Clav techniques.

[shniggens]

So I got my funky left hand going, no problem. Now I want to add juicy right hand chords to go along with it.

 

I want to comp some 9th chords, but obviously four note voicings sound a little muddy on a clav.

 

How do you guys voice your funky right hand clav stabs?

 

[retrokeys]

In a word...suspensions. Fourths, fifths and octaves help to make a funky clav part.

[Fred3]

I'm also interested in that too. How did you learn the left hand? Is there a homepage what teaches it? or a good book?

I like switching my piano's sound to clavi

[Botch]

A timely thread, as I got to hear Dave Bryce this past weekend, that guy's got some funk in his fingers, would love to pick up more pointers too.

[marino]

Originally posted by retrokeys:

In a word...suspensions. Fourths, fifths and octaves help to make a a funky clav part.

Very well said. Also, for ninths and such, try spreading the chords between the two hands. For example, for Em9, try (bottom to top):

LH: E-B

RH: G-D-F#

 

or:

LH: E-B

RH: A-D-F#

 

The last one could be called D major over E-B

 

The sectret ingredient here is: Don't play these chords as blocks, as they would sound muddy. Alternate LH with RH, or alternate extreme notes with middle notes, in a percussive, syncopated manner.

Don't forget to leave gaps, and use those blues slides and acciaccaturas!

[stepay]

Originally posted by marino:

Originally posted by retrokeys:

In a word...suspensions. Fourths, fifths and octaves help to make a a funky clav part.

Very well said. Also, for ninths and such, try spreading the chords between the two hands. For example, for Em9, try (bottom to top):

LH: E-B

RH: G-D-F#

 

or:

LH: E-B

RH: A-D-F#

 

The last one could be called D major over E-B

 

The sectret ingredient here is: Don't play these chords as blocks, as they would sound muddy. Alternate LH with RH, or alternate extreme notes with middle notes, in a percussive, syncopated manner.

Don't forget to leave gaps, and use those blues slides and acciaccaturas!

Excellent advice. Note of course (as you do Marino) that a 9th chord is really made up of 5 notes, not just 4 -- gotta add that 7th (dominant 7th) in there! As with any chord, leave it out once in a while if it sounds better, but don't forget to add it when it could makde that chord sound much more rich and full.

[shniggens]

Great advice.

 

Well look what I found when I was searching around web looking for funky keyboard -

 

http://cdn.untergrund.net/community/index.php

 

Looks like it might come in handy.

[shniggens]

Originally posted by marino:

acciaccaturas!

Is that a five syllable word for 'grace notes'?

[Cliffk]

Originally posted by Botch:

A timely thread, as I got to hear Dave Bryce this past weekend, that guy's got some funk in his fingers, would love to pick up more pointers too.

Dave, I didn't know you dug the funk?! Do you have any funk tunes of your own you could direct us to?

[marino]

Originally posted by shniggens:

Originally posted by marino:

acciaccaturas!

Is that a five syllable word for 'grace notes'?

Sure. It doesn't sound so wierd in Italian...

 

To be more precise, the acciaccatura is only one type of grace note. "Grace notes" include single and multiple acciaccaturas, appoggiaturas, trills, upper and lower mordants, groups, etc.

[K K]

Just thought I would add a little boring historical note here.

 

In very old keyboard manuscripts (17th century), an acciaccatura referred to the simultaneous playing of the note and its neighboring tone followed by the quick releasing of the latter.

 

Next time you see a score with such grace notes in, try the old effect instead of the usual way to see how it sounds.

 

Since IIRC the Clavinet was intended to "emulate the harpsichord", which was popular in the 17th century, I thought it could be interesting.

 

Back to your original programmation.

[mate stubb]

Nay, sir. The Clavinet is.... an electric clavichord, not harpsichord. Very different instruments.

[K K]

That's OK as well, since clavichords were also popular in that era. Just thought those clav guys could try some "new" stuff using very old tricks.

[mate stubb]

Clavichords were interesting because they were the only acoustic keyboard instrument I am aware of that you could bend the pitch of the notes.

 

Compared to a clavinet, a clavichord works in reverse.

 

A clavinet has strings under the keyboard, and strikers under the keys which fret the string against a metal tab.

 

A clavichord has strings above the keys, and metal strikers at the back of the key which simultaneously fret and strike the key. By pushing the key a little harder you could stretch the string slightly and make it go sharp. Clavichords are very soft and must be listened to in a quiet environment. They have a pretty wide dynamic range, but it is from PPPP to P.

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by shniggens:

Originally posted by marino:

acciaccaturas!

Is that a five syllable word for 'grace notes'?

No - its some one who is allergic to cats.

 

To be serious for a moment its often important to land on the main note in tempo, not late. This is different to classical music where you land on the grace note on the beat. So the grace note is a pick up not part of the beat that follows.

 

That's not to say you never want to do it the other way - but its important to have both techniques under your fingers.

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by mate_stubb:

Clavichords were interesting because they were the only acoustic keyboard instrument I am aware of that you could bend the pitch of the notes.

 

Which makers them the devil to play if you are used to a modern instrument - you have to control the pitch with finger pressure. If you are a ham fisted piano player like me, they sound dreadful.

 

They typically had several adjacent notes work one string - so you get highest note priority in groups of about 3 notes.