In sessions I've noticed it's a bit like having two guitarists, it can be a bit messy. The musicians have to be flexible and sensitive to what each other are doing.
It works the way any situation works where there are two accompanists, they must be sensitive to what each other is doing, and like with couples dancing, only one can lead at a time. This is also a time where straightforward chords are best, unless of course the two work things out in advance.
I do like piano accompaniment. In a session situation though I don't normally like playing guitar if there is a piano on the go. As has been said above it is the same as any other situation with 2 accompanists - except that I find it even harder with a piano as they tend to be so much louder and more "in your face".
It can work fine when arranged in a band situation though.
Yeah, they can be too loud. But if the person playing is good (and the guitar isn't playing too softly,) I think It's really nice. Of course, it's not very traditional.
This is why I try to keep the volume turned down on my digital piano when I play at sessions whether or not there is a guitarist at the session also. If there is a guitarist also there at the session, I try to pay attention to what they are playing and play more softly than the guitarist. I am trying to avoid clashing with the chords played by the guitarist.
It works by listening and compromise on the part of the accompanists, also it helps if there are a fair few melody players otherwise piano & guitar need to take turn around if they can't pull it together.
The difficulty, IMO, is that most accompanists lack the ability, or willingness, to back the melody and adjust to accommodate another accompanist. The trick is to create room and listen, this is also helped along by keeping things simple.
I'm a bit like NCFA in that I do like piano accompaniment but not always when I'm playing guitar. In my experience it's unusual to come across a piano player who is prepared to accommodate. So in most situations it's the guitar who has to fit into the available space and depending on the piano player, there maybe limited or no space available.
Varrie Hall is a fantastic piano player in this regard, saw her at the Rum fest a few years back I was actually really taken with her lovely wide roomy playing, leaving miles of space for the guitar player. Sounds like this is what fauxcelt is talking about in his post above but IME not many pianists are that accommodating so goodman yourself fauxcelt. Same applies to guitarists though. On balance I'd say pianists would tend to be the better musicians on average so the budding guitarist stands to learn something from the alpha "no compromise" pianist.
When I did a bit of guitar accompaniment regularly sometimes I'd find myself in situations where I'd have to fit in. Although it irked a little I found a great deal of satisfaction out of finding a suitable space. Everyday is a school day and all that.
Of course it's better when the accompanists are on the same page. When it works it can be really quite satisfying and this has a lot to do with the attitude.
Funnily enough my best recollection of it working was an occasion where two fiddle and guitar duets turned up at a session in Inverness a few years back (one or other of us had gotten the week mixed up) nobody else turned up so it was two fiddles and two guitars, and it worked rather well and a good time was had by all.
If you attend a regular session with a piano and your the guitar player then I'd focus on the piano players style to see if you can work up an accompaniment that would compliment. Me, I'd rather torture everybody with the banjo unless the pianist is an accommodating one.
When the local Irish music sessions were started up here in 1995, I already had many years worth of experience playing piano as an accompanist/backup musician/sideman in many different types of situations and styles of music. I was lucky enough to have some good teachers in college. Also, I had been playing regularly at a local Blues Jam with some better and more experienced musicians when the Irish sessions were started in 1995.
Same as guitar and piano accordian -
it may not work at all
if you play together regularly you may know that one will lead the accompaniment on a particular tune and the other will follow the chords/ bass line
you both couldalternate playing tune or accompaniment.
piano and guitar together, how does it work?
piano and guitar together, how does it work?
in acompaniment , how does these two work together
# Posted on November 27th 2010 by bandit
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
I've always liked these guys and they use both:
http://www.northcregg.com/
In sessions I've noticed it's a bit like having two guitarists, it can be a bit messy. The musicians have to be flexible and sensitive to what each other are doing.
# Posted on November 27th 2010 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
Here we go...
# Posted on November 27th 2010 by gam
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
like Willie Johnson and Violet Tulloch -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guEZlTCx4aY
ads first unfortunately
# Posted on November 27th 2010 by Bren
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
I dunno about together as accompaniment, but the piano can sound fine accompanying the guitar, as Dick Gaughan proved on Coppers and Brass.
