Writing for a piano "jazz Chord Voicings"

in my high school combo i have to wright out the pieces for the piano acompinament i am NOT a piano player so my idea is to just pound out the same chords with root and or 3 on left hand 3579 on right but i wanna do more than that but i don't really have time to study the playing styles of the sound i want.

(she's a classical player that can sight-read ANYTHING except chords)

any tips on how to write a piano part?

thanks in advanced,

Jay

What sort of chords?

Basic ii-V's? More detailed modal stuff? Do you need comping patterns as well, or can those be improvised if she has suitable voicings?

Do you have a bass player? (Must the voicings contain the root, or can we go rootless?)

i have a decent bass player i usually give him chords with a suggested bass line

if i write some of the comping patterns i feel like she can fill in the rest

it's all over the place from very easy blues progression to heavy modal stuff to basic 2 5 1s

thanks

Don't give her the root in the LH because the bass player is taking care of that.

And when you said she can sight read everything except chords, do you mean chord symbols? Like, if you notate the chord, she could play it obviously, right?

Here's some tips I have for the writing out the voicings for the chords.

3579 is a good start. If the voice leading works well, you can go from a 3579 to a 7935.

For example: Bb7 to Eb7 (the ninths are implied), you could do

C - Bb

Ab - G

F - F

D - Db

Also, you can change the 3579 so that the 13th substitutes for the 5. Like, 3,13,7,9. That makes the the above progression sound pretty cool.

Bb7 Eb7 (9th and 13th are implied)

C C

Ab G

G F

D Db

3579/7935 is a good model cuz you can substitute in flat 5's or 13th's or sharp or flat 9's into that model.

As for comping patterns, a simple Charleston could work. Or, just find spots emptier spots in the bar where the piano chords will add to the ensemble sound. Doesn't have to be too much, you should just try to avoid having the piano chords overlapping with other parts of the band. Don't want the precious piano to be drowned out now!

Good luck!

in my high school combo i have to wright out the pieces for the piano acompinament i am NOT a piano player so my idea is to just pound out the same chords with root and or 3 on left hand 3579 on right but i wanna do more than that but i don't really have time to study the playing styles of the sound i want.

(she's a classical player that can sight-read ANYTHING except chords)

any tips on how to write a piano part?

thanks in advanced,

Jay

Two words: Shell voicings.

Get JAZZ KEYBOARD HARMONY: A PRACTICAL VOICING METHOD FOR ALL MUSICIANS by PHIL DeGREG

The frickin' Bible for formulating jazz chords. Starting with 2- note voicings and beyond!

Those big four note voicings are going to be too dense in the wrong context. Bud Powell, Bill Evans et al used these sparse shell voicings (sometimes called 3/7 voicings or Bill Evans voicings). She only needs to comp basic 2- note voicings if she is going to accompany someone. For example, C maj 7= C and B. D min 7 = D and C. G dom 7 = G and F. Does she know how to comp basic jazz rhythms? That will go a long way to making it sound authentic if she just a straight classical player.

Depending on the style of the piece, 4-note voicings might be too much. But since she's accompanying a combo, they're going to need all the harmonic support they can get. That's where 3 or 4 note voicings come into play. If you want less, take out the top note in the those 3579, or 7935 patterns. I caution the use of shell voicings for everything. The sound will be too sparse and empty. It won't sound like authentic jazz because you won't be able to achieve the same colours that 3 or 4 note voicing chords do. Maybe for a section where you want a radically different sound. Otherwise, avoid the shell voicings.

Depending on the style of the piece, 4-note voicings might be too much. But since she's accompanying a combo, they're going to need all the harmonic support they can get. That's where 3 or 4 note voicings come into play. If you want less, take out the top note in the those 3579, or 7935 patterns. I caution the use of shell voicings for everything. The sound will be too sparse and empty. It won't sound like authentic jazz because you won't be able to achieve the same colours that 3 or 4 note voicing chords do. Maybe for a section where you want a radically different sound. Otherwise, avoid the shell voicings.

True but shell voicings give you the essential 3rd and 7th. Add your 9ths, 13ths etc at your discretion. Forget the 5th and dense block voicings (this all depends on context of course...context is everything). For comping and rhythmic accompanyment 3/7 voicings rule.

Shell voicings provide all the harmonic support you need...without the fuss.

For example, C maj 7= C and B. D min 7 = D and C. G dom 7 = G and F.

I'm down with the 3's and 7's. But not 1's and 7's as your example described.

Otherwise, it's cool :cool:

Oh yes, I did include the roots...whoops. That just happens to be the first examples in the book to learn how to target these voicings. Not being a piano player (guitarist for 25 yrs) I have beating the hell out of those examples in all 12 keys for what seems like forever :)

In later chapters this book explodes with variations, ii-v's, blues and rhythm changes examples etc. I wish I had 150 more years to tackle all of the things I want to ;)

You can use Upper structure triads they always sound cool.

Here's an example"

a good book in how to find UST voicings

http://mdecks.com/ust.html

If the 3579/793(13) voicings are too dense, you can always drop the second or 3rd note from the top down an octave, and split the notes between the two hands.

Another easy way is to play the 3rd and 7th in the left hand, and any scale tone from the implied tonal centre (ie: Cmaj if ii is D-7 or V is G7). The only limitations: don't play the chordal 4th on the dominant or the tonic (ie: C on G7 or F on Cmaj7), because it destroys the V-I resolution, and just sounds bad.