Question about soloing with either hand

[gtsjames]

When chording with one hand and soloing with the other, is the hand that solos limited to staying within the key of the song, or are they no rules regarding what you do??

[DungBeatle]

It all depends on style. In Gospel piano, most of the notes for soloing are based on the blues scale. In C major that's C, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, A, Bb. In southern Gospel, more often you use of the major 3rd (E) and major 6 (A) and less use of the minor 7 (Bb) and minor 3 (Eb). On any chord you can employ the added 2, that gives it a country flavor. Added 2 on a minor triad has a nice bite. On a major triad it sounds happy.

[ChicagoFlava]

everything has rules even in jazz theory there are rules and afoundation to improvisation. Usually in gospel to make it simple, the scale or runs you play are based off of the chord itself. However, to branchout to more advance scales and running techinques, you will have to master the modes of the scale. Look up this concept online , this is the basis of what jazz players base thier improvisation on.  this is theory course ciriculum in any music course. It is too much detail to go into on here but once you master this concept then the sky is the limit to what you will have in your arsenal of scales and runs on hand.

[gtsjames]

everything has rules even in jazz theory there are rules and afoundation to improvisation. Usually in gospel to make it simple, the scale or runs you play are based off of the chord itself. However, to branchout to more advance scales and running techinques, you will have to master the modes of the scale. Look up this concept online , this is the basis of what jazz players base thier improvisation on.  this is theory course ciriculum in any music course. It is too much detail to go into on here but once you master this concept then the sky is the limit to what you will have in your arsenal of scales and runs on hand.

Modes of scales? If you dont mind can you share a little bit more information. Do you have any reference texts you can recommend for further reading? I appreciate the reponse so far.

[ChicagoFlava]

hey this is really to much info to go threw on here it would take days lol Basically modes are scale derived from scales so to speak!For everyscale you play there are 7 other scales derived off of that one ( im speaking major scale)  to explain it as simple as i can without getting you confused, by changing the root note in a major scale you get another scale it self. the modes are Dorian  Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian,Aeolian, Locrian, Ionian.  by changing the root note of a major scale, you get a  different mode(scale). for example a basic C major scale is C D E F G A B C the root of the scale is C if you changed the root to Di n the same C major scale, it would look like this D E F G A B C this mode wouldbe called the "dorian mode which is a scale itself so it wouldlook like this

Major   C D E F G A B
dorian        D E F G A B C
Phrygian        E F G A B C D
Lydian              F G A B C D E
Mixolydian           G A B C D E F
Aeolian                   A B C D E F G
Locrian                       B C D E F D A
Ioanian(the major scale   C D E F G A B C

keep in mind these scales are still considered to be in the key if C or still apart of the C major scale. and this system follows for all keys.  Once you master this sytem of modes. The next step is to learn chord compatibility with these scales and modes. When you listen to jazz, this is what they are using to improvise with is this system. Sowhen you hearthe awesome jazz scales andruns over chords changes, its not what ever comes to mind, but this theory is in use. It sounds like they are hitting what ever, but they are not because once you master this sytem then you can expand out of the normal runs and scales that every body so boringly in gospel play over and over agian. You  must expand your muscial knowledge if you ever want to grow. You cant just learn a few chords and runs and think youwill get far on that, in all actuallity it is goin to handicap you very badly because you wont learn what your really need to know to grow! This system will require you to YES!!! "learn your chords by name, that is the only way you will begin to know what scales are compatible with what chords. THats why most jazz artist know how to read music and for the few that dont, they are truly blessed with a unique gift! They understand music, if you think im not serious, with and untrained ear,and no musical understanding, try and pick up the chords and scales by ear of a Jazz tune where they are improvising, It willbe very difficult for the untrained ear, where is a Jazz artist fits the building blocks of theory together and they can pick it right up and generally know how to play it! So to grow this will require you to sit down and read and study this and when you master it the keyboard or organ will be at your mercy!  but here is a web page for you to explain more about it or go search and look up jazz improvisation or modes of the scale for piano. hope this helps you ! Goodluck ! http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/modes/modes.htm

[musallio]

you might want to check out the link CF has given at the end there:

http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/modes/modes.htm