BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
9672 / 18210 · Workshop 79 — Harmonic Density vs. Melodic Freedom: How Much Harmony Is Enough, When to Leave Space, and How to Avoid “Over-Explaining” Every Note← prev⊞ allnext →

79.103Apply it to “Mack the Knife”

For repeated choruses:

Chorus 1: almost skeletal two-beat.

Chorus 2: walking bass + sparse RH.

Chorus 3: colored shells.

Final: selective blocks.

Do not make every later chorus denser on every beat.

Alternate:

fullness

with space.

The theatrical escalation becomes much more effective.