Big Wilson wrote an article about how to accompany yourself. I wanted to share it with you in its entirety. I thought it was pretty upfront and straight forward about knowing chords and then putting them together in chord progressions. That way, you can find your way around songs. So, who is Big Wilson? Watch the video and he plays a quick lick at the very end .
You Can Accompany Yourself
"If you are a singer, either professional or amateur, I assume that you know the major scale... Do Re Mi Fa Sol, One Two Three Four Five, or No Nee Nay Nee Nah. I assume that you can find middle C on the piano. Given these two assumptions, you can accompany yourself while you sing.
My daddy used to play piano for silent movies. He started at the Binghamton Opera House. He taught me a few chords, and called them "changes." The first chord he taught me was B Flat Major. The first "change" was an E Flat Major, and the second change was an F Seventh. Using these three chords, he ripped into a ragtime version of "Nearer My God To Thee." It was great, and I was hooked.
I spent lots of time at the piano learning and finding new changes, until I could play well enough to put myself through college. I then went into radio and television, often calling on the piano for background to commercials. In those days record artists would visit DJs, and I would get them to sing live. I've had the pleasure of accompanying Steve Lawrence, and Edyie Gorme, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Ella Fitzgerald and others on my radio and TV shows. It was a thrill for me.
Many singers have said to me, "I wish I could play like that, and accompany myself." Therefore, I have devised the most simplistic method of learning to read guitar chord symbols, found on most sheet music. So, if you have the sheet music to the songs you want to sing, you can quickly learn to accompany yourself on the keyboard. You will not be a great piano player. but you will be a fine accompanist.
Let's start with a look at chords. All chords are based on triads. They are either Major, Minor, Diminished or Augmented.
All major triads contain the one, three and five.
All minor triads contain the one, flat three and five.
All diminished triads contain the one, flat three and flat five.
All augmented triads contain the one, three and sharp five.
Unless otherwise indicated, all chords are built on the major triad.
The symbol for a minor chord is a small m. Example: Cm.
The symbol for a diminished chord is a small circle. Example: Co. (Yes, it's a very teeny circle)
The symbol for an augmented chord is a +. Example: C+.
C = 1 3 5
Cm = 1 b3 5
C dim = 1 b3 b5
C+ = 1 3 #5
If you can read simple treble-clef melody notes,
you can play your favorite popular songs using "Play Piano With Fake Book" system.
Master the following:
*Can't Help Falling In Love
*Smoke Gets In Your Eye
*Never on Sunday
*Edelweiss
*Chariots of Fire and more
Using "Play Piano With Fake Book"
Also, you may be interested in:
Mastering Piano Accompaniment
Step-By-Step Guidance How To Accompany Somebody On The Piano
30 Days Money Back Guarantee www.HowToAccompany.com
All the best,
"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life."
-- Art Blakey
English: The first chord to Bridge Over Troubled Water on Piano. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This moving, modern day spiritual was introduced in February 1970. By March of that year it sold a million copies, by April two million copies had been sold by the year's end, sales had reached five million. It won an unprecedented six Grammy awards in 1970 and the album is still one of the best-sellers in music history... Words and music by Paul Simon, 1969.
This is one of my favorite songs by Paul Simon. I can think of tons more... how about you?
Paul Simon wrote this about providing comfort to a person in need. It
started as a modest Gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it
together. Speaking in the documentary The Making of Bridge Over Troubled Water,
Simon said, "I have no idea where it came from. It came all of the
sudden. It was one of the most shocking moments in my songwriting
career. I remember thinking, 'This is considerably better than I usually
write." For more information, visit http://www.songfacts.com
4/4 Time Signature
Moderato, not too fast, like a spiritual
CFC
When you're weary, feeling small,
FBbFCFCFCF
When tears are in your eyes, i will dry them all;
CGAmGFC
I'm on your side. when times get rough
C7FDG
And friends just can't be found,
C7FF#dimCA7sus4A7F
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
C7FF#dimCA7sus4A7F
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
G9G7C
I will lay me down.
When you're down and out,
CF
When you're on the street,
BbFCF
When eve-ning falls so hard
CFCF
I will comfort you.
CGAmG
I'll take your part.
C
When darkness comes
C7FDG
And pains is all a-round,
C7FF#dimCA7sus4A7F
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
C7FF#dimCAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
AmE7AmD7
I will lay me down.
FAmFFmCFCFCFCF
Sail on silvergirl,
C
Sail on by.
FBbFCF
Your time has come to shine.
CFCF
All your dreams are on their way.
CGAmG
See how they shine.
C
If you need a friend
C7FDG
I'm sailing right be-hind.
C7FFmaj7D9CAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
EE7AmD9
I will ease your mind.
CFFmC
your mind
CFC
When you're weary, feeling small,
FCFCFCF
When tears are in your eyes, i will dry them all;
CG G C
I'm on your side. when times get rough
C7FD7/F#G
And friends just can't be found,
CFF#dimCsus A/G A7susF
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
CFF#dimCsusA/GF
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
GC F/C C F/C C F/C
I will lay me down.
C F
When you're down and out,
CF
When you're on the street,
CF
When eve-ning falls so hard
CFCF
I will comfort you.
CG
I'll take your part.
C
When darkness comes
C7FD7/F#G
And pains is all a-round,
CFF#dimCsus A/GA7susF
Like a bridge over troubled wa-ter
E7Am
I will lay me down.
CFF#dimC/GAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
Am/EE7AmD7 C/G
I will lay me down.
FAmFFmCFCFCF/C
CF
Sail on silvergirl,
C
Sail on by.
FBbFCF
Your time has come to shine.
CFCF
All your dreams are on their way.
CGAmG
See how they shine.
C
If you need a friend
C7FD/F#G
I'm sailing right be-hind.
C7FF#dimC/GAmF
Like a bridge over troubled water
Am EAm
I will ease your mind.
C C9 F D/F# C/G Am
Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water
F E7 Am D9 C/G
I will ease your mind
***
Key of D (Bridge Over Troubled Water)
Intro: D D9 G A7 Fdim D G A7 D G D G
D G D C G D G
When you're weary. Feeling small. When tears are in your eyes
D G D G D
I will dry them all.
A Bm A D D/C# D7
I'm on your side ohhhh when times get rough.
D9 G E A
And friends just can't be found.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bsus4 B7 G F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bsus4 B7 G A7 D G D G
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
D G D
When you're down and out. When you're on the streets yeh.
C G D G D G D G D
When an evening falls so hard. I will comfort you ohhhhh.
A Bm A D D/C# D7
I'll take your part ohhhh when darkness comes.
D9 G E A
And pain is all around.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bsus4 Bm G F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bm G Bm F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will lay me down.
E7 D G G1 Gm D G D G
D G D G
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by.
C G D G
Your time has come to shine.
D G D G
All your dreams are on their way.
A Bm A D D/C# D7
See how they shine ohhhhh and if you need a friend.
D9 G E A
I'm sailing right behind.
D7 D9 G A7 Fdim D Bm G Bm F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will ease your mind.
D7 D9 G Gmaj7 E7 D Bm G F#7 Bm
Like a bridge over trouble water, I will ease your mind.
E9 E D G G1 Gm D
