Accompaniment For Dummies

[tictactux]

I have a lot of sheet music with accompaniment chords (Bm, D, F#m, C#7 etc).
Now, if I wanted to play this accompaniment with eg a clarinet or a sax (utterly incapable of playing chords), what would I play? My gut feeling says it'd be the dominant (acoustically, not music-theoretically) note of the chord, but which one is it? Any easy-to-remember rule of thumb here?
(I should add that I had a window seat in music theory back in school)

 

[sideC]

The note that you see written is the root of the chord. So the Bm means that it's a B minor triad. So those notes would be B, D natural, and F#. So B is the root of the chord, D is the minor third of the chord, and F# is the fifth of the chord. Minor is noted by using a small m, or a minus sign - to the right side of the letter which names the note. So we will see Bm, or B- , or Bmin.

The next chord you list is D. Lets assume that you mean that it's a D major triad. Major is usually noted as Dmaj, or DM, with a large M as opposed to the minor chord's small m. Or it might be shown as a D with a triangle to the right of it. Kapeesh? So the notes of the Dmaj triad are D, F#, and A natural.

Next you have an F#m triad. So these notes are F#, A natural, and C#.

Last we have C#7. A "7" by itself, without a major or minor notation means that it is a dominant seven chord. A dominant chord consists of a major triad, with the added minor seventh. So we're talking C#, F natural, G#, and B natural.

The minor seventh is a whole step down from the root. A major seventh is a half step down from the root.

This harmony needs to be played in time to achieve the sound of the tune. Most chord charts have beat markings per measure, indicating if the chord is 1, 2, or all 4 beats of the measure, assuming that we are in 4/4 time. So you play the chord for the alotted amount of beats, then move to the next chord.

Most important note to play in time with the changes? I say just play the root, then move to the next root and then the next. Stay within the amount of beats alowed, the time alowed. You'll see why they are called "changes". You're changing all the time! When you're comfortable with the root, try the root and the third. But you should be able to hear the contour of the tune by playing the roots in the time of the tune.

I posted a practice routine on another thread down in the saxophone section of the forum, I forget what it was called, practice techniques, or something of that nature.

Hope this info helps!

 

[tictactux]

Most important note to play in time with the changes? I say just play the root, then move to the next root and then the next. Stay within the amount of beats alowed, the time alowed. You'll see why they are called "changes". You're changing all the time!

Okay, just the root note then. So a C#7 will be a C (concert) or a D (for a Bb bass), right?

When you're comfortable with the root, try the root and the third.

How would I do that on a wind instrument?

Anyhow, thanks for your instructions. I'll give that a try.

 

[Gandalfe]

Using the Root, 3d and 5th is the easiest way to play. So if the trumpet is playing a solo and I'm on bari, because it is so much lower, I almost get away with just playing a running bass line of just the root, but that gets old fast. So I noodle around with passing notes (notes not in the scale that just work) and thirds and fifths. And I add some of my favorite articulations gleaned from some of my fav songs. Sometimes the more astute musicians will call you on it with, hey that's Parker's riff from Alice. You live for moments like that. )

Like anything, learning the chords can be slow going unless you have an aptitude for that kind of thang. But as with most things, iteration, aka repetition will promote fluency and make it easier. And if, like me you try to play accompaniment for almost any song on the radio whenever you get the urge it gets easier.

So like I tell my grandkids and other students, the first time you do it, it sucks. And the next time you try it, it sucks worse. (Usually this is when they laugh.) Then you start to get better at it. If it were easy, anyone could do it. If it's fun and you have an ear for when the accompaniment should be heard and when it should just get out of the way, you should succeed.

For example, check out the last jazz jam night we had last quarter (we try to do this quarterly) at my YouTube Channel. In the last three minutes of the recording I'm coming off a solo and the gang is supposed to join for the final run through the fake book lead sheet (that's how we usually end) but only the trumpet comes, catches me by surprise by the way, and we end up doing a duet. He's reading the music and I'm noodling against his melody using the chord changes.

 

[sideC]

Okay, just the root note then. So a C#7 will be a C (concert) or a D (for a Bb bass), right?

How would I do that on a wind instrument?

Anyhow, thanks for your instructions. I'll give that a try.

Ben, the chord you noted is a C sharp seven chord (C#7). I'm just saying this so that you're aware of that. I think you mean a C7 chord. So yes, the root is C natural, the third is E natural, the fifth is G natural, and the seventh would be Bb. So in concert pitch, we're talking C, but on a Bb instrument like the bass sax, it transposes to a D natural.

So how do you play the root and the third on a wind instrument? If your chord is played for 2 beats, play the root on the first beat, then play the third on the second beat. If your chord is held for the full measure, you might try root, third, third, root. So the root is played on the first beat, the third is sounded on the second and third beat, and the root is played on the last beat, the fourth beat of the measure. I'm talking 4/4 time here to keep things simple. Play the beats the way the upright bass player would play them, with a rhythmic walking feel, in time, on the down beat. But don't try too much too soon. You can "walk" just using the root, just changing roots in time with the tune is a challange, and you'll learn a lot about the mechanics of chord changes by doing this.

Like Gandalf said, chord study requires patience, you're not going to get this overnight.

 

[tictactux]

Yes, I meant indeed a C7 chord in my example. Bloody Keyboard. ;-)

Now things are a lot more clear to me, thanks a lot.
I don't expect this to work over night, mind you, but now I have at least a handle to tackle such challenges.