Gospel Piano Improvisation Techniques

[@moemax996]

Great techniques

[@GospelProgressionsUniversity]

Thank you!

[@moemax996]

Hi bro. What app do you use to show double keyboard and fingers as well as your face? I teach music and I'm looking for something like this.

[@GospelProgressionsUniversity]

I'm using a music app called "Chordie" www.chordieapp.com and two cameras. I screen record the app as im playing for it to be synced up with the audio form my other cameras. Sometimes I'll use my computer camera for my face era different one. Finally, some editing mojo in premiere pro and thats about it.

[@chubbster1969]

Sounds like the traditional walkup from 3 to the 6. So that would be in Ab

[@GospelProgressionsUniversity]

Yes, there are quite a few traditional walk-ups in this style. The key interval here is a *perfect 4th,* which aligns with the way gospel progressions often move in fourths, allowing for many creative possibilities. For example, let’s take the *3-chord* in a major scale. In standard major-scale harmony, the 3-chord is always minor, as you mentioned in *A♭ major.* However, depending on how you approach it, this chord can take on different functional roles: - It can act as a *2-chord* (C major). - It can also function as a *6-chord* (F major), as I demonstrated in the video. Keep in mind that this is just *within the major scale,* and there are many other scales that can be applied. Your chord voicing can dramatically change the harmonic context. Depending on how you voice the chords, you can introduce *diminished scale harmony,* as I subtly touched on in the video. If you play it *diatonically,* it will give you a straightforward, vanilla C major sound. However, by incorporating certain inner voicings, you can imply diminished-scale harmony, which adds more tension and color. This same chord movement can take on a completely different _key center_ just by shifting the root harmony. - Starting on E♭, I could resolve to an A♭ minor or major chord. - Starting on G♭/F#, I could resolve beautifully to a B minor chord or major chord. - Starting on A , I could resolve beautifully to a D minor chord or major chord. The reason this works so well is that the inner voicings are all diminished chords, meaning they are drawn from diminished scale harmony. How Diminished Scale Harmony Enhances Resolution Diminished scale harmony naturally gives rise to 7♭9 chords, which sound especially beautiful when resolving up a fourth. For example: - C7♭9 → F minor OR F major - E♭7♭9 → A♭ minor OR A♭ major - F#/G♭7♭9 → B minor OR B major - A♭7♭9 → D minor OR D major _The point is that the inner voicing harmony remains exactly the same across all these examples._ this is at the heart of the reason why I say "don't worry about the key" in some of my videos. *What determines the key center is:* 1.The melody, which dictates how we perceive the tonality. 2.The root movement, which provides structure to the inner harmony. I know I went deep into this, but I love geeking out about this stuff. 😊 Thanks for your engagement!

[@chubbster1969]

@GospelProgressionsUniversity No, no, geek away!! I love theory as it helps me understand 'why' it works. I guess it's another way of using secondary dominants as a means to get to your destination (starting as you say from 7b9) and keeping the 'shape' throughout. Really good explanation! Thanks bro!

[@GospelProgressionsUniversity]

⁠@@chubbster1969 You’re absolutely right-that’s a great way to put it! I kinda stopped going ten levels deep here on YT because it seems most people here are looking for quick wins. However, I’m starting a community where we can exchange approaches and learn from each other’s playing. As the late, great Mark Levine once said, “It’s music theory, not music fact.” Like spoken language, music theory has its limits, it simply describes the wonderful sounds we create within a system designed to help us notate and communicate our art but it isn’t the art itself.