Nothing but the Blood of Jesus uses only two chords through the entire song! (The I and V)

This hymn is crying out for “dress-ups” from the church pianist.

Here’s several ideas I use to dress up the verse of “Nothing but the Blood”.

Notice the melody of the verse contains a lot of repeated notes.  A great time to add some spice! 🙂 You can even hold a right chord through repeated notes here and there.  You’ll notice I kept the left hand moving during the right hand chords to maintain forward motion/rhythmic drive.  The following example can be used for an entire verse if repeated.

Click here for your free download of “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus” improvising ideas.

I’ve been spending a little extra time organizing our choir music at church.

We were using 1 inch notebooks that were overloaded with music!

Each notebook was divided into:

1. Choruses
2. Easy Specials
3. Arranged specials (more involved)

Our repertoire list began to grow…causing overloaded notebooks.

I removed all the arrangements from the notebook and  filed all of

our sheet music arrangements in alphabetical order in a file drawer.

We ordered 1/2 inch 3 ring notebooks and I created a simple (black & white) cover design.

Basically, the notebooks will only house what’s needed for am & pm Sunday services.

We have a very small classroom designated for the choir and don’t have the space to hang

wall storage of any kind…so we are making use of the file cabinet which already exists.

Our music repertoire is limited but expanding 🙂

Feel free to share how your choir keeps their music organized.

Many of you have purchased my advanced or real advanced arrangement of “Abide With Me”

Someone recently requested I share fingering suggestions for measure #30. Another tip about this measure…I take it slow enough to handle the excessive movement in the left hand.

*See video below to hear measures #22 through #30  (time marker 1:01-1:26) It will give you a better idea of how this transitional section flows into the new key.

How many of you church pianists besides myself grab the hymnal just before service to figure out a few prelude songs to play?

That works for me ONLY because I’ve been around awhile and and have memorized many hymns over time.  Seriously, it’s best to prepare in advance…at least before heading to church.

I try to play within a certain theme such as: comfort, peace, joy, thankfulness, salvation, etc.

One of my readers recently emailed me asking if I would provide a categorized list of songs for prelude possibilities.

I also got to thinking….how nice it would be to write/arrange these preludes.

For starters, I’ll share the suggested prelude lists by topic.  (Please note: Approx. 5 to 6 minute per prelude) if each song is played two times.

Click here to print the Prelude by Topic List.

My Dad, Reece Yandle, has several songs published through Lorenz and Sheet Music Plus.

Here’s one of my favorites that Dad has written. A great Easter solo or anytime of the year really.

Click on following title: When I Looked Up to the Cross

For church pianists in the early intermediate level….here’s a piano congregational of “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne” that I barely squeezed in for this Christmas.

Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne

Early intermediate Christmas piano congregational, 1 & 1/4 pgs. Key of C One verse and chorus with 1st & 2nd ending. *Compatible for mostly unison singing

Price: $1.75

Click on image to view sample pages

Easy-to-Play-Christmas-Congregationals-One

NEW: Click on image to view samples: Early intermediate Christmas piano congregational arrangements, 21 pgs. Due to numerous requests, Jenifer has created these easy-to-play piano congregationals...requiring minimal practice from the church pianist. Song list: Angels We Have Heard on High, Away in a Manger, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, The First Noel, What Child is This. *Special note: Angels We Have Heard on High contains a nice key change for last verse. *No introductions are provided but the pianist can easily create their own by playing last few measures of arrangement for the intro.

Price: $14.00

I’m selling a Christmas piano book entitled “Prepare Him Room” advanced arrangements by Dan Forrest.
It retails for $19.95 and I’m selling it for $15 (includes postage). The book is brand new.

Orders please within the continental US only. Contact me via email at: jenifer@thechurchpianist.com

SAMPLE PAGES HERE

I actually wrote this intermediate version of “In the Bleak Midwinter” last year and had forgotten about it.

A year ago…one of my students had requested an intermediate version of my advanced version of “In the Bleak Midwinter”.

Here’s the result of that request….

In the Bleak Midwinter

Intermediate Christmas piano solo, 3 pgs. This is a more simplified arrangement of Jenifer's advanced edition of "In the Bleak Midwinter" Jenifer wrote this at the request of one of her intermediate level students.

Price: $3.00

Just to remind my readers:

Black Friday Special on my “Simply Christmas CD” now until midnight tonight (EST)

$7 per CD (shipping included)