Do you want  smoother sounding transitions from one hymn to the next during prelude?

Jenifer Cook will be sharing several modulation tips for prelude today at 8pm EST on facebook at this link:

LIVE FACEBOOK VIDEO (8pm EST)

Materials needed:

5 handout sheets (download below)

Pencil

Hymnal    (Look up: Amazing Grace & Grace Greater Than Our Sin)

Piano or keyboard

Handout Sheet Links (click on each sheet to download and print) 5 sheets total

       Prelude Modulation Tips (fill-in sheet)  *answer key

1. Modulating up a 5th & Whole Step (basic chord structure)

2.  Modulating up a 5th (examples)

3. Modulating Up a Whole Step (examples)

4. Modulating Up a _?___(examples)

*Nice resource for notating your modulations between songs for prelude!

Click here: Staff Post-it Notes (4 pack) 50 sheets per pad!

Great Page Protectors for Musician’s!

Non-Glare Sheet Protectors!

 Jenifer will be airing live on facebook… Thursday, November 16th at 8pm EST.

The topic will be: Modulation Tips for Prelude

Jenifer will be sharing a couple of ways she enjoys modulating from one song to the next during prelude.

Invite friends and family to tune in on November 16th at 8pm EST.  You don’t have to have a facebook account to view the session.  We will provide a link on this website for easier access on the day of the session.

Click Here to Watch Live Session Tomorrow at 8pm EST

Tune in at the link above tomorrow evening at 8pm EST… to be a part of a live facebook session for church pianists all over the world! (even as far as the Cayman Islands) 🙂

Click below to print free downloads for tomorrow’s session:

Showers-of-Blessing-example-6 8-student-version

I-Will-Sing-of-My-Redeemer-student-version

O How I Love Jesus

Modulating-Up-a-5th-Chord-Structure

Modulating-Up-a-5th

6-8-Timing-Sheet-Fill-in-Blanks

Special Note!

There may be one more sheet to download by tomorrow morning. Bring notebook paper to jot down the numerous tips you will hear sprinkled throughout this session! You’ll also want a pencil to use on the download sheets.

The critiqued version of Abide With Me is a result of my critique at the Composer’s Symposium this past summer in Atlanta.

Most of the editing was the result of a private lesson with Marty Parks.  Very thankful for his input! He shared a great pointer on how to better communicate rhythmic interpretation in written music.

(Thanks to Robert Sterling and Brad Nix for pointing out the 9 over the tuplets for clarity). I just honestly had shied away from learning how to input tuplets with Finale and FINALLY learned how! 🙂 Thanks to Joseph Martin for his overall encouragement and teaching spirit 🙂 Also, thanks to John Parker for his written comments on the arrangement!

For example, instead of a breath mark (large looking comma)…just insert a rest…makes a clearer statement. Also, NOT to show key change too early which is what I ALWAYS do! 😉 *See key change illustrations below the video.

Due to requests for the critiqued version…there are now two different arrangements of Abide With Me in our music store…the advanced original version & Critiqued version. Those who like a challenge will enjoy playing the critiqued version….which contains minor editing changes…ending with a run up the keyboard.  Listen to the critiqued version below…

 Now to show you the original and new key change correction 🙂

Original key change:

The new key change:

Need to brush up on chord theory?

I have a chord speller book by John Thompson that I use to teach my church pianist students who need to brush up on theory.

This book  provides foundational information needed for the church pianist to effectively improvise.

 Short synopsis of book:

John Thompson’s Chord-Speller

The purpose of this book is to present the Triads (including the Dominant and Diminished Seventh Chords) in a way that will enable the student to read them, write them and recognize them by sight or sound.

Having a working knowledge of  scale and chord structure will help the church pianist with improvising hymns.

If you’re interested in seeing sample pages or purchasing the book…just click on the image of the book above.

I’m always looking for simple-approach type books and this one fits the bill!  (I don’t get paid to sell this book)  🙂

This book has been around for awhile so you may find it on Ebay or Amazon.

Modulating between hymns during a prelude or other background music event can create a seamless presentation.

The absence of this art makes for a disjointed sound when going from hymn to hymn. (unless of course the songs are in the same key)  🙂

Ah….but just because the songs are in identical keys doesn’t mean the songs will always sound seamless without some type of transition. (another lesson!)

Every church pianist should try and learn the art of modulation to the best of his or her ability…in small bits at at time. For starters, learn to modulate between songs with same time signature as I have provided below.  (The modulations will feel/flow a little different in 3/4 time versus 4/4 time.)

Below is a free pdf showing how to modulate up a fifth using the chord formula: ii7 to V7 of the new key.  I’ve also shared a list of these two chords in the keys found on the free pdf of modulations.

Key of C

ii7 = D-F-A-C

 V7 = G-B-D-F

Key of G  *see visual of these 2 chords HERE

ii7=A-C-E-G

V7= D-F sharp-A-C

Key of D

ii7= E-G-B-D

V7= A-C sharp-E-G

Modulating up a Fifth Free PDF

Introduction 

Modulating during any type of prelude (church, funeral, wedding or other occasion)…creates a smooth transition between songs. Without a smooth transition between different keys, the music will sound interrupted or very abrupt.  The articles associated with this lesson and future lessons will deal with modulating to a higher key.  Modulating to a lower key can also be effective but such a topic belongs in a different set of lessons.

The modulation chord formula that works for most any key change uses the  ii7 to V7 chords of the new key.

(I personally like to use the V7 sus instead of a plain V7…but will will illustrate  at the appropriate time).

*Part two will provide a FREE pdf with several examples of modulating up a fifth. (C Major to G Major)

Keyboard visuals of the ii7 & V7 chords in the key of G Major are shown below. (The upcoming examples will cover C to G, G to D and F to C using this chord formula)

ii7 of G Major

V7 of G Major

Working on the examples now and hope to share this week!

Do modulation and transposition mean the same thing?  They ARE closely related but describe two different actions.

Modulation is the transition process (the key change itself)… that takes the pianist to the new key.

Transposition is playing a song in a different key than what’s written.

Next post will share a modulation chord that is commonly used for modulating from one key to another.

Thought I’d share a brief book review on a book I’m currently reading entitled “Playing Beyond the Notes”.

The writer communicates the different musical concepts with ample illustrations.

It’s one of those kind of books you can pick up and randomly choose a chapter of interest without losing the overall flow of the book.

A great reference book for any piano teacher, piano student or church pianist wanting to sharpen their skills in the area of music interpretation!

Click HERE to purchase or preview “Playing Beyond the Notes” by Deborah Rambo Sinn