"Summertime" Ballad Play-A-Long Track
Play along with Lyndol over the tune "Summertime". This is a slow version with a ballad feel where Lyndol sings the tune at 80bpm.
Vocal & Metronome Click
This vocal play-a-long track has just a metronome click behind Lyndol’s voice. This simulates a singer/piano duo and we can use it to practice our vocal accompaniment skills.
Check out the other vocal backing track for "Summertime" which features bass and drums. This gives us the opportunity to practice rootless voicings and frees up our left hand.
Vocal Section, Solo Section, & Scat Section
The backing track repeats 6 times through the form. Lyndol sings twice through the form, then you have the opportunity to solo twice through the form. Lyndol then takes a ‘scat solo’ for once through the form and then the final time through with the lyrics.
Related Lessons
In this section of the tutorial we are going to explore how you should be developing your swing feel and also your ability to improvise in general.
A nice place to start out with walking bass lines is to create lines using just the root and 5th with either chromatic or whole step approach tones.
We will start with left hand voicings to get a good grip of the melody and chord changes. We’ll then add in some bigger voicings and passing chords.
Practice Tips
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Identify the places in the form where the melody breaks or rests.
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As the accompanist, it's our role to fill in this space with harmonic and melodic fills including.
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Remember that you can utilise all of the registers of the piano.
- The fills and harmonic support should complement the singer and not conflict with, or overpower the vocals.
