Like the sound of ragtime played on the piano? Here’s how you can write your own piece.
Writing piano ragtime music is not complicated at all, as long as you stick to these simple techniques. Take an existing part of a tune, stretch it out with some basic techniques, build in some variety, and you’re away.
And don’t forget to make a big difference between the two hands so the melody and accompaniment stand apart from each other. Here are some tips to keep in mind while you work.
1. Take your time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?
2. Start simply
3. Build the new tune up slowly, one bar at a time.
4. Keep the left hand as basic as possible.
5. Try to make a difference between the two hands, i.e. one using chords and one melody, one legato and one staccato, and so on.
Look at the ragtime score Real Quick Rag (link below) to see one way you might do it. Here’s an explanation of the steps taken to achieve it:
1. This example uses the first 4 notes from the main melody in Joplin’s “The Entertainer” – but in this version the tune starts ON the beat.
2. Then the pattern is repeated, but a perfect 4th higher. This repeating of an identical pattern at a different pitch (higher OR lower) is also known as a sequence.
3. You don’t want the song to be boring. To spice things up, change the direction, making the tune go DOWN instead of up. This is basically a couple of broken chords on C and A minor, with the added note D to make it all a bit smoother.
4. Because the tune is in the key of C, at the half-way stage it comes to rest on G –
the dominant. This is how a lot of songs work.5. The next step is to repeat the first 3 bars, but this time the 3rd bar omits the A minor broken chord and uses two C chords instead. Again, this simple change adds variety and interest.
6. Finally, you need an ending that sounds final. You could achieve it by repeating the descending C chord (omitting the A minor) and finishing off with a B-C chord movement, as in this example. Note that the left hand plays along with the right in the last bar to emphasize the finality.
7. Simple chords are used in the left hand to complement the tune, which are – C, C7, F, F minor, C, Am, D7, G7. The second half of the song uses the same chords, but finishing with no A minor, and no chords in the last bar.
You’ll also notice that the left hand is staccato, while the right hand is legato throughout. This helps to differentiate between the melody and the accompaniment.
8. Now Write Your Own!
See how easy it is?
Of course, the composer of this piece has been writing music for a while. You might find it takes a bit of practice to get things right. But don’t let that stop you. Have a go! It’s not as hard as you think.
Here's the link to Real Quick Rag mentioned above. Enjoy!