7. Components to Establish Time

Transcription

1 7. Components to Establish Time a. Step 1 - Bass Notes Walking Bass This is the most common way solo jazz pianists use to establish time. Most people actual think, it s the only way which is a shame because there is so much more besides walking bass that can establish time. Walking bass is essential to playing solo piano as it can add a unique texture. b. Step 2-2 Feel The 2 feel bass motion is the act of playing bass notes but with a cut time feel. Instead of walking quarter notes we are playing half notes mostly on beats one and three. This helps to break apart the constant motion of the quarter note and give a more open feel to the tune.

2 c. Step 3 - Broken bass This method is becoming more and more popular and provides a fantastic texture to solo piano. With this method, your LH is taking a more active role and providing a semi counter line along with LH chords you will be playing and your RH melody. This use of melodies in the LH that lead to the bass notes instead of just walking bass provides a great flavor and intricacy to solo piano. d. Step 4 - Bass Notes with Chords (Broken Stride & Full Stride) Broken bass is a fantastic way to balance bass notes and chords with each other. This method also allows you to provide more harmonies with bass notes that allow for a deep, rich texture. The broken stride method

3 is more complex due to the rhythms used and different placements of the bass notes and chords. You are just as welcome to use regular stride on beats 1 & 3 as well. Broken Stride Regular Stride

4 e. Step 5 - RH Melody & RH Improv Most people overlook this but one of the main components in solo piano that will establish and hold the tempo will be the melody. With all tempos the melody will stay solid throughout the tune and help to keep the time. The second method in this step is establishing the time with RH improve lines. Your RH improv lines alone can hold the time without any other components interacting. This can include runs, improve lines or any sort of improvisation you wish to throw in your arrangement.

5 f. Step 6 - Melody with single note rhythm in LH or RH Harmonization This is an extremely tricky yet effective way of holding the tempo during times when you are trying to keep things simple and spacious. With this method we are picking one note in our harmonization to play a simple improvised rhythm with in the space. Now, don t take this as meaning we always have to fill the space. We don t. But this gives you a very simple way of filling space, which you should know how to use, by not over complicating your arrangement.

6 g. Step 7 - RH Chords Comping, With LH Bass vii. This method is a repeat of the leaving the melody and comping for yourself method. With this strategy we can use our RH chords with our LH Bass to comp for ourselves in any fashion we d like in between the melody or our improvisation.

7 h. Step 8 - RH + LH Comping Together (No Bass) This strategy is practically the same as above yet we are excluding our LH bass from the sound. Obviously, as I ve taught in previous lessons, at some point you are going to need to play the bass notes to uphold the foundation, but they don t

8 always need to be playing directly with chords. You can comp a few beats with just your RH and LH then go to the bass notes.