Keyboard Accompaniment Basics SAMPLES To Teachers: By assigning two or three new melodies routinely students ability to quickly sense a change of harmony is strengthened Repeatedly choosing chords chord variations progressions styles rhythms and embellishments both the decision-making and hearing skills are targeted to a point where creating accompaniment for melodies becomes intuitive wwwkeyboardaccompanimentcom

Symbols (a few) Harmony Crossing (har x) crossing by step from opposite directions RH LH share middles note with same name Notes on both sides of a har x can be reduced to rds between (b/w) the hands Upper Auxiliary: b/w two notes with the same name Ascends or Chromatic Steps (CS) returns Lower Auxiliary: b/w two notes with the same name Descends or CS returns Descending Passing Notes (PN) by scale steps b/w chords Ex: b/w V I/i (can be a variation) Ascending PN by scale steps b/w chords Example: b/w V I/i (often steps omitted and/or a variety of rhythms) Chromatic Drop: Drop of a CS before the principal note(s) Harmonic structure remains unchanged Terms Abbreviations (a few) AB Alternating Bass: any note that alternates with the root of the chord th of the chord is the most common BN Bass Note (visual); BT Bass Tone (sound) Aux Auxiliary (above) C Chord CS Chromatic Step: closest distance between two keys on the keyboard Example: C to C# KC Key Change: Generally /V7 Slash means KC op Open Position: rd often omitted from the RH when it is the LH BN (or the reverse) PN Passing Note(s): a transition by step from one harmony unit to another Seq Sequential: Chord notes in seq order (seq chord notes often omitted) SN Single Note(s) Var Variation: Stretch AB-SN; Stretch AB-C (-; -Seq) Stretch means chord var has a stretch of an octave in the middle

9 a tempo Return to the original tempo h = 6-6 Bounce it Bounc-ing and catch-ing the real hard a Bouncing the Ball I(C) V(G) I(C) V(G) LH C ball # * * - round the yard but it bounc-es Hope that I don't let it Write in LH BN (LH C or C) a tempo I V I V I the best off the KA PREPARATORY To be prepared is half the victory Miguel Cervantes fall b > wall (Oh (p ) G C > oh)! * Auxiliary: between two notes with the same name (p ) Generally on a weak beat or between beats VARIATION: partially in another octave range DUET/ACCOMPANIMENT 9 # # r

w w A Walk in the Park q = 00-08 I V7 I V7 (PN) Below each line write in the BN: root rd th or 7 th r r continue same r 7 LH C I V7 I V7 I LH C Chromatic Step (CS) Closest distance between two keys on the keyboard Example C to C # Chromatic Drop: note descends CS returns V7 I V7 I w #* LH C * Triad notes (root rd th ) are often effective lowered CS on the beat - KA Basics A The Upbeat This melody begins on the th beat It precedes the first full measure ( missing beats in the final measure ) of * b n to page

w Reminder Always put in dynamics (p 0) A Walk in the Park Cont'd Write in accompaniment V7 I V7 I w Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery Today is a gift That's why we call it "the present" B Olatuni I V7 I V7 I V7 I V7 I Coda Opt: final measures octave higher

h = 6-6 RH C D rds see above I b/w Hands IV _ F I IV _ ( _ F ) _ I V7 I _ unless otherwise indicated ( _ ) C A 7 Twin - le twink - le lit - tle star; How I won - der what you are Up a - bove the w high clouds so w # n w In boxes write in LH BN (r or 7) Write in accompaniment I V7 I IV I V7 I IV I 9 Like a dia - mond in the sky Twink - le twink - le lit - tle star; How I won - der what you are How I won - der 9 b b n Triad IV (F A C) Root (F) is scale degrees up from C Notice: both C F triad have a C (IV) Apply accompaniment V7 I V7 I Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Coda IV I V7 I _ # what you are! DUET/ACCOMPANIMENT: Play as written while "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is performed octave higher Fine ] ] ] ] 6 th 6 th 6 th 6 th n Lyrics England Melody France IV DC al Fine