# Posted on November 27th 2010 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
Well, there's one subculture where it's pretty common:
http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=mysQOaGv5ZU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p20qDKGiHdE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oZWZtyWWfE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXIUro7vPzM&NR=1
# Posted on November 27th 2010 by oldstrings
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
It works the way any situation works where there are two accompanists, they must be sensitive to what each other is doing, and like with couples dancing, only one can lead at a time. This is also a time where straightforward chords are best, unless of course the two work things out in advance.
# Posted on November 28th 2010 by AlBrown
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
I do like piano accompaniment. In a session situation though I don't normally like playing guitar if there is a piano on the go. As has been said above it is the same as any other situation with 2 accompanists - except that I find it even harder with a piano as they tend to be so much louder and more "in your face".
It can work fine when arranged in a band situation though.
# Posted on November 28th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
Yeah, they can be too loud. But if the person playing is good (and the guitar isn't playing too softly,) I think It's really nice. Of course, it's not very traditional.
# Posted on November 28th 2010 by elewis154
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
This is why I try to keep the volume turned down on my digital piano when I play at sessions whether or not there is a guitarist at the session also. If there is a guitarist also there at the session, I try to pay attention to what they are playing and play more softly than the guitarist. I am trying to avoid clashing with the chords played by the guitarist.
Laurence
# Posted on November 28th 2010 by fauxcelt
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
It works by listening and compromise on the part of the accompanists, also it helps if there are a fair few melody players otherwise piano & guitar need to take turn around if they can't pull it together.
The difficulty, IMO, is that most accompanists lack the ability, or willingness, to back the melody and adjust to accommodate another accompanist. The trick is to create room and listen, this is also helped along by keeping things simple.
I'm a bit like NCFA in that I do like piano accompaniment but not always when I'm playing guitar. In my experience it's unusual to come across a piano player who is prepared to accommodate. So in most situations it's the guitar who has to fit into the available space and depending on the piano player, there maybe limited or no space available.
Varrie Hall is a fantastic piano player in this regard, saw her at the Rum fest a few years back I was actually really taken with her lovely wide roomy playing, leaving miles of space for the guitar player. Sounds like this is what fauxcelt is talking about in his post above but IME not many pianists are that accommodating so goodman yourself fauxcelt. Same applies to guitarists though. On balance I'd say pianists would tend to be the better musicians on average so the budding guitarist stands to learn something from the alpha "no compromise" pianist.
When I did a bit of guitar accompaniment regularly sometimes I'd find myself in situations where I'd have to fit in. Although it irked a little I found a great deal of satisfaction out of finding a suitable space. Everyday is a school day and all that.
Of course it's better when the accompanists are on the same page. When it works it can be really quite satisfying and this has a lot to do with the attitude.
Funnily enough my best recollection of it working was an occasion where two fiddle and guitar duets turned up at a session in Inverness a few years back (one or other of us had gotten the week mixed up) nobody else turned up so it was two fiddles and two guitars, and it worked rather well and a good time was had by all.
If you attend a regular session with a piano and your the guitar player then I'd focus on the piano players style to see if you can work up an accompaniment that would compliment. Me, I'd rather torture everybody with the banjo unless the pianist is an accommodating one.
# Posted on November 28th 2010 by Solidmahog
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
When the local Irish music sessions were started up here in 1995, I already had many years worth of experience playing piano as an accompanist/backup musician/sideman in many different types of situations and styles of music. I was lucky enough to have some good teachers in college. Also, I had been playing regularly at a local Blues Jam with some better and more experienced musicians when the Irish sessions were started in 1995.
Laurence
# Posted on November 28th 2010 by fauxcelt
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
my answer to that bandit is simple:
when the two pairs of ears act as one, only then. 'something' can be done . . .
# Posted on November 29th 2010 by lisaniska
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
Triona and Micheal O'Domhnaill had a great thing going on keyboard and guitar. Triona's piano style is very influenced by guitar moves.
# Posted on November 29th 2010 by primrose lass
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
Mhairi Hall:
http://www.mhairihall.com/
# Posted on November 30th 2010 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: piano and guitar together, how does it work?
Same as guitar and piano accordian -
it may not work at all
if you play together regularly you may know that one will lead the accompaniment on a particular tune and the other will follow the chords/ bass line
you both couldalternate playing tune or accompaniment.
# Posted on November 30th 2010 by Rob