A song is a written composition intended to be played by the entire human voice. This is usually done in fixed and varying octaves with varying patterns of silence and sound. Songs are made up of many different types, including those which feature only the repeated repetition of parts or the variation and tonal interplay of the parts. Other popular types of songs are love songs, spiritual songs, and songs that express an artist’s opinion or are about a specific subject. Many people use song lyrics as a means to communicate personal feelings to others.
Singing in the Western culture is most commonly associated with popular music, which is popularized by hits such as “appy came to town,” “Where Have All The Flowers Gone,” Yankee Doodle.” While some Western artists have created beautiful melodies using just their voice alone, most Western music vocalists use backing tracks to enhance the emotion of the song. The most commonly used accompaniment instrument for mainstream and popular songs is the guitar, which is a lot easier to play than most instruments. As a result, most aspiring musicians learn to play the guitar rather than venturing into more complex territory.
Art songs, on the other hand, are normally sung by live musicians and are more difficult to play than standard pop songs. They can vary widely in style, but common versions include pieces about love, spirituality, nature, or music. There are many examples of art songs, ranging from ancient ballads to modern-day hit songs. Some famous art songs are “Stairway To Heaven,” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Iris”, by Radiohead, and “The Boy That Won’t Leave Me Now”, by Justin Timberlake. While art songs have their roots in classical music, modern artists such as David Bowie, Radiohead, and Justin Timberlake have completely reinvented the form, taking it into new shapes.
Aesthetics are also an important consideration when choosing an instrumental to accompany a song. Jazz is known for having a wide range of interpretations, and one artist can change the meaning of a piece entirely by selecting an appropriate piano song. This can be effective when the song being played is not particularly fast or slow, since the accompaniment will usually have a similar pace to the lead singer. A similar effect can be achieved with a string quartet, and popular music ensemble.
Aesthetic considerations aside, there are also practical reasons for picking an appropriate accompaniment for a song. An arrangement that works well with a specific instrumental is usually a good choice. On the other hand, a poorly constructed accompaniment might be pointless because it does nothing to enhance the song itself. Many popular songs have been adapted from old compositions, especially popular music written in German.
Most piano songs employ similar harmonies and variations on the basic melody. When picking out an instrumental to accompany a song, it is important to choose something that uses the same type of chords. If the song being sung does not make use of major chords, then it is advisable to select an instrumental that uses the minor chord family. Piano playing needs to be flexible, since different styles can be used depending on the mood of the singer. It is also important to consider the lyrics, which need to have a natural rhythm and cadence. Squeaky clean arrangements often do not communicate well with slower numbers or heavily accented melodies.