Piano and Guitar: Tips for Playing Together

Playing piano with others can be a challenge. Whether you're accompanying a singer or playing along with a guitar or another instrument, this video tutorial will give you some tips and ideas on dos and donts.
The main goal when collaborating with other musicians is to complement - and compliment :) - each other. The best way to do this is to stay out of each other's way. No, I'm not talking about packing up your portable Steinway and walking away; I'm talking about playing in different frequency ranges or using a very different accompaniment pattern, or anything that can differentiate the two of you.
The other option is for you two to be in perfect sync: play the same accents, change chords in exactly the same time and work together to build up a "wall of sound", a concept which has been popularized by Beatles' producer Phil Spector.
Related Videos/Playlists:
My channel has many additional piano tutorial videos which I welcome you to check out. The main channel page is:
www.youtube.com...
Here's an interesting video about voicing the 2-5-1 progression:
• Jazz Piano Harmony: Ch...
How to modulate between keys using the 2-5-1 progression:
• Songwriting Secrets: M...
Learn to play Bach's Prelude in C major:
• Learn to Play Bach's P...
My playlist of inspiring piano harmony, chord and voicing tips and tricks:
• Inspiring Piano Harmon...
(Inside you will find additional major chord voicing ideas for piano!)

[@yontenmoktan511]

"The two of you might clash" proceeds to play the most beautiful piece my ears have ever come across

[@LiamDarden]

honestly can't thank this guy enough for teaching me something everone else seems to think is common knowledge. As a guitar player, nobody gets deep into how duets work and only into solo use of said instrument. this will help so much with the piano sound I'm trying to implement. Thanks man.

[@MangoldProject]

The problem is most musicians don't have basic decency. They're rude. They want to be heard and never think of the total outcome as a whole.

[@LiamDarden]

Couldn't have said it better myself, too many forget there's more than just a front man or guitarist making the music. Again, thank you for the video :)

[@jaysonrejoiceo2]

MangoldProject i have a band mate who play organ and i play electric guitar i have mo idea how since im not used to it. I just tell him that we need to press the same chordshapes. But i heard that we still classed what should we do

[@danielkrome2333]

@@MangoldProject true brotha.

[@srbijapodlupom9907]

Appreciate Video clip! Forgive me for the intrusion, I would love your opinion. Have you researched - Riddleagan Possessing Piano Remedy (do a google search)? It is a good one off guide for learning how to play the piano easily minus the hard work. Ive heard some decent things about it and my friend at very last got amazing success with it.

[@carolinebarley]

I've played piano like 30 years. Lead worship music at a church for a couple years . But I was raised on classical. This video is so helpful. Thanks ! I'll probably watch a few times.

[@TheApril1610]

You presented three options not two :o HOW TO NOT CLASH IN MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT: 1) different freuquency playing 2) different rythm 3) playing a 100% in sync ( more for super professional players-eexample ACDC Black to Black) THANKS A LOT THIS WAS SOOO GOOD! SUPER SIMPEL, JUST THE NECESSARY INFORMATION- LOVED IT! THANKS TRUE GENIUS CAN EXPLAIN SIMPLEEE!!! :)

[@sugarnspice9744]

This is a brilliant lesson. I play with a band in church and this is really helpful. Thank you!

[@MangoldProject]

The result of standing in front of many Marshall amps during many practice sessions :)

[@mariog5598]

That's exactly what has lived in my head for so many years but i haven't been able to explaining properly! Thanks

[@pogchamp7983]

Man this was really eye opening for me trying to learn how to combine sounds more effectively in a production situation. Stellar content as always dude thanks!

[@utkarsh1874]

Pog

[@oiwun]

great video - helped me lots. I'm a guitarist (unpopular figure from almost all the pianists here) who plays with pianist at church. It sounds great when piano and guitar play together in their respective frequency.

[@Freeridin07]

And absolutely terrible when you're the guitarist trying to follow the drums and the painist is in their own world 🤣.

[@GraphicFatality]

Amazing! The clashing is like imagining and extra pair of hands taking up the piano! I've just taken up piano as a hobby recently and the notions explained in your videos are easy digest.

[@benjamminholmes]

This is a well thought out refresher course for a studious engineer.

[@MangoldProject]

Not sure engineers were my target audience, but what the heck :)

[@Greenriver842]

Love the organ option, fits and sounds great

[@timmys1232]

Thank you. I wonder about what makes my band sounds "like a war". Hope after applicate this, my band will sounds better. Thanknyou for the lesson. This is so priceless.

[@timmys1232]

4:22 6:05 7:33

[@CartoonyAndor]

Thank you! This tutorial was both incredibly useful and entertaining. 8 years late to the party, but I will definitely be using this advice, when I play with my bandmates and friends we sometimes clash, as you put it, so this will be some interesting stuff to try out! I'll probably combine a bit of the two options, if I'm being honest, especially since option two is pretty hard to maintain 😅.

[@garrickpeterson3856]

I play guitar with a pianist often. I tune my guitar to DADGAD tuning, which gives me more interesting chords that sound great with my pianist. I also simplify rhythm when I strum, and will fingerpick or play whole-note strums in a drop.

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks for the tips! I find that strumming can be complex, but the more complex it becomes, the more important it is that the keyboardist either "dials down" his own complexity, or matches yours exactly.

[@butterfly2385]

Aw cool...thanks for that...thats awesome too...✌💜😃

[@AudioReplica2023]

exactly the video I was looking for considering the piano its a full spectrum instrument and the guitar takes basically the same freq range that normally a piano plays. Thank you so much for this

[@ShaneChilly]

Still playing?

[@AudioReplica2023]

@@ShaneChilly Yes I am.

[@healthyontheinsideandout8303]

You are brilliant. I have struggled with this for so long.

[@Robertdowneyjrs273]

Blessings to you brother, such an amazing topic and explanation is marvellous. You tube should give you an award for this creativity.

[@renniemadziyauswa4254]

loved the tutorial... and the cat too

[@MangoldProject]

My cats have cost me more failed takes than I care to remember ...

[@pianomanlee1763]

Pussy makes the world go round'

[@zekelemieux7829]

When is the cat

[@anh-san]

@@zekelemieux7829 8:55

[@lyando6363]

what was that random applause at 4:58 hahaha nice video

[@allendestine3406]

LOL

[@adarqiz4dzlaeff]

Its to mark the clip for editing process.. the clap can be seen in audio wave

[@TrulyAwefull]

@@adarqiz4dzlaeff lol that's why it seemed so NPC-like. P.S. Great vid, just what i was looking for :)

[@gilmoresvids]

Thank you for putting this lesson together. It is extremely helpful!

[@butterfly2385]

Thanks heaps...this bit of info was exactly what I was looking for...I much appreciate your generosity in sharing your knowledge...kindest regards Mel from Australia...✌💜😃

[@ricklarson9312]

Excellent tips! I play with guitar players all the time ! I will us these tips ! Thank you!! Lee

[@TheApril1610]

so simpel and so cool thank you a lot ! perfect! no unnecessary informations just on point love it!

[@westfords]

Wow man thanks a ton!

[@miel3555]

YOU SAVED MY LIFE THANK YOU

[@jennsowards2537]

Thank you for doing this video I can’t Wait to Play with my friend

[@smoek2285]

You’re a great teacher, very knowledgeable

[@fednersaintpierre7590]

Thank you sir, God bless you and your family

[@thedecentdoodler5757]

If me and my cousin who plays guitar tried to duet it would be like mixing sugar and pepper then putting it on lasagna

[@dailyquestions6394]

Underrated comment

[@AntonioAlbania-mi5hb]

Same bro, I'm the pianist and my cousin is a guitarist

[@SB-nn1ye]

Og profile pic

[@r.m7921]

Thanks a lot . My friend and I play over the Same chord progression and our sound always clashes. I was looking for something like this :)

[@markahearn1]

Actually at the moment I am fortunate enough to be playing in a band with a fine guitarist. I tend to have a rather dry sense of humor at times, please accept my apologies if I have offended any of you competent guitar players out there. Then again, if the shoe fits... Great posting by the way.

[@eliascouto4537]

one way that I deal with this scenario in a band setting (with at least an acoustic and electric gtr) is to not only alter my voicing but also the chord qualities. for example for the C chord using a C2 or Csus or extended chords with melody and ear guiding what I will actually play

[@kip4966]

You're the man, this is gold!

[@MangoldProject]

The pun is not lost upon me.

[@hectoraguilar770]

Nice! Another way to plY along with a guitarrist is playing the scale notes two octaves apart in each hand.

[@marcelsaxer6458]

Thank you so much for your most interesting tutorials!!🎶🎹

[@97yawnac]

Got any more tips on this subject? I have been looking for this for a long time. And the funny thing is when you ask a teacher this they can't explain it nearly as simple as you just did.

[@MangoldProject]

One more tip: turn the guitar player's amp towards him. That will make him play quieter and save you from ringing in your ears :).

[@sinshinee]

It’s a treasure😍 Thank you for this video it’s priceless!

[@WorshipAll-In]

The last option… tell the guitar player to shut up had me rolling. 😂

[@juancarloscruzdelossantos9300]

Can you make a Piano and Bass : Tips for playing together. That would be awesome !! Please !

