Texture in pop ballads
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify and recreate some idiomatic ways to develop chordal textures.
Key learning points
- Songwriters use various techniques to develop their chord sequences, including voicings and broken chords.
- The voicings of a chord can change how it sounds and create added interest.
- Chords can also be made to sound more melodic through the addition of passing notes.
- Songwriters develop the texture in pop ballads through the use of orchestral instruments, voices and synthesisers.
Keywords
Broken chord - A broken chord is a chord in which the notes are not all played at the same time.
Block chord - A block chord is a chord in which the notes are played together, at the same time.
Voicing - The voicing of a chord is the way that the notes are spread out on an instrument.
Passing note - A passing note is a non-chord note that provides a melodic link between two chord notes.
Arco - Arco is the technique of playing a string instrument with a bow.
Common misconception
Changing the voicing of a chord is the same as changing the chord inversion.
They are not the same thing. The inversion of the chord is determined by which note is at the bottom (the root or a different note). The voicing is how the notes are spread above this - whether they are close together or far apart.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to create imaginative broken chord patterns by thinking about melodic shape. Draw different melodic shapes and then try to recreate these sonically with the broken chords. Pupils can also use broken chord patterns from other songs as inspiration.
Equipment
DAW and MIDI keyboard
Licence
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