Block Chords In Both Hands Create a Big Sound!

Good morning, this is Duane. Today I’d like to take up Block Chord Style Number Two.

Yesterday we took up Block Chord Style Number One, which involved playing the melody with both hands, but making the left hand melody stand out. Under the right hand melody we put in the notes of the chord. If the chord was D minor seven, we play it like that. You can slide up to some of the notes on the left hand and make them stand out too.

You’ve heard that.

Usually it’s combined with something in the left hand if you’re not playing with a base player. That was Block Chord Style Number One.

Now this is Block Chords Style Number Two. It’s entirely different. You don’t play the melody in the left hand. You play a full chord in the left hand, but at the same time you’re playing something in the right hand. You play the melody in the right hand.

For example, if I was playing Little Darlin’, I would set the table by outlining the chord. The first chord I think is D seventh, so I’d play the root, fifth, and third maybe and then that’s the kind of sound you want.

My left hand is playing chords at the very same time my right hand is playing the melody in octaves. Notice in the right hand I play at octave, but I fully land a note in between and slide off the middle note to get a little.

Then you probably only do that for a phrase and then go to some other style.

That’s Block Chord Style Number Two. Again, let’s outline what it’s made out of. In the left hand you play a full chord of some sort, depends what the chord is of course. If it’s D minor seventh you could play it that way and the more color tones you can jam into it the better.

For example, say the melody is E and the chord is D minor seventh, you get a big sound that way if you play it the same time. Then sometimes slide off a middle black note onto a white key. You could do this.

Now, if you’re playing with a trio, playing with a base player of course, the base player is doing that and so on, right. He’s laying down the base, but if you’re playing solo you don’t have that base, so you have to supply it a low note usually on the first beat of a measure. Not always, but sometimes.

That’s called setting the table. I set the table by playing the root, third, and fifth. Before I come up I push down my peddle by the way, sustain peddle. Then come up and play the block chord like that.

Then the second part I probably wouldn’t continue with the block chords. Then maybe go back to it here.

When I played with a trio I use that style all the time. When you play solo you don’t use it too much, but it’s awfully good to know because you can get a big sound that way.

The formula is simple. You simply play the chord at the same time you play the melody with the right hand. Melody is in octaves for a big sound and the chord is jamming as many color tones as you can into the chord, whatever you like the sound of. If you like C six or C major seventh you could do that.

Then, like I say, sometimes slide off a black key in the middle. It gives a little click to the sound, okay? Let’s see.

And onward, okay? You can use that part of the time, but certainly not all of the time. It’s just one of the styles you got to have in your bag of tricks.

That’s it for today. If you enjoy this kind of thing, come on over to playpiano.com and sign up for the series of piano tips and you’ll get a video or an audio or a lesson of some sort most every day.

Okay. Thanks for being with me and we’ll see you tomorrow. Bye bye for now.

***For lots more good stuff on piano playing come on over to my website at https://www.playpiano.com and sign up for our free piano tips – “Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions!”

Here’s a great little book on chords and chord progressions on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Chords-Chord-Progressions-Exciting-ebook/dp/B0076OUGDE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404158669&sr=1-1&keywords=piano+chords+duane+shinn

You’ll learn piano chords galore and how to apply them when you play piano – major chords, minor chords, augmented chords, diminished chords, 6th chords, 7th chords, 9th chords, 11th chords, 13th chords, suspensions, alterations and more. Chords are the “missing link” in most piano lessons and you can learn them all easily. Learn piano playing and music theory at the same time – it will make your progress faster
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Here is the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uOYUc2GcJs&feature=youtu.be

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