Maybe it gives the music more of a dance-like quality. It doesn’t have to be a big accent or anything, but see what happens if you lean into beat 1 a little bit. A lot of sound gets lost in the distance between the piano’s soundboard and the chorister’s ears, so one thing I frequently do is to emphasize the first beat in each measure. When I go to a concert and hear pianist accompany choirs, I often feel that although they play well, they’re not giving the choir enough rhythmic support. The singers will feel more comfortable and supported by your music. Can you make a piano sound like a flute? Try it! Can you play like a timpanist? Yes you can! Do anything you can to make the piano sound like a band or orchestra. Mozart, Beethoven and Mahler would have done this, and you can too. Piano accompaniment parts are often orchestral reductions and are written to be “readable.” So if you want a richer sound, then feel free to fill out the chords more and add octaves where appropriate. Double the bass line down an octave if that helps. You’re the drummer, bass player, guitarist, pianist, and maybe even string section! If there’s a rhythmic bass part, play it percussively and with a deep, rich sound like a bass/drum duo would. ![]() If the group is singing a rock, pop, or gospel piece, then you aren’t “just” a pianist.
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