How to Improve your Piano Accompaniments - Music Performance
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Date: 2022-03-28
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Comments and reviews: 10
Carl
Often times, there is nothing more embarrassing than having a teacher explain something to you that you already know BUT DON-T KNOW that you already know...even when OR MAYBE especially when you're alone. It's possible (I suppose) that I discovered the techniques (you've demonstrated here) through trial and error over the course of the last 45 - 50 years. It is more likely, though, that I had a professor (or two) explain those techniques in one or two of my composition courses at university 40+ years ago. At any rate, thank you for reminding me of accompaniment techniques that I've often forgotten to employ (of late).
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Often times, there is nothing more embarrassing than having a teacher explain something to you that you already know BUT DON-T KNOW that you already know...even when OR MAYBE especially when you're alone. It's possible (I suppose) that I discovered the techniques (you've demonstrated here) through trial and error over the course of the last 45 - 50 years. It is more likely, though, that I had a professor (or two) explain those techniques in one or two of my composition courses at university 40+ years ago. At any rate, thank you for reminding me of accompaniment techniques that I've often forgotten to employ (of late).
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Igor
0:37 PLUNKING/CLONKING LEFT-HAND TRIADS
01:08 CLONK CLONK PLUNK
02:15 CHANGED THINKING ABOUT LEFT VS RIGHT HAND RESPONSIBILITIES
02:34 CLEAR VS MUDDY OCTAVES
03:25 MELODY DISLOCATED - HUGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE
03:40 REVERSE LEFT-RIGHT HAND THINKING
04:26 REVERSED THINKING EXAMPLE
05:00 IMPROVEMENT 1: 3+1 rather than 1+3
05:16 IMPROVEMENT 2: FIGURATION
05:28 OOM-PAH-PAH
06:34 MORE FLOWING LH RHYTHM
08:19 SPRUCE UP CHORDS
08:48 DO NOT DUPLICATE MELODY LINE
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0:37 PLUNKING/CLONKING LEFT-HAND TRIADS
01:08 CLONK CLONK PLUNK
02:15 CHANGED THINKING ABOUT LEFT VS RIGHT HAND RESPONSIBILITIES
02:34 CLEAR VS MUDDY OCTAVES
03:25 MELODY DISLOCATED - HUGE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE
03:40 REVERSE LEFT-RIGHT HAND THINKING
04:26 REVERSED THINKING EXAMPLE
05:00 IMPROVEMENT 1: 3+1 rather than 1+3
05:16 IMPROVEMENT 2: FIGURATION
05:28 OOM-PAH-PAH
06:34 MORE FLOWING LH RHYTHM
08:19 SPRUCE UP CHORDS
08:48 DO NOT DUPLICATE MELODY LINE
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Randolph
Great lesson, as always! One thing I wonder about is whether (or how) the -rules- involving parallel octaves or fifths, or doubling of the third of a major triad, apply to voice accompaniment. For example, it often sounds nice to my ears for the piano to double the voice part an octave above (or below) for a bit, or for the third of a major triad to be played in the accompaniment even though it's in the voice part. Any guidance about this, or related topics?
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Great lesson, as always! One thing I wonder about is whether (or how) the -rules- involving parallel octaves or fifths, or doubling of the third of a major triad, apply to voice accompaniment. For example, it often sounds nice to my ears for the piano to double the voice part an octave above (or below) for a bit, or for the third of a major triad to be played in the accompaniment even though it's in the voice part. Any guidance about this, or related topics?
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Alan
I am teaching children how to play song tunes on guitar, by ear. For example they can play - Deck the Halls- on the B string, using their middle finger. Your video Gareth encourages me to try to teach them arpeggiated chords that could be used together with the melody. One child could play the melody line and another child a second part derived from the chords. Thank you Gareth. I have learned a lot from you. Alan.
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I am teaching children how to play song tunes on guitar, by ear. For example they can play - Deck the Halls- on the B string, using their middle finger. Your video Gareth encourages me to try to teach them arpeggiated chords that could be used together with the melody. One child could play the melody line and another child a second part derived from the chords. Thank you Gareth. I have learned a lot from you. Alan.
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phatato
Your explanation of the muddled sound you can get with left-hand chords and how you should put the cords in the right hand just totally turned on the light bulb as to why sheet music for most pop songs has the chords in the right hand with the melody and just a single bass note in the left-hand, I always thought the left hand seemed sparse but now it actually makes more sense, thank you
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Your explanation of the muddled sound you can get with left-hand chords and how you should put the cords in the right hand just totally turned on the light bulb as to why sheet music for most pop songs has the chords in the right hand with the melody and just a single bass note in the left-hand, I always thought the left hand seemed sparse but now it actually makes more sense, thank you
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superblonde
Good tips. I can apply this to the song I am working on now. The awkward aspect is jazz chords, C6 for example. Playing any voicing of this 'jazzy' chord or it's substitutions like CMaj9 just sounds off to me even though it is called for on the chart. Normally a C6 would be a sus chord which quickly resolves but in jazz the sus does not suspend to anything.
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Good tips. I can apply this to the song I am working on now. The awkward aspect is jazz chords, C6 for example. Playing any voicing of this 'jazzy' chord or it's substitutions like CMaj9 just sounds off to me even though it is called for on the chart. Normally a C6 would be a sus chord which quickly resolves but in jazz the sus does not suspend to anything.
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Peter
I am still working up to get the basics right before taking up the MM harmonics / accompaniment course.....however, this video explains brilliantly a very confusing issue for those students trying to advance from just thumping out triad accompaniment!! Very important help here on an area that is not usually explained early enough elsewhere. Thanks Gareth.
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I am still working up to get the basics right before taking up the MM harmonics / accompaniment course.....however, this video explains brilliantly a very confusing issue for those students trying to advance from just thumping out triad accompaniment!! Very important help here on an area that is not usually explained early enough elsewhere. Thanks Gareth.
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Viktorija
I should work on my accompaniments so much more. But I feel quite anxious and uncoordinated from 6:40 or further examples when I try those techniques as I am not a pianist but more a singer and saxophone player. I really would like to learn to play like in the last examples but it feels unreal it just doesnt fitnin my head ;(
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I should work on my accompaniments so much more. But I feel quite anxious and uncoordinated from 6:40 or further examples when I try those techniques as I am not a pianist but more a singer and saxophone player. I really would like to learn to play like in the last examples but it feels unreal it just doesnt fitnin my head ;(
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Yeroc
Awesome advice. Do you have videos that expand on figuration? I noticed you spread out the notes but couldn't follow what patterns you used. 1-5-3? Others? The last section on creating your own tapestry alongside the melody is well beyond my skill level. Can that be taught?
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Awesome advice. Do you have videos that expand on figuration? I noticed you spread out the notes but couldn't follow what patterns you used. 1-5-3? Others? The last section on creating your own tapestry alongside the melody is well beyond my skill level. Can that be taught?
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Stephen
Many thanks Gareth for another interesting and informative video - my take away from this is an accompaniment can be independent of melody and yet harmonically coherent but not tied to solely to chord tones.
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Many thanks Gareth for another interesting and informative video - my take away from this is an accompaniment can be independent of melody and yet harmonically coherent but not tied to solely to chord tones.
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