Taking the Challenge! Create Your Own Accompaniment for Folk Songs

Each of the following melodies can be repeated with different accompaniments (Option: change accompaniments within the melody) Following each melody: Circle the number that represents the hand positions/accompaniments (acc) tried Circle the number that best represents how smoothly the hand positions/acc changed Circle the number that best represents the overall impression (dynamics timing embellishments presentation etc) EMBELLISHMENTS: Auxiliary Note pp -7 ; Harmony Crossing pp 8-; Passing Note(s) pp 6 7; Intros pp 8-0 9 ACCOMPANIMENTS: rds b/w hands pp 7-0 0 6-7 RIGHT HAND: C pp 6-; D pp -8 ; Solid Chords pp -8-7 9 66 (IV p ) He He played played LEFT HAND: C pp 6-7 - 7-; C pp 8-0 - 7; C (with without solid chords) pp -7 0- Alternating Bass pp 0-; Solid Chords pp - 8-0 66; Split or pp 0-0 knick knick Introduction This Old Man This This old old man; man; - knack on my drum with a knick - knack pad - - knack on my shoe with a knick - knack pad - dy dy wack wack he he played played one two give give a a dog dog a bone a bone England This old This old man came man came Coda roll - ing home This old man came roll-ing home roll - ing home Hand positions/acc Smooth changes Overall impression (includes embellishments) Total max

c Here Here is let my me show han - dle you here what is I my can spout do I'm I'm a a lit spe - tle tea - - cial tea - pot pot When I I can get change my all steamed han tip tip me me o o - - c ver ver and and pour pour me me out!" out!" - up dle short it and is stout; true then and I my shout spout Are you sleep - ing Are you sleep - ing Broth-er ohn Broth-er ohn Morn-ing bells are ring - ing Morn-ing bells are ring - Introduction ing: ding dong ding! I'm a Little Teapot V(7) Are You Sleeping RH RH RH RH LH LH Ding dong ding! America Hand positions/acc Smooth changes Overall impression (includes embellishments) (IV) (IV) Total 6 max France Hand positions/acc Overall impression (includes embellishments) Total max "ust "ust 9

Way All down up (IV) u - and down pon the Swa - the whole nee Ri - ver Far far a - way cre - a - tion Sad - ly I roam (IV) That's Still Chorus where long my ing heart is turn - ing e - - for the old plan - ta - All the world is Old Folks at Home ver tion That's And where for the the old old (IV) America Stephen Foster sad and drear - y ev - ry - where I folks folks at stay home b roam Stephen Foster 86-86 He wrote over 00 songs Many of the songs were inspired by the southern United States and they have remained popular Optional (pp 0) E E b D ( ) (IV) Oh dark - ies how my heart grows wear - y Far from the old folks at home 6 Coda Far from the old folks at home Hand positions/acc Smooth changes Overall Impression (Includes embellishments) Total 0 max

ADDING IT UP Page Title Maximum Your Mark This Old Man Humpty Dumpty Pop! Goes the Weasel 6 Go Tell Aunt Rhody 6 6 Hot Cross Buns 7 Boys and Girls Come Out 6 8 The Old Gray Mare 9 9 I m a Little Teapot 6 9 Are You Sleeping 60 Merrily We Roll Along 0 6 Skip to My Lou 6 6 White Coral Bells 6 6 Fais Dodo 6 6 Lavender s Blue 6 6 Baa Baa Black Sheep 6 6 Old Folks at Home 0 Total 00 If you scored 80 00 CONGRATULATIONS! Before continuing to Keyboard Accompaniment Basics A a score of 7 or more is recommended ENOY CONTINUED SUCCESS MANY MANY MUSIC ADVENTURES 6

KA BASICS A C G w rd E C C 0 F AB D B w Ó LH Alternating Bass (AB) Root generally alternates with a chord note The most common is the th I th 7 th V(7) _ th 7 AB C root Passing Notes (PN) PN ascend scale degrees V - I PN descend scale degrees V - I Steps often omitted (PN p ix) V7 Intro G AB AB root High Stepping March (slur p 8) AB h = 76-88 I(C) _ V _ I (C) _ LH AB ( _ ) AB AB AB AB I(C) In boxes indicate BN: ( or 7) V I V Apply AB accompaniment Indicate embellishments I V I morendo rd Ó Ó (p 8) V I Coda V I V I * March: walking in a military way * Remember Always put in dynamics (p vi) _ G _ (G) (G) B (G) MA BASICS B

C C Sound of an Echo h = 60-68 V7 * ** Coda Opt Intro C _ G _ C _ G C _ G7 _ C G7 Fine E D E E F F E rds b/w Hands Apply LH accompaniment Coda (echo): Repeat final measures octaves higher * * Hands together as written w RH LH * V7 Intro: lower aux PN descend from the root of V(G) RH w LH DC al Fine DUET/ACCOMPANIMENT: "Up the Mountain Slope" (p ) as written while the soloist performs octave higher Introduction c # n 9 # b

