embellish the melody; you can also add another chord tone on top of the melody for that real stell guitar.
------------------
Embellish and varying the accompaniment
Up to now, we have used notes that appear in the chords to provide our accompaniment to the melody.
To add variety, we can frequently connect our chord tones with neighboring notes that don't belong to the indicated chord.
Generally these notes don't belong will be placed on the weak beats so that our strong beats will continue to outline and define our basic chords.
Non-chord tones can be used to connect.
Look at p. 75.
How do you know which notes fit and which don't?
There is no answer to this question.
Neighbouring tones taken from the scale are good choices.
Sometimes it doesn't have to be a scale tone but a passing chromatic tone.
One guide to using chromatic passing tones:
if they are a semi tone above or below a chord tone and then resolve to that chord tone, usually they sound good.
However it is not a good idea to have too many non-chord tones in the accompaniment cuz that may destroy the sense of the harmony.
You will usually want to play the root of the chord on the downbeat in order to establish the basic harmony.
one of the secrets of creating a good, full accompaniment is to have a distinct bass line.
And also to have enough full chords so that the harmony is filled out.
As we start adding non-chord passing tones as part of the bass line, we will create situations where non-chord bass notes are harmonized against the chord. Isolated, these notes may seem discordant, but in the context of the whole line or phrase, such passing harmonic conflicts will sound fine. Pedal use, phrasing and dynamic level all affect the ear's ability to maek harmonic sense out of passing on-harmonic tones.
To add variety, we can frequently connect our chord tones with neighboring notes that don't belong to the indicated chord.
Generally these notes don't belong will be placed on the weak beats so that our strong beats will continue to outline and define our basic chords.
Non-chord tones can be used to connect.
Look at p. 75.
How do you know which notes fit and which don't?
There is no answer to this question.
Neighbouring tones taken from the scale are good choices.
Sometimes it doesn't have to be a scale tone but a passing chromatic tone.
One guide to using chromatic passing tones:
if they are a semi tone above or below a chord tone and then resolve to that chord tone, usually they sound good.
However it is not a good idea to have too many non-chord tones in the accompaniment cuz that may destroy the sense of the harmony.
You will usually want to play the root of the chord on the downbeat in order to establish the basic harmony.
one of the secrets of creating a good, full accompaniment is to have a distinct bass line.
And also to have enough full chords so that the harmony is filled out.
As we start adding non-chord passing tones as part of the bass line, we will create situations where non-chord bass notes are harmonized against the chord. Isolated, these notes may seem discordant, but in the context of the whole line or phrase, such passing harmonic conflicts will sound fine. Pedal use, phrasing and dynamic level all affect the ear's ability to maek harmonic sense out of passing on-harmonic tones.
Voice Leading
One of the reasons we need good voicing is that it makes our chord changes more fluid.
Amateur jumps all over the keyboard from one chord to another.
You play all the chords in root position.
Using inversions, we can vry the distance and direction of the individual voices.
Tones that are shared by 2 successive chords (common tones) can be sustained or repeated in the same voice, so there is a connecting link between teh chords.
------------
When playing from a fake book.
One should try to change chords with an economy of motion.
Make yourself aware of the common tones of frequently used chord progressions so that your fingers don't shift awkwardly when making the changes.
If you find yourself continually lifting your hands off the keyboard, your voice leading could be better.
How does one read the voice lading implied by the chord symbols?
this is one area in which fake charts can make things difficult.
You've seen chord charts where 3 or 4 or even more complicated looking chords are crowded into one measure.
You've wondered how it is possible to make those changes so quickly.
These measures contain only one main chord and all the other symbols re there to point out the movement of a voice in that chord. It maybe the bass or the inner voice.
The use of inversions allows for a smooth bass line.
For eg.
F C/E Dm F/C Bb Dm/A Gm Bb/F C C/Bb F/A C7/G F Gm F/A C7
Notice how the bass line moves in a descending F major scale through the first four measures.
The imp bass notes are always on the strong beats.
Notice the scalar movement is not interrupted.
With a long, unidirectional bass line, it is imp to start high enough if the line is descending, and low enough if the line is ascending.
Playing inversions when no specifically indicated will come naturally with exp.
As a general rule, any time you can use an inversion to make a bass line move stepwise, it will probably sound good.
However reading voice leading from a chord chart goes far beyond the bass line.
There are also inner voices that move in similar fashion.
For eg.
Le's loko at a progression in closed opsition:
Cm Cm+7 Cm7 Cm6
C B Bb A
Amateur jumps all over the keyboard from one chord to another.
You play all the chords in root position.
Using inversions, we can vry the distance and direction of the individual voices.
Tones that are shared by 2 successive chords (common tones) can be sustained or repeated in the same voice, so there is a connecting link between teh chords.
------------
When playing from a fake book.
One should try to change chords with an economy of motion.
Make yourself aware of the common tones of frequently used chord progressions so that your fingers don't shift awkwardly when making the changes.
If you find yourself continually lifting your hands off the keyboard, your voice leading could be better.
How does one read the voice lading implied by the chord symbols?
this is one area in which fake charts can make things difficult.
You've seen chord charts where 3 or 4 or even more complicated looking chords are crowded into one measure.
You've wondered how it is possible to make those changes so quickly.
These measures contain only one main chord and all the other symbols re there to point out the movement of a voice in that chord. It maybe the bass or the inner voice.
The use of inversions allows for a smooth bass line.
For eg.
F C/E Dm F/C Bb Dm/A Gm Bb/F C C/Bb F/A C7/G F Gm F/A C7
Notice how the bass line moves in a descending F major scale through the first four measures.
The imp bass notes are always on the strong beats.
Notice the scalar movement is not interrupted.
With a long, unidirectional bass line, it is imp to start high enough if the line is descending, and low enough if the line is ascending.
Playing inversions when no specifically indicated will come naturally with exp.
As a general rule, any time you can use an inversion to make a bass line move stepwise, it will probably sound good.
However reading voice leading from a chord chart goes far beyond the bass line.
There are also inner voices that move in similar fashion.
For eg.
Le's loko at a progression in closed opsition:
Cm Cm+7 Cm7 Cm6
C B Bb A
13ths
Technically, a 13th chord is an 11th chod with the note a 13th above the root added (octave plus major 6th).
It is most often played as a dom 7th chord with the 13th added.
eg.
C13
LH C
Rh: Bb E A
A major chord:
Cmaj 13
LH C
RH B E A
It is most often played as a dom 7th chord with the 13th added.
eg.
C13
LH C
Rh: Bb E A
A major chord:
Cmaj 13
LH C
RH B E A
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