Block chord
Encyclopedia
A block chord is a chord
or voicing
built directly below the melody
either on the strong beats or to create a four-part harmonized
melody line in "locked-hands" rhythmic unison with the melody, as opposed to broken chords. This latter style, known as Shearing voicing (#Voicings), was popularized by George Shearing
but originated with Phil Moore
.
Block chord style (also chorale style) uses simple chordal harmony in which "the notes of each chord may be played all at once" as opposed to being "played one at a time (broken or arpeggiated chords). For example, a person playing a guitar can strum the chord (this would be a "block" chord) or use a picking style to play "broken" chords.". The notes of arpeggios are often grouped into block chords for ease of analysis
.
Block chords and doubled melody are easily used in a melody line that has a swing feel and strengthen the melody so as to separate that melody from the rhythmic background. Block chording was used to a large extent by jazz bands and orchestras such as those led by Count Basie
and Duke Ellington
.
In addition to George Shearing, Red Garland
was an early jazz pianist famous for his use of block chords. Garland would play 7 to 8 note voicings, often playing a non-moving chord in his left hand, then an octave
in his right hand, with 1-2 notes in between. Fine examples of this can be heard on various recordings of his time with the Miles Davis
quintet. Bill Evans
is also remembered for his use of block chords when he played in Miles Davis' band in 1958.
There are a variety of voicings or methods:
If the melody note is part of the chord, the harmony notes are also taken from the chord.
This is a good technique if the melody note is diatonic (and not chromatic) and uses diminished chord
s for the notes that are not part of the chord. If the melody note is considered a passing tone, the harmony is created either by a diminished chord or a chromatically shifted chord. Before creating the harmonies, the chords could be converted to 6th chords, but this is not a rule.
of a C major scale with block chords. This example uses three diminished chords on the D, F, and B notes and includes an additional diminished chord on G#. This creates a balance in the harmonization of this scale by using all four existing diminished chords.
This example demonstrates the ways in which a melody line (in F major) could be block chorded using each method.
The "Shearing voicing" is described as being achieved through playing the melody in both hands, playing the appropriate chord below the right hand melody note and bringing out the melody with the left.
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
or voicing
Voicing (music)
In music composition and arranging, a voicing is the instrumentation and vertical spacing and ordering of the pitches in a chord...
built directly below the melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
either on the strong beats or to create a four-part harmonized
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
melody line in "locked-hands" rhythmic unison with the melody, as opposed to broken chords. This latter style, known as Shearing voicing (#Voicings), was popularized by George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
but originated with Phil Moore
Phil Moore (jazz musician)
Phil Moore was an African American jazz pianist, orchestral arranger, band leader, and recording artist.-Biography:...
.
Block chord style (also chorale style) uses simple chordal harmony in which "the notes of each chord may be played all at once" as opposed to being "played one at a time (broken or arpeggiated chords). For example, a person playing a guitar can strum the chord (this would be a "block" chord) or use a picking style to play "broken" chords.". The notes of arpeggios are often grouped into block chords for ease of analysis
Musical analysis
Musical analysis is the attempt to answer the question how does this music work?. The method employed to answer this question, and indeed exactly what is meant by the question, differs from analyst to analyst, and according to the purpose of the analysis. According to Ian Bent , analysis is "an...
.
Block chords and doubled melody are easily used in a melody line that has a swing feel and strengthen the melody so as to separate that melody from the rhythmic background. Block chording was used to a large extent by jazz bands and orchestras such as those led by Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
and Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
.
In addition to George Shearing, Red Garland
Red Garland
William "Red" Garland was an American hard bop jazz pianist whose block chord style, in part originated by Milt Buckner, influenced many forthcoming pianists in the jazz idiom.-Beginnings:...
was an early jazz pianist famous for his use of block chords. Garland would play 7 to 8 note voicings, often playing a non-moving chord in his left hand, then an octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
in his right hand, with 1-2 notes in between. Fine examples of this can be heard on various recordings of his time with the Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
quintet. Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
is also remembered for his use of block chords when he played in Miles Davis' band in 1958.
Voicings
"A common way to harmonize tunes 'as you go along' in jazz piano (ie, freely and flexibly) is known as block chords: the hands move in parallel, providing a chord for each note of the melody. This often uses a technique derived from the way jazz arrangers write for four horns...or four trumpets: this is called four-way close."There are a variety of voicings or methods:
- Generic block chord describes those that simply follow the above rule.
- Double melody (Commonly called the "Shearing voicing") with an additional fifth part that doubles the melody an octave lower.
- Drop 2 (technically not a block chord) with the second voice from the top transposed one octave lower.
If the melody note is part of the chord, the harmony notes are also taken from the chord.
This is a good technique if the melody note is diatonic (and not chromatic) and uses diminished chord
Diminished chord
A diminished triad chord or diminished chord is a triad consisting of two minor thirds above the root — if built on C, a diminished chord would have a C, an E and a G. It resembles a minor triad with a lowered fifth....
s for the notes that are not part of the chord. If the melody note is considered a passing tone, the harmony is created either by a diminished chord or a chromatically shifted chord. Before creating the harmonies, the chords could be converted to 6th chords, but this is not a rule.
Examples
The following is an example of harmonizationHarmonized scale
In music, harmonization is the chordal accompaniment to a line or melody: "Using chords and melodies together, making harmony by stacking scale tones as triads"....
of a C major scale with block chords. This example uses three diminished chords on the D, F, and B notes and includes an additional diminished chord on G#. This creates a balance in the harmonization of this scale by using all four existing diminished chords.
This example demonstrates the ways in which a melody line (in F major) could be block chorded using each method.
The "Shearing voicing" is described as being achieved through playing the melody in both hands, playing the appropriate chord below the right hand melody note and bringing out the melody with the left.
Sources
- http://www.playpiano.com/101-tips/98-block-chord-styles.htm
- http://cnx.org/content/m11875/latest/
- Sudhalter, Richard M. (2001). Lost Chords: White Musicians and their Contribution to Jazz, 1915-1945. ISBN 0-19-514838-X.
- Humphries, Carl (2003). The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano. ISBN 0-87930-727-7.