From Songwriting Software Plus - January, 2004

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Contents:

Hi,

First up; Editor's Note (from the laptop of Robert Curtis)

Followed by Items:

1. Chord Style Piano Or Guitar Playing For Songwriting
2. This Month's Notable Quote

Editor's Note:

In their book Your First Cut by songwriters Jerry Vandiver and Gracie Hollombe, they describe a series of common characteristics that the vast majority of successful song writers posses.

The first item on their list is the ability to play an instrument, namely a guitar or piano/keyboard. They also comment that there are successful lyric only writers but they make a point that learning an instrument provides insight into the areas of melody, rhythm, meter, timing, delivery, dynamics and chord progressions that can only enhance one's lyric writing.

If you don't currently play then these points might give you enough reason to take up an instrument.

If you are already playing some but feel like you'd like to learn more chords and expand on your abilities then this issue's article may be enlightening.

Today's article focusses on chord style playing which is often the most accessible technique for songwriters to get playing an instrument fast and also can help you write better songs musically.

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Item 1

Chord Style Piano Or Guitar Playing For Songwriting

"Chord piano" and "chord guitar" also collectively known as "chord style" playing are often the best approach to learning and playing piano or guitar for pop songwriting because it's fast and efficient for songwriting and frankly can be a lot of fun.

Typically, if you plan on having lyrics sung in your songs and your main interest is in having a nice sounding accompaniment that you can play yourself then chord style playing is likely the fastest and easiest way to go.

Chord style playing gets playability results fast. No offense to the classical piano or guitar training approach but if you want to learn to play piano or guitar quickly for your songwriting compositions and even song performing and not have to learn to read music then chord style is the way to go.

That's Right, You Don't Need To
Learn Music Notation To Play

You'll learn much faster how to play songs, literally you can start playing songs the first day you try this approach, and you don't need to learn music notation unless you want to. In this system you learn to read chord symbols, essentially musical shorthand.

Also, because the melody part of your song will typically be sung that leaves just the chords to be played on your piano/keyboard or guitar.

Accordingly there's no need to learn how to play the melody as well as in traditional methods. In chord style playing both hands are used to construct and play chords which gives them and even richer sound.

And because you'll learn chord symbol shorthand you'll learn how to write and or follow lead sheets for yourself and other musicians you may have play along with you. Lead sheets are standard written musical renditions of typical pop songs.

Also there is no harm in learning to play this way relative to learning more traditional methods. If you want to learn other methods as well they'll only compliment this approach.

Get Playing Now And Learn Bite Sized Bits
Of Music Theory As You Go If You Want

Even if you've taken traditional piano or guitar lessons and feel like playing is just too difficult you'll likely find chord style playing a refreshing and very doable alternative and you can start playing songs the first day you begin this approach..

As for music theory there are many items that when applied will definitely help your songwriting but you'll employ them faster if you can play the ideas.

Learning to play first with chord style technique and then learning bite sized bits of theory as you go may be most practical because if you're not enjoying the fun of playing then learning theory may not go very far because you won't as readily put it to use.

Overall, it's nice to be able to play what you're learning and the nice thing about music theory that you can easily apply is that it enhances your ability to write better musically for your songs.

A Note About Piano/Keyboard Playing -
Why It's Good To Learn To Play
Chords With Your Right Hand

Bear in mind that most chord piano courses teach you to play chord style piano such that you play the chords with your left hand and play the melody with your right hand because they're not necessarily assuming that you're a pop songwriter.

However, some courses recognize that when you accompany a singer, like yourself for example, while writing and or presenting or performing your song, you'll want to play the chords with your right hand and the bass notes with your left.

The reason for playing the chords with the right hand is that they frankly sound better to sing to especially when they're played in the vicinity of middle C to the first E up from middle C, often referred to as the "sweet spot".

Famed songwriting coach and songwriter Jai Josefs, author of today's definitive text on writing music for contemporary pop music, Writing Music For Hit Songs, advocates and teaches right handed chord playing for these very reasons.

Courseware For Learning Chord Style Playing

To learn more about chord piano or chord style piano playing I suggest checking out the easy to understand and ready to get you playing now courseware from Piano Fun.

As most chord piano courses do Piano Fun's material teaches left hand technique as noted above but recognizes and advises right hand chord playing when accompanying yourself or others. That's right on the money for songwriters.

Click here to get more information about Piano Fun's courseware.

For guitar oriented chord style playing check out Songwriting Software Plus' From Guitar Owner To Guitar Player by singer-songwriter Evyn Charles, a graduate of Berklee College of Music. This book is geared towards songwriting from a full-time performer. It's suitable for beginning to advanced players.

Click here to get more information about the From Guitar Owner To Guitar Player courseware.

End of Item

Notable Quote:

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm."

Winston Churchill 1874-1965; British statesman & Prime Minister during World War II

Information & Credits

Songwriting Software Express is published monthly by Songwriting Software Plus: Robert Curtis, Editor.

You can send your feedback to feedback@songwriting-software.com.

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