Lesson 2: The style of pop/rock ballad piano accompaniments

This lesson focuses on preparing you to play/write piano music in the style of a contemporary pop/rock ballad accompaniment. You will:

• Learn how rhythmic patterns are used with chords in piano music
• Explore rhythmic accompaniment patterns: by playing a range of different pop/rock ballad accompaniments and identifying the underlying block chord voicing underpinning them.
• Continue an Accompaniment Pattern in a given style:
• Recognize Other Stylistic Features: by identifying additional characteristics of the pop/rock ballad style, such as rhythmic variation, pedal usage, and fills.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the elements that comprise the pop/rock ballad style and be ready to imitate these in the work you do for your assessment task in lesson 3.