How to Orchestrate a Melody when Playing Stride Piano ("East of the Sun")

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We often talk about filling the SPACES when orchestrating a melody for solo piano. When playing in a stride style, one way to fill is to use the bottom part of your RH. This is why it is essential to play the melody with your top fingers, so the bottom fingers are available to fill. At times, the bottom part of the RH can conjoin with the LH to create bigger chordal fills.

Remember you don't always have to fill. When filling is the default, silence can be a powerful contrast (whereas if you never fill, the silence will just sound empty). 

​Using the bottom part of the RH is just one way to fill. In the next clip, we will look at other ways to fill & orchestrate the melody to "East of the Sun".