I have question regarding contemporary style voice and keyboard arrangement.

[leoben]

Hello, I'm learning to play the piano and I am encountering a problem reading voice and keyboard arrangements. I've noticed that the music seems to be written as close to the original recordings as possible however, In the treble clef  for the piano part I've seen that many of the arrangements (in fact all of the ones that I've encountered) double the melody for the voice in there, they dont do this in the original recordings. I was wondering if it was possible to omit the melody for the voice in the piano (it would be sung of course).

Perhaps they do this so that you can play instrumental. I dont know. Alot of pedalling involved phewww,

any help would be appreciated thanks

Leo

[nolan]

I suggest that you use discretion when choosing to play or omit the doubled melody. If you are accompanying an inexperienced singer or perhaps you are accompanying an audition, it might be better to play what is written (playing the doubled melody). But in cases where the singer is obviously capable of covering the melody, it doesn't make sense to me why you should have to double it again in the piano (even though it is written).

Especially in Pop or Showtune music books, this type of music is all you generally come across. A song is arranged with some chords and then the melody added on top...It is unfortunate that there aren't as many books that stay true to the original scores. Sometimes there will be different editions of a book: one with the traditional melody doubled in the piano and another with just piano accompaniment. For example, I believe there are 3 editions of music to the musical "Wicked." An Easy version, "Vocal Selections" (vocal line with piano accompaniment), and a Piano/Vocal Selections (with the melody in the piano part).

If you can handle it, take out the melody and improvise a piano accompaniment over the given chords to make it more pianistic  .

I will say that it helps your sightreading if you stick with what is written; however, musically it may sound better without vocals doubled.