As promised, I’m offering a free hymn piano arrangement today for church pianists.  The title of the hymn is “Like a River Glorious”.

This free piano arrangement can be used for prelude, congregational singing or as an offertory.

As a church pianist, I would find this arrangement most suitable for congregational singing.

Like a River Glorious (free piano hymn arrangement)

To start with…I will show you a page of hymn arrangement samples containing scales.  Scales are used to embellish a melody or simply as a fill-in.  In the following examples…both functions are utlizied.

Editor notes for Scale Variations in Hymns

Count Your Blessings  (the opening scale is added as extra filler to  an introduction)

Jesus Loves Me (the scale creates a nice dress-up for the melody)

Let the Lower Lights Be Burning (this scale creates a nice filler on the syllable “more” and blends into the next two words “But to”)

Editor Notes for final page “Practical Scale Exercises”

When trying to master technical passages in hymn arrangements…I will isolate the passage and master it.  Sometimes I create or embellish upon the passage making it more fun to practice.  Hope the following scale exercises will stimulate other church pianist’s creativity.

Practical Scale Exercises

I plan to post part three of scales in hymns by the end of this week.

Some church pianists may not understand where to insert a scale in a hymn.

Scales can be placed in several different places in a hymn.  The upcoming article will show the church pianist how to add a scale to the very first measure of a hymn!

Looking forward to sharing the examples with you!

For the past several months, I have been training one of my students to be a church pianist.  Letha will get her first opportunity to play for congregational singing this Sunday.  (Our church has two pianos in the auditorium.)

I’m excited for her!  I thought I would share us practicing one of the congregational piano arrangements entitled “Higher Ground“.

Many of you may not be familar with my background of music and what music writers influenced my life. Today, I’ll share a video featuring a couple that greatly influenced my style of music through my high school years.

Ron and Shelly Hamilton is that couple.  Shelly’s parents, Frank and Flora Jean Garlock were also a great influence.  I’m so thankful for their godly example through the years and their faithful diligence in sharing the music God gave to them.

I came across a video today that presents the testimony of the Hamiltons.  Ron went through a great trial that God used to thrust him into the music production arena that has influenced the lives of many children, including mine.

God gave Ron a song from his valley experience entitled “O Rejoice in the Lord”.  What a blessing this song has been to me and many others!  I will also share a video of him singing this song after his testimony video below.

Now….to a touching story of God’s grace…

What could possibly be so important about learning to play scales?!

Part One: Benefits to learning scales

*Mobility

*Strength

*Key recognition

(for example…if you’ve been practicing the D major scale…you will remember this scale has two sharps. When you look in a hymnal and see a hymn with two sharps at the beginning… you’ll know it’s probably D major.  (could be B minor but we won’t go there right now.) The majority of the time..it will be D major.

*Structured fingering

*Prepares the hands for complete and partial scale passages in hymn arrangements.

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Scales are more meaningful when played within a hymn arrangement.

Scales add life to a piece! Sometimes just a partial scale is used depending on what sounds best.

Learning my scales in the beginning stages of piano prepared me for different arrangements I have played through the years with technical passages. 

 In part two of the importance of scales…I will show examples of hymn arrangements containing scales and share ideas of how and where to apply scales in your own improvising.

Part three of the importance of scales will share various ways to play scales preparing the church pianist for real-life application.

 

How can the church pianist possibly benefit from playing scales?!

Do hymns even utilize scales?

In the next article… I will share why I think it’s important for every church pianist to master the scales.  While I’m at it…I’ll share ways to make scale playing more enjoyable.

Looking forward to this next article!

Accompanying the vocalist is so different from playing for congregational singing.  For the most part, a steady rhythm is maintained for congregational singing.

Not so for accompanying the vocalist. I would encourage all church pianists to sing along mentally as you play.  Doing so will prevent the pianist from rushing the vocalist.  So many vocalists over the years have expressed their concern over pianists that rush their singing…not allowing them time to breathe and freely interpret the hymn.  It’s so easy to do!  Think about it…the pianist doesn’t have to physically breathe at the end of a sentence…so he or she just moves right along…forgetting that the poor vocalist would like to breathe!  I know…I’ve been guilty many times of this very thing 🙂

Just focus on the message of the hymn and allow the singer to lead you.  I understand some vocalists feel more comfortable following the pianist.  Please encourage them to take the lead once they have learned the song; allowing them more freedom of interpretation.

In the future, I hope to provide a video with helpful tips for accompanying the vocalist.

Here is part two of the free piano hymn arrangement “In the Garden”.

This piano arrangment of “In the Garden” illustrates how the church pianist can deviate from the melody quite a bit when accompanying a vocal soloist or instrumentalist such as a violin or flute.

“In the Garden” Part One

Audio of entire arrangement: In the Garden

One of my piano students asked me today how long I had taken piano. She was surprised to hear me say…only six (accumulative) years.  I had a total of about six different piano teachers in that time frame. I thank the Lord for each one of them.

As I mentioned on my “about” page…the turning point for my hymnplaying occured for me in fifth grade. My piano teacher at the time, showed me how to double the bass in the left hand and add the tenor note to the right hand. (referring to playing from a church hymnal).

In eighth grade, another piano teacher taught me how to improvise hymns by demonstration. I would listen to her play in church and then go home and try to copy what I heard.   I loved her style so much that I just worked hard to play like her.   I’m so thankful the Lord led her my way.

The Lord called my piano teacher and her husband to another ministry two years later.  In 10th grade, the Lord led another wonderful piano teacher my way. She strenghthened me in the area of technique by assigning me classical music.  I noticed such a difference!  My finger strength increased; allowing me to move through busy note passages with greater ease. The most favorite thing she taught me was how to add runs to hymns.  What a difference it can make to add even one “run” toward the end of a hymn. I will have to share some “runs” with you in another article.

I know six years really wasn’t a long time to take piano lessons.  But….what made the difference for me was  having a reason “to practice”.  I was thrust into the position of “church pianist” in fifth grade.  Now…that was motivation!  I began practicing every choir arrangement I could get my hands on.  

I’m sure other church pianists have had similar situations where they had to fill the role of church pianist… and just learn as they went. Keep it up!  God will honor your efforts 🙂