Why your piano accompaniment sounds amateur

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LESSON SUMMARY
Do you ever feel like your piano accompaniment sounds a little bit amateur? If so, it may surprise you that a lush contemporary piano sound is just 3 simple steps away. In today's Quick Tip, we'll show you how to overcome two common bad habits piano players make in their accompaniment patterns. Then we'll show you how to create a richer accompaniment texture. You'll learn:
- 2 Habits to Avoid
- 1 Easy Harmonic Upgrade
- 2 Driving Accent Patterns

► One Chord Wonder course:

► Contemporary Accompaniment Popstinatos:

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Chord Progression: 4-1-6-5
01:22 - 2 Newbie Techniques
02:18 - Step 1: One Chord Wonder
03:41 - Step 2: Driving Accents
09:34 - Step 3: Inverted One Chord Wonder
10:27 - Driving Accents
11:35 - Play with backing track
12:03 - Conclusion
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Happy practicing!
Jonny May

[PianoWithJonny]

00:00​ - Intro
00:37​ - Chord Progression: 4-1-6-5
01:22​ - 2 Newbie Techniques
02:18​ - Step 1: One Chord Wonder
03:41​ - Step 2: Driving Accents
09:34​ - Step 3: Inverted One Chord Wonder
10:27​ - Driving Accents
11:35​ - Play with backing track
12:03​ - Conclusion

[sugarqbs]

I really love this method of teaching; he's ostensibly presenting these concepts as exploits or cheats (a sort of click-bait shortcut cover) but then just doing basic music theory in an approachable and less theory-heavy way. By avoiding the jargon (calling it a one-chord wonder rather than a Isus2 chord) and sticking to the more important practical elements, his presentation is just so much more beginner-friendly without having to sacrifice efficiency or slow things down. As a prospective teacher, I think I'd learn a lot from the way that he decides to teach <3

[amazingcabbage]

Its like going from down strums on every chord to finger picking on guitar. Awesome

[sjwimmel]

What also helps keep it interesting is that you're playing every second chord one beat early, on the 4th beat of the previous measure.

[joaomq]

I play keyboard for over 28 years, and after a so long time, I got it that the "secret" or "recipe" to make a harmony look more closer to pros is a 9. When you add a 9 to your chord (C+9, D#9, G7+/9 etc), your harmony becomes a little bit "spacial" or something "transcendental" I guess. However, as everything, don't put 9 on entire harmony because it will get weird or maybe "fussy".

[eamonnmorris]

I just watched a bit; then I realized, in the second progression analyzed, that you are not actually playing what is written in your own example! Beginning at 6:50, you are playing a syncopated figure (second L.H. chord in each bar), whereas what is written is straight two beats (1 2 3 4 ) on each accompanying chord or note.

[adeptmage]

Perfect! We need more videos on accompanying with piano on YouTube

[speizzer]

One Chord Wonder - also known as every guitarist on the worship band that gets put on keys.

[sarahhanan]

I have been playing keyboard for two years now and was stuck in a rut, your lessons are getting me out, thank you so much!

[melaniegriffith]

Just the kind of tuition I need right now; it is taking me ages to move from guitar to piano when singing/ songwriting.

[TigerCarpenter]

Wow. Such a simple chord arrangement can produce a really beautiful sounding sequence.
And your piano sound quality is now perfect

[PeterConnolly-xn]

Fantastic video. Diff bridges the gap between the knowledge of an amateur piano player to playing like a professional. CAN WE HAVE SOME MORE 😊

[finn]

This video is amazing!! I see people complaining. But what they complain about has nothing to do with the lesson! Small easter eggs for those who found that stuff, but it doesn't take away from what he's teaching.

[sethdavid]

I'm only here for the Bb key signature

[leftygeezer]

Thank you Jonny for the one-chord wonder! I was already arpeggiating in a similar way, but now with the varying accents, even at a slower tempo it improves my sound. This is exactly what we need. Simple things that we can use to make us sound worlds better.
This is definitely a rub stomach/ pat head thing.

[andrewdejuan]

I've been doing this all along I'm glad there's an explanation to this I thought I was just free styling 👍 btw self taught cannot read a single not but listen and play by ear

[skylar]

The moment he played that chord 10:07 it reminded me of window's notification

Btw thanks for the lesson Jonny! This helps a lot!

[ANC-Air]

After searching for days, finally found someone who really knows how to teach the right way. Your videos are the best gifts for everyone who thought they were nailing the piano for many years but failed to take piano classes to understand what you’re really doing and sound like a real pro! Instead of stick to Synthesia (Including myself😩)

With that being said, I gotta go back to practice my chord progressions...?🤔 💡inversions... right?

[xdaphodil]

I feel called out because 1:52 is literally me with every song. 😂 Thanks for this video, helped a lot!!!

[victor_okpala]

I love you..❤️
You take music so passionately I wish I could just do music and become a full blown Musician and producer instead of wasting my time here at college..😪🤦🏾‍♂️