j

26

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
, ,

, ,`
,
_
,

, ,`
,
,
,

,`
,
_
,

,

,` ,
,
,

,
,
_
,
,
,
, , , ,

,
,
,
,

,
_ ,
,

, , ,
, ,
, , ,
j

21

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,,,
,
,
,
,

, ,` ,`, ,

,
,
,

,

,`

,`

,`

,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

,
_ ,
,
,
,
, ,

,
_
, ,

,
,
_
j

16

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,`
,
,`
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
_
, ,
_

,
_
,
,

,` ,` ,`,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,

,
,,
, ,

,
_


,
_
,
, ,

, ,` ,`

,`
j

11

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,

,`

,`

,`
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,, , ,
_
, ,
_ ,

,

,`

,`

,`

,
_

,
_
,
,

,
,
, ,

,
_

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

, ,

,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,

, , ,` ,` ,`

,
,` ,` ,`

,` ,` ,` ,`

,`

,`

,
j

,
,
,
,
,
,
4
4
4
4
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,,,
,
,
, ,
,
, ,,
,
,
,
,,,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,

,`

,`

,`


,
,
.
,
,
,

,
= 60 ,
,

HERO
AS PERFORMED AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD BALL
by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff
transcribed by Eric Daniels
To go backstage at the Inauguration performance of Hero, read
our cover feature on page 20. For more on the keyboards behind
the Inauguration, flip to page 72 and visit keyboardmag.com.
Hero, words and music by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey. 1993 WB MUSIC CORP., WALLYWORLD MUSIC, SONGS OF UNIVERSAL, INC. and RYE SONGS.
All Rights for WALLYWORLD MUSIC Administered by WB MUSIC CORP. All Rights for RYE SONGS Administered by SONGS OF UNIVERSAL, INC.
Used by Permission of ALFRED PUBLISHING CO., INC. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by Permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
34 K E Y B O A R D 0 6 . 2 0 0 9
PLAY I T! POP
j

61

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,,,
,
,
,

,
_
, ,
,
,
,
, ,,
,
,
,
,
,,,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,

56

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,

,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,

,
,
,

,
,
_

,
,` ,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,`
,,

,`
,`

51

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
, ,`
,
_ ,
, ,

,
,

,`
,` ,`
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
, ,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,`
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
, ,

,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
, ,

,
,
_
,
,
,,
,
, ,

, ,`
,
,
,
,
, ,
j

46

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
, ,
, ,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
, ,
,
_
,`
, ,

,`
,`
,
_
,
, ,
,
,
, ,
, ,

,
, ,

,`
,
_
,
, ,

,

,
_
,
,

, ,`
,
_

,`
,, , ,

, ,

,
,
_

,
,`,
,
,

,
,

, ,
,

,
,
,

41

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
, , ,
,
, , ,
, ,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
, , ,`
-
,`,
,
,
, ,
,
,
, ,
,
, , , ,
,
,
,
,
, ,
, ,
,
,
,
,
, ,

,
, ,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,

,`
, ,
,
,
, , ,
, ,
,
,

,
,

,
,
,

,
,
,

, ,
, ,
j

36

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
_
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,`
,
,`
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
, ,`
,,
,`
,

, ,`
,,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,

,
,`

,`
,
_

,`
,
,

,`
,
, , ,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
j

31

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
_

,

, ,`
,
_
,
,
, ,
, ,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,,,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,

,`

,`
,
_

.
,`
,
, , ,
,
,

,
,
, ,
,
_ ,
,

,
,
_
,
,
, ,`
,
_

,
,` ,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,

ritard.
35 0 6 . 2 0 0 9 K E Y B O A R D
PLAY I T!
PLAY I T! ROCK
Ex. 1. On the recording, the intro figure is split between one synth sound
panned to the right speaker, and a guitar (or guitar-like synth patch) in the
left speaker. In their live performances, MGMT plays this part on guitar, but it
also lends itself well to the keyboard. Place your left hand on the keyboard as
illustrated in Ex. 1a, and youll be in the correct D major finger position. The
riff is played by alternating finger 5 with fingers 1, 2, and 3, as shown in 1b.
Note the F# in the key signature of D major.
Ex. 2. The right-hand synth melody that follows is based on the same hand
position in A major; see 2a. The line descends from finger 5 on E down to A
(dont forget the C# in the key signature of D major). Note that after you get
to A, finger 5 reaches up to the F# (see Ex. 2b for the traditional notation).
2 1 5 4 3
2 5 1 3
Middle C =
by Tom Brislin
MGMTS
TIME TO PRETEND
j

4
4
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
`
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
`
5 1 5 5 2 3 5 5 2 1 5 5 2 3 5 5 2 3
1. 2.
`
j

