Table Of ContentHAL LEONARD KEYBOARD STYLE SERIES
INTRODUCTION
elcome to Rock Kevboan, Il you've ever wanted to play keyooant in a rock band, but weren't
sure what to play vr‘, chen you've come wo te right place, Whatever your playing level—
‘beginning, intermediate or advanced —jou'll find something here thet usets your need
In tock, as in many styles of music, a keyboardist is usally citer comping (eg. playing chords or other
accompaniment behing a vocalist 0° soloing (playing licks, is ills, st)This honk gives yeu ideas for
Dosh
Comping: Each chapter in this hook cover different style of rack, Inthe first section of
every ehaper, we'll focus on harmony, chord waiings, basslines, aud other aspects of comping
in that style. This is she staff you need 10 know in a ard situation, hat does your rig ard
play? How about your let hand? What about the shysnas? As a keyboaris, you pats need 10
Sound great en ter ovin but also Fitaat the groove withthe esta the ban.
Soloing: When you're not comping, you're probably soloing that is, playing a Sick or rif that
“Als ino
sues a recognizable “hook” in the song, You might also be improvising over a
song secion. In the “soloing” seetion of
chapter, we'll ever ideas for eeating your on
licks and vffs and For improvising with scales and chord
Rock Keyboards is chock full of authentic sock keyboard parts Learn them all, endl you'll bs well on your
way to playing your frst (or next gig, Most parts are to-ande but can be played one-handed (eb elot
only) if a player prclers. (The bass parts typically Uouble what a bassist ould play) However, i’ aighly
ecnmmened that you practice hee hands: thi arepares yeu for playing solo or ina group without a
bassist, and improves both your uncerstarcing of the music and your coordinasion a a keyboordis. Also,
fonce you're somewhat cornfortable playing these trucks, try tranposing them: te dilerent keys. Mest peo
sressions and licks cau be used in mang different sesutties
Rock on!
Sear ater
About the CD
Exch example inthis book is performed oa the accompanying CD. Just listen for the counof, chen. join i.
Te CD features a fll band keyboard guitar, bass, and drums s0 yo ean hear ow your pats fit in
wilh he total gmove
Gitar: Paul Mayssich
Bass: Joh Iden
‘Drums: Mark ODay
Keyboards
so Miller
Gr Gran oa
Classic Rock
Pop Rock
Blues Rock
Southern Rock
Hard Rock
Progressive Rock
Alternative Rock
Heavy Metal
Scales.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
CLASSIC ROCK
es, the Doors, Van Morison, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Seve ier Band,
Ata the Rotting S10
Wisen Zevon, Fleersaod Mac, ead sore
Cc: rock artsis like the ones ubove created many legendary sengs that shave a timeless sound
‘quility thems, Much oF t was he songseriing, ut Ue ret canbe atributed tothe greatness and
simplicity of the parts that each player created on hs or her ova instrument
Comping
Four-Bar Vamp (with Turnaround)
A varnp ivs section of mos thot can be repeated indefinitely, raking it an excellent accompaniment Fora
‘vocalist or soloisl, Here's ehssie Warren Zevow/Rolling Stones typeof wap based wt Lad V chords in
the key of G. The vovings are doniasmtsevenths (G7 and D7), a te blues, using simple tvee-note in
versions inthe right hand, The sraroxaut st the end (Ihe D7 chord} effertively leads back (or “turns
arwune!” hack the beginning,
Notice the bas part: covers the wots ofeach chord, with chromatic approaches. Rhytbamically spetking
icuses a common “aniciputed” feel —the eng noce onthe “and” of bec 2 Is actually an anticipation of
‘beat 3. which gives rhe pam arhytbmic “kick”
DF oy
Pei sis ld Pitas
(@te fies
(oat a
robe we
Two-Bar Vamps
‘Vamps eau be of any length, of coms Here's « great two-bar vamp, cepeated to Form
‘with aft a the ena, The progressien Wa litle more enmplex, moving from LC} w0
1 ght bar phrase
(CHW) 08
‘clr substitute (v6). The voiings area ami of hiee- and foue-note. The bass supports de chr
ovement but ls0 creates its 0 meledic line by mixing 190s with othex chord tones, The aythm is euce
‘aaain predomincatly eighth notes, with the bass encking use of antisipaion (on the FAG chord. The fil isa
hybrid hates amd pentatonic ideas—using the > 3d (L?),>Sth ¢G>), amd the 6tH(A). Check out the de-
soni
sixth interes?
pa THK?
‘ou might think ths next vamp isn the key of Cth chords C.K and woul be he 1 Vad ¥ a that
key. Bu he tn heer G, making ths a-#VIIV vamp in he hey of mo (ar G Mixlyan, i you
like nore cn hat late). This is auth clasic ad essen rock progression The ex fst ee is
thas cach cv also mos brig os on IV chord. GHC, F-BP, C-F—a popular oeaeral de
‘sce of laste ck (To simplify the pr in eld ake th motion ot se work.)
