Improvising with Two Chord Vamps

The Power of Two Chord Vamps

What do you do if all those chord progressions confuse you and you want to start with improvising? One of the simplest, most satisfying ways to start is improvising with two chord vamps. You can choose any two chords that sound good one after the other, and you can play each one twice before changing. Here are some options to try on a harp tuned in C:

Dm and C (dfa, ceg)
Am and G (ace, gbd)
C and Am (ceg, ace)
G and F (gbd, fac)

For now, you don’t need to worry about the theory behind these choices. All you need to do is find the chords. (Here’s a pdf that can help: building-chords-on-the-scale).

In fact, if you’re a real beginner, all you need to do in your left hand is find the first and final note of the chord and play them together.  The interval between these two notes is called a fifth.  Open fifths in the bass range of the harp have a nice, open sound. For example, instead of a Dm chord, you would play just d on the bottom and a above it, usually with fingers 3 and 1.  Choose a count, like 4, and play this interval  only on beat one as you count 1, 2, 3, 4.

As soon as that’s really easy, start noodling around with your right hand. To begin with, if you stick to the notes that are in the chord, plus the two open strings between them, you can’t go wrong. Play with single notes, repeated notes, and simple but varied rhythm–nothing so complicated that you lose the left hand pulse on beat one. Remember that simple notes on the harp are heavenly, and have fun!

This post is adapted from material that I originally published in the ezine, Notes from the Harp.