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.

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

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)

Just to let my readers know I just posted a new Christmas piano arrangement at the advanced level.

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks

Advanced Christmas piano solo, 3 pgs.

Price: $3.25

Working on “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night” (early advanced piano solo).

The exciting part…I just came up with an intro and interlude that makes this arrangement long enough using only two verses!

Audio sample:  While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks