Playing Mood Music Video By Greg Howlett

In this video, Greg Howlett teaches how to play soft piano music when playing reflective songs.

You can download the example used in the video here.

Here's an outline on what you'll learn in this video:

Outline - Playing Mood Music with Greg Howlett

I. General Principles

A. Focus on harmony. You have to know what notes belong to what chord.

B. Spread out the notes you play. Use open voicing

C. Less is More! Play less

1. Simplify the patterns you play.
2. Avoid doubling/octaves.

"Train your ear. It's your best tool."

II. Beginning Techniques (Applications)

A. Open arpeggios (left hand)

B. Play open intervals in both hands (rather than octaves). Play 6ths, 5ths, 7ths, 9ths, 10ths but avoid octaves.

C. Broken chords. Play parts of a chord in different segments of time.

1. It makes you have more control over the sound.
2. It creates movement; it fills up space.

D. Take your time (Rubato, "out of time"). This helps remove tension from the music.

III. Advanced (Harmony) Techniques

A. Add 7ths to your triads. (Major 7ths or minor 7ths).

B. Chord substitutions (reharmonization). [see also Some Reharmonization Ideas from Greg Howlett]

C. Color notes. Notes added to chords in addition to 1, 3, 5, and 7

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Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists

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Free Piano Arrangements By Greg Howlett

Greg Howlett is a Christian concert pianist, educator, and recording artist.

Shall We Gather at the River (Piano only)

Ivory Palaces

Heaven Came Down

Jesus Paid It All

My Faith Looks Up To Thee

Nearer Still Nearer (Piano only)

To God Be The Glory

Take My Life and Let It Be

Count Your Blessings

Jesus Is All The World To Me (Orchestration Track: "Jesus Is All The World To Me")

My Jesus I Love Thee
It Is Well With My Soul (free download with performance track)

Greg Howlett's 15-minute Arrangement Series 

Free "Playing Mood Music" course now on YouTube (plus how to get another course for free)

GregHowlett.com Home Page:

Inspirational Christian piano music from Greg Howlett

Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:

Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses:

Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists

 

Greg Howlett's 15-minute Arrangement Series

Greg Howlett - "I am starting something new in 2012--15-minute hymn arrangements.  By 15 minutes, I am referring to how much time it will take you to learn them and also how much time I spent arranging them."

1. Amazing Grace
2. The Old Rugged Cross
3. When They Ring Those Golden Bells
4. I Will Arise

Some reharmonization ideas from Greg Howlett

Greg Howlett is a Christian concert pianist and recording artist.

I have watched many of his free video lessons and blog posts on reharmonization.

Listed below are some of the reharmonization ideas I got from him.

1. A ii chord substitues for a V chord (and a IV chord).
2. A iii chord substitutes for a I chord.
3. A vi chord substitues for a I chord or a V chord.
4. Change V-I cadences into ii-V-I cadences.
5. Insert a minor 5 (v) and dominant 1 (I7) in front of a 4 (IV) chord
6. A dominant chord usually resolves down a fifth or sometimes a half step.
7. Very often, if a progression is moving with the circle of fifths, you can change one of the normal minor chords to major (making it a secondary dominant).
8. Add a flat 9th to secondary dominants if resolving to a minor chord.
9. minor 7 chords likes to resolve down a fifth or in diatonic steps.
10. You can insert a diminished chord betweet 4 and 5 chords.
11. You can substitue a sharp4 dim - minor4 6th - minor 3 - flat3 dim - ii7 - V7 -I for a V-I cadence.
12. Which color note belong to each chord?

Major/Major 7th
9, #11, 13 (9 is the most common)

Minor 7th
9, 11, 13 (9 is the most common)

Dominant
b9, 9, #9, #11, b13, 13 (All are widely used. However, you are most likely to use b9, 9, b13, and 13.)

Here is a sample of his free video lessons: "Relating harmony to melody"

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Free Lessons for Chruch Pianists:
Free lessons, tips and downloads for church pianists

DVD Courses (Reharmonization, Play by Ear!, Arranging, Accompanying, Theory for Church Pianists, etc.):
Over 30 hours of DVD instruction for church pianists

---

Visit Vitabase for Quality Health Supplements

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