with a lively intelligence of its own, transcending those of its members.
The four arrangements given here are meant to help identify some concepts of backup arranging. You can benefit most by looking for ways to apply them to your own music.
Music
Theory and Chord Reference for Mountain Dulcimer
is a useful reference for arrangers: it will
help you to identify members of a chord and understand rhythm
notation symbols.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
BACK TO:
SIX IMPORTANT CONCEPTS
FOR ARRANGING A BACKUP PART
The four arrangements presented here are for a second dulcimer back-up part, and consist mostly of flowing arpeggios that are best played in fingerstyle with the right hand, although they may be flatpicked.
Two lines of music are given: the top staff is the standard notation for the melody line (no TAB is given here to save space, but the melodies will fall very nicely onto the dulcimer fretboard); and the staff below is the standard notation for the arpeggios. The dulcimer TAB directly below it corresponds exactly to this notation, so you must look to the standard notation for the rhythm.
You will derive the most
benefit from these parts if you can learn something about how
they were constructed.
For this purpose, here are six important concepts that I constantly use in these back-up parts. See
if you can find the specific instances in the music where these
concepts were applied--then apply them to your own music.
1. Cover ground that the lead part is not covering. This often consists of lower-pitched material that provides a backdrop for the lead.
2. Don't double the note that's taken by the lead; use some other member of the chord in your back-up part. This is especially crucial on the first beat of each measure.
3. Look for lulls in the activity of the lead part for an opportunity to make a melodic statement, or just to have more activity in your accompaniment part. Be careful of too much activity in the back-up, though, as the "simpler is better" rule applies especially to back-up parts.
4. Look for opportunities to embed harmony parts within your arpeggios: the linear, or step motion gives relief from the constant chordal or leap motion of the arpeggios.
5. Look for opportunities to DIALOG with the lead part. This often takes the form of Tonal Sequences which echo the contour of the melodic shapes in the lead part.
6. Always strive for CONTRARY
MOTION between your lowest note (the "bass part") and
the melody line, which is usually
the highest voice.
© 1998 by JC Rockwell.
You may print a copy of these arrangements for personal use. Write to me for permission to to distribute multiple copies to a playing group or club, for permission to republish them, or for high quality print copies.