Rhythm Riffs for Keyboard

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Exclusive Distributors: Music Sales Llmlted 8/9 Frith Street, London W1V 5TZ, England. Muslc Sales Pty Llmited 120 Rothschild Avenue , Rosebery, NSW 2018, Australia. Muslc Sales Corporation 257 Park Avenue South, New York, NY10010, United States oi America. Order No. AM92436 ISBN 0-7119-4512-8 This book @ Copyright 1997 by Wise Publications. Unauthorised reproduction of any part of this publication by any means including photocopying is an infringement of copyright. Book design by Michael Bell Design. Edited and arranged by Jeff Hammer. Music processed by lnteractive Music Sciences Limitecl Cover photography by George Taylor. Cover instrument kindly loaned by Rose Morris Limited Text photographs courtesy oi London Features lnternational and Barry Plumme .. >

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chords for F and G. No tice how this allows your

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Tip: Using the tonic chords tends to underline

the progression (better for a verse or bridge:) ...

the movernent of the chord progression giving

but experiment with them and see what ~·ow­

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Having seen the use of chord inversions to add

The following version of the riff illustrates thi

variation to this riff, we can take this even further

over four bars .. .

by adding other chord inversions into each bar.

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...but remember, this is just to add variation

The push feel, as mentioned on page 8,

so don't lo se sight of the original riff by

will also be effective with this riff. ..

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becoming over-complicated.

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following chords so that each push become

rather jerky and snatched - play round the

relaxed and smooth.

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INTERMEDIATE

E A S Y

ADVA NC IE

Riff No.3 Two-Bar Piano Riff

Select a piano sound and try this two-bar riff.

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This is a fuller riff that :fits well with faster rock tempos and a straight bass guitar feel of faurs (crotchet beats) or eights (quaver beats). Keep going round the two-bar pattern until playing this slightly more complex keyboard part feels natural to you.

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Then try moving the riff from G to C ...

... and when you're on top of that, move on to this four-chord progression.

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Tip: Busier riffs like this one are obviously

more distinctive and, therefore, more thought needs to go into their use, so ... would it be a good hook for the intro and link sections?... is it right for the verse or bridge? ... or would it lift the chorus? O ver-use will lessen the impact - familiarity breeds contempt!

Variations

The bluesy idea of slipping the thirds from minor to major will work well with this riff. ..

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Having already seen that a full riff like this one

This example provides variation by stripping

needs to be used selectively, other variations will

out some parts of the riff. ..

need to be found that maintain some continuity whilst moving more into the background.

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Tip: If you want to have dynamics in your

lows so ... strip it down to the bare minimum.

playing, you need to create contrasts - you can

one chord per bar...

only have highs if there have been some

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EA S Y

INTERMEDIATE

ADVANCED

tiff No.4 'iano Style With Straight Eights

Select a piano sound and try this riff

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This style of playing is very much a feature

The starting point is with tonic chords

of rock piano playing and is based on a constant

(i.e. root note at the bottom of the chord) -

eights feel (quaver beats) throughout the bar.

try moving from G to C ...

Although the rhythm part is fixed, the actual chords used can be flexible.

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... another way of playing this is togo from the tonic chord of G to the second inversion of C ...

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...notice how the chords seem to blend

into the eights feel in the final chorus, but ...

together more and it's easier to play as only

if it SOUNDS like you're wearing boxing gloves

two fingers need to move!

and a blindfold it tends to lessen the impact!

Tip: This riff is great for creating a feeling

There are no set rules for deciding which

of intensity and excitement... try it out in the

chord inversions to use. Tonic chords tend to

upper octaves of the piano.

stress the movement within a chord progression more than inversions.

Accurate and precise playing, however, is very The following is a good example of this ...

important ... it might LOOK great to leap off the stool, sending it flying backwards as you crash

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A push can also be used effectively with

the top of every chord - this keeps up the

this riff and will involve changing the chord

intensity and links the chord progression to the

one quaver beat earlier.

