{"id":10887,"date":"2016-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-05T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hearandplay.com\/main\/?p=10887"},"modified":"2024-10-14T18:02:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T02:02:25","slug":"eleven-left-hand-voicings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearplaymain.wpenginepowered.com\/eleven-left-hand-voicings\/","title":{"rendered":"Eleventh Day Of Christmas: Eleven Left Hand Voicings"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the challenges intermediate<\/em> piano players face is the ability to play chords on the left hand.<\/p>\n

No doubt, the left hand of an intermediate piano player can do much more than that of a beginner.<\/p>\n

For example, besides playing bass notes, an intermediate pianist (or keyboardist) might also play intervals<\/a> like octaves<\/a> and fifths.<\/p>\n

But when it comes to left hand chord voicings, that\u2019s where the boys and girls are separated from the men and women.<\/p>\n

The importance of playing chords on the left hand cannot be over-emphasized. Let\u2019s look at a few situations where left hand chords can prove helpful.<\/p>\n

Situation #1 – Organ<\/b><\/h2>\n

Playing the organ can be demanding if the organ has manuals and pedals.<\/p>\n

Manuals are played with the hands while pedals (bass notes) are played with the feet.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s a question for you:<\/p>\n

While supplying bass notes using the pedal, how productive is it to still play bass notes on the left?<\/i><\/p>\n

You already know that while playing bass notes on the pedals, the left hand should play chords that will house right hand melodies.<\/p>\n

Considering these things, an organist may be doing any one of the following:<\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> Activity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Bass notes<\/strong><\/td>\nFeet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chords<\/strong><\/td>\nLeft Hand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Melody (licks, riffs, etc)<\/strong><\/td>\nRight Hand<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Activity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Bass notes<\/strong><\/td>\nFeet<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chords<\/strong><\/td>\nLeft Hand<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chords<\/strong><\/td>\nRight Hand<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In the 2nd<\/sup> activity, the organist is playing chords on both hands.<\/p>\n

These 2-hand chords are known as polychords, if two different chords are used.<\/p>\n

Situation #2 – Band<\/b><\/h2>\n

For every serious pianist, a day must surely come when you\u2019ll leave your \u201cmorning devotion<\/i>\u201d zone to a band situation where everyone is assigned a role.<\/p>\n

Below are the individual roles of musicians in a band situation:<\/p>\n

Rhythm<\/b>: Drums and percussion instruments.<\/p>\n

Melodic bottom<\/b>: Bass guitar.<\/p>\n

Harmonic structure<\/b>: Piano, Organ and keyboard instruments (sometimes Guitar).<\/p>\n

Melodic top<\/b>: Guitar, Saxophone, Vocals.<\/p>\n

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive (there may be brass instruments, etc), but you get the idea.<\/p>\n

In such band situations, you\u2019ll be trespassing<\/em> by playing the bass note and there are bass players who find this offensive.<\/p>\n

Unless need arises, the pianist is to stick to his assignment of housing<\/i> the melody with chords (called “harmonic structures”).<\/p>\n

When I say chords<\/i>, I’m not just talking about basic chords (like using C major triad as chord 1 in the key of C). I\u2019m talking about things like the E quartal triad:
\n\"left
\n…over C on the bass:<\/p>\n

\"left
\n…to produce:<\/p>\n

C 6\/9
\n\"left<\/a>
\n\u2026a harmonic infrastructure. Lol!<\/p>\n

If you give me the next 30 seconds, I\u2019ll share my story with you.<\/p>\n

In 2008, I found myself in a band situation.<\/p>\n

I was playing with my right hand alone because my left was just bass notes and intervals.<\/p>\n

I had fantastic worship chords from our classic Gospel Keys 202<\/a> dvd course.<\/p>\n

Notwithstanding the chords, my bassist would shake his head in disapproval each time I added my left hand (that functioned, by habit, as a bass player for years).<\/p>\n

I kept struggling with my left hand until 2010, the Black Friday offer of Gospel Keys 600<\/a> featuring Jonathan Powell. I bought it and it revolutionized my playing (in one word).<\/p>\n

I benefited immensely from that course. Not just left hand voicings but two-hand voicings that endeared me to my bassist.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to wait until the next Black Friday sale. You will do well to check out Gospel Keys 600<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The benefits of playing left hand voicings in a band situation are worth the stress of learning left hand voicings. Trust me.<\/p>\n

With chords on the left, the right hand can embellish with chords, riffs, licks etc.<\/p>\n

Who else wants to play left hand chords?<\/em><\/h3>\n

Now that you\u2019ve realized the importance of not playing bass notes in various situations, let’s take things a step further by revealing eleven<\/strong> left hand voicings you can start using in your playing today. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be breaking them down in the key of C.<\/p>\n

Feel free to transpose the chords to all keys using our midi player tool below.<\/p>\n

Left Hand Voicings for the 1-Chord<\/b><\/h2>\n

This chord can be played on the first degree of the scale.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll give you two chord qualities in this segment:<\/p>\n