Today is your last chance to leave a comment to enter the drawing for a FREE Christmas CD…

Just thought I’d give my readers an opportunity to win a copy of my Christmas CD entitled: “Simply Christmas”.

Click here for audio samples

Rules for Giveaway of Simply Christmas CD

1. Leave a comment at bottom of this article to enter your name one time.

2. Share the link to this  giveaway on your personal blog, facebook or twitter and leave a second comment saying you did so.

This allows you to enter your name a second time in same drawing. (use my social share buttons at bottom of article for your convenience).

3. Drawing will be held on December 20, 2012 by 8pm EST

4. The winner will be notified by email the day of the drawing.

Important Information:

US Residents:  The Church Pianist will pay all shipping (media rate)

Residents outside the US:  The Church Pianist will cover up to $5 in shipping (media rate). Any shipping above $5 must be paid by winner.

I honestly had to think REALLY hard to come up with some FRESH ideas…considering this particular hymn uses only three different chords…G, C, and D.  (I wrote this in mind for congregational singing).

The following free pdf of “Wonderful Words of Life” contains ideas for one verse.  The vocal score (melody only) is included as a guide for the church pianist.

Our church sings this hymn at a fairly peppy tempo…making for a simple, straightforward accompaniment.  Adding too many notes to a fast tempo… would  tend to drag the speed.

I will provide an audio below for the suggested speed of this piano accompaniment…when my computer and I can get along.

Special note: A slower tempo of this hymn would  allow the pianist to add even more fill-ins! (another lesson)

Click here to download: Free Improvising Ideas for Wonderful Words of Life (one verse) 

I guess you can tell I’ve been very busy lately…hence…fewer posts.

I’m preparing to be GRANDMA for the second time and busy with music writing projects for my site.

So, I’m sharing a free SAB choir arrangement of Yes I Know that  I recently finished.

Feel free to share this with your choir director and make as many copies as you like!

Click here to download: Yes I Know (Free SAB choir arrangement)

Click on complete audio below:

You need to have the Audio Player Plugin installed to use this shortcode

An arpeggio is a broken chord.  I like to use fast arpeggios in my hymn arrangements.  So…how do I determine where to place a fast broken arpeggio?  Anywhere a word can be stretched (broadened) or held if you were singing the hymn.

One of my free piano hymn arrangements entitled “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” contains a fast arpeggio on the second page. (Shown below)

This fast arpeggio consists of 12 notes.  If you look closely, you’ll notice that I played 3 groups of one-octave arpeggios within the 12 note passage.  Each group has four notes beginning and ending with note “G”.

I’m basically using a g minor one-octave arpeggio made up of the notes: G-Bflat-D-G

How to finger this? Use right hand thumb (of course) to start each group.  For each group use the following fingering:  1 2 3 5

To properly blend this run into the arrangement…emphasize the right thumb at the beginning of the first group only; allowing the hand to relax and glide across the fast arpeggios in an even rhythmic flow.  How to do this?  Practice s-l-o-w  🙂

Careful not to play SO fast that it sounds “thrown in” …causing an interruption in the flow of thought.

Slow Motion Demo

 Now…for the complete arrangement at regular tempo…

One of my church pianist readers recently asked me for some help on measures 29  and 30 of the free piano arrangement for “The Old Rugged Cross”.

In measure #29…The right hand has to reposition on the second beat in order to compensate for the upcoming busy movement.  I created a quickie video demonstrating a suggested fingering to make this area feel more comfortable to the hand.

Feel free to ask for any guidance or tips on this piece or any other arrangements I’ve written.

Several months ago, I offered a free piano solo arrangement of “The Old Rugged Cross”; written in loving memory of one of my students who has gone home  to heaven.

This free piano solo arrangement of The Old Rugged Cross can be downloaded at the following link:   More Free Hymn Arrangements!

Here is a video of me playing the arrangement:

Church pianists find it an extra challenge when accompanying vocalists singing wordy hymns.  Hymns such as: In the Garden,  Wonderful Peace, Fill My Cup Lord,God Leads Us Along and No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus.

These wordy hymns are most effective when sung or played  in a more conversational tone to avoid a mechanical reading style often heard in young ones when they are first learning to read. How to achieve a more conversational sound?

In 4/4 time…beats one and three are naturally stressed.  Emphasizing these particular beats results in a more shapely tone…making the message flow in a more conversational tone.

Listen to the two accompaniment style excerpts in the video below to determine which style sounds more conversational.

“No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus”

*Editor notes:

Accompaniment pattern #1: I basically played every word of the song.

Accompaniment style #2: I used quarter note chords here and there to break up the  repeated eighth note patterns..allowing the singer more ebb and flow of rhythm.

Click here to download FREE PDF excerpt of “No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus” for accompaniment style #2.

Special note:  I sang the excerpt(s) in A Major on the video (due to my vocal range but the free pdf is a half step higher in B flat Major.

I would have loved to share the entire song…but this particular hymn is copyrighted.  The “fair use” law allows me to share a small portion of a copyrighted song for educational purposes only.

Here is the remainder of the free congregational piano arrangement… “I Love to Tell the Story”.

I enjoy playing for congregational singing because that’s when I can “go outside the box” and play more than just melody.

Having a knowledge of chord theory opens the door for so much creativity!  For example…in measure #12…I knew the chord for the measure was a B Major chord…so I just added moving  3rds in the right hand for a fill-in. I used the same idea again in measure #18.

I’ll point out one more neat idea in measure #22.  Notice the half note octave “A” in the left hand.   An “a” minor chord can replace  a C Major chord because they both have two notes in common….”C and E”.

A “G” from a “C” chord also fits in an “a” minor 7th chord. Now if you know your theory….that will make sense.  Note members for the “a” minor 7th = ACEG

I challenge all church pianists to brush up on their scales and chord theory.  I found an excellent, practical music theory book that has been so helpful to me.  Stay tuned…for my next article on this VERY easy-to-understand book!

I Love to Tell the Story page two

I Love to Tell the Story page one

“I Love to Tell the Story” has always been a favorite of mine.  The story to this wonderful hymn can be found at cyberhymnal.org. This particular hymn came from a rather long poem.  The first part of the poem contained at least fifty stanzas!

I’m sharing a free congregational piano arrangement of “I Love to Tell the Story” for the advanced church pianist.  This free arrangement contains a lot of full chords which is necessary for supporting congregational singing.

I apologize for not posting as often but circumstances haven’t allowed me to do so.  I always hearing from my readers. Thanks so much for your encouragement!  I love to hear how the site has been a help to you.  That’s what keeps me going 🙂

Click here to download free piano arrangement of “I Love to Tell the Story” page one

I will post the remainder of this arrangement as soon as possible.

I Love to Tell the Story page two

Just discovered another website for church pianists from other online friends. Introducing…Glorious Assurance Music…a fairly new online resource for church pianists.

Two sisters, Laurie Iskat and Christie Funchess, began this website in the fall of 2010.  Their desire was to provide a resource for God-honoring  Christian music.

The arrangements range from beginner to advanced. At this time, they are offering three free arrangements (listed below). The rest of the arrangements are available for sale at a very reasonable price.

“I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord” peppy piano duet (late intermediate to early adv)

“Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”  piano solo (late intermediate to early adv)

“How Sweet it Is”  uplifting chorus (for church use, ladies’ meetings or children’s choir)

I look forward to shopping at this resourceful site for church pianists.