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If you want to know whether this will work with a chord progression that you are working with, just try it and your ear will tell you the answer!

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Final tip: If the thought crosses your mind to

must be easy - but staying in TIME and in

'do a Jerry Lee Lewis' and play this riff with yo

T UNE requires accurate playing so it is advisable

elbows, knees or feet ... first, make sure it's no

to use it at fust in short bursts ... desperately

your keyboard! !

clutching your cramp-ridden wrist in the middle of a ong is likel~T to be a distraction to those

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INTERMEDIATE

ASY

ADVANCED

ff No.5 :ivinet Style

ln this chapter we're going to look at another

played will alter depending on the velocity

keyboard sound - clavinet. The tone of the

(i.e. how hard you play them!) which gives

clavinet is hard and punchy, combining thick,

instant dynamics and colour at your finger-tips.

fat sounds in the lower octaves with bright, Select a clavinet sound and then try the right-

cutting upper octaves.

hand part of this riff. .. When using the clavinet sound think percussively - the tonal quality of the notes \

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When you feel comfortable playing each of these parts, try playing them together.

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As the left-hand part of the riff is so distinctive

This progression moves through C-F-C-G -F-C;

it is likely that you will continue it through a

pay particular attention to the links before each

chord progression - this wil1 need some practise

new chord ...

especially as other instruments might double the line with you (play the sarne part), making accurate playing a necessity.

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The first is to move the right-hand part with

take two different approaches.

each new chord ...

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This gives emphasis to the movement within /

the chord progression and tends to make more

hand part the sarne and just move the left hand

of a feature of the actual right-hand part.

through the chord progression.

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Because this clavinet riff is contributing to the

Try playing just the first half of the

rhythm as well as the tonality of the arrangement,

right-hand part ...

the scope for variation is very wide ...

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congas and use a similar style to improvise

Double the left-hand part with the right hand ...

around this riff on your keyboard ... it miglit be an idea to plug in your headphones!!

the percussive potential

E AS Y

/

INTERMEDIATE

ADVANC E

iff No.6 lavinet Style With Left-Hand Emphasis

The riff in this chapter also features the

Use the following example to master playing

clavinet but the emphasis is on the left hand.

the notes of the riff but also to get used to maintaining a constant rolling feel, especially

T he lower octaves of a clavinet produce a

as you jump the octave down to the first beat

sound that is thick and Jat, especially when the

of each bar.

keys are played with a lot of attack.

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Once the riff has started to rol! effortlessly move on to the next example which introduces a second chord ...

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T he jump down to the first note of each bar the tricky part of this riff so be honest with

elf as you work through the following chord ~-n~c,,,,,.., - each bea should be just as

Tip: Use the fingering suggested in the following example - working on this now" · pay off later.

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Variations Introducing an element of variation will prevent

The following variation adds a semi-quaver

the sound of the riff becoming monotonous, and

to the 3rd beat of bar 2 which slightly changes

a slight change to the notes or the groove is the

the groove...

best approach so the feel of the riff remains solid.

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... and as you move to a second chord make sure that

e riff and the variation have the same

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Use this chord progression as an exercise in switching from riff to variation ...

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think in terms of adding colour to the grom·e,

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The next variation introduces a stop to the riff and will therefore have quite a marked influence on the groove. For now, use this example to get used to both the stop and the start on the first beat of the following bar. ..

...now move to the second chord ...

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... and then try the progression, particularly concentrating on keeping a smooth fiel after

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All Vou Neea To now togetyoustarted!

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Sitting Correctly lt is important to sit correctly at the keyboard . The more comfortable you are, the easier it is to play. Sit facing the middle of the instrument, withyour feet opposite the pedais. Sit upright with as straight a back as possible without being stiff. Your seat should be high enough to allow your arms to be levei with the keyboard , or slightly sloping down towards it.

The Hand Position Support your hands from the wrists, which should be in a flat position. lf you bend your wrists too much as you play, you will soon experience muscle fatigue. Curve your fingers slightly as if you are gently holding an imaginary bali. Don 't extend your fingers into the keyboard; allow the natural position of your hand to determine which part of the key you depress with the tip of your finger.

The Five Finger Playing Position With the tips of your fingers, cover tive adjacent white notes in each hand. This is the normal five finger playing position . lt is also the hand 's most relaxed state. Always return to this position when you have been playing on other parts of the keyboard. Like a good squash or tennis player always occupying the centre of the court, this is the best 'alert' position for keyboard players.

The Piano Keyboard There are only seven letter names used in music: A B C D E F G

These seven letter names repeat over and over again on the keyboard . The black keys are arranged in groups of twos and threes.

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How To Learn The White Keys: C D & E Use the black keys to locate the white keys. For example, 'D' lies between two black keys.

Two black keys

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To the left of D lies C. To the right of D lies E.

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How To Learn The White Keys: F G A & B Use the groups of three black keys to locate F, G, A & B (the remaining four letters of the musical alphabet):

Three black keys

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Three black keys

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Find all the F's, G's, A's & B's on your piano . Play each note in tum and name it. You now know ai/ the white notes and their names.

An lmportant Note: Middle C One of the most important notes on the piano is Middle C. This is the C nearest the middle of the instrument, directly opposite the manufacturer's name, as you sit at the piano. The C below Middle e

Look at the illustration above. From it, you will see that: The C to the left of Middle C is called 'The C below Middle C' The C to the right of Middle C is called 'The C above Middle C' You should, at this stage, be able to find these three C's right away.

MIDDLE C The most central C

The C above Middle C

Learn to find them this easy way: • Play Middle C with the right hand (any finger will do). • Play Middle C with the left hand. • Play The C below Middle C with the left hand. • Play The C above Middle C with the right hand. • Finally: play Middle C again with one of the fingers of each hand. You now know where to find Midd/e C and the C's immediately above and be/ow it.

How To Work Out Chords With this easy-to-use guide you will be able to work out any major, minor, augmented and diminished chord on any note. Follow the simple formulae and ali the chords you need will be at your fingertips.

Example 1 To find the chord of C (Major). Formula: C-4-3

Types Of Chord Broadly speaking , there are four types of chord:

MAJOR (e.g. C) MINOR (e.g. Cm) DIMINISHED (e.g. Cº) AUGMENTED (e.g . e+) MAJOR and MINOR are the two most important types: popular Western music is based on them. lt is possible to play most popular tunes using MAJOR and MINOR chords only. DIMINISHED and AUGMENTED are merely 'passing' or linking chords: they are used for passing from one Major or Minor chord to another.

Working Out Your Own Chords: Using Semitones lt is possible to work out any of the four types of chord by using simple formulae. These formulae rely on SEMITONES.

A SEMITONE is the smallest possible distance on a keyboard, counting black and white notes:-

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Play note C, then count 4 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note E. Play note E, then count 3 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note G. The notes of the chord are therefore: C, E, G.

Example 2 To find the chord of Db (Major). Formu la: Db-4-3

Db

F

Ab

Play note Db, then count 4 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note F. Play note F, then count 3 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note Ab. The notes of the chord are therefore: Db, F, Ab.

Example 3 To find the chord of G (Minor) . Formula: G-3-4

C to Db (or back) is the distance of ONE SEMITONE Ab to A (or back) is the distance of ONE SEMITONE E to F (or back) is the distance of ONE SEMITONE

Chord Formulae MAJOR 4-3 Semitones MINOR 3-4 Semitones DIMINISHED 3-3 Semitones AUGMENTED 4-4 Semitones

Play note G, th_en count 3 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note Bb. Play note Bb, then count 4 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note D. The notes of the chord are therefore: G, Bb, D.

Em

Am

Bm

Em

Tip: The stops in this last variation provide

As this is a busy left-hand riff, the right

an ideal moment to feature an instrumental fill -

hand will be most effective if it sticks to adding

a jangling guitar, a bass lick, a drum fill, a

occasional chords.

keyboard run. The chords featured here are minar 9ths and lt's a chance to add some musical highlights,

are played at the first inversion ... play thro

not to compete over who can get the most notes

them to get used to their sound and shape.

into a P/4 beat-break!!

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Am9

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Now try adding one right-hand chord to every alternate riff. ..

Em

...and then move to the second chord ...

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Am

... and now through the chord progression remembering to ensure that there is no glitch in the feel as you add each chord or as you begin to introduce any of the previous left-hand variations.

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INTERMEDIATE

E AS Y

ADVA NC E::

Riff No. 7 Organ Style

Another classic keyboard sound is the organ -

An up-tempo lighter rock song might suit a

Hammond with swirling Leslie speakers, Farfisa,

brighter cheesy Vox-type sound, whereas a harder

Vox Continental etc... each with their own

rock feel would probably need a thick, growling

distinctive sound and ali of which have featured

Hammond-type sound. But try them ali out ...

on record and on stage since the 60s.

the decision is yours!

Modem keyboards tend to feature a selection

Select an organ sound and have a look at this

of organ sounds, the one you select will depend

riff. ..

on the nature of the song and the character of the part you are going to play.

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riff starts on the AND after 3. Now give

first beat of a bar. A one-bar count-in is

yourself a count and try playing the riff. ..

1-AND-2-AND-3-AND-4-AND so this

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Playing part of the riff prior to the lst beat

This wil1 feel more natural as you pu

of the bar makes a chord progression seem

riff into a longer chord progression. Try .,.,....,........,....,

less square i.e. the chord changes don't always

through these chords C-F-D - G .

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Tip: If your keyboard has a modulation wheel

Martian bagpipes is ali too easily clone!

use it to add a vibrato/Leslie speaker effect -

You might also be able to assign modulation to

be careful not to push the wheel too far. ..

the after-touch of your keyboard, allowing you

moving from swirfing Lesfie sound to buzzing

to create a similar effect by note pressure .

.riations Slipping in the occasional semitone note will give more of a 'soul' feel. ..

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Rather than thinking of this as a set variation,

A stripped-down, more solid variation

the best approach is to punctuate the riff with

of the riff will help to add dynamics to the

these semitone sfips which will add fiel to

keyboard part ...

your playing.

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or even for a verse or bridge section so that the

ideal to play whilst another instrument solos,

main riff is used for a chorus or intro hook ...

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INTERMEDIATE

EASY

ADVANCE !l

Riff No.8 Organ Style With Pad And Lead

Many of the larger classic organs feature a

with a right-hand lead and can be played

double manual, i.e. two keyboards, which allows

without the expense of a second keyboard!

the left hand to provide a sustained pad using a more mellow setting, while the right hand

Select a full, sustained organ sound and try this

provides the brighter sounding lead.

two-bar riff. ..

The riff in this chapter adopts the double manual style - block chords in the left hand

Em

A

Keep the left-hand chords as smooth as possible -

Work on that as you link the riff to a second

(remember the pad on the lower organ manual) -

chord ...

whereas the right hand can use a light percussive style attempting to simulate the click of an organ.

Em

Am

A

D

Em

Am

A

D

... and then practise maintaining that feel through a progression of chords ...

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Am

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E

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A

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A

Variations

Moving the opening right-hand note from a flattened Sth, as in the original riff, to a Sth changes the character of the sound quite dramatically - moving away from the bluesy flattened Sth to a soulful minor Sth. Compare this variation to the previous riff. ..

Em

A

Em

A

... and this example will show how the semitone change has influenced the other chords in the progression ...

Em

Am

Bm

A

D

Em

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E

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D

E

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A

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Tip: Decide between the blues or sou! feel

and then use an occasional variation - overdoing it will cause confusion and your chosen mood will be lost. To add to the bluesy feel of the riff, a slip can be added which emphasises the flattened 5th.

Em

A

Tip: To make the slip sound like a guitar

Use this chord progression to practise making the

bending a note, the two keys can be played

slip sound as much like a bend as possible ...

virtually together with the slipped note being released quickly whilst the flattened 5th plays for a full quaver beat.

Em

Am

A

D

Em

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D

Bm

E

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Em

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Em

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The ne:xt variation gives some colour to the second part of the riff by adding a run into the second chord ...

Em

A

Although this variation basically replaces

performance is not smooth, so use the next

a quaver with two semi-quavers, there is the

example to ensure that the fiel remains steady

danger of the riff sounding wooden if the

as you move through the chords.

Em

Am

A

D

Em

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A

D

Bm

E

Bm

E

Em

A

Em

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There is also scope for varying the left-hand chords - adding the 7th to the opening minor chord adds some extra character to the sound.

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The 7th can be added to the chords in our progression and these are scored out here so that they can be practised by the left hand before adding the right-hand lead-line.

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_r\.s a final variation both hands can play the block chords, a technique which is useful for b · ding a riff to a climax. With a double-manual organ the ound of each keyboard would blend c:rea e a

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INTERMEDIATE

E A 5 Y

AD VANCE

iff No.9 ectric Piano Style

The final keyboard sound we're going to use

The riff in this chapter will work best with

is the electric piano - the two classic instruments

a rich, sustaining electric piano sound (Fender

in this area are the Fender Rhodes and the

Rhodes) played over a slower rock tempo using

Wurlitzer electric piano, both of which use

a triplet feel.

vibrating metal bars, rather than strings, to Select an electric piano sound and play this

produce their sound.

two-bar riff. .. Most keyboards feature at least one or two electric piano presets - the range usually being from the rich, fuller, more sustained sounds, to bright, bell-like ones.

Em

Try to ensure that you sustain the riff right

:fingers ready for the next chord. Work on

to the end of the second bar - using the sustain

this by moving from Em to Am ...

pedal will allow you to do this and get your

Em

Am

By now you will appreciate the moody nature · =erence crea ed _ a triplet

Play through this progression and a ·o· 00 'i.DOOtÍen

Em

Em

Tip: Adding chorus will fatten up the electric

piano sound, and experimenting with your v ibrato settings creates a more authentic stereo

electric piano sound - try a deep, slow vibrato. Using stereo headphones will help you hear at once the difference that chorus and tremo/o can make.

Am

Bm

a ·ations

Making the right hand into full octave chords gives the riff another colour which you could put into your part occasionally...

Em

You will also need to be comfortable with this variation using different chords, so work with this progression until it begins to feel natural ...

Em

Am

Bm

Em

-

Part of the character of this riff and the mood

but be careful not to take this too far and fill

created by the triplet feel is the sense of space.

the spaces with clutter... the trick is to just add

There is obviously scope to embellish the riff

the occasional lick ...

Em 3

Using the occasional blue note will fit well with the mood of this riff. ..

Em

3

... and there is still scope for variation even if you add a lick only to the last beat of the second bar. ..

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Tip: The sarne 'keep it sparse' rule applies to

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Sitting Correctly lt is important to sit correctly at the keyboard. The more comfortable you are, the easier it is to play. Sit facing the middle of the instrument, with your feet opposite the pedais. Sit upright with as straight a back as possible without being stiff. Your seat should be high enough to allow your arms to be level with the keyboard , or slightly sloping down towards it.

The Hand Position Support your hands from the wrists, which should be in a flat position. lf you bend your wrists too much as you play, you will soon experience muscle fatigue. Curve your fi ngers slightly as if you are gently holding an imaginary bali. Don 't extend you r fingers into the keyboard ; al low the natural position of your hand to determine which part of the key you depress with the tip of your finger.

The Five Finger Playing Position With the tips of your fingers , cover five adjacen white notes in each hand. This is the normal tive finger playing position. lt is also the hand 's mos relaxed state. Always return to this position when you have been playing on other parts of the keyboard. Like a good squash or tennis player always occupying the centre of the court, th is is th e 'alert' position for keyboard players.

es:

e Piano Keyboard There are only seven letter names used in music: A B C D E F G These seven letter names repeat over and over again on the keyboard. The black keys are arranged in groups of twos and threes.

A

B

e D E F G A B e D E F G A B e

How To Learn The White Keys: C D & E Use the black keys to locate the white keys. For example, 'D' lies between two black keys.

Two black keys

Two black keys

D

D

To the left of D lies C. To the right of D lies E.

C

D

E

C

D

E

How To Learn The White Keys: F G A & B Use the groups of three black keys to locate F, G, A & B {the remaining four letters of the musical alphabet):

Three black keys

A

B

F

G

A

Three black keys

F

B

G

A

B

Find all the F's, G's, A's & B's on your piano. Play each note in turn and name it.

You now know ali the white notes and their names.

An lmportant Note: Middle C One of the most important notes on the piano is Middle C. This is the C nearest the middle of the instrument, directly opposite the manufacturer's name, as you sit at the piano. The C below MiddleC

Look at the illustration above. From it, you will see that: e C to the left of Middle C is called e C below Middle C' e e to e rig t of Middle e is called "' aoo e iddle e·

MIDDLE C The most central

e

The C above Middle e

Learn to find them this easy way: • Play Middle C with the right hand {any finger will do). • Play Middle C with the left hand. • Play The C below Middle C with the left • Play The C above Middle C with the rig • Fi ally: play Middle C agai . o e "' ers if ea:

wTo Work Out Chords With this easy-to-use guide you will be able to work out any major, minar, augmented and diminished chord on any note. Follow the simple formulae and all the chords you need will be at your fingertips.

Example 1 To find the chord of C (Major). Formula: C-4-3

Types Of Chord Broadly speaking, there are four types of chord: MAJOR (e.g. C) MINOR (e.g. Cm) DIMINISHED (e.g. Cº) AUGMENTED (e.g. e+) MAJOR and MINOR are the two most important types: popular Western music is based on them. lt is possible to play most popular tunes using MAJOR and MINOR chords only. DIMINISHED and AUGMENTED are merely 'passing' ar linking chords: they are used for passing from one Major ar Minar chord to another.

Working Out Your Own Chords: Using Semitones lt is possible to work out any of the four types of chord by using simple formulae. These formulae rely on SEMITONES. A SEMITONE is the smallest possible distance on a keyboard, counting black and white notes:-

e

G

E

Play note C, then count 4 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note E. Play note E, then count 3 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note G. The notes of the chord are therefore: C, E, G.

Example 2 To find the chord of ob (Major). Formula: ob-4-3

Db

F

Ab

Play note ob, then count 4 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note F. Play note F, then count 3 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note Ab. The notes of the chord are therefore: ob, F, Ab.

Example 3 To find the chord of G (Minar) . Formula: G-3-4

e to ob (ar back) is the distance of ONE SEMITONE Ab to A (ar back) is the distance of ON E SEMITONE E to F (ar back) is the distance of O ESEMITONE

G

Bb

D

Play note G, then count 3 SEMITONES to the right, and you will arrive at the note B . Play note B , then co nt SEMITO ES d em-e -e .

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. : .FastForward.

The user-friendly CD+Book Package Packed with riffs, licks & tricks you can learn now ... and easily incorporate into your own playing style Play along ••• with the tracks on the CD ... Discover more ••• from the matching book

wwwa·y ;n music Jil=mm.....,, as well

INCLUDES 4 PAGE PULL-OUT CHART Everything you need to know about getting the best out ofyour keyboards

ln this 77 track CD+Book Pack: You 'll learn all the best rock riffs for keyboard! Piano style, two-bar piano style, clavinet style, organ style and electric piano. Now you 're ready to rock ... Then get the companion pack, Dynamic Rock Keyboards. Discover the secrets of playing rhythm riffs for keyboard. You play as you learn with the pro-quality CD backing tracks.

The FastForward system has been extensively field tested and researched for over two years, and has proven to be the easiest, most user-friendly and genuinely e ec e ac·~~ · s. licks 'cks o he ar e .