One of my readers shared this video with me this week…of her son playing my free piano arrangement of Jesus Paid it All. I also enjoyed hearing the cello play along with it too! ( I liked how she changed registers for variety)

What a blessing to hear my music can reach as far as Romania and beyond.  🙂

So thankful God can use me through the ministry of music.

https://www.facebook.com/100011526603284/videos/262168524177366/

I just published an early intermediate sacred piano solo of “Am I a Soldier of the Cross”.  One of my male students specifically requested this song for an offertory arrangement. Knowing this hymn was rather short…I asked him if he would like a medley with this song in it but he didn’t seem interested in my suggestion….so…I had to add an interesting intro, interlude and ending just to make this arrangement last long enough 😉

You’ll notice more structure in this piece since it was written for the student in mind.

Prima Music has extended their fall festival sale to September 19th! You receive 25% discount on all their music. They even have an overstock sale going on with up to 35% off!  I’ve already found some things in the overstock bin 🙂   Free shipping but there is a small handling fee of $2.99 per order

It’s a good time for church pianists to  stock up on Christmas piano music too! I just purchased a Christmas Piano Duet book from the overstock bin which  looked interesting.  Remember….now through September 19, 2016.

I also wrote this two piano arrangement of Brethren We Have Met to Worship….years ago for the same student who played “Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy”.

We enjoyed playing this duet. Here is his younger brother playing Brethren We Have Met to Worship with one of our college students.

The simplicity of the piece benefited their minimal practice time 😉

Click on title to see sample page: Brethren We Have Met to Worship

I wrote “Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy” piano arrangement for one of my former male students who loved playing hymns in minor keys.

He’s now a college student but considers this his all-time favorite. This particular arrangement was written with the piano student in mind…along with ample finger suggestions.

You’ll notice a more structured arrangement here to aid the intermediate church pianist.

Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy

Early intermediate sacred piano solo, arranged by Jenifer Cook, 3 & 1/2 pgs. Written for the student in mind with ample fingering suggestions. Well-structured for easy learning. This piece does have a slight celtic flair. I wrote this for one of my former male piano students who LOVED hymns in minor keys. He's in college now but still considers this his all-time favorite.

Price: $3.50

I’ll be publishing a new piano arrangement this week for the early intermediate church pianist….”I Will Arise and Go to Jesus” or may be better known as “Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy”.  Which title do you suggest?  I seem to find more internet results with the title…”Come Ye Sinners Poor & Needy”.

I may place the lesser known title in parenthesis underneath the well-known title on the first page of the arrangement.

Here’s a peek at page one:

The skill of transposing is an extra plus for the church pianist if she or he is going to accompany someone to sing in their comfortable range…(another article) 😉

There is an art to finding just the right key for whomever you’re accompanying.

The following free pdf on Transposing Up a Whole Step will familiarize the church pianist on how to transpose up a whole step in a song of  3/4 time going into another song in 3/4 or the first song…different verse.

There are many factors to consider when creating a key change between two songs. For example, the first melody note of the second song determines the melodic direction of the key change.

Editor notes for Transposing Up a Whole Step: Lesson Two

1. Play measures #1,2,3 and then start another verse of Amazing Grace on 3rd beat of measure #3
2. Play measures #1, 2, and 4 and go right into Grace Greater Than Our Sin

Each line of this free pdf is identical to the first line except in different keys. Try finding hymns to use for the remaining lines of examples.

Variety tip: You can use this same transposition idea for a 3/4 hymn to a 4/4 hymn by holding the 3rd beat of the 3rd measure for 2 beats and then go into the 4/4 hymn IF the 4/4 hymn begins with a complete measure or at least the 4/4 hymn contains at least two beats at the beginning..in order for it to create a smooth sounding transition.

Clarification:  The above transposition isn’t appropriate for congregational playing because of the additional measures used to create the key change. A shorter version would be necessary for congregational singing.

However…this transposition idea works great for offertories, preludes and accompanying instrumental or vocal special.

Click on following title for free pdf download: (Let me know if you’re having printing issues with this PDF. I think it’s just my printer but note sure..it seems my margins are wacky when it prints)

Transposing Up a Whole Step Lesson Two

Transposing Up a Whole Step: Lesson One (see chord structure for the above free pdf.

The following free pdf of transposing examples will aid the church pianist in changing from one song to the next during prelude or  for background invitationals.

Keep in mind, this free pdf only  showcases the chord structure for transposing up a whole step.  A more detailed visual sheet with moving notes will follow in the next article on transposing up a whole step to a different song or same song/different verse.

Editor notes for this free pdf of transposing examples:

• Transposing up a whole steop
• 3/4 time signature hymns only
• Four examples shown in: E flat Major, F Major, G Major and A Major (each key signature is a whole step apart…one letter name higher than previous key)

Click on the title below to download the chord structure chart for transposing up a whole step for hymns in 3/4 time.

Transposing Up a Whole Step

At this point in time, I’m the only pianist at our church who plays for the special music.  Looking forward to other pianists getting involved in this area as they become more comfortable with playing in the service.

Music can pile up REALLY fast without a place to call home.  For the past several months, I’ve been using a six pocket binder that has proved VERY helpful and thought I’d share it with my readers.

I know this particular binder may not work for everyone but works great for my needs 🙂  (Binders with more than six pockets can be found on Walmart’s site)

Here’s a picture of my binder from Walmart.

Before watching this video…when you hear me mention “floppy disk”…that’s what our digital piano uses to play recordings.

Please feel free to share your own organization ideas that work for you!

I know this one took me a while but I’m especially picky with vocal arrangements…trying to get them just so for publication.

I’ll probably want to tweak it here and there over time but there’s a time where an artist’s creation must come to a close.

This particular song reminds me that my God is always watching over me. I don’t need to feel discouraged or troubled because God is my constant Friend and He cares for me!

I also plan to publish this in a lower key if there’s a need.

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Sacred vocal solo, High voice--Key of C (7 pgs.) Price covers two copies. (*not a flute arrangement :)) Plan to make one though.

Price: $6.00