| The Church Pianist |
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*Link for full arrangement below:
I recently attended a couple piano workshops by Shelly Hamilton.
“Accompanying Made Simple” was a very practical workshop providing the church pianists with simple yet practical ideas for accompanying special music.
Shelly brought her accompaniment suggestions to life by offering a free arrangement of Day by Day which includes three different accompaniment styles. Thanks Shelly!
I attended Shelly’s workshops so that I could share accompaniment ideas with my church pianist readers. Click on the following links to download the handouts for this workshop.
Accompanying Made Simple (outline)
Are you a church pianist that doesn’t know how to transpose? Do you choose hymns for prelude that are in the same key for this very reason? I have good news for you!
It is not always necessary to transpose from one song to the next if you go up a perfect fourth between each hymn. I’m providing a free prelude below but read the important info below before you hurry to print the free prelude.
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Going Up a Perfect 4th Interval From One Hymn to the Next Hymn:
What You Need to Know:
1. An interval is the distance between two notes
Example:
C to D is a 2nd interval because you count from 1 t0 2 to go from C to D.
C to E would be a 3rd interval and C to F a fourth.
2. Within every key/scale… the fourth interval is called a perfect fourth which consists of five half steps. So… from C to F is a perfect fourth. Why is it called a perfect fourth? Just accept it and go on or if you’re curious…check out the following links 🙂
Quick quiz in Creating Perfect Fourths:
What is 5 half steps (a perfect 4th) above F? Answer is: B flat (see picture below)
(Are you noticing that we’re going in order of the flat keys as we go up a 4th?)
The key of F Major has one flat, the key of B Flat Major has two flats. Cool!
Ok….so what is 5 half steps (a perfect fourth)… above B flat? You got it! E flat and the key of E flat has three flats.
Now…let’s apply this “no transposing” concept using the following hymns which are a perfect fourth apart for a nice topical prelude!
Click on each song title to download for FREE!
Free Prelude for Church Pianists:
Since I Have Been Redeemed – F Major
Power in the Blood – B Flat Major
Saved by the Blood – E Flat Major
Free Arrangement
Click on song title at bottom of article… to download FREE copy.
1. Listen to the Mockingbird (Alice Hawthorne)
2. Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone (lyrics only) *German folk tune
3. Carry Me Back to Tennessee (better known as Ellie Rhee)
4. Whispering Hope (1868)
I could not locate the story behind the writing of “Whispering Hope” so without further ado…click on the following song title to download your free early advanced arrangement of…
Click arrow below to hear complete audio of this free piano arrangement.
You need to have the Audio Player Plugin installed to use this shortcode
I decided to share for FREE….transitions for an Easter prelude.
A late intermediate to early advanced church pianist would benefit most from this IF they already know how to improvise hymns from the hymnal.
The following PDF includes four hymns that I printed from Timeless Truths Free Online Library.
Keep in mind that the hymns in the following Easter prelude are taken from a hymnal as is but I’ve also included a separate sheet which includes the transition for each song in the prelude collection. (These hymns are in the correct keys to match the transition sheet below.)
Easter Prelude Contents:
There is a Fountain (B flat Major)
When I See the Blood (C Major)
Since I Have Been Redeemed (F Major)
Glory to His Name (G Major)
Click here to download Easter-Prelude
Click here to download Transitions for Easter Prelude
Hopefully this helps the church pianist who has difficulty with adding transitions/modulations between hymns during a prelude.
Sorry I haven’t posted much lately but have battled different sicknesses since January and now I have the shingles 🙁
I’m working on an advanced sacred piano solo that will be available for FREE.
Medleys are my favorite piano specials and looking forward to sharing this particular arrangement entitled “Haven of Rest w/ Wonderful Peace”.
The hand-written version is almost complete!
Sorry for the delay in posting…our household has been down with the stomach bug.
Here is the excerpt of Isn’t the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful which I shared with my hymn playing student last week. The left hand ideas resemble the improvisation I shared in the free piano prelude arrangement of “I Am Resolved”.
It’s always helpful to see the same ideas in several different keys and songs of like nature for ample reinforcement.
(Due to the copyright still active on this hymn…I could only share a portion as stated in the “fair use” copyright law.)
Having said that…if I could have shared more…I would have branched out the right hand an octave higher during the chorus to stretch my student’s playing ground.
Special note: When trying to apply the above left hand ideas… choose hymns of like nature (same time signature; similar rhythmic structure; peppy mood).
I lied! 😉 I said I would publish at least the verse of I Am Resolved tonight…wound up finishing the chorus too…but don’t think you’ll mind 😉
I’ve been working on fill-ins with my most advanced hymn playing student. She plays for chapel at school and has also begun to play for church when the main pianist (her mom) is out of town or sick. She’s doing a great job but has such a zeal to advance her hymn playing. Well….LOVE helping her with that!
Below is a result of her lesson this week 🙂
Click here for free piano arrangement of I Am Resolved