How To Accompany Group Singing

Image via WikipediaLadyD piano thanks the many readers who have asked for tips regarding playing the piano to accompany singers.

Here's my story.

I started playing the piano for fashion shows when I was a little one many moons ago. From there, I graduated to playing piano for choirs in Junior High and High School. Later on, I learned to accompany lead singers and church vocalists.

1. Accompanying Group Singing

Tis the season for group singing, and keyboard players will be very much in demand on such occasions. Accompanying singers is a specialized skill, so I thought that some tips on the subject might be worthwhile.


If you can transpose, or are playing by ear, you will want to chose the best key for each song. A safe, average vocal range  is the octave C to C, which can be exceeded by one or two notes in either direction when necessary. Suppose you are accompanying Auld Lang Syne. A good key would be F, which makes the lowest note C and the highest note D.

Example:

r.h. melody single notes- C, F, F, F, A, G, F, G, A, G, F, F, A, C, D...

A short introduction will serve to announce the song, establish the key, and set the tempo. This last is especially important for keeping the group together. A typical introduction can be fashioned from the last four or two bars of the song. (Since Auld Lang Syne is relatively slow, two bars are sufficient.)

Example:

CG/ CEA to G
DD/ ADF
BB/ ABbD, BbBb/ ABbD
CC/ EBbC
FF/ ACF
CC to low F
CC/ EBbC

2. When accompanying a group it is often wise to pound out the melody, doubling it in octaves if possible. 

CC/ EBbC
F/ FACF, F/FACF
DD/ FADF
DD/ ADFA
BbBb/ GBbDG
BbBb/ FBbDF
CC/ GBbEG
CC/ ACEA, to GG
F/ FACF, F/ FACF
FF/ ACEbA
AA/ CEAC
BbBb/ DFBbD

Once you are sure that the group knows the tune you can stop playing the melody and use a more rhythmic form of accompaniment. But notice that the right hand still touches on the main melody notes, to keep the singers on pitch.

Example:

CC/ EBbC
F/F, then FAC
DD/ FAD
BbBb/GBbD
CC/ GBbE
F/FAC
F/ ACEb
BbBb/D
BbBb/DFBb

When you come to the end of the tune you may want the singers to go on to another verse. You can signal them to do so by playing a "turnaround" emphasizing the dominant (i.e. the fifth note of the scale, which would be C in the key of F).

BbBb/DFBbD
AA/ CFC
FF/CFA, FF/CFA
DD/ BDF
CC/BbEG
CC/BbDF
CC/ BbEG
C#C#/ AEA, to G
DD/ADF
BbBb/ ABbD, BbBb/ ABbD
CC/ EBbC
FF/ ACF
CC/CC (3 times)


To create a final ending for the song, slow the tempo slightly, hold the last note (I have added a tremelo in the left hand),and then cut it off with a sharp "button" consisting of a tonic chord (i.e. a chord on the first note of the scale). Notice that as the tempo broadens I have provided an upper octave doubling, to give a fuller sound.

Example:

C#C#/ AEA, to G
DD/ ADF
BbBb/ DFBbD (twice)
CC/ CEBbC
FF(tremelo)/ FACF (hold it out)
F/ FACF

Now, when you follow the soloist, remember not to push the rhythm... just follow the artist. When the soloist wants to pause and hold a note, play a fill or arpeggiate a chord, hold it with the sustain pedal while she catches her breath and continues with the next phrase. You, as the piano player, can be the star at the beginning and end to the song with a few melody notes along the way.

When you are invited to play at a party, it is a good idea to do some advance preparation. Make a list of the songs you expect to use and decide on the keys for all of them. Have your music easily accessible, to eliminate fumbling between songs. Then relax, sing along as you play, and enjoy the party. 'Tis the season...

Best,
-- LadyD

P.S.  My friend Yoke Wong has a great music resource you might be interested in!


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"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Order of Sharps and Flats on the Staff

Image via Wikipedia The accidentals of the key signatures are placed on the staff in the same order of appearance as in the circle of fifths. For sharp keys the first sharp appears on the F line (5th line, counting from bottom to top line) of the treble clef and on 4th line (counting bottom to top) of the bass clef.

This sharp applies to any F in the musical composition whether on the same lines or on any other locations, and this same principle is observed for any other sharps (or flats) of the key signature. The sharps progress in an orderly arrangement from left to right. For quick identification of a major key in a signature of sharps, the keynote occupies that staff degree immediately above the last sharp.

C Major and Sharp Key Signatures

Key of C = no sharps and flats
Key of G = 1 sharp (F#)
Key of D = 2 sharps (F#, C#)
Key of A = 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#)
Key of E = 4 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#)
Key of B = 5 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#)
Key of F# = 6 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, B#)

For quick identification of a major key in a signature of two or more flats, the keynote is identical with the penultimate (next-to-last) flat.

C Major and Flat Key Signatures

Key of C = no sharps or flats
Key of F = 1 flat (Bb)
Key of Bb = 2 flats (Bb, Eb)
Key of Eb = 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab)
Key of Ab = 4 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db)
Key of Db = 5 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb)
Key of Gb = 6 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb)
Key of Cb = 7 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb)

The key signature may now be used to identify the key. When it is known that the music is in a major key, the number of sharps or flats in the signature will indicate the name of that major key. For example, when the key is major, four sharps always indicates the key of E.

Exercise: Constructing the Circle of Fifths for Major Keys

Construct from memory the circle of fifths for major keys. You should be able to draw the circle on paper or at the board in one minute.