[@MangoldProject]

+Juan carlos Cruz de los santos Ok, I'll add it to my queue :)

[@jorgelatorrelizama8724]

It would be easier if you make a video of full band + piano in different styles so se can see how it’s the best way to play with different voices and such. You can make an entire series and that would bless many many lives

[@rjordist4925]

yeah so that when you're playing with the band,the rythm sounds clean and smooth. That's what I'm doing if we were on jamming.

[@krystianderdzinski8767]

I strongly recommend all the guitar players here to try some fingerpicking. It gets 100 times easier to play along with the piano than while using a pick

[@teddy771]

very useful tips. Thanks!!

[@jimmyfigueras4476]

Awesome video, a very important topic that not many explain.

[@marcellejogaudinn3836]

I really like playing guitar. :)

[@metalshinobi2900]

Thats right guitar is the best good thing im guitar player

[@bickydas4471]

Really helpful. Thanks buddy❤️

[@nadinebadian879]

Very helpful! God bless!❤️

[@nellysagundo6634]

Thank you for this interesting (and entertaining) video!😊

[@ranatha]

3:15 clash? Sounds good to me

[@ovuoostudio4382]

Lovely lesson. simply splendious.

[@violetnaidoo7829]

Love your tutorial Thank you

[@h3rd3z]

can you make a video explaining how or when you can do all those pass notes or whatever arregment u made between chords?

[@Ace-yk7is]

Thanks! This was very helpful

[@emerlander]

It was very very helpful. Thank you!!

[@JamalDante3765]

This helps a lot! Thank you. However, what if the keyboardist mainly plays melody and the guitarist trying to follow the keyboard?

[@Freeridin07]

Very important for pianists and guitarists to learn how to play together. Typically guitars follow the rythym/beat of the drums. At the small church i used to play guitar in, I'd tend to get thrown off by the piano and loose track of the drums. She was definitely playing as if alone lol and drove me nuts🤣

[@MangoldProject]

Man, a crappy band member can tank a band. I've suffered through similar cases ...

[@wicli9402]

thatt's very helpful! thank you

[@MinistriesOfGospel]

An option I didn't see you know that is determine who's going to play Melody line who is going to play the chords. So when your face the piano play The Melody line

[@phoebebuffay6409]

8:52 look at this cute cat over there😍

[@barbelarmbroster6524]

Nice! Thanks!

[@laurenmoody3207]

This helped me so much!

[@me7255]

Can you please post how you played the piano with the guitar but only the piano bits on its own? the 2 hand sync was brilliant on its own!

[@Airconcleaner]

thank you for this tips..Godbless

[@sasmitrudra6283]

Very helpful...Thank you so much !! can u pl upload some more videos on the same topic with different examples?

[@MangoldProject]

+Sasmit Rudra I'll look into it. I've played with plenty of guitar players and think I have some good insights to offer. However, the basic ideas always stay the same: either be really in sync with the guitar player, or stay out of each other's way.

[@sasmitrudra6283]

Thanks for you reply!!!

[@4aemmanuelsempurai104]

2:22 is exactly what I'm trying to make people understand, but no one understand, but you understand

[@leophoenixmusic]

Great lesson!

[@john5959]

Thank you. That helps alot

[@joshuagrant3821]

Wow, I love you!!!

[@Awesomebydefault1994]

This is awesome

[@KushagreDagar]

Hey,thanks for the tips! I am a singer, guitarist and also I have been playing piano since one year now.I used to mostly accompany my voice with guitar until indidn't learn piano but now i carry both-my guitar and piano with me in gigs to give different flavours in different songs that i sing ,since some of the songs are upbeat and some are mellow.I want to make myself better at accompanying my voice with piano.I own a PXS 3000(casio) which also has the capability to layer strings/organs/pads and many other tones over it.Could you suggest me how i shall approach for now?I mean should I also take care of the layering and stuff since i love it in live performances or should i only work with piano sounds for now?It's a 2 man band-I handle the piano/guitar at once and i have an accompanist on tabla with me. 🙏🏻please help

[@joedavid-kebaministries]

every tips are worthy brother

[@shwetadsa]

thank you so much for the video

[@danpangil]

Nice thanks, 👍 I'm a beginner at piano

[@MaxShirshovMusic]

Awesome! Thanks for this :)

[@MangoldProject]

+Max AnimePianist My pleasure!

[@danielriju2788]

Subscribed !!! Want tips on playing piano with a gospel singer(Using bass guitar on the left hand).

[@plywoodcarjohnson5412]

The clash part was best!

[@Coloriageinfo1]

The way you play your chords sound very nice and fluid. So are u using the inversion chords? BTW thanks for your videos, I watched them all, very inspiring, sweet and perfect.

