Does your hymn playing sound cloudy or too choppy and you just can’t figure out how to fix these issues?

I’ll share several tips that will hopefully help the beginning church pianist to  sound smoother.

Prep list for correct pedaling:

1.  Sit on the front half of the bench
2.  Knees barely under the keyboard
3.  Right leg will be at an angle (heel remains on the floor when pressing pedal)

When to pedal? Pedal once  per chord change

To avoid choppy sound in playing: NEVER lift pedal and hands at the same time during a hymn that needs to sound smooth.

Lift the pedal while the hand is going down on the new chord

I’m preparing a video tutorial on pedal suggestions for the church pianist who would appreciate some helpful tips on how to sound smooth when playing hymns.

Get ready with these prep tips!

1. Sit elbow length from the keys (knees should be slightly under keyboard.)
2.  Sit on front half of bench

More pedaling tips coming soon!

Just came across this video on “The Importance of Playing Without the Pedal” when practicing.

I wholeheartedly agree with Robert at livingpianos.com and virtualsheetmusic.com.

My piano teachers always stressed…not using the pedal as a crutch but to demand more out of my fingers by using a smoother touch as though crawling through the keys like a spider; creating a smooth touch even before adding the pedal.

Now to Robert’s clear presentation on playing the piano without the pedal…

Downloadable Link Below

I was going to share a free sampling of left hand improvising ideas for Revive Us Again but I wound up writing a full verse and chorus of this challenging hymn.  It’s not a hard hymn to play but difficult to dress up for congregational singing.

The first line of the hymn is basically the same chord!  Most church pianists realize that they have to adhere to the chord structure in the hymnal when playing for congregational singing IF their congregation sings parts…to prevent chord clashes.  I can’t help but add chord substitutions on this hymn!  Our congregation doesn’t sing parts so I can have fun!  🙂

I’m sharing several improvising ideas for Revive Us Again (congregational style).  I tried to liven up the 1st line of music by creating broken chord tones and alternating bass notes within the same chord. A broken chord tone pattern already exists in the hymnal version but offered a little different one and added a little more variety than the hymnal version.

Revive-Us-Again-congregational-or-prelude

All pianists want their playing to sound smooth. How you use the pedal can make a huge difference!

In this youtube video, I’ll demonstrate the use of a pedal technique that I call the “pedal flutter technique”.  Hope it’s a help to some of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLZKMXjOSs0

Does your piano playing ever sound choppy or cloudy and you just can’t figure out why?

Here’s a sh0rt youtube video clip… introducing a pedal tip to help revolutionize the sound of your playing!

Lesson two of this article on youtube, will include a demonstration for this pedal tip.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvsf6Wt1RfA