KEYBOARDS
Lauded for his skills as a ragtime and traditional jazz pianist , Max Keenlyside has performed for CBC Radio and headlined at festivals across North America . Max ’ s debut album , KeenlyStride , was met with critical acclaim and his latest release ,
Mostly Max , puts emphasis on his own piano compositions . Max also runs a business of engraving and transcribing music . Find out more at www . maxkeenlyside . ca .
By Max Keenlyside
Right-Hand 10 ths
In a past column , I ’ ve written about the versatile trick of using 6th intervals in the left hand of any piano part . In my crusade to bring elements of neglected old piano styles to the current crop of keyboard artists , I ’ d like to also encourage and explain the use of 10 ths in the right hand .
Like the left-hand 6 ths , those 10 ths were a mainstay in the keyboard style of greats including Jelly Roll Morton , Fats Waller , Duke Ellington , and Count Basie ; however , I think that they can add a lot of flavour to any piano style , old or contemporary ( if you can reach ‘ em !). So , when should you use these 10 ths ? I think the best way is to check out some classic examples of how the greats used them . Jelly Roll Morton is the earliest pianist I know to have recorded them , and he seems to have started a real trend ; both Duke Ellington and Count Basie frequently used the exact same 10 ths in the same key as Jelly ’ s 1923 example . Ex . 1 is Jelly in 1923 :
Over in Harlem , the stride piano players like Fats Waller seem to have independently discovered the right-hand 10 th and used it in a slightly different way ( Ex . 2 ):
EX . 1
In modern contexts , I think that this device is most useful when used as “ shots ” in the background ; that is , when comping , so as to add texture and fill in any blanks in ensemble playing . This is especially handy when playing with small combos , where keys will often “ answer ” another player during solo sections . Ex . 3 offers an example of how that might play out during a solo section :
EX . 2
EX . 3
If you ’ re feeling ambitious and have an extra-large reach on the keyboard , you might even try “ walking ” your right-hand 10 ths in the way that Art Tatum liked to do . This is especially effective in slower pieces , where an otherwise banal melody could use some extra colour . For a sterling example of this technique , look no further than Tatum ’ s Pablo Sessions take of “ Someone to Watch Over Me .” I won ’ t provide a transcription here ( who can play like Tatum anyway ?) but will give some insight into what he did .
The idea is to start off by playing your melodic line in octaves . Once you reach a part of the melody that sounds appropriate , keep the original melody in your right-hand thumb . That thumb-melody will serve as your “ anchor ” and let your little 5 th finger go into a sort of diatonic auto-pilot . Depending on what key you are in ( and what chord is happening at the moment ), your little finger can quietly play that 10 th above . Depending on the colour you want , you could also use your index finger to add 5 ths or 6 ths to these , but Mr . Tatum , ahem , some of us are mere humans ! Happy playing !
Recommended listening : Jelly Roll Morton – “ King Porter Stomp ” ( 1923 Gennett ) Fats Waller – “ Viper ’ s Drag ” ( 1934 HMV ) Art Tatum – “ Someone to Watch Over Me ” ( 1953 Pablo )
26 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN