Accompanying A Gospel Singer
In this lesson we will learn how to accompany a gospel singer for a solo. When accompanying a singer we must give the vocalist the foundations to rest their vocals upon.
Filling In The Gaps
An important part of accompanying a singer is to fill in the gaps with fills and embellishments whilst the singer is resting or whilst the melody is static. For fills and embellishments we can use single note melodies, block chords, octaves, blues scales, and arpeggios. Study the fills from the performances and incorporate these into your own accompaniments.
3 Performances
This tutorial contains 3 performances and each one is slightly different in the style of the accompaniment and the support that it gives the vocalist.
For the first performance the singer leads and the piano follows. The piano stays away from the melody completely and we give the singer complete control of the pace of the song.
For the second performance the singer is pushed a little harder by the accompaniment and the singer pushes back a little harder. We use leading tones to signal upcoming chord changes to guide the singer through the song.
For the final performance we play some some of the melody with the singer. This is done prior to the singer hitting the melody note in order to push her forward, and also after the singer hits the melody note to pull her back.
Lesson Downloads
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Opening Performance Transcript File Type: pdf -
Vocal Piano Performance 2 File Type: pdf
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Vocal Piano Performance 3 File Type: pdf
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Final Performance Transcript File Type: pdf
Related Lessons
Transposition is the process of taking a tune in a certain key such as Amin and transposing, or changing it to another key, such as Cmin.
We explore the key elements of an effective accompaniment. We will discuss your role in terms of the melody, the harmony, and the bass.
We outline the expectations of you as an accompanist and provide tips on working with singers to help them achieve their best performance.
Practice Tips
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Remember the importance of introductions to set the tone and mood of the song.
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Experiment with playing the melody, and laying off the melody. This can be used to pull and push the singer.
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Try these 3 styles of accompaniment with a vocalist or with yourself if you are a singer.
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Listen to the great gospel vocalists such as Aretha Franklin and study how she accompanies herself.
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Listen to the recordings of Mahalia Jackson and how the pianist accompanies her during her solos of church hymns.
