I created these hymn arrangements for my students.  They are able to play along with congregational singing with these straightforward arrangements or use the pieces for offertory or prelude.

Most of the songs are either C Major (where each hand is covering CDEFG) or  Middle C Position (Thumbs share middle C)

There are ten arrangements (4 of the hymns are 2 pages long)  but every hymn contains one verse and chorus.

Grace Greater

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Like a River

Nothing but the Blood

O Worship the King

Redeemed

Revive Us Again

Tell it to Jesus

Trust and Obey

Work for the Night

See the three samples below:

Simply Hymns Beginner Piano Solos Collection

Ten Hymns: Grace Greater, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Like a River, Nothing but the Blood, O Worship the King, Redeemed, Revive Us Again, Tell it to Jesus, Trust and Obey and Work for the Night is Coming

Price: $10.50

Tomorrow is the second and last one hour class for hymn playing this summer.  The first class dealt with five part congregational style playing, phrasing and learning the different types of hymns/songs from the hymnal.

I will continue to develop my curriculum during this  school year as I share the lessons with my students.

Tomorrow’s session will cover fill-in notes for the dotted quarter note, half note and dotted half note.

I’m in the beginning stage for working up a tutorial book for hymn playing. Here’s one of the many examples I will be sharing tomorrow.

The class is made up of my early intermediate to intermediate students.

(Keep in mind this project is still under construction).

Just as a reminder. The hymns in a hymnal are written for voice parts only.  The pianist has to adapt the hymns to sound more piano-like.

Play the hymnal version vs. the revised version to feel the difference. The revised version should feel smoother and sound less mechanical.

All you’re doing is creating tied notes for the repeated alto notes and half note octaves for the left hand.

Allissa, one of our Pastor’s daughters, is one of my early intermediate students.  My grandson, Michael, is about to catch up to her!

I’m having a blast training them for the role of church pianist!

Allissa will play for another vocal special this coming Sunday, November 4, 2024

Here’s a pic of her practicing with two guys from our church.  I sat behind the scenes giving her tips as needed.  She soaks it up!

A fruitful practice! During the rehearsal…Allissa learned a few tips from following points….

1. How to figure out an interlude
2. How to simplify awkward accidental note passages.
3. How to recover from a blunder
4. How to…above all else…follow the vocalists!

I’m so thankful our young people who are involved with the music ministry!

They play for several different areas of music ministry such as:  offertory, prelude music and congregational singing.

Extra info:  Allissa is playing a vocal arrangement of “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.” I plan to publish this arrangement ASAP!

Please feel free to remind me if you’re interested in the arrangement 🙂

Let me know if you would like me to expound on the above points.

I shared an arrangement for the verse of Love Lifted Me several days ago.

Just barely sliding into home base to complete this before my house is full of grand kids this evening for the rest of this week!

This arrangement can accompany congregational singing, vocal ensemble or instrumental solo/ensemble.

How does this key work for you all?  (B flat Major)

Click the song title to download your free copy of Love Lifted Me

The verse is available at this link:  VERSE ONLY

Does your song leader direct Love Lifted Me in fast mode?

Our song leader sure does!  It’s my son 😉

This particular arrangement barely fits within my son’s speed…quarter note = 120

Remember…the faster the tempo….the less you play!

If I had to play this any faster…I would adapt by playing more dotted quarter note chords  because it would be harder to grab the busy details the faster it goes!

Hope you enjoy this “fun to play”  style.

Click here to download your free copy of the verse for Love Lifted Me (congregational style). Tip:  You can use this arrangement to accompany a flute solo!

LOVE LIFTED ME  (verse only)

Chorus coming soon!

I just created a congregational arrangement of Love Lifted Me.

The verse will be available tomorrow!  I will write the chorus asap!

I wanted to give church pianists fill-in ideas for a peppy 6/8 hymn 🙂

Did you know that an octave stretch on Chopin’s piano was equivalent to a 7th on our piano?

He didn’t have to stretch as far as us!

Chopin also taught three lessons a week to each student!

Just finished watching this very educational video on “tone color”

I shared a post a couple of years ago of me playing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” excerpt from my congregational playing at my church.

A good handful of you have expressed interest in that arrangement.  I tried to duplicate the arrangement into written form.

This particular arrangement is accompaniment style only… not compatible as a piano solo.

Click on the following title to download this free piano congregational arrangement.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus