| The secret to playing Christmas sheet music | | | | your playing. Very often Christmas sheet |
| is to make the melody prominent, get some | | | | music has chord symbols on it and you can |
| rhythm happening underneath and bang out some | | | | take your lead from those symbols. |
| chords to support the harmony of the song. | | | | |
| And, while that may seem like a fairly simple | | | | If you don't know how to read chord symbols |
| concept, for most pianists it takes some | | | | here's a simple rule. If you see a simple |
| practice. Here are some ideas that may help | | | | triad chord symbol such as "G". That means |
| you. | | | | it's a G major triad or 3-note chord. First |
| | | | plunk down a G then a major third above which |
| First let's start with the melody. I think | | | | is a "B" then a minor third above that which |
| for some reason many musicians forget that | | | | is a "D." |
| the melody is the most important thing. I'll | | | | |
| never forget this one time early on in my | | | | For minor chords the intervals are inverted. |
| career when I got a gig with some prominent | | | | A minor interval first then a major interval |
| local jazz musicians. It all started out ok, | | | | on top of that. Then if you want to get |
| but eventually we got into some tunes where I | | | | really fancy add sevenths to your chord |
| didn't know the melody very well. I was | | | | voicings. For example; if you see a G7 chord |
| playing all kinds of way out improve and the | | | | symbol that mean a major triad with another |
| bass player turned to me and said, "Hey man, | | | | minor third stacked on top. In others word |
| just play the flippin melody!" | | | | the chord would be in order from bottom to |
| | | | top; G, B, D and F. |
| It was kind of embarrassing that's for sure. | | | | |
| Anyway, I never forgot that and to this day I | | | | If you see a Gmaj7 chord symbol it's the same |
| always put the melody before anything else. | | | | as a G7 chord except the top note is an F# |
| What does that mean? It means to get the | | | | instead of an F. Or, think of it as a G |
| melody right and make it the most prominent | | | | major triad with another major third stacked |
| part of your playing. | | | | on top. |
| | | | |
| The next thing to go along with your melody | | | | The only other chord symbol is a minor |
| is rhythm. It's so important that your | | | | seventh chord or G-7. This would be played |
| playing has some feel to it. So often, | | | | as a G minor triad with a minor seventh |
| pianists focus on getting the notes right and | | | | stacked on top or; G, Bb, D and F. |
| therefore lack the rhythm and feel of the | | | | |
| music. If you can, play your music along | | | | While this may seem like a fairly simple |
| with the radio or a recording. That will | | | | approach to playing chord symbols it covers |
| help you develop some feel. | | | | at least 85% of all Christmas sheet music. |
| | | | There are other chord symbols which you may |
| Feel comes from playing with others. It | | | | come across from time to time but, like I |
| comes from bassists, drummers and other | | | | said, that's pretty much it. |
| instrumentalists. Even now when I'm playing | | | | |
| solo piano concerts I can hear the drums and | | | | So, when practicing Christmas sheet music |
| bass in my head and that will be very evident | | | | play the melody prominently and correctly in |
| in my left first and sometimes in the right | | | | the right hand, add some rhythmic feel to it |
| hand as well with rhythmic chords. | | | | and drop in a good helping of chords to back |
| | | | up the harmony of the song. Christmas sheet |
| And, speaking of chords, you cannot forget to | | | | music will never sound the same again. |
| add a good dose of rich chord structures to | | | | |