Locked Hands

During the 1940s and 50s several pianists developed ways of playing chords melodies with both hands, known as locked hands and/or block chords.  Two charastics of this approch influenced jazz players:

1. The seperation of the left hand from the pulse
2. The use of the left-hand voicing to ''color'' the melody notes

 In its basic form, the locked-hands technique requires the right hand to play a closed-position voicing below the melody note, while the left hand doubles the melody note an octave lower.  The pianist must decide how to harmonize each melody note; several options are available.  Each melody note can be harmonized with:

1. Notes from the prevailing harmony
2. Notes from the prevailing harmony on most chord tones, and passing chords inserted on non-chord tones
3. notes from the prevailing harmony on chord tones and diminished seventh chords on non-chord tones

Video demonstrating this coming shortly