Module 26 — Pop Piano: Simple Harmony, Strong Arrangement
Pop harmony is often much simpler than jazz harmony, but the arrangement can be just as sophisticated.
The big idea is:
Pop piano gets much of its character from bass movement, inversions, rhythm, texture, repetition, and dynamics, not from constantly changing to more complex chords.
You may spend an entire song on four chords and still create a convincing arrangement.
26.1The classic four-chord loopIn C:26.2Learn the progression as numbersDon't memorize:26.3Pop often avoids strong classical closureJazz/classical:26.4Root-position versionStart:26.5Use inversions for smooth RH movementInstead of jumping:26.6Better yet: preserve common tonesC → G:26.7Slash chords create pop bass linesTake:26.8Descending bass is extremely commonTry:26.9Full descending progressionTry:26.10Pop uses `add9` a lotCadd9:26.11Common pop shapesIn C major, try:26.12Keep common notes across chordsLook at:26.13Sus chordsA sus chord replaces the 3rd.26.14Pop loves suspended resolutionTry:26.15`add9` versus `sus2`Important distinction:26.16Open fifthsPop often uses very spacious LH:26.17LH octavesAt higher-energy moments:26.18One-note LH can be better in a verseVerse:26.19Rhythmic pattern matters enormouslyTake one four-chord progression.26.20Basic pop pulseCount:26.21Anticipated chord changeInstead of changing chord exactly on beat 1:26.22Try itCurrent chord C.26.23Syncopated RH patternTry chord attacks on:26.24Broken-chord pop patternFor C:26.25Repeated top noteA very common pop technique:26.26Why this worksG has different roles:26.27Pedal tone in the upper voiceA repeated/common top note acts like a pedal tone even though it's in the soprano rather than bass.26.28Bass pedalYou can reverse it.26.29Verse textureA useful sparse verse:26.30Pre-chorus textureIncrease momentum:26.31Chorus textureTypical ways to enlarge:26.32The “drop” after chorusAfter a huge chorus:26.33Build by adding one element at a timeExample:26.34Dynamics and density are related but not identicalYou can play:26.35Pop fills are usually shortBetween melody phrases, use:26.36Fill with pentatonic notesIf song is in C major:26.37Pop melody often lives in pentatonic languageThis is partly why simple melodies sound so natural.26.38Fills should echo vocal rhythmIf melody phrase rhythm is:26.39Octave fillsA common pop piano gesture:26.40Chordal fillInstead of single melody notes:26.41Pop voice leading often keeps fingers anchoredTry:26.42Pop chord voicing can omit roots in RHIf LH plays C:26.43Use wide RH voicings at climaxInstead of:26.44Keep the melody as the top noteAs with ballad playing:26.45Pop uses chord inversions to support melodySuppose melody:26.46Add2/add9 color under melodySuppose melody is D over C.26.47Suspended melody notesOver G chord, melody C creates:26.48Chord symbols may follow the melodyA chart might write:26.49Pop harmonic rhythmMany songs use:26.50Harmonic rhythm as buildSuppose progression:26.51Use inversions to make harmonic rhythm feel smootherIf chords change quickly, root-position jumps become especially clumsy.26.52Bass motion can define the whole progressionCompare:26.53Descending bass under repeated melodyHold top note G.26.54Chromatic bass in popYou can also use:26.55Borrowed iv in popIn C:26.56♭VII in popIn C:26.57♭VI in popTry:26.58Don't jazzify pop unnecessarilyIf the style wants:26.59Pop often likes ambiguous thirdsOpen chords such as:26.60Open fifth textureLH:26.61Constant upper structureRH holds:26.62Pop arranging sometimes thinks horizontally, not symbolicallyInstead of asking:26.63Arpeggio textureA classic pop-ballad arpeggio might distribute:26.64Arpeggio registerKeep lowest notes wider.26.65Repeated eighth-note piano textureA common modern texture:26.66OstinatoA repeated musical pattern is called an ostinato.26.67Create an ostinatoRH:26.68Ostinato vs arpeggioArpeggio outlines changing chords.26.69Pre-chorus rising lineSuppose top note rises:26.70Build with suspensionsBefore chorus:26.71Build with a dominant pedalKeep G bass.26.72Pop modulationsA classic late-song technique is to move the final chorus up a semitone or whole step.26.73Relative-minor sectionVerse in C major.26.74Bridge can change texture instead of harmonyIf entire song uses C-G-Am-F, the bridge doesn't necessarily need new chords.26.75“Drop chorus”Sometimes chorus begins with less accompaniment than expected.26.76Pop ending choicesUnlike jazz, many pop songs don't need a sophisticated cadence.26.77Add9 endingIn C:26.78Sus endingYou can intentionally end on:26.79Minor-plagal pop endingAgain:26.80Pop improvisationIf you add a solo/fill section, don't immediately think jazz modes.26.81C major pop improvisationUse:26.82Singing quality mattersPop fills should usually be singable.26.83Less chromaticism, more motifCompared with jazz:26.84A complete pop arrangementLet's build a four-chord song:26.85A richer progression without sounding jazzyTry:26.86Compare jazz and pop treatmentSame progression:26.87The central pop lessonYou can take four chords and vary:•Homework for Module 26Practice:•Module 26 mini-test1. What is I-V-vi-IV in C?