D _ D b 6 n Stretch Alternating Bass with Chords (Stretch AB-C) Ending Ending G7 _ Stretch AB-C C G7 _ C Seq B (AB) (AB) (AB) Many notes can be the AB with the root th rd of the chord are the most common Stretch AB-C: AB followed by solid chord notes Stretch of an octave h = - 60 G7 LH Stretch AB-C C Write in chord names G F D Step omitted Chopsticks (p ix) b n b _ B or below LH: Ending or above; Chromatic Drops for Fills and Endings (see above) of of of b n b n rd th th rd root th n b of of a possible triad notes (root rd th ) are lowered CS on the beat Often of or of G7 n England E C to page 7

Taking the Challenge! Create Your Own Accompaniment for Folk Songs 9

c La la la ust Up the moun-tain slope with our drinks and back-pack We came well pre-pared you and me heights with na - ture Such a love - ly day bright-ens c It's the should we get off track Part of the scen - ic har - mo - ny Up a moun-tain slope to new hearts for sure! MA BOOK ice - cream man with the best ice - cream Let's good ice - cream; you will want some too we'll have it if we hur - ry Repeat melody with RH Coda (octave higher LH acc) up p Up the Mountain Slope (C) have some if we hur - ry up MA PRIMER B The Ice Cream Man (C) try and catch the Melody France Lyrics Gayle Dunsmoor Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression (includes embellishments) truck Total 0 max Syncopation p Canada Suggested Acc: RH Solid (where an x) Gayle Dunsmoor x x x x x x x x q We'll It's so Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression (includes embellishments) Total 7 max

SECTION Keys of: D G C and F Maor "Circle of Keys" nd Half KA BASICS A Circling Counter-clockwise (ccw) scale notes DOWN the keyboard or scale notes UP the keyboard (EXERCISE pp 8 9) The remainder of this book has key changing counter-clockwise between maor keys in the above shaded area 7

If you don't know where you are going Sleigh Ride (D) how can you expect to get there Basil S Walsh # # # # # # c c w # O - ver ice and snow we go w In our sleigh it's not so cold Stretch AB-C Split Seq; rds b/w hands Write in the accompaniment indicated (pp ) Solo Break V7 Isus 9 V7 Rot (p 6) Stretch AB-C Split # # rds b/w hands Stretch AB-C in - gle in - gle all the way on this per - fect day! Apply accompaniment Indicate embellishments OPTIONS: Solid; Rot AB ; Split; Stretch AB-SN or C; rds b/w hands; Seq (see fill variations p 7) # V7 I V7 I # V7 I 6 q = 0 - LH Split; Stretch AB-C; rds b/w Hands; Seq Gayle Dunsmoor V7 Isus/ V7 I V7 I With to page 7

Sleigh Ride (D) Cont'd 7 # # Apply accompaniment V7 I V7 I V7 I friends and class - mates at my side sing - ing laugh -ing as we ride Not a wor - ry not to - day for # # 9 # # Dap - ple Gray seems to know the way! O - V7 I V7 I V7 I V7 I ver ice and snow we in - gle in - gle all the way on this per-fect day On this per - fect Rhythm order of notes are flexible The following can be mixed/combined: go In w # w # w n # n # n # c I6 I6 //b (above) I6/ b ( ) ( ) ( ) Duet: "Sleigh Ride" # # 7 c # # rd minor added rd minor rd minor our sleigh it's Opt (below) V7 I V7 I Fills Ending Variations day! 9 Sleigh Bells Sleigh Bells (measures 7 8) can be the accompaniment at any time I6/ b Chord Chord I6 with the b (minor rd ) added Slash means 'Add' not so cold I6 g b n n # I6/ b I of ( ) (p 6) w 9 No Duet DC al Fine 7 th rd Opt added measure(s) Coda No Duet

# # more # # # we get to my friends are more we get to The more - ge - ther the hap - pier we'll your friends the we get to be more we get to - ge - ther to - ge - ther to - ge - ther The For your friends are - ge - ther the hap - pier we'll my friends and - ge - ther to - ge - ther to - ge - ther The more we get to - ge - ther the be hap - pier we'll be For your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends The more we get to - # 80 LH Waltz acc Introduction The More We Get Together (G) V(7) ge - ther the hap - pier we'll be The hap - pier we'll LH Waltz accompaniment pp 67 Coda be Melody Germany Lyrics England RH solid chords where desired The Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression Total 0 max

