I appreciate the communication I have received from those who have taken advantage of my newest guide 7 Chord Voicings Every Aspiring Cocktail Pianist Should Know. As a follow-up to some of this discussion, I thought I would provide a short impromptu demonstration of how incorporating just a few simple chord strategies can be effective in your personal arrangements.
A significant percentage of the chord voicings used in this example come directly from that guide. With just two, three, or four chord structures, you really can make a tune “sing.”
Again, thank you for your emails and I hope to continue hearing from you, as I’m having a lot of fun corresponding with you. ~ Dave
(Nobody Does It Better by Marvin Hamlisch & Carole Bayer Sager)
For those who are relatively new with this art form, I think you will find it rather encouraging to make a point of having a goal of utilizing only three chord voicings within one arrangement. Naturally, you will conform those voicings to the root of the moment (transpose them). Once you have an idea of what voicings you intend to use, make it a point of “scattering” them in different parts of the arrangement. Before long, your confidence will grow quite a bit.
Again, thank you for your emails and I hope to continue hearing from you, as I’m having a lot of fun corresponding with you. ~ Dave
Been playing piano for years. Something I read here “clicked” with me. I was trying to hard and attempting to put too much in my tunes at once. I like your way of explaining musical concepts.
I used to be intimidated by voicings. I purchased 7 Chord Voicings Every Aspiring Cocktail Pianist Must Know and started using a couple of them right away. Used sparingly, my ballads are sounding a bit more tasteful. Thanks : )