Piano Lesson: Improvising Melody

Image by liquidsunshine49 via Flickr

Introducing the Pentatonic Scale

The Pentatonic scale is probably the most widely used scale in the world. It can be found in all kinds of music, particularly popular and folk music, from countries as far apart as China and Peru. The Pentatonic scale is formed of notes 1 2 3 5 and 6 of the major scale. Starting on C this produces C D E G A - a five note scale, hence the name penta-tonic. If you know your scales that makes finding another pentatonic scale easy - it's just a major scale with two notes missing - notes 4 and 7!

For more information on pentatonic scales,visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentatonic_Scale

You can Google Pentatonic Scales and Improvising Melody for free articles on line. I have received many letters from students asking me for tips on runs and riffs for the right hand. My response has always been do you know your scales? Let's start with the Pentatonic Scale. For the beginner, you might want to take a look at this short tutorial that I found to be very helpful and informative. Plus, DeepWaterMusic offers a background tape that you can jam along with here on their video. Enjoy improvising with the Pentatonic Scale and let me know how you do with your practice session. Just 5 mins. of your time is well worth the investment of piano practice... your on your way to improvising!


Piano Lesson: Improvising Melody



DeepWaterMusic.net. Free Worship Piano Lesson from the publisher of "Pop Piano For Worship: The 30-Day Crash Course". As Seen In WORSHIP LEADER MAGAZINE!

Best,
LadyD






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No Weapon- Fred Hammond

I love the song No Weapon by Fred Hammond. I can listen to it over and over... same for you? Fred Hammond's No Weapon Formed Against Thee Shall Prosper is based on the scripture Isaiah 54:17. The song is in the Key of Ab. I wanted to share the piano chords with you along with this great piano tutorial by hns music on YouTube. You will learn so much from this great teaching video and you probably will find yourself wanting to emulate his playing style, very smooth and a pleasure to hear.
Listen for the tritones, so professional!

* No Weapon



* No Weapon Lyrics and MP3

(Chorus)
No weapon formed against me shall prosper, it won’t work
No weapon formed against me shall prosper, it won’t work


God will do what He say He would do
He will stand by His word
And He will come through
God will do what He say He would do
He will stand by His word
And He will come through

God will do what He said He would do
He’s not a man that He should lie
He will come through
God will do what He said He would do
He will stand by His word
He will come through

(Bridge)
Oh I won’t be afraid of the arrows by day
From the hand of the enemy
I can stand my ground with the Lord on my side
For the snares they have set will not succeed

(Repeat Chorus)

Don’t be afraid
Of the arrows or the snares
Set by your enemies
If you believe it say, ooo, Ooo

There just ain’t one,
There just ain’t one weapon, no
There just ain’t one
There just ain’t one weapon, no

http://www.actionext.com/names_f/fred_hammond_lyrics/no_weapon.html

* No Weapon Chord Chart


No Weapon-Chords
By: King David, M.U.S.I.C

No Weapon-Fred Hammond Key:Ab

Eb/Eb-Ab-Bb-Eb.............No-o-o
Ab/Eb-Ab-C...............weapon
G/Eb-G-Bb...............formed a-
F/Eb-Ab-C..................gainst me
Eb/Eb-G-Bb..................(filler) shall
Db-F-Ab/C-F-Ab................prosper
C-C-Eb-Ab....................no
B/F-Ab-Db.....................it
C/Eb-Ab-C.....................won't
Db/F-Ab-Db.............work
Eb/Eb-G-Bb................(filler)
F/Db-F-Ab...................(filler)
G/Eb-G-Bb.....................No
Ab/Eb-Ab-C...................weapon
C-G-Bb/E-Ab-Bb-Eb..................formed a-
F-C-Eb/Eb-Ab-C......................gainst me
Eb-Ab-C/F-A-C..................(filler) shall
Db-F-Ab/C-F-Ab.....................prosper
C/C-Eb-Ab...................no
Bb/Db-F-Ab.....................it won't
Eb/Db-Eb-G-Bb...................work

