This is one of those cocktail piano chord techniques that you’ll use again and again. It is especially effective when playing a ballad and the target melody note is of a longer duration. However, it is certainly not limited to ballads. As with any technique, it will help to find lots of places within your tunes where you can use it. Overusing it is good for practice purposes. For performances, using it here an there can be effective. Have fun with it!
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Once you begin implementing this cocktail piano chord technique, you’ll discover pretty quickly that it can be applied in virtually any tune you happen to be playing. As with any technique, treat it with care. Overusing it can lead to it losing its potency.
You can also extend the use of this “slide” by taking it beyond a half step. Approaching the target tone with a voicing that begins a whole step lower (or higher) and climbing two half steps to reach the target can be quite effective. Of course, it’s all in how you present it. For example, the dynamic level of your performance will most certainly play a role. It’s a great one to keep at the top of your cocktail piano playing toolbox!
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