The bass plays o-taves supporting the ront movement; netce the anticipation in bar 2 as well as the ehro-
os . _.
es x
This next idea is really jst a one-var vamp en a C9 chord in full ven
killer hiss adds some nice touches: a hliesy *SRb40-3rd rotin, and the
i
One-Bar Vamp
ng. The shychmically off
ipation of beat
08
Prt éere leererree |
Minor with Descending Bass
Here's a classic nino idea that involves moving dossn by laf step from the soot of the toni. Ia G mine,
‘he frst ta bars anove to the IV chord (C) via the chroratic descending bass ine (G
‘two move ack t the toni via whole-stop mation inthe hass: BIG,
Rotee the fur-nowe voicings in the opening meacure, played in “rocking” motion (<)
Blues-Based Minor
‘These nen ese ideas ar all in minor aad are al blues-vased, Dorssing om taditional Hues forms,
Phrasings, ax! scales
Two:note vaieings can be used to Kae more space in the sound. giving the other instruments plenty ef
room ia manesver, This example in C miner uses fourths and “ieds trom the C minoe blues scale to fash-
jon a cistinetive rif; notice ow il doesn’t interfere withthe eta voicing. The progression —four bars a
the i chord, ro bars on iv chord. and tro bars on the i chords basicaly te Ers eight bars of « 12-bar
es
ere’ another bluesy mior piace! this one is i G minor and goes through a full 12-bar form, The acco
paniment here is mene obviously chord-hasecl using third te create a distinctive souad in andl aroun the
i. is, and V hors, Watch out forthe “stop” after the CT chord .)
= eS
. cof ——
rr = —=—
Here's another eight-r blucs-base dew in Cm, This time, the has ine cries the piece witha solid blues
‘af, (Check cut the 25th!) The right kand ads chord accents on beat 2, using economical hree-r0te vaio
ings (inversions without the root) fae minoe seventh,
1 Sy =
$=
= ere
(=
3/4 Time
Looking fox something different? This to. chord vamp in 34 time should fill he ill. The t¥o-note bass
Peal (foot and Ph) gives ita propalsive bor wncertain fel, while tae righthand moves back and feet he=
‘ween Cr ang F chords
Incderaly nate the key signa: W> majo That could ake this 7-¥ progrenin ine hey of
BP Alma i 363 7-1V progessior in C migrate raed th degre,
A, would make it C Dorian—a very common mode in rock). @
you could
xt F iyi
Walking Bass
Those next (wo tacks are hota based on the same walking ass Hine. A walking Bass fe moves in quarter
rctos (the coasistentehythm fools ike “walking”, outinirg. important chord tones wiile also maintaining &
mle contour using
leet non-chors tones and chromate tes,
oth examples
leave the tight amount of space for guitar. bs
ing "ving
192 vammps in C minor The First uses whole notes—aany times, this all you need
and deums, The secord has ak “anticipated” shyt,
Blues-Based Major (Two-Handed Chords)
Here's «simple eight-har idea in CF major—agui, obviously blue-hased, Check out the two-handed sev
chord voicings the ehroniatic Waik-ups, andthe distinctive shythin,
The One-Bar Dorian Vamp
Hero's a classe “peudorjar2” vamp raat artists like Van Morrison andthe Doors were quite fond of Fist,
look atthe hey signature: i's G major. Nex, nate thar tie bass x playing fits ouslsing Am and Br
‘Tue tonal center is really Am, That mases this a minor varnp built on the second degree of a major scale; in
‘words, an A Dorian vamp (think afi 3s A winor with 4 major 6th degtee F),
{Get comfortable withthe bas line firs’ the foundation ofthe groove, Then adel the “anseipatod”
herds, nd play ther with light ouch. Tae right hand ills out the armen with thee-note voiings of
minor seventh, then the idea is extended by moving the whole thing dawn to D minor (Dau? to Em?) 4)
vsok 2
Another Dorian idea
Hors ameter axl Pon idea This, te bse las octave ots in uate notes whi the gh
tnd as rom An 4 Yo Ar enathen bck de, The ven same “honk ver am A ped
The whole des a tanspse, wih some nolan, 70, and tan te list ae tara
cniing on V7 chord 0 (~)
Am Dam? am ome
Soloing inthe elasic rook genre can sound harder than realy is. Good shytharie phrasing is essential
Practice use of tests (to steate space), accents (o create entcur. and dierent rote values (te add varity),
The sk eas in this chapter are precominan:y blues-based but will work in a variety of couteats
Minor Pentatonic
‘The minor peatatonic (1-3 4-5-7) isan essential sale for soloing aver major or minor progressions.
even works for the "pscudo jaza" Dorian idea we leamed eae.
f - 7 ce
bi
clea 3 ‘ s > o
“Here's line based on A minor pentatonis. Try it out by itself, then ty ic ih bass notes inthe lft hand or
with chords, (See dhe Seales sectional dhe eno this book for minor pentelenic scales in other keys.) <)
srook
7
Dyads/Chords
[Now try the same ine, but star expanding on it This version FT off a Am chord, using thirds (ya,
[Notice also the space left atthe end of the pres.
robes
Am? Ra?