Ab/Eb-Ab-C....................God will
C-G-Bb/E-Ab-Bb-Eb................do, what He
F-C-Eb/F-Ab-C.................said He will
Eb-Ab-C/F-A-C................do. He will
Db-F-Ab/C-F-Ab...............stand by His
C/Bb-Eb-Ab..................word
Bb/F-Ab-Db......................He
C/Eb-Ab-C.......................will
Db/F-Ab-C................come
Eb/Eb-G-Bb.......................through
*repeat above chords. When you get to through the 2nd time. Go to :For I
Eb/Db-Gb-Bb................won't be afraid of the
F/C-F-A.................arrows by
F/C-F-A.....................day
G/Eb-G-Bb.....................from
A/C-F-A.........................the
Bb-F-Ab/Db-F-Bb..................hand of my
Ab/Eb-Ab-C..........................ene-
Gb/Db-Gb-Bb.....................my. I can
Eb/Db-Gb-Bb...............stand my ground with the
F/C-F-A................Lord on my side
G/Eb-G-Bb...................(filler)
A/C-F-A......................(filler) For the
B-F-Ab/Db-F-Bb................snares they have set will
Eb/Eb-G-Bb....................not succeed
*Go to :No weapon. The modulation come on- God will do. Raise everything 1/2
step to A natural.
*Play the chorus chords for: There just ain't one. There just ain't one weapon
,no(vamp)

I hope that this blesses you.

http://www.earnestandroline.com/Music/Chords/noweapon.html

* Related Video Tutorials of different playing styles on No Weapon:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L752tr-QE3w


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWJkHQchVPA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyN3hJ--e_s

Christian sheet music - piano, vocal, karaoke, and more at Sheet Music Plus.







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Sounds of the '50s

Image via Wikipedia

Are you familiar with the sounds of the '50s? Have you heard the Doo-wop-Doo-wop style?
Early rock and roll piano styles are easy and fun to play. Music of th 1950s simplified the more complicated rhythms of 1940s blues and boogie-woogie, and made them more accessible.

To get you started on playing in this style, I've combined an introduction (which can be repeated as a vamp) with an 8-bar section. The chords of the intro are built on the first (I), sixth (vi), fourth (IV) and fifth (V) degrees of the C Major Scale. Many songs of the '50s such as "Silhouettes on the Shade" and "The Book of Love" use just these chords in the same I-vi-IV-V-I progression. The next section is based on an 8-bar blues and uses only three chords- I, IV, and V. "Blueberry Hill", popularized by "Fats" Domino, is an example of this type of tune.

Notice how smoothly the chords change. This is accomplished by keeping the "common tone" of C in the pinky of the right hand whenever possible. Also notice that the real "action" is in the bass line which should be brought out in your performance. In the 8-bar section, the left hand arpeggiates the chords of the right hand. After you can play it in C, work it out in other keys such as Bb, F and G major.

Bar 1: C/E G C, B/E G C, A/E A C, G/E A C (r.h. chords, C then Am)

Bar 2: F/F A C, D/F A C, E/F A C, F/F A C, G/F A C, G/F G B, A/ F G B, B/F G B (r.h. chords, F then Gsus4-7)

Bar 3: C/C E G, D/ F C, E/G C, F/ A C, E/G C, D/F C (r.h. chords C then F)

Bar 4: C C/E then play r.h. notes C then CB, CBb, GC, G#C (r.h. chords C then C7)

Bar 5: F/F A C, A/F A C, C/F A C, A/F A C, C/F A C (r.h. chord F)

Bar 6: F/F A C, A/F A C, C/F A C, A/F A C, C/F A C (r.h. chord F)

Bar 7: C/E G C, E/E G C, G/E G C, E/E G C, G/E G C (r.h. chord C)

Bar 8: C/E G C, E/E G C, G/E G C, E/E G C, G/E G C (r.h. chord C)

Bar 9: G/ F G B D, B/F G B D, D/F G B D, B/F G B D, D/F G B D (r.h. chord G7)

Bar 10: F/F A C, A/F A C, C/F A C, A/F A C, C/F A C (r.h. chord F)

Bar 11: C/E C, D/F C, E/G C, F/A C, E/G C, D/F C (r.h. chords C then F)

Bar 12: C C/E G C (r.h. chord C)

Hope you enjoy playing the doo-wop sounds of the '50s. Chord chart above played with 12/8 time signature so that you hear and feel those 12 eighth notes played in the r.h. per measure with your l.h. bass line. Feel free to add those bluesy devices to the right hand part.

All the best,
~ LadyD

Related Topics:


http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html


http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html


http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2008/08/esbjrn-svensson-trio.html


http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2007/10/jazz-101-blast-off.html

More info:
The Fifties
I VI II V7
/ / / / / / / /
[Key of C: C A- D- G7 ] / = One beat

http://web.mac.com/ashby_stokes/iWeb/Ashby%20Stokes/Instructional_files/Table%20B%20Chords.htm
Try moving this chord progression to another key. It should sound like a typical 50’s song in any key. For more common cord progressions, see:
* General Chord and Scale Study: 12 bar blues

http://www.medallions.com/ashbystokes/GeneralMusicInfo.htm



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