http://www.pianoclues.

com/2008/03/09/basic-pop-androck-accompaniment-patterns/ Basic pop and rock accompaniment patterns

March 9th, 2008

This article is for people who wish to learn how to accompany a singer, or their own singing. When you play accompaniment, you just play the bass and the chords but not the melody of the song. f course, different styles ha!e different re"uirements # in $a%%, you wouldn&t e!en play the bass, for e'ample. The patterns ( present here are suitable for pop and roc) music. The prere"uisite is that you )now how to do !oice*leading. We&ll use !oice*leading to go as smoothly as possible from one chord to the ne't +no big jumps,. -ere are the chords for the first phrase of Let It Be by the .eatles, in the )ey of /0
G D When I find myself in times of trouble Em C Mother Mary comes to me

The most rudimentary accompaniment would loo) something li)e this0

The right hand plays each chord twice and the left hand plays a single bass note at the start of each measure. 1ou "uic)ly release the damper pedal at the start of each new measure +i.e. when the chord changes, and then press it down again. (n case you don&t )now how to read sheet music, download the M(2( file for this e'ample and follow along with !an.asco&s 3arao)e player.

-ere is a pattern that ( play a lot that suits this song !ery well0

M(2( e'ample (t sounds more impressi!e if you play an octa!e bass in the left hand. This might ta)e some getting used to but it&s worth learning.

M(2( e'ample 1ou play the octa!e bass with your left hand pin)y and thumb. 4nder your inde' finger is the 5th of the chord. 1ou can play this instead of the repeated octa!e0

M(2( e'ample 1ou can play all )inds of patterns using the bass octa!es and the fifth. 6or e'ample0

M(2( e'ample (f you can play bass octa!es, then these )inds of patterns should be easy0 you )eep your hand steady and just alternate between your pin)y, your thumb and your inde' finger. 7'periment8 6or more intensity, you can play triplets in the right hand. 9 triplet is : notes played in the time it usually ta)es to play 2 notes. 1ou can play it slowly0

M(2( e'ample r fast li)e $erry ;ee ;ewis0

M(2( e'ample (f you play it fast li)e this, it&s often best not to use the damper pedal. 4se your own judgment to hear what sounds best. There you ha!e some !ery basic patterns. (n a future article we&ll tal) about more ad!anced things that you can do in the right hand, but this should get you started. ( encourage you to e'periment with different rhythmic patterns between the bass and the right hand chord. 2on&t thin) about this too much0 just feel it. 6or e'ample, something li)e this0 M(2( e'ample ( played the same chords from the abo!e e'amples and the same bass notes +octa!e bass < fifth, but in a different rhythmic pattern. ( didn&t plan this pattern in ad!ance, it just came out that way. 7'periment8