Cocktail Piano Intros: In A Pinch? Creating cocktail piano intros is an art in itself. The more you have in your “bag of tricks” the better. Sure, it pays to practice and know, at least to a point, how your arrangement will go. However, sometimes you might find yourself in a spot where you get …
Previously, we acknowledged that playing less really can be more by simply playing the root, 3, and 7. Using the same example shown in that video excerpt of ProProach, harmonizing the first note of Erroll Garner’s Misty could look like this: In this case, the melody note is D. That D also happens to be …
Splashing More Color Into A Simple Chord Voicing Read More »
You want to transpose the chords and voicings you learn to other keys. The more command you have over those keys, the more confidence you ultimately have. Want a sure-fire way to gain that command? Make transposing those chords and voicings you’re learning to other keys something you love to do. The act of transposing …
When it comes to harmonizing your melodies in a tasteful fashion, it makes sense to vary the density of the chords and voicings that you use. By doing so, you automatically gain the respect of your listener’s ears. Perhaps you can relate to a beautiful painting that had captured your attention at one time or …
When it comes to harmonizing tunes, it’s amazing how many people never get beyond playing chords in the same basic, textbook manner they learned in the beginning. I’m face to face with a number of adult students on a regular basis. Many of them will let me know right off the bat their intention is …