KEYBOARD ACCOMPANIMENT OBECTIVES Give the knowledge and technical skills necessary to hear and/or look at a melody in any key and create a great accompaniment Teach students to recognize and anticipate the need for a harmonic change Provide many melodies to give students ample practice choosing appropriate chords Provide a wide variety of styles and rhythms so students will be flexible and adapt easily to new styles and rhythms Give confidence to explore chords and rhythms other than those suggested by arranged music 6 Generally improve students sense of timing and rhythm by providing their own accompaniment 7 Present previously unpublished original works - carefully graduated in the areas of sight-reading and technical requirements 8 Train students not only to anticipate harmonic changes but to hear and reproduce intervals 9 Facilitate the understanding of keys and their relationships 0 Progressively familiarize students with chord progressions Provide effective tools for modulation and key changing Facilitate transposition Stimulate hearing skills to a point where sensing chord changes and creating accompaniments becomes intuitive Give the encouragement and confidence for students to find their own individual accompaniment style Teach how to read from a lead sheet 6 Increase opportunities for playing with other musicians 7 Give freedom when desired to play the piano without notation 8 Develop an approach to learning music that will complement any other teaching method 9 Help students achieve a well-rounded musical education iii

KA BASICS B b b b b b b b b near b b bl essed Lul - la - by and good - night In the sky stars are bri - ght With a - you will b n love that's al ways ne -ver need to fear Close your eyes now and rest May these hou - rs be Lullaby and Goodnight q = 88-00 (p 0) I LH Climbing; Split; Seq io7 V9 V7 Write in RH LH accompaniment (embellishments inversions are suggestions only) b b I I7 IV _ I V7 (C) F Opt I6/ I b (p 7) I7 _ IV I V7 I6/9 Arp 7 - Close your eyes now and rest May these hou - rs be rall A well spent day brings blessed r happy sleep Leonardo da Vinci ohannes Brahms 8-897 Lyrics: Gayle Dunsmoor

b g V9 b b b b LH Single BN; [ ( ths ); Solid; Split; Piv 8-0 Intro I6 V9 RH Solid LH Solid; Split; Seq; Piv8-0 Leap ; Stretch AB-C (AB-Seq) fel For b he's a b (CT p ) IV U ol - ly good fel - low For he's a ol - ly good - low For he's a ol - ly good fel - no - bo - dy can de - b no - bo - dy can de - b no - bo - dy can de - ny I7 ny ny Happy Birthday! (F) For For MA Basics B For He's a olly Good Fellow (F) (I7) For ny DC al Fine Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression (includes embellishments) Total ( # ivo) low Fine MA Book Traditional max England Which Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression (includes embellishments) Total 6 max 77

KA BASICS C Following each melody: Circle the number that best represents the number of accompaniments that you provided Circle the number that best represents how smoothly you changed accompaniments Circle the number that best represents the overall impression (dynamics timing embellishments presentation etc) # # 8 6 # # q QUICK REFERENCE Additional CHORDS: + pp 6 6; I(7) pp ; I/9 pp ; IMa7 p 6; ima7 p 7; i6 p ; I6/ b p 60; i/9 p 7; II(7) pp ; ii7 p 67; iv p 8; V iv6 pp xiii 67; IV7 p 9; IV7(9) pp 6-6; IVMa7 p 6; V/ b 9 V b 9 V/9 V9 p ; V7/ p ; V7/ b pp 6 67; Recognizable STYLES: Blues pp 6-6; Hawaiian p 68; Hymn p ; ig pp 66-67; Latin pp -; March p ; Mazurka pp 8-9; Polka p ; Spiritual pp 0-; Tarantella pp 6-7; Waltz pp 0 7 78; Western Cowboy pp 6-6 OPTION: Link each song with a Pivot KC (at times Arp next tune's Intro can be linked) B Minor Scale p p V7/ pp 60; VI7 p 0; vi7 p 9; Dim: viio7 io7 (incl # ivo7) # io7 pp 0 9 ; Half Dim pp 7 B Minor Scale Variation (b) (II7) # # # # Coda # # 70 (Arp) Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression Includes embellishments Total 0 max

b b c b b b D Minor Scale p p 6 For You (d) # # Gayle Dunsmoor b Arp b Accompaniments tried Smooth changes Overall impression Includes embellishments Total max 7