Archive for the ‘Accompaniment tips’ Category

Praise Him! Praise Him! Left Hand Improvising Tips

Friday, September 22nd, 2023

Just throwing a quickie your way!  Here are a couple left hand improvising tips for the hymn…Praise Him! Praise Him!

The tips can be applied to hymns in different time signatures.

I have a student who is late intermediate level and she wants to learn congregational style so bad! So…I’ll be walking her through different hymns and giving her improvising tips along the way.

Let me know if you all want more of these quickies along the way.  Click on this title to download your free copy of this page.  PRAISE HIM! PRAISE!

Early Intermediate Congregationals Collection Two: Just Published!

Thursday, August 17th, 2023

Promo Sale!  The collection is on sale through August 21st, 2023 until 10pm.

I had a person contact me recently requesting another collection of early intermediate congregational arrangements.

One of my daughter-in-laws will also benefit from this collection.

I decided to add an introduction to each arrangement.  Also, most of the arrangements would make nice short piano solo offertories.

You could also use these arrangements for accompanying a soloist too!

Only two of the arrangements wouldn’t be able to stand alone as a piano solo…..”Are You Washed?” and “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” The reason why is because the melody is not supported throughout the entire arrangement.  Some church pianists may be comfortable adding the missing melody in the few places per arrangement.  Otherwise, these two arrangements are missing the melody notes here and there since it’s more of an accompaniment style.

Easy to Play Congregationals Collection TWO
Early intermediate congregational arrangements by Jenifer Cook. Ten hymns: All Hail thePower, Are You Washed?, Have Thine Own Way, Higher Ground, I Love to Tell the Story, Revive Us Again, Sweet Hour of Prayer, Tell it to Jesus, Tis So Sweet, Where He Leads. Most of these arrangements can stand alone as a piano solo with the exception of: Are You Washed and Sweet Hour of Prayer. View the first three hymn arrangements by clicking on the COVER PHOTO
Price: $14.00

 

New Early Intermediate Congregational Collection Book Two!

Wednesday, August 16th, 2023

I’ve been busy creating this collection of early intermediate piano congregational arrangements!

More details soon!

 

Sixteenth Note Run!

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

Add a sparkle to your hymn playing with this simple right hand run!

Four Note Run!

Monday, July 24th, 2023

I picked up this four note run idea from my piano teacher, Judy Andrews years ago!

It’s a neat sounding idea that adds sparkle to a hymn.

Organizing Music for Church Services

Monday, June 26th, 2023

One of my readers asked me how I keep my music organized for services.

I just came up with a more reasonable way this past Sunday.

I created two sticky tabs to use in the hymnal for our two congregationals per service. The third sticky tab marked with a “C” stands for choir special.

Our choir typically sings a song from the hymnal for Sunday mornings because we don’t have everyone with us until Sunday night service.  Quite a few of our choir members either work in our children’s ministry or work in the nursery.

That’s just part of having a small church 🙂

My son, the choir director, has a notebook full of our 8.5 x 11 sheet music for the choir.  I have the same type notebook.

I think we’re going to create a hanging file for each of our notebooks because the notebooks are getting full!

We already have all of our choir music in hanging file folders in alphabetical order.

I also carry around a two pocket folder that houses my AM & PM sheet music for upcoming vocal & offertory specials.  Works great for me!

It’s also been helpful to have a hanging file folder for each person who sings on a regular basis.  They can always fall back on a song they’ve done before  in case they’re filling in at the last minute.

Here’s how my pianist hymnal would look like on a typical Sunday morning.

I included a pic of our “order of service” which the Pastor provides for us.

 

 

Tips for Accompanying a Soloist

Monday, June 12th, 2023

Thinking about Dad a lot lately. He’s been in heaven a little over a year now. (June 2)

I will always remember how Dad sang with gusto not only in his vocal solos but also while leading the congregational singing.
He truly felt the music.

The following tip is for church pianists who accompany vocal or instrumental solos. This pertains to soloists who are comfortable “taking the lead”.

It’s helpful to slow down prior to a fermata or slower section for emphasis.  Also, I try to keep the music moving forward during a held word to keep the music alive.  Basically,  FEEL the music with the soloist to give he or she the best “behind the scenes” support.  Remember to constantly monitor your accompaniment volume so as not to drown out the singer or instrumentalist. Have someone sit out toward the back of the auditorium during practice… to check volume between pianist and soloist.

Here’s Dad directing the congregational singing at the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools 50th Teacher Convention in 2017. The second video is me accompanying Dad.

 

 

How To Add Sixteenth Note Runs in a Hymnal

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022

I’m almost finished with a tutorial showing how to add sixteenth note runs to hymns.  (For the late intermediate pianist and beyond)

This particular tutorial will deal with adding runs to congregational accompaniment.

There will be five pages of examples for this particular run in various keys, time signatures and different hymn excerpts.

Each example will not only show the run application but will also share a graceful way to work out of the run.

This Sixteenth Note Run tutorial will be available in my online store asap.

I’ll publish a brief you tube commercial before publication.

For adequate preparation on my part….What questions do you have about playing runs in hymns or what difficulties do you face when playing runs etc.?   Thanks in advance for any feedback!

 

 

 

More Right Hand Runs Using Sixteenth Notes Coming Soon!

Monday, March 21st, 2022

Do you want to add spice to your congregational playing  or playing for  the choir?

As promised…I will be sharing more right hand run examples tomorrow.

For those just stopping by….click on the following link to see the 1st examples of a right hand run using sixteenth notes.

Right Hand Run: Using Sixteenth Notes

 

 

Church Pianist Tip: Right Hand Runs

Friday, March 18th, 2022

Here’s a sampling of a right hand run idea for the hymn, “The Lily of the Valley” ,,,using sixteenth notes.

I’ll be glad to share a couple more examples using this run idea if you find this helpful.

Please comment below if you would like a few more examples.

See editor notes at the bottom of this image. Click on song title above for free printable of this music.