Just thought I’d let you all know what’s going on in my little corner of the world 🙂

I’m trying to complete the funeral collection I’ve talked about for the past 5 or so months.  The collection is almost finished!  The hymns in this funeral collection are songs of comfort..played from the heart.

We have had so many funerals this past year at our church and so these songs have been soothing to me during the arranging process.

Song list so far for this funeral collection:

Rock of Ages,  Amazing Grace, Trusting Jesus Medley, Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us…(this amounts to about 8 minutes of playing thus far).  I hope to add a couple more.

Writing has come slow for me lately but it’s flowing more now 🙂  I hope the flow continues!

I just finished the hand-written  organ accompaniment for my recent free congregational arrangement of “Amazing Grace”.  Hope to publish it for FREE by this weekend.    I even created an audio of the piano and organ part including the vocal score…turned out real nice!  Looking forward to sharing all of this soon!

Until then…may God bless you all as you seek to honor Him in your music ministry.

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 🙂

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

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.

If you are a church pianist or play specials in the church service…you know what it’s like to turn pages while playing an offertory or choir special.

You (maybe) can get by with page turns for a choir special… but not for an offertory.

How to turn pages without disrupting the flow of music?  Two solutions come to mind that I have used:  Find someone to turn pages or turn your own pages using the following tips:

1.  Memorize a few measures before and after the page turns (very helpful!)  Tip: Try highlighting the measure where you pick up reading after a page turn to avoid disorientation  🙂  Depending on the note content…it may be too tricky to turn a page a few measures before.  In that case, I memorize a little more so I can turn the page at a more convenient spot.

2.  Turn the page(s) with the hand that’s not playing the melody to maintain a logical flow

Face it…you may just have to miss a few notes with the non-melody hand to make this happen.

3.  I also turn back the corner of each page…making the page easier to grab

*I have copied pages to avoid page turns but ONLY with special permission from the publisher; so as not to infringe on copyright laws.  (I should probably devote an article on copyright laws).

If I have someone turn pages…I have them stand on my left side if at all possible…. so as not to block the congregation’s view of the person playing.

For those of us who’ve ever had “page turn” issues…I recommend the following video.  I’m just glad the girls knew their parts real well…especially the girl on the left.

I couldn’t resist sharing the next gadget that would be heavenly for any pianist!

Click here to visit Airturn, Inc. site

How many other church pianists besides myself, find it a challenge to dress-up the hymn, “Wonderful Words of Life”?  A piano friend of mine recently asked me to show her  improvising ideas for this hymn.

To be honest,  it took some thought to come up with some REALLY fresh ideas.  I hope to post a free pdf tomorrow of an improvised verse for “Wonderful Words of Life”.  It’s been fun coming up with some different moves to liven up this simple but well-written hymn.

Finally finished the “I Am Resolved” piano quartet!  Pianos 1 & 2 are more of an early intermediate level and pianos 3 & 4 are late intermediate to early advanced.

The various levels of this piano quartet brings several levels of church pianists together making for an exciting rendition of “I Am Resolved”.

We are planning to play this at our church toward the end of September.

I’m offering a great discount  for “I Am Resolved” piano quartet  now until August 22, 2012.

I Am Resolved

Early intermediate to early advanced, four pianos, 4 & 1/2 - 5 pgs. *Price covers two copies each of pianos 1 & 2 and pianos 3 & 4 Time length: Approx. 1 min. 35 sec.

Price: $5.00

One of my church pianist readers recently asked me for some help on measures 29  and 30 of the free piano arrangement for “The Old Rugged Cross”.

In measure #29…The right hand has to reposition on the second beat in order to compensate for the upcoming busy movement.  I created a quickie video demonstrating a suggested fingering to make this area feel more comfortable to the hand.

Feel free to ask for any guidance or tips on this piece or any other arrangements I’ve written.

“I Love to Tell the Story” has always been a favorite of mine.  The story to this wonderful hymn can be found at cyberhymnal.org. This particular hymn came from a rather long poem.  The first part of the poem contained at least fifty stanzas!

I’m sharing a free congregational piano arrangement of “I Love to Tell the Story” for the advanced church pianist.  This free arrangement contains a lot of full chords which is necessary for supporting congregational singing.

I apologize for not posting as often but circumstances haven’t allowed me to do so.  I always hearing from my readers. Thanks so much for your encouragement!  I love to hear how the site has been a help to you.  That’s what keeps me going 🙂

Click here to download free piano arrangement of “I Love to Tell the Story” page one

I will post the remainder of this arrangement as soon as possible.

I Love to Tell the Story page two

One of my church pianist readers recently requested that I provide some helpful tips on how to play glissandos.

One of the trickiest technical moves in my How Great Thou Art  piano arrangement is the glissando found on page four.   (Shown below)

Glissando Tips

1.  Notice the  three tenuto (line marks) under the left hand in measure 29.  These marks are pointing out the melody for the words “…then sings my…”.  Emphasize the melody and keep the glissando volume in the background (little softer than left hand).

2. The right hand begins the glissando with the index finger immediately after the left hand plays the G octave with the first tenuto (line) mark.  (It happens to be the same G as the left thumb just finished playing in the G octave).

3. Start the glissando with your right hand index finger…flipping the right hand over after the index finger starts.  The index finger and 3rd finger will glide across the keys in an upside down, horizontal position.  Once the index finger begins…the third finger will carry the brunt of the notes as you glide upward.  The index finger will act more as a support and guide for the third finger.  Just remember….the third finger is longer so it naturally has better contact of the keys.

4.  Word of caution to church pianists:  Glide across keys in a lightweight; relaxed fashion to avoid sore fingers 🙂

Visual Tips for the Glissando in How Great Thou Art