Re: [Worship] slash chords, 8ves, Bass Mud

[Ian Goldby <Ian.Goldby@mail.com>]

Kathy Lowery <kmlow@jps.net> wrote:
> ... I was told to play the
> slash chord, say a D/F# to play the D chord (d, f#, a) with the right
>hand and
> an octave of F# with the left hand...  I am working toward playing octaves.
> I know a good pianist plays octaves and additional chord notes in the bass
> usually.  Well this is what I know, if I am wrong more experienced players
> please correct me.

It would be easy to start a minor war over this one! Most pianists who come
from a piano background (rather than synth/keys) play octaves in their left
hand. In some situations, this is fine. It is very suitable for solo
playing.

But it is a BIG NO-NO if you have a bass player in the band. If you have a
bass player and you put in LH 8ves, you end up with mud, or the bass player
walking out as you take over his job. You need to be very light with your
left hand, and avoid going too low. You shouldn't go further than the C
below middle C really, unless you have a good reason. Many bass players
would maintain that the pianist should have his left hand tied behind his
back, or worse...

In fact, if you have a bass player laying down the bass notes, you don't
need to put them in at all on keyboard. You can use your hands much more
together, voicing for example C7 as (from bottom up) G and C in the left
hand, and E and Bb in the right hand. I personally find it very difficult
to play without the proper bass note in my left hand, because I am also a
bass player and I think in terms of building the harmonies up from the
bottom. I'm slowly learning, but it feels very unnatural, because the
movement of the bass really ties the harmonies together in most music.

Another possibility is to play close-voiced chords with your left hand
around middle C, and a melody with your right hand, possibly with a
split-keyboard configuration. This is quite hard, because you have to get
used to voicing harmonies with your left hand to keep the movement smooth,
and you certainly don't have the bass note at the bottom of your chords.
You also have to be careful not to make mud with any guitar player you may
have as they will be playing chords at around the same pitch.

Another option is to use a string patch and play slow step-wise two-part
harmonies high up. This keeps out of the way of the other instruments, but
you obviously wouldn't want to do this in every song.

The maxim "less is more" is always worth remembering.

Ian


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