and impress the examiner. here are the chords added to the melody c chord = c e g g chord = g b d f...

And Impress The Examiner

Here are the chords added to the melody

C chord =C E G

G chord =G B D

F chord =F A C

G7 chord =G B D F

Instead of chords try creating a single note bass-line

This is a good idea to use but on its own it is very boring

Try using it at the same time as another accompaniment

Try varying the rhythm

Try using the other notes of the chords to vary your single note bass-line

E.g. C chord is made up of the notes C E and G

C chord = notes C E GG chord =

G B DF chord =

F A CG chord =

G B D

F= F A

C

G=

GB

DF

C chord =C E G

Once you have worked out the basic chords there are many ways of changing them to make them more interesting

Break up the chords so that the notes are played one at a time instead of all at once

Try breaking them up in different directions- ascending and descending

Ascending Descending

If you like the sound of block chords try varying the order of the notes to make them more interesting

GEC

ECG

CGE

ECGC

GEC

ECGC

ECG

DBG

GDB

CAF

FCA

DBG

GDB

CAF

FDBG

Dotted rhythms make the accompaniment more interesting

Because the rhythm of the melody is different to the rhythm of the accompaniment we call this a cross-rhythm

A long, low, sustained note is called a pedal note

Try adding a pedal note underneath the chords

Condensing the pedal note onto the same stave as the chords look like this

Try changing the rhythm of the accompaniment to triplets

This creates more cross-rhythms

If you change the broken chords to semiquaver (quarter) notes the accompaniment sounds much busier and more detail can be added to them

Try varying the direction of the notes

(ascending, descending, mixed)

Ascending

Descending

Mixed

Here is an example of a semiquaver accompaniment using ascending, descending and mixed patterns