2 handed chords

[UCJA2008]

someone in my church request that I now play 2 hand chords in all songs includin Praise songs reguadless if the bass player dont be at services

so now I not going to be worry about bass lines my focus is now better left hand

I have found Jermaine Grigg sample videos to be a bigggg help.
But In the futuire I do now plan to purchase his videos and probably Gregg Hannion

[smoothsound09]

Have u ever played a chord with your left hand. A trick i use is if i dont have a phat chord for my left hand i jus play the root chord like if the bass was on a C i would play CEG. Im not trying to say its easy with useing your left because its gonna take time and really listening to what you playing and trying to pick out what you think should go with the right hand chord. And if on a slow song a good thing to do is hit the bass note then the chord with you left but not all the time.

[UCJA2008]

thanks

[smoothsound09]

no problem

[jt3n1]

one thing to be aware of when playing full chords with your left hand is the how low on the piano you are. For example, playing a CEG really low would sound kind of muddy, not phat. However if you play the CEG on you right hand and play something like CGB on your left, you have spaced it out a bit at the bottom and so the chord sounds more full. For the purpose of numbers, that would be 1, 5, and 7 in the left hand. Playing that chord by the way is a C major 7th chord. Again if you do play the CEG in you left hand, you have to move both of your hands up an octave, or try changing the inversion to GCE, again not to low on the piano though. See if that helps you out a little bit.

[smoothsound09]

well put

[chris4740]

here's a suggestion: rather than play the CEG or CGBb on the left-hand, use the tri-tone -- EBb. Playing the phat chord on your right hand with the corresponding tri-tone always sounds nice.

ex. Key of 'G'

From I chord to IV chord.   

BF/BDG       G
FB/EbGBb    Db 13#11
EBb/DFAC    C13

hope this helps!

[ifiwereu]

That's what I've been trying to get the guys to see who are explaining chords with left hand. It's more of a rootless voicing. In addition to what chris said. He basically voiced a dominant chord FB left hand below middle C /right hand plays fill iins or GBD for a G7 chord. This can easily shift into C7 by using E and Bb in the left hand and EGC in the right hand.

Some guys make the left hand a 3 note chord by playing E Bb and D right at middle C while the right hand plays EGC.  It sounds sweet when rhythmically correct. In the hands of an inexperienced musican it's terrible.

For a minor chord, for example with an Ami7. They play GBCE and the root and other voicings go to right hand
gmi7 would be FABbD.

This style of playing doesn't sound good without bass and drums. It sounds kinda empty without a rhythm section.


However, I 've seen very very experience piano guys who can feel the rhythm get away with it with absolutely no bass and drums. 'Their choir sings with it too.  The tritone substitution sounds awesome on the Hammond organ when the left foot carrys the bass leaving the left hand to play chords. It doesn't work for all songs. It depends on the style.

[ferrente]

If you look at my posts you will see that  I use a lot of tri-tones, they sound great.

[UCJA2008]

Thanks