Big Chords

[Cecin_Koot]

I have been looking at the accompany of some pieces and i note that there are some huge chords that would not be possible to play, for a human at least.  for example, C13.  can somone please help me out here?

[whynot]

Hi!  Could you specify the piece with that chord, and others that you're worried about?  It would be easier to make a suggestion this way.  Without seeing this particular case, one guess is that the chord might be played with both hands but only written in one clef.  But anyway, give some details and I'm sure between all of us it will get sorted out!  Cheers.

[flyinpianoman]

Sometimes the melody plays the notes that make a chord an extended 7th chord.  Also the notes will be split up betweenthe hands.  Are you reading out of a fakebook, or complete sheet music?


Jerry A. Greene
JAG Music, Multimedia & Publishing
https://JAGMMP.Com & https://JerryGreene.Com

Please try my free sheet music:
https://jagmmp.com/jerrygreenepromo.pdf

[sonatainfsharp]

The trick to accompanying is to not play every note. Art of Accomp. 101 says: "If you can't sight-read the music, you are trying to play too many notes."  You have to remember that accompaniments are arrangements or reductions, and I have never seen a good editor for this practice.

Now, if you are talking about something written for piano and instrument, such as a violin sonata, that is an entirely different ballgame.

[silva]

A C13 can be broken down to

base clef C

Treble clef: Bb D E A

not impossible

- Silva

[Daevren]

Leave out the fifth in chords with more than four notes. Then you can also leave out 9 and 11. Or even 7 if you prefer.

[Glyptodont]

Sometimes the music gives you a clue if -- in very large chords in the treble -- the stems of some of the notes point down. 

In one part of Myra Hess's arrangement of "Jesu," there's a notation "Left hand" and a very long bracket.  [This is from Myra.]

When I came to my teacher I told her, "lord, these chords are almost impossible to play at all -- and why should I try to play them with the left hand?"

Her answer -- "you only use the left hand for the notes whose stems are pointed down."

Then it is all clear.  You hold the bass octave with the sustain pedal and move your left hand up to pick off occasional notes in the treble clef.   Those with the stem down.

Thank God for my music teacher.

[c18cont]

To see a vision of chords on the keyboard, try "virtual Piano Chords"...(Forget the url..just stick it in a srch eng..)

John