How to write arrangements on the piano to compliment your voice
How to write arrangements on the piano to complement your voice
by Sam de la Haye
When I first started using the piano to accompany my voice, I thought I had to have a complex piano part. The more complicated the piano arrangement was, the better piano player and musician I thoughts I was! It turns out I was wrong!
You see, in my head, I thought that Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan were excellent! How could I ever compete with them - They were goddesses!!! But over the years, I have realised that even they overplay the piano sometimes!
Being at Grade 8 standard at the piano and being able to play Mozart will help you learn harmony, and give you the skills to take a piece of sheet music and play it right off the bat. But as piano vocalists, we don't need these skills to create beautiful piano arrangements to complement our voices.
In fact, have you ever encountered a musical score that doesn't have the melody in the right hand?
The score ALWAYS has the melody in the right hand! because they are designed for solo piano players!
I see this all the time with my students when they first come to me, they spend weeks learning a pop song with sheet music and play the main melody with their right hand whilst singing
But it always sounds wrong because they are competing with their vocals
And music theory can be helpful if you compose classical music or communicate with classical musicians. Still, when you are in a room with guitarists and drummers... they likely only need two things from you 1) The key signature & 2) The time signature. The rest they do by ear, jamming it out.
Instead, consider the piano as part of the overall arrangement rather than a solo instrument. We need to use the piano to enhance the song's emotions, harmonise with the voice and provide rhythm if the piece needs momentum.
So here are six easy steps to creating a beautiful piano arrangement for your voice:
Step One: Create a playlist (Need inspiration? Check out mine here)
Create a playlist of your favourite songs and add them to your "inspiration" folder.
Find a song you like and listen to what is happening with the production.
- How complete is the piano compared to the drums, bass, and guitar, especially the voice?
- Are they using the same arrangement for each verse?
- Does the arrangement get more complex as the song builds?
- Is the original artist using arpeggios? Simple chords?
Step Two: Try and recreate the piano arrangement
Story alert!!
Whilst at school, I knew an incredible piano- vocalist called Alex Holland - He would listen to Stevie Wonder repeatedly, replicating Stevie's piano parts and singing over the top. Alex knew back then, at age 14, that this was the fastest way to understand piano arrangements for singers. - It took me 15 years to understand this, but everything shifted once I got the principal!
So we are going to do the same. Try and recreate the original piano part or in a similar style. Tom Odell's song "Another Love" is a great track. He starts with the main melody as an introduction and then moves to simple chords. Then the second verse, he brings in the arpeggio. There is so much space for his voice. You can listen to the track here.
Step Three: Experiment with new instruments, rhythms, and sounds
Experimenting is so good when stuck in a rut with the same arrangement! By accompanying your voice with a string sound versus a piano sound, you will be inspired to play differently.
Sometimes when I write a song, I play a double bass sound with my left hand. This encourages groove and rhythm to my arrangement - which I later fill out with either production or a shaker with my right hand if I play live. But the best part? My voice has so much space.
Step Four: Motivation
Ok, so we all get demotivated at times. Here is a quick tip: if you need inspiration for new arrangement ideas, dive back into that playlist you created on Spotify and find another song, repeating the above steps.
Step Five: Share your favourite arrangement
What I love most about running "Express Your Truth", my eight-week live coaching programme, is the power of community. The students rocket their success because they share share share all that they come across with each other. Links to piano tutorials, songs they have just written, mindset speeches etc. It's incredible to see the support they give each other on their musical journey. And that's why your final step is to share your favourite arrangements with others in The Singer's Piano Facebook community.
When I say share your song - I don't mean putting a link in the comments. - Share your deep dive work and analysis with the group. You will be amazed at your progress by simply sharing.
https://www.facebook.com/thesingerspiano
The exception to the rule!
However, there is one time you want a busy piano part - If you need to hide your voice. Perhaps you are writing a song in your bedroom and don't want your roommates to hear your voice. Then make that piano part busy - listeners will only hear the piano, so it creates a safe space to get creative without prying ears. But only use this exercise whilst you write! Once the song has been written, pull back the keys and allow your voice to shine through.
In conclusion: The more complex a piano part is, the more it competes with your voice and takes away from your message. Ultimately you want to express your truth, so don't dilute your message with a complex piano part. Write a piano part that compliments your voice and allows it to shine.
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