Because of the role music plays in the church service, the offertory must be selected with care. Think about where the solo will occur in the order of worship. Are you following a lively choral anthem that will lead right into the congregational worship? Will the offering follow a generally somber prayer for the needs of the congregants? If you find yourself in a church without a strong liturgical tradition as I do, the positioning of the offertory may be altered weekly. There are few scenarios worse than a grandiose arrangement that follows a quiet time of meditation. Without advance thought and planning, you can sometimes find yourself in an awkward situation.

Additionally, it is important to think about your congregation. An uber-contemporary church may not respond to a classical setting of your favorite hymn. In contrast, the latest praise and worship chorus is probably not the best option for a high liturgical service. Most of us probably find ourselves somewhere in the middle of these two extremes – in what is commonly referred to as a blended service. In these settings, the choices become more difficult and more exciting as well. How often have you tried to find a great arrangement that blends a contemporary chorus with a traditