Ending Ideas

Ending Ideas for Your Tune

Let's look at how to end this tune again. There are all kinds of endings we could explore:

• Basic Endings
• More Involved Endings
• Approaching G from F to F#

For example, I'm playing 13s. You could use sevenths or even flat fives.

Underlying Harmony

Let's consider the underlying harmony of these endings, which is essentially the same as the turnaround we discussed earlier, apart from the very end. The ending can be:

• A 5:1
• A flat 2:1

As demonstrated, you might play something like that.

Rhythm Considerations

In this case, I'm playing around with the rhythm slightly. I've got a bit more of a straight feel, incorporating a triplet followed by something straight. This kind of movement can signal that something's coming up, in this case, it's the end.

You could also:

• Use Rolling Patterns: Like the voicing in the right hand, similar to an AB9 going to a G9, 7, 9.

Repetition

What other things could you do? You could repeat the end, why not do it twice or three times? This creates a false ending effect.

Adding Flavor

You'll hear that I incorporated a little Robert Johnson turnaround ending at the end. The ending can be:

• Emphatic: A strong impact, like this.
• Dramatic: A gentle reduction in intensity.

Consider a big last chorus, then, something that really changes the dynamic up.

Gospel-Inspired Endings

You might also use a slightly more gospel-harmonized ending. For example:

• A G7 to C to C# Diminished
• Change the bass to an A to get an A7 with a flat 9, similar to a 2, 5.

In fact, you could stay on the root note for a while, try something like this, a more bluesy kind of idea.

Variations and Ideas

Here's a little variation you might enjoy on the five, which sounds quite hip. And do something similar on chord four; just slightly alter it. Mixing it up is key, choose different riffs at different times.

• Playing the Same Riff with Both Hands: That's one option.
• Right-Hand Focus: Forget about the left hand for a moment and focus on the right hand.

Conversely, why not just do something with the left hand? See how that sounds!

Experimentation

There are all sorts of ways to vary your approach:

• Change the octave up. Why not play right at the top of the piano, and then back to the bottom?
• Add a little fill at the end, the options are endless.

Conclusion

We've explored tons of different ending ideas. Hopefully, this gives you good food for thought to work on your own endings.

As we wrap up the course, I hope you've enjoyed it and that your playing has improved, and will continue to improve.

Thank you for checking this out, and I hope to see you again soon!