[@MangoldProject]

Yes, I use inversions all the time.

[@mathsyaleng398]

Thank you sir

[@jamescarlocarilo2391]

very helpful. Thanks!

[@MangoldProject]

+James Carlo Carilo No problem, glad I could help out fellow musicians.

[@johnherbert4646]

I am the guitar player and I love your third opinion!

[@metalshinobi2900]

Im also guitar player but im just confussed how can piano make anything sound

[@Veranek]

Very useful!!!

[@MangoldProject]

+Veranek Happy to hear :)

[@robertfrancis3568]

So basic but so helpful.

[@antoniopax6155]

Very clearly explanation. Thank you. Lovely kitty BTW :-))

[@belindajardim3145]

Hi kitty kitty 🐈🥰 thx fr these tips 🎶

[@placeline3502]

Just what i needed

[@debrupdey7948]

brilliant

[@blackdedo93]

Which listen should i go to if i want to play the chords like u did ? on the piano of course

[@oliverfemi5955]

Thank u very much for the time spent on this video tutorial . Please how can u do the guitar struming for piano separately from slow to fast in an easy to understand manner?

[@therimnos]

Dear Mangold, I believe you are the ideal person to propose a third way to accompany a guitar .That is playing in the same spectum but with rootless chords .I shall be glad to hear something about it.

[@MangoldProject]

No, even rootless chords will clash if they're occupying the same frequency & rhythmical ranges. It doesn't matter if they contain the root or not. Rootless chords would be a good idea to play when jamming with a bass player, though!

[@gavdobs]

great video!

[@davidcrosby7409]

Hello and thanks for that. I play classical guitar and my sister piano. I've trying to find some nice melodic songs to play together (including singing), but I can't seem to find any. Do you or anyone else here have suggestions?

[@jackiwannapaint]

many thanks. I am the piano guy with my friend on guitar who never listens to me but maybe he will to you

[@chemsilva]

Great lesson mr. I`ve been thinking a lot on the subject, and the only solution used was the third one, hehehe. Thanks for the lesson and keep it up!

[@randy8087]

thankyou so much hope to donate soon

[@MangoldProject]

Thanks Randy. Not looking for donations. If you want to help out, just do the regular KZbin stuff: comment, like, subscribe, and share. That's all.

[@KyleHohn]

Clearly option #3 is superior ;)

[@MangoldProject]

+Kyle Hohn Easier said than done, though!

[@duncanthuo764]

Master, oh wise one teach me your ways

[@abhishekkai08]

Thanks for this :) can you please make a more detailed video about left hand progressions. right now i am limited to playing a chord at its root position or one of its inversions or in an octave form. what i want to say is, that while playing a chord with left hand my hand position is static.I can arpeggiate, but it will be using the same notes which i held at first. How do i bring a motion at my left hand playing? I really want to improve it by like playing the root note at the lower register and then playing an arpeggio one octave higher and move one octave more. while playing the same chord. and make the rhythm sound connected for all chords. what should be the finger positions to be able to play like that? as currently even though i can figure out in my mind what notes i have to play, i am unable to do so. maybe due to wrong finger positions. Thanks!

[@MangoldProject]

+Abhishek Verma Hi Abhishek. I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for, but I'll try and think of some ideas. If there are any specific videos/patterns you have in mind share a link and I'll take a look.

[@dtd8265]

Thank you!

[@MangoldProject]

+DT D You're welcome.

[@paulopinheirosc]

Loved the lesson AND the cat. It gets harder when you have to stay out of the way of the guitar AND the bass, isn't it? Left hand can't go too low nor too high.

[@MangoldProject]

Is driving down a road with one lane more difficult than driving down a road with three lanes?

[@saraelenagarza6952]

I have to get out of the way of a guitarist, a bassist, a percussionist, a saxophonist, an accordionist, and singers 😝... where do I fit with my piano? 😭

[@MrKellyak47]

If the piano is the dominate instrument, and you want to play along with them, such as in a gospel song, how would I play the chords on guitar?

[@anaccountmadetoreply9205]

Listen to the song is a guitar even appropriate?

[@jonathanmounce6008]

As sad as it is, as guitarists we must simplify our strum pattern even down to one strum per chord to accompany a piano leading more complexly. Generally, as the complexity of one instrument rises, the other instruments simplify.

[@danielsweetman567]

Or play "popcorn" notes. Works really well with soul music

[@drewreview2499]

@@jonathanmounce6008 I love being a pianist😎

[@metalshinobi2900]

Piano is Mother of all instrument but guitar is like evil of instrument no acoustic electric xD

[@enmanuelencarnacion5120]

Thank you..!

[@MangoldProject]

+Lord Jack Happy to help out.