Introducing…a free piano arrangement of Amazing Grace for unison choir or congregation.  It’s nice to be able to sing parts but most congregations of small churches seem to sing unison.

Church pianists can enliven hymns such as Amazing Grace by playing with mucho enthusiasm!  I understand not every church pianist knows how to improvise from the hymnal.  It took a lot of practice for me to feel comfortable adding unseen notes while playing from the hymnal.

Improvising tip:  Grab an improvising idea from someone else’s arrangement and try applying to a similar congregational hymn with same time signature.

Stick with that one idea for a while until it becomes natural to use…then on to the next improvising idea!

Hope you enjoy this arrangement.  Since most people are very familiar with this hymn, I took more liberty with the piano accompaniment.

Warning:  This arrangement does not support the four-part style in the hymnal.

Question from a reader:

I love these ideas but at my church both piano and organ play. I find it hard to take any liberties since I am not playing alone. Any suggestions for those of us who would love to add flare to hymns but still have to keep the organist in mind?

Answer: (at least for this arrangement)  I will soon provide a free organ arrangement of this particular version of Amazing Grace.

Free PDF for Piano: Amazing Grace

Free PDF for Organ: Amazing Grace

Audio:
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Extra tip:  This arrangement could also be used as an offertory using the following suggestion:  Allow a flute or violin to play the vocal score since the piano accompaniment doesn’t contain enough melody.

I love to sing “Amazing Grace”! It reminds me of when I accepted Christ as my Saviour at the age of 29.

A quick tip for church pianists on how to enrich congregational singing…

1. Start in a lower key. The congregation sings out better in lower keys…especially if you have a congregation like ours that mainly sings melody.

2.  Modulate up a half or whole step higher on the final verse.

In the following video…we started in E flat major and ended in F Major.

The church pianist CAN add zest to congregational singing! Learn to play a hymn in different keys for added enrichment.

I will attempt to write out Amazing Grace  in a user-friendly version for congregational piano accompaniment within the next two weeks and share for FREE! (transposed verse will be included)

Click here for this FREE arrangement of Amazing Grace 🙂

The wide note range of O Holy Night makes for a challenging vocal solo!

B Flat Major seems to be a comfortable; reasonable key when singing “O Holy Night”.  Therefore, I will provide a FREE copy of O Holy Night in this key.

Keep in mind…I’ve already shared this arrangement on my free Christmas music page in the key of A flat major.  I simply transposed the same arrangement to B flat major.  The key of B flat major works great  for a male solo or duet.   Sopranos like this key too because the high notes are easier to reach.

See video below of a male vocal duet I recently played for…using the key of B flat major for O Holy Night.  Special note:  I used a different arrangement 🙂

**Click on link below video to get your FREE copy of O Holy Night in the key of B Flat Major.

Click here to download FREE copy of O Holy Night in the key of B Flat Major

And….the winner is…

Congratulations to Carolyn who won the drawing for a free copy of my Simply Christmas CD.

I just published an early advanced Christmas piano solo of “The First Noel” in the key of C Major.  This arrangement, containing two verses, would be easy to learn for the average church pianist.

The First Noel

Early advanced Christmas piano solo, 4 pgs. Approx. 1:57 min.

Price: $3.50

I plan to post a new advanced Christmas piano solo arrangement of “The First Noel” tomorrow.  This particular arrangement is also on my “Simply Christmas” Cd.   *The bell instrumentation will not be included in this arrangement.

Most of my arrangements on this CD were spontaneous… by ear.  It has been a challenge for me to put these songs into written form.  When I play by ear…I don’t always play correct/balanced harmony…so I”m forever grading/correcting myself as I see on paper what I really played.  (ouch!)

“The First Noel” has such a soothing melody.  I enjoyed putting this one down in writing 🙂

Today is your last chance to leave a comment to enter the drawing for a FREE Christmas CD…

Just thought I’d give my readers an opportunity to win a copy of my Christmas CD entitled: “Simply Christmas”.

Click here for audio samples

Rules for Giveaway of Simply Christmas CD

1. Leave a comment at bottom of this article to enter your name one time.

2. Share the link to this  giveaway on your personal blog, facebook or twitter and leave a second comment saying you did so.

This allows you to enter your name a second time in same drawing. (use my social share buttons at bottom of article for your convenience).

3. Drawing will be held on December 20, 2012 by 8pm EST

4. The winner will be notified by email the day of the drawing.

Important Information:

US Residents:  The Church Pianist will pay all shipping (media rate)

Residents outside the US:  The Church Pianist will cover up to $5 in shipping (media rate). Any shipping above $5 must be paid by winner.

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this advanced Christmas piano solo of “What Child is This”.

The style of this piece was greatly influenced by my exposure to Spanish classical music…especially in verse one…right hand broken arpeggios with left hand melody.  Enrique Granados was my favorite Spanish classical composer.

To be honest…I had a difficult time trying to figure out HOW to communicate the correct rhythm for the run in measure #35.  I know how it’s suppose to sound..but it’s another story trying to get that across to everyone else.  The run (in print)… played back the right way in my music program (Finale).

Hopefully…the following video of “What Child is This”… SHOULD be helpful.  I did include a few tips at the end of the video for the right hand run in measure #35.

Now that Thanksgiving is over…I will be working on the recording of my advanced piano solo of “What Child is This”….which will include tips for the long run on measure #35.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I look forward to sharing this video with you soon.

I just posted another new late elementary piano arrangement of “Gesu Bambino“.   This Christmas piano solo was written for one of my very industrious late beginner students several years ago and I just discovered it in my pile of files 🙂

My student really enjoyed playing this piece because of the flowing texture.

Gesu Bambino

Late elementary Christmas piano solo, 2 & 3\4 pgs. Approx. length: 1:17

Price: $3.00