Exercise: Write the correct major key name according to the number of sharps or flats given.

Exercise: Write the correct number of sharps or flats for the given major key.

Much music commonly performed today (including most music of the 17th-19th centuries) is based on either one of two scale patterns: the major scale and the minor scale. Music is said to be in major when the pitches used can be arranged in alphabetical order with a resulting major scale pattern.

In Joy to the World, the first line of the melody already assumes the pattern of the D Major Scale.

Here's the melody line of the right hand:

(D, C#, B,A, G, F#, E, D)


Joy to the World in Bb Major Scale


(Bb, A, G, F, Eb, D, C, Bb)

So, the key signature is a group of accidentals found on the staff at the beginning of a composition. This group consists of the accidentals used in the scale of the composition and when the music uses a major or minor scale, the signature can be used to identify the key of the composition. the key signature is placed before the time signature.

By extracting the accidentals from each major scale in this way, we can find the number and names of sharps  or flats for each major key, and the key signature for each. Remember that including C (no sharps and no flats), there are fifteen major keys, just as there are fifteen locations of the major scale.

A common way of illustrating the order of key signatures, with the numbers of accidentals in each, is through the circle of fifths. (our previous lesson)


If you can read simple treble-clef melody notes,
you can play your favorite popular songs using
"Play Piano With Fake Book" system.

Master the following:
*Can't Help Falling In Love
*Smoke Gets In Your Eye
*Never on Sunday
*Edelweiss
*Chariots of Fire and more
Using "Play Piano With Fake Book"





Best,
-- LadyD




"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Related articles

• Success In All Keys- an innovative approach to learning key signatures (davidvaldez.blogspot.com)
• Bass Clef Land (lindseydipinzi.wordpress.com)

Lessons on The Circle of Fifths

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Over the years of playing with many talented musicians, they have shared their tips and tricks with me and I am extremely appreciative. With heartfelt thanks, I am grateful for the knowledge of the Circle of Fifths. Whether you are just beginning to play the piano or you are a seasoned musician, learning the theory behind the Circle of Fifths is an extremely important and valuable tool to have.

Here's a short article from a friend over at HearandPlay, Jermaine Griggs' site for piano and keyboard musicians.

The Circle of Fifths Secrets Revealed

"Often times when one refers to the Circle of Fifths we think about Scales but today I would like to expose some secrets in the Circle of Fifths.

First, we already know that each note in the scale has a number position when we refer to intervals. So in C Major, from C-C would count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 for the scale.
C Major = C D E F G A B C. These interval number positions we use when talking about progressions so when we talk about a 1 we mean C and a four means F etc. When you look carefully at the circle of fifths you would see that starting from B going forward up to C major you would have found the 7 3 6 2 5 1 progression for C Major.

Its important to note that in the circle if you count six spaces forward from any letter position you would find the 7 3 6 2 5 1 progression. Therefore the circle shows you the progression for all the Major scales.

If you should take a further look you will see the 5 1 4 progression. So if you want to find the progression of the major scale just find the note and the 5 will be on your right and the four on the left of the scale you are in. E.g. C Major 5 1 4 progression would be, 5 = G on the right of the circle, 1 in the middle and 4 on the left of the scale you are in.

To find the progression #4 7 3 6 2 5 1 progression just count seven spaces forward going to the right of the scale you want to find it in and the #4 would be the seven letter found. E.G."
Article by Jamaican-Music 

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My understanding of the Circle of Fifths is that you must first be able to measure the interval of a perfect fifth. A perfect fifth spans five staff degrees and is comprised  of three whole-steps, and one half-step, or seven half-steps. rather than counting steps, a perfect fifth can be calculated more quickly by using information already learned in connection with the scale, the note from which the measurement is to be made as tonic. From a tonic note up to its dominant note is an ascending perfect fifth.

It is through the interval of the perfect fifth that keys are related to each other. Starting with C, we count up a perfect fifth to find the keynote G for the scale with one sharp; we count up a perfect fifth from G to find the keynote D for the scale with two sharps, and so on until we reach C# with seven sharps.

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The flat keys are related in a similar manner. Starting with C, we count down a perfect a perfect fifth  to find the keynote F for the scale with one flat; we count down a perfect fifth from F to find the keynote Bb for the scale of two flats, and so on until we reach Cb, with seven flats. From the Circle of Fifth images you can see that each progression up a fifth adds one new sharp, and each progression down by fifth adds one new flat.

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the key names used for 5, 6, and 7 sharps have enharmonic equivalents in the names for keys 5, 6, and 7 flats: B (5 sharps) and Cb (7 flats); F# (6 sharps) and Gb (6 flats); C# (7 sharps) and Db (5 flats). so now the circle of fifths for major keys is produced.

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This circle includes all the major key names with the sharp keys reading clock-wise from C, and the flat keys reading counterclockwise from C. The circle is joined by the three enharmonic keys. The number of sharps or flats for each key can be determined by counting the number of fifths away from C.

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For example, A has three sharps because it is the third key clockwise from C; Db has 5 flats because it is five keys counterclockwise from C. The circle also indicates the order of sharps and flats on the staff.
More on that next time.

I am truly grateful for all of my readers. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving! Doesn't the circle remind you of pie? Do you have a favorite? Have fun with this course lesson learning the musician's pie, the circle of fifths.
Play Piano By Ear Home Study Course

Blessings,
-- LadyD

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King