Top Dog – Blues Shuffle – Intermediate (Grade 3)

Description

Top Dog is a bluesy piano shuffle in C major which will suit intermediate pianists at about the Grade 3 (ABRSM) standard.

The left hand keeps the beat going with a 'boogie woogie' style rhythm accompaniment to the right hand's syncopated melody (remember to swing the quavers!).

Be sure to keep the left hand's 5th and 6th chords light and short. You can also create more of a bluesy 'back beat' if you add a slight accent to the second and fourth quarter note crotchets in each bar.

An improvisation on the theme is featured in the more 'jazzy' middle section accompanied by a smooth 'walking bass' line in the left hand.

Top Dog features 'blue notes' in both hands. In the key of C major, the blue notes (or 'crushed' notes as they are sometimes known) are Eb, Gb and Bb. In jazz and blues, these blue notes often 'resolve' to the semitone above, and this provides a balance between the harsher 'blues sound' (a minor feel) and the 'happier' major scale (pentatonic) feel.

Watch out for the optional grace note acciaccaturas ('crushed notes') - which are actually resolving blue notes!

This piano sheet music comes with a fun play-along backing track available as an MP3 download. A slower practice backing is also available so you can get the hang of playing along before increasing the tempo.

I hope you enjoy playing Top Dog - please leave a review if you have a moment, thanks!