accompaniment

[svenvankelst]

Hi everyone, I've played the piano for 4 years but then I had to stop. Now I want to restart but I don't like playing from sheetmusic. I would like to be able to accompany a song by using chords. I can take the chords, but I don't know what to do with my hands. Who can help me or give me some good website addresses? Thank a lot! Sven

[pianodeanne]

Hi!  
It is pretty hard to just sit and play something, unless you can play by ear.  It sounds like you could use a few refresher lessons in piano.  Maybe see who teaches in your area, and would be willing to give you just a few lessons?  Chording is not something you just "do", once you find what to do with your hands.  I could show you one simple (very simple) chord.  left hand - C E G --- put your 5th, or pinky finger, on C.  Then Put your 3rd, or middle finger, on E, and then your 1st, or the thumb, on G.  That is a C Major chord.  But it is too hard to show you online.  That is something you need a physical lesson for.  Good Luck!!!!!  

[louellen]

You could use the pointer system.  Point to the keynote of the chord you want to use; for example, if you are playing in the key of C and want a (I ) C chord, point to the C with your left index finger, play the E above with your thumb, and the G below with your pinkie.

For the (IV) F chord, point to F, play A above and C below; and for the (V) chord, point to G, play B above and D below.   I, IV, and V are called the primary chords and will cover nearly any song.

Now, say you're playing a waltz, you would play a low C on the piano for the first beat.  For the second and third beats, you would move up an octave or two and play the "pointer" chords as described above.  

I have known people who learned to accompany hymns in this way, and I think it would work for popular music as well, though there will be more variations on the chords, such as minor, 7th, etc.

It's pretty simple, and I hope it serves your purpose.

[ludwig]

I think the best way for chording is to listen. As pianodeanne said, playing by ear should make it easier. Being able to listen to what sounds good aurally is a part of the training music learning and to have good aural sense makes everything easier. Try improvising chords and writing down ones you like. Play music based on chordal sturcutres, listen to guitar music sometimes helps too. Chord progressions shouldn't have much rules, its funtions are to provide harmonic structure, help the music to progress on and sounding good. Goodluck with it

[clef]

good on you.  its a great idea to do that becuase you can join a band as a keyboardist and play chords in a rhythm section.  You should start keyboard lessons.  and lookup the thread on CPM keyboard books.  you also need to be able to understand the formula for creating chords.  for example

C:  1, 3, 5
Cmin:  1, 3b, 5
C7: 1, 3, 5, 7b
Cmin7: 1, 3b, 5, 7b

its actualy quite complecated
 
any group of notes has its own name as a chord these days

C9#(b5)13 for example

[oscarkimball18]

            I can't really help you in terms of your question,but I thought you might want to know my name is also Sven. You must be from a Scandinavian country. Just thought you might find that interesting. Look forward to seeing you in the forum (or at least hearing from you)


                                    Later,
                                     Sven