Advice with accompaniment writer's block

For the past few weekends, I have been trying to begin work on a Clarinet and Piano piece I promised a friend months ago. While I am finding the Clarinet (melodic line) is easy to write for and have plenty of ideas for. I am struggling to figure out the accompaniment. I am really lost with it.

I am not talking about harmonizing the melody, as I can do this no problem but actually writing a piano part which supports the Clarinet part without dominating it and without being completely non-interesting. I just can't seem to get it started.

I am getting quite worried about this now because this piece is going to be the main piece in my portfolio for postgraduate applications and it has to be finished with plenty of time for my friend to learn and record it. She was also hoping to perform it in a concert but with my part time job, I sort of missed that boat.

Anyone ever had this problem or have suggestions on how I can beat this issue?

It all depends on your intended mood and style. If it's strictly an issue of the clarinet being overpowered, dynamics and register are to be adjusted. Do you have an example you could give us?

More information would be nice, since it's hard to know what you want to do with just what you posted.

I don't have an example I can post at the moment - I'm working on something tonight and tomorrow (time off work.) I'll try and explain this a bit better with words and hopefully I'll have an example to post tomorrow.

As a example say I've written a short melody for Clarinet (about 12 bars long.) Now, I want to put a simple piano part to it - nothing too big because the clarinet part itself is quite simple and I don't want to ruin the melody with the piano. However, I also want to avoid doing another version of the 2nd Mov. of my Sonata for Violin because both pieces will be in my portfolio. Also, I don't think that type of accompaniment would be suitable for this piece anyway. This is where I become stuck because while I don't want to have the piano there constantly, I also don't want it to be sat there with rests all the time.

I appreciate trying to get my meaning from words is hard so if you are still confused - don't worry I understand.

Well, I have had the same kind of problem a lot of times. First off; try to think of a way to make the accompaniment set the kind of mood you would like the piece to have. If the piece is lively you might want to try to make the accompaniment lively somehow. If you are trying to write a peaceful piece, then go for that kind of accompaniment. Try to come up with a short rhythmic motive that can serve as a basis for the piano part. Schubert's works for piano and voice were helpful for me when I tried to find ideas for the accompaniment.

Secondly, the easiest way to make the accompaniment not dominate would be to give it a rhythmic activity that is different from the melody's and to separate them by register. This will make listeners perceive them as two different things but it will still be clear what is what. After a course in counterpoint I must say I feel I handle this problem with the accompaniment better. To generalize a bit; make the piano play something simple when the clarinet plays and then to make the piano part more interesting let it play something more interesting when the clarinet has a pause.

A very simple example of what I am trying to say:

clarinet plays 8th notes

piano plays quarter notes

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
4   4   4   4  

then the clarinet plays half notes and the piano plays 8th notes instead ("taking over" the rhythmic activity from the clarinet)

2       2
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

It could also be a good idea to let the piano play the melody at some point as a kind of contrast.

It could also be a good idea to let the piano play the melody at some point as a kind of contrast.

You seem to have hit the nail with the hammer without actually looking at what I am working on. I've been looking at the piano parts of Clarinet pieces I own (I use to play) for ideas too but it might be worth me having a look at some vocal stuff too.

I'll try putting what you've suggested into practice but if anyone else has suggestions - I would love to hear them.