Building a piece up as you play through it

[Hugh Wallington]

This Topic is sort of about 'Interpreting a piece of music you play', but concentrating on how you can develop a piece, starting off quietly, and gradually adding more into the Registration you are using as you go along.  Or in other words, not going straight into a song 'hammer and tongs' and keeping that up all the way through.  These examples are not from the AR, but the ideas expressed can equally be applied to the AR.

This is what John Traves has done with his interpretation of Lullaby Of Birdland.  I was really taken with how he built this up as he played through it.  Just listen to his 'free-play' Intro; then he comes in with the bass, playing it on the first and third beats of the bar; followed by the bass playing every beat of the bar.  Fantastic!  And then in comes the Trumpet.  Knocks your socks off!  Love it!  Thanks John for letting me put this up.

Click the LINK below to listen
Lullaby Of Birdland, played by John Traves

Hugh

[Hugh Wallington]

This topic is all about 'building up a piece' as you work your way through it.  Here is another piece where this approach has been taken.  George Turner (TDP) playing Somewhere Out There.  Played on a Genos keyboard.

Click the LINK below to play
https://app.box.com/s/k2gdrrkpqkw40d9mt9mu

George starts off with a 'less is more' approach.  No drums, no backing .. just the Piano/E-Piano playing.  Then in comes the drummer with an amazing 'fill' and we're off on the next part of our journey.  This song has an interesting chord structure. It sounds as if there is a 'change of key' .. but when the main melody starts again it is in the same key as at the beginning of the song.

[Hugh Wallington]

And another one, this time by Dave Hamory (TDP) .. Don't Cry For Me Argentina.

Click the LINK below to play
https://app.box.com/s/38poffbg8lxrfo2ihvcw4g812mq1j9ii

This was a comment on the TDP Forum:

That was a very well thought out piece, nice gentle start gradually building to a full on orchestra.

I'm sure there are plenty more examples of this .. if you come across any, please let me know so I can include them in here.

Hugh

[Hugh Wallington]

One here from Torben Goldin (TDP).  Nessun Dorma.

Click the LINK below to play
https://app.box.com/s/rpl1vf5v17k3i4s6k970msp1051fmtzo

A comment from me when he put it up in the TDP Forum:

Nice soft opening, and then those wonderful strings coming in. And building it up with the choir to the 'drum rolls' at the end.

Hugh

[Hugh Wallington]

Another example of building a piece up as you work your way through it. This one by Noel (TDP), playing For All We Know. He starts off with just the piano playing, then adds some strings playing the melody along with the piano. Then a change to a 'breathy tenor saxophone', with a 'repeating piano' (?) in the background; and finally has some full orchestral strings to finish the piece off with.

Click the LINK below to play
https://app.box.com/s/d5gx5s1457kvou1bgbyq

What a great way to arrange a piece of music!