gospel harmonic practice is not quite built on the same 'theory' as classical or jazz or blues. Just as I always wanted to know why jazz can sound like it does, I've wanted to know why gospel has its particular sound.
For anybody else with a similar curiosity, I can recommend Kurt Cowling's 'Gospel Piano' a new entry in the Hal Leonard style series. I've got a few other gospel books around, but this one really lays out the theory and practice very clearly. Also, unlike some other books I've tried, this one's exercises have that distinctive sound from the start.
http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Keyboard-H ... 1423412494
May not have much of a response from a generally electronic crowd, and I'm really not sure how I'm going to work what I'm learning into what I do, but I figure anything that expands the options is good.
gospel harmonic practice
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- KVRAF
- 2217 posts since 15 Jul, 2003
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2217 posts since 15 Jul, 2003
well maybe some examples would be helpful
backcycling in gospel isn't just the ii V or V of V typical in jazz or pop, but also includes IV and IV of IV and IV of IV of IV -- for a simple IV sometimes the bass note just stays put and the right hand embellishes with say the mid note of a triplet wandering off to the IV
there's this concept of coupling -- where a melody line can be laid out using just I and ii chords in all their inversions -- sometimes I and iidim -- just walk C and dm (or d dim) up the scale using all the inversions and hear how familiar that sounds
the same sort of coupling can occur with V and VI with a dominant chord used to transition between the I ii and V vi sections
the walk up or walk down between 'home' chords using the same sort of I and ii but counter movement in the bass by step wise selection of bass notes
a lot of these techniques have slipped into r'n'b, but it's been suggested to me that jazz purposely keeps away from the IV and IV of IV backcycling to distance their own hip downtown Saturday night selves away from Sunday morning sounds
meanwhile Sunday morning sounds in urban churches are really borrowing from funk, r'n'b and neo-soul and lots of extended chord work
backcycling in gospel isn't just the ii V or V of V typical in jazz or pop, but also includes IV and IV of IV and IV of IV of IV -- for a simple IV sometimes the bass note just stays put and the right hand embellishes with say the mid note of a triplet wandering off to the IV
there's this concept of coupling -- where a melody line can be laid out using just I and ii chords in all their inversions -- sometimes I and iidim -- just walk C and dm (or d dim) up the scale using all the inversions and hear how familiar that sounds
the same sort of coupling can occur with V and VI with a dominant chord used to transition between the I ii and V vi sections
the walk up or walk down between 'home' chords using the same sort of I and ii but counter movement in the bass by step wise selection of bass notes
a lot of these techniques have slipped into r'n'b, but it's been suggested to me that jazz purposely keeps away from the IV and IV of IV backcycling to distance their own hip downtown Saturday night selves away from Sunday morning sounds
meanwhile Sunday morning sounds in urban churches are really borrowing from funk, r'n'b and neo-soul and lots of extended chord work
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- KVRAF
- 13442 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
Funny thing. I've been playing in the accompaning band for 1-2 gospel choir workshops a year for over a decade now, yet I have never bothered to analyze any chord progressions - or better, to find any principles behind those progressions. Maybe I should just do that when the next workshop is ahead.
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2217 posts since 15 Jul, 2003
Mr Cowling reported that he noted these harmonic patterns when he transcribed what he was hearing so he could accompany gospel choirs over more than ten years.
I'd be interested in anything that comes to your attention.
I'd be interested in anything that comes to your attention.