4
4

,
,
,
,
,
,
`

,
_

,
,
,
,
,
,
`
5 5 4 3 2 1 5 5
Emerging from a sea of bubbling
analog synth textures, MGMTs Time To
Pretend is a pop voyage. Textures and
melodies float above an undeniable
groove, guiding the track from section to
section and adding flavor throughout.
Here, well look at the songs intro and
its signature synth riff.
For both sections, the parts are easily
played when you nail the correct hand
positions. In other words, if you place each
hand over the proper group of five consec-
utive notes, the parts practically play them-
selves. Well play the intro with the left
hand and the riff with the right hand. You
dont have to play them simultaneously at
first, but once youve got them in your fin-
gers, test your coordination!
Learn how to reproduce MGMTs Time To Pretend
synth sound on page 40.
Hear this lesson with audio examples
at keyboardmag.com/play.
Time To Pretend, written by: Andrew VanWyngarden
and Benjamin Goldwasser. Sadguitarius Music and
Old Man Future. All Rights for Sadguitarius and Old
Man Future Controlled and Administered by Third Spirit
Music (SESAC). International Copyright Secured. All
Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
a)
b)
a)
b)
36 K E Y B O A R D 0 6 . 2 0 0 9
Also known as tone clusters, cluster
chords usually consist of at least three con-
secutive tones in a scale, played simultane-
ously. Some of the early proponents of
cluster chords were composers Henry
Cowell, Charles Ives, Bela Bartok, and
Karlheinz Stockhausen. Jazz musicians
known for their use of clusters include rag-
time pianists Jelly Roll Morton and Scott
Joplin and more recent players like Thelo-
nious Monk, Horace Silver, Cecil Taylor,
Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea.
While some cluster chords are meant
to be dissonant and disturbing, others are
of consonant construction, and quite soni-
cally pleasing. Here are some ideas to
get you started on the road to thicker,
richer chords.
PLAY I T! JAZZ
j

Em7 5 a) b) c)

Gm maj7

A7 9 , A7sus4 ,
j

4
4
4
4

,
, ,
,
, ,
_
,

,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,

,` ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
`,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
, ,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
, ,
, ,
,
,

,
,
,
_

,
,
,
,

, ,
,
_ ,
,

,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,` ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
`,
,
,
,
,
,
,
_
,

,
,
,
,

, ,
,
_ ,
,
A 7sus4 B dim/F A dim/F A m7/F B dim/F A dim/F A m7/F , , , , , , ,
,
j

D /F D7alt A 7add11 Cm11 , ,

,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
, ,
,
,
,
,
`
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,`
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

,`
,
,

,
, , ,
,

,` ,
,
,

,
,

,
,

Cm7 A7 9 ,
a) b) c)

Ex. 2. Heres a cluster derived from the A Mixolydian mode. Notice the scale cluster in the left hand, and the major triad in the right hand. This is also an excellent struc-
ture to move around in parallel as a means of harmonizing melodies. The two clusters in 2b are derived from the G melodic minor scale, and can be used for the follow-
ing chords: Gm(maj7), A7sus4b9, Bbmaj7#5, C7#11, D7b13, Em7b5, and F#7alt. Measure 2c shows a wider cluster for use on A7b9, derived from the A dominant
diminished scale.
Ex. 3. Perhaps one of the most compelling intros ever played by Herbie Hancock is on the classic Wayne Shorter composition
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum from the CD Speak No Evil. Herbie played cluster voicings, but the music presented here adds even more
notes to create richer, thicker voicings.
Ex. 1. This example explores one of the most dissonant and powerful clusters in the chromatic scale. Measure 1a has both the left and right hands playing five con-
secutive chromatic scale tones. The first configuration in 1b has a Cm7 chord in the left hand and a Dm7 chord in the right hand; as you can see, playing clusters can
get the fingers from both hands intertwined. By playing these two minor-seventh chords together, youre actually playing all the notes of the C Dorian mode. You can use
this as a Cm7 chord, or any of the other chords derived from the Bb major parent scale. The second configuration can be used for the same chords, but the distribution
of notes has the clusters isolated in each hand. In 1c, use the left hand to play Gdim7 and the right hand to play Adim7. Putting these two diminished seventh chords
together yields all the notes of the G diminished scale. The second configuration distributes the notes into two groups of diminished scale clusters. Either way, you can
play these for any of the chords derived from this diminished scale (Gdim7, Bbdim7, Dbdim7, Edim7, A7, C7, Eb7, and Gb7).
CLUSTER CHORDS
by Andy LaVerne
Listen to some great cluster chords
on Wayne Shorters Speak No Evil
(Blue Note) and Charles Lloyds
Forest Flower (Atlantic).
38 K E Y B O A R D 0 6 . 2 0 0 9