How to Play Piano and Sing! 3 Easy Patterns For Piano Accompaniment
After you can get to your chords fairly quickly in both hands, the next step is to add some rhythm and the other hand! These patterns are for accompaniment, meaning they won’t have any melody. It’s perfect for accompanying your self to play and sing at the same time.
How to Play Chords with 2 Hands
Right hand plays the chord, left hand plays the root of the chord down lower on the piano. The root of the chord is going to be the name of the chord. If you used the right fingering, its the note you’re playing with your thumb in the right hand.
Simplify the Coordination Patterns
When trying these for the first time, I like to break these patterns down to simple instructions and even say them outloud: left right left right. Both left left left. You can also practice them on your lap before even trying to worry about what notes to play.
3 Accompaniment Patterns for Singing & Playing Piano
• Left Right Left Right for 4/4 songs or Left Right Right for 3/4 time songs where you count 123 123. This is good when you want the music to be uplifting or create some rhythms to dance to.
• Both Left Left Left good for rock stuff or something with energy. You can add your right hand in as much as you want for more punch.
• HOLD each chord for 4 beats - Good for jazz and ballads. or if you are just learning a song and trying to get the hang of playing and singing it.
WHATS THE NEXT STEP?
If you get these basic patterns down, its really easy to add a little variation in the rhythms to create a lot of new vocabulary for your playing. When you start to try and sing along with these patterns, go slowly at first.
These are perfect for playing and singing at the same time because they are simpler than a piano arrangement. The patterns are repetitive allowing you to focus on hitting the right pitches with your voice and remembering the lyrics. GOSH!!! There is so much multi-tasking going on!
Dude, AWESOME post!
lately I was searching for some patterns to play piano accompany for singing, and you, you scored a direct hit! Thank You very very very much!
P.S. Can you show more patterns? ^_^
Hi Chris,
I think Summer of 69 is sung by Bryam Adams, not Bon Jovi : )
Great lesson by the way.
Hi Chris
I just returned to the piano after about forty years!
This is a great post on what I think is one of the most overlooked topics for beginners & Intermediate.
Emulating simple melody comes easily to most!
Somehow the transition to suitable backing throughs up a mind block for most!
Keep up the great work!
Jimmy
Hey Chris,
Ran across your video on youtube. I love the simplicity. You have any videos that just deal with jazz piano accompaniment in the same way?
I’m pretty boring and usually do root on my left and some version chord on my right, but I seem just to stick to the middle of the keyboard and my rhythms aren’t very interesting.
If you already have something posted, please let me know.
thanks,
J
Thanks Chris! you are excellent teacher man!
Hi Chris!Wonderful lesson, but i got a problem with my ring finger, it always confuses the sound by pushing the key(((For example when i play Cmaj chord, it sometimes pushes on the F key. So wanted to ask you, is there any exersice in order to avoid such situations?Or it’s just a thing that comes in time?
Exactly what I have been looking for — to learn how one plays a piano like a piano player where people can sing and dance. Thank you
is there any posts with how to make your left hand rhythms more interesting? because i tend to be quite boring with just the root note in the bass.
Thanks, I learned something! The only problem left is that I can’t distinguish the sound of the note to play. i’m not familiar with the sound of each notes and chords.
very helpful stuff - i am trying to teach myself right now and this is a great guide. thanks for putting it together!
Rimi
Just wanted to give you a big thanks for all you’re doing to help people!! I play keyboards in a variety band and I’ve REALLY had a hard time changing from reading music to playing chords and parts.
The very hardest thing for me is singing while playing only parts as I am not playing the melody. It’s easy when I’m READING music but being in a band is a whole other ballgame!!
I am very afraid of taking “rides”…and the first vid I saw of you on youtube had me sold! You are THE very best instructor I have found anyplace! You broke down those blues riffs and made it so easy..now I can’t see why I couldn’t see that before..lol..
You are doing a fantastic service for so many people and I, for one, am VERY VERY appreciative..now I’m going to the music room and play some songs and try to sing! You sure made that seem easy and I’m headed to practice some Patsy Cline now (I get more requests for her than any other artist) as I have been only singing and leaving the rest of the band to play. NO more..not since discovering your tutorials!!
Thank you so very much,
Debbie/The Contenders
I learned something new today. Thanks.
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Thanks but im still not sure how to play its really confusing me!
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Hi, Chris.
I just downloaded your program. FYI - I’m 70 years old. is it too late for me to learn? Also, I read about the ostinato and I’m curious about how to create one. can you suggest an ostinato I can practice? Thanks.
Noel
Hello,
I think your lessons here are wonderful, thank you very much for spending some of your time to do it for us all!
I was just wondering whether you had any tips on how to control your hands, I find as I was trying to mimic some of the beats shown in this video, especially the rocky type beat whilst my left hand was going pretty quick, my right hand seemed to try and do the same thing as the left!
All the best,
Lucy