tips, tricks and help for the church musician
Hymns as you see them in the Hymnal are written for voice. Our job in Congregational Hymn Playing is to adapt this voice arrangement to the piano. So, the first lesson in Hymn playing is to move the tenor voice to the right hand. This will mean you will be playing three voices in one hand. What […]
Congregational Hymn Playing: Part 1 Read More »
“I could never write my own music; I don’t know how you do it!” This is what I hear often when I tell people I arrange my own music. But, arranging is so much fun! Why should only a few people get to arrange? That’s why I’ve designed a course for you to learn
Using Music Notation Software Read More »
As my seven-year-old fumbled through the rhythm of her level 2 piece, I made a desperate attempt at waltzing across the room. Bang. She nailed it. What made the difference? She felt the rhythm and the song fell into place. Music is more than just notes in mathematical time. You must paint a picture by feeling the music
Did you ever wonder how people teach ear training? To a select few, this comes naturally. But the rest of us need a little help! That’s right, I’m no natural, But read on to learn the secret that helped me learn to read music without a piano nearby. When I was in uni, we learned a series of
Ear Training with Henry Read More »
Last week a visitor praised the joyful singing of our church children in the worship service. You may assume we sang something easy and child friendly, but the contrary was true. The first anthem of the morning burst forth as “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”. Brimpton Baptist Church, seating less than 80 people
Children in the Worship Service Read More »
Listening and blending with other singers was a challenge when I first arrived at choir practice a few years ago. You see, I grew up in the USA, married an Englishman, spent time in Northern Ireland picking up an awesome local accent, spent a year in the north of England, and finally moved back “home”
Blending Voices in the Volunteer Choir Read More »
Often in a volunteer choir setting, we get so tied up between notes, blending, rhythm, and breathing that we completely forget to communicate through our facial expressions. Facia espresso…what’s that? Let me give you a couple of examples.
Facial Expressions in the Volunteer Choir Read More »
There are many different styles and abilities of the Church Pianist. Some are experienced, others play only out of necessity, and I’m sure an infinite number of abilities between these two. Today I’d like to discuss the role of the smallest pianist, the child who may, if given the chance, be your very own church pianist in a few years.
The Church Pianist: Mini Version Read More »
