Songwriting and Accompaniment
A special course; The course is given on two levels.
Level 1: Beginners
The objective of this course is to utilize and to apply simple techniques in playing chords in a chord progression in order to accompany a singer.
Level 2: Intermediate and Advanced
This course is meant for students who have a basic knowledge about harmony and chord voicing .They must have an ear for music as well as the ability to read notes.
What is a chord progression and how are these chords played with a song so that they match this song. How to write a progression that goes with the lyrics? What is the function of the metre of the words and how to make it sound at its best in a progression. How to write a melody and to converge this with the words? How to transpose a melody to another key to fit to the desired range of his or her voice.
How to put certain words to music or the other way around to put music to the words? The importance of metre, rhythm, length of line and rhyme. The main structure of a song connected to its tension or its the musical curve, themes and melodies which take turns. The components of music in a song : Verse, Chorus, Intro, Bridge (release) Coda. Form : e.g. AABA (verse,verse,chorus,verse) or ABAC (verse,chorus,verse,bridge) The bridge is originating from the Anglo-saxon music. Here we have the AABA structure which is used as a base for the outline of a song.
Accompaniment
The techniques applied on the guitar in general are numerous. The first distinction is the difference between the two different guitars: the acoustic and the electric. Both kind of guitars are found in all sorts of styles of music. It's the genre that shows a widely used application of different techniques of guitar accompaniment.
The most important techniques of accompaniment on the guitar are rhythm guitar, classic guitar, finger picking, jazz comping, Brazilian-Latin and Flamenco, whether being played with a pick or mere finger style. In every style we find something remarkable: rhythm, time (Bar), swing and groove. These elements appear to be important in performing music. Interpretation plays an important part in experiencing the music and getting across to the public.
Guitar accompaniment is to be considered an art and should be studied properly. The swing in jazz, the groove in Brazilian latin, the drive in Pop and Folk music or e.g. the Duende in Flamenco, they all are depictions and expressions of experiencing music in a certain style.
The student should study seriously to achieve his or her goal to accompany a singer as a duo or in a band. To accompany means in fact to be part of a performance.