BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
8829 / 18210 · Workshop 71 — Countermelody and Inner-Line Arranging: Writing a Second Voice That Supports the Tune Without Fighting It← prev⊞ allnext →

71.101Apply it to “The Bare Necessities”

This tune is almost ideal for conversational arranging.

Main melody phrase:

play clearly.

Counterline:

short playful answer.

Use:

register jokes

blue-note responses

brief New Orleans-style riffs

stop-time answers.

The secondary voice can almost behave like another character in the scene.

That fits the song much better than dense continuous harmony.