I absolutely love adding chord substitutions to hymns! Chord substitutions add extra color and variety to gospel songs which normally contain infrequent chord changes.

Would you like to learn how to revitalize hymns like “Revive Us Again”?  This particular hymn uses the same chord for at least four measures in a row!

Listen to the following audio of “Revive Us Again” with chord substitutions.

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So…what does the pianist need to know in order to add chord substitutions?

Let’s take one step at a time!

What Every Pianist Should Know BEFORE Adding Chord Substitutions:

1.  A major scale is made up of 8 notes.  For example, the C Major scale is made up of the following eight notes:  CDEFGABC

2.  So,  each note of the scale is numbered one through eight.  For example, C is one, D is two, etc.  Now…create a three note chord (triad) on each note of the scale.  Play CEG together.  We call this the one chord because it’s built on the first note of the C scale. Now play DFA together.  Yes, you’re playing the two chord in the key of C.  Finish playing the rest of the C scale based triads until you reach the following C.

Here is a picture of what you should have played so far:  C scale and then the C scale chords (triads).  *Notice, the chords are numbered with the Roman numeral system.  The upper case roman numeral indicates major chord, the lower case roman numeral indicates minor chord.  For you theory buffs, I left out the diminished symbol for the vii chord….will explain that later.

You have learned the first foundational tool needed for adding chord substitutions.  Application: Play the above scale and chords in the keys of G and F Major for ample reinforcement.  * I chose easier scales for a reason….let’s keep life simple for now 😉

Hope this lesson has been clear thus far.  Please feel free to ask any questions!

Just be patient with yourself and learn this basic step towards colorful playing!  I’ll explain more in the next post.

I have been grabbing my rare spare moments….trying to finish the “funeral collection” for church pianists!

I hope to complete it by no later than mid-March.  All the arrangements except for one have been entered in Finale.  Now the finishing touches begin such as: key changes between each song; dynamics,visible lyrics for each song to help the church pianist focus on the message of each song. Each arrangement in the funeral collection can also stand alone as an offertory.

Each piece is written in (hopefully) a simplistic yet artistic style…making it easier for the average pianist to prepare with minimal practice.  Most of the songs are in easy keys such as: C, F and G Major with the exception of at least two in the key of E flat Major.

The funeral collection will consist of at least fifteen minutes playing time.

Looking forward to publishing this collection soon!

Recently, I’ve been working on an arrangement of “Rock of Ages”.  The introduction contains what I call “weighty chords”…chords with three or more notes.  Thus, the following tip…

Scenario: A pianist sees a chord with three or more notes…(brain computes)…HEAVY touch!  Your brain thinks….I can’t possibly mash all those notes down at once without attacking them 😉   Word of caution:  Relax and apply gentle even pressure as though you’re lightly kneading dough… to avoid a “chunky” or “weighted” sound…especially when the full chords occur on the weak beats.

For example, in 4/4 time, the 1st and 3rd beats are naturally accented. Therefore the 2nd and 4th beats are weaker. In 3/4 time…only the first beat of each measure receives the accent. Why? To produce a more shapely rhythm and to avoid a mechanical/laboured sound.

The following excerpt is from an arrangement that will be included in a “Funeral Collection” which I hope to finish within the next several months. Notice the full chords in the left hand. I will give a brief demonstration of a suggested way to interpret these chords…fighting against the natural tendency of “heavy hand” treatment.

Click here for: video clip of following example

My son just shared this inspirational video with me of an unusual pianist. I just had to pass it along.

By the end of this video, we could all ask ourselves, “So…what excuse do I have for not practicing?”

Now, to a special pianist…

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.

“The Haven of Rest” is one of my favorite hymns. I usually hear this hymn performed as a vocal solo.

As a pianist, we must learn to make the text come to life by animated accompaniment…making the message even more real and meaningful.

The first verse begins with a troubled scene of a lost soul but ends with the rescue by the Saviour!

So…we begin with a mood of turmoil. I use an up and down pattern in the right hand to depict the boistrous waves of the sea.

Then…the waves suddenly grow calm…when I hear the sweet voice of my Saviour. ( Notice the movement lessens in the accompaniment.)

I just want to keep going and explain the next part of the accompaniment because the mood of happiness increases… creating a cascading wave of crescendo as Jesus floods the ‘saved’ soul with unexplainable peace!

You’ll have to wait…part two will reveal this joyous picture of salvation.

Click here for Haven of Rest (piano accompaniment~~~part one)

 

(View of run from the video of “Father’s World” excerpt)

It’s so easy to rush through a busy fill-in passage during a hymn arrangement.

If you’re like me, you think…”That’s alot of notes! I’d better play fast to make them fit in!”  So….you rip through the pretty stuff as though it were thrown in all of a sudden and listeners think…”Woah!  What was that?”

 Fill-ins and runs either enhance the melody (hopefully)…or are used to add movement during a held word.

Runs that intertwine with the melody are meant to move along at a fair pace so as not to break the flow of thought.

Slowing down for a run during a held word is appropriate. Such is the case in today’s excerpt from my arrangement entitled: “This is My Father’s World” published by Soundforth Publications (now under Lorenz Publishing)

Purchase HERE

Editor notes for video:

Wrong way: I play one speed with little emotion.

Better way:  Taking more time to feel the music in a more conversational style.

Do you ever have a hard time knowing what to play for fill-ins when improvising hymns? 

This simple, instructional video gives the beginning church pianist some easy-to-use  right hand fill-ins!

I’m just sharing an excellent website for church pianists!

The name of the website is sacredsheetmusic.com

I love this site!  You can download music in pdf format

for a modest price.  My favorite feature is the play button

on the top of the pdf sample page. I always like to ‘hear’ an

arrangement before purchase.

You can also find vocal and other instrumental arrangements!

Here’s the link to the piano duet I’m getting ready to purchase.

http://sacredsheetmusic.com/shop/catalog/images/V-P000093E.pdf

It’s an excellent offertory for me and one of my piano students.

Oh, if you are a song writer or arranger, you can also submit your

music to this website but please read the guidelines before doing so.

  Homepage link:

http://sacredsheetmusic.com/shop/catalog/index.php

Hope you enjoy the resources on this website!

Do you leave your church with no pianist when you go out of town?

Our church has two pianists….me and another lady. Occassionally, we’re

both out of town at the same time.

For some reason, our church doesn’t want to sing acapella….I think they’re

a little spoiled:)

Our church has a digital piano (Kawaii CP 155). It has recording capability to floppy disks.

I simply record music ahead of time on this piano for the congregational singing,
choir numbers, offertories and invitational songs. (each category on a separate disk).

I understand that not every church pianist has this convenience but may consider using
this idea if you have a digital piano.

So…try recording some music in advance if able for the next time your church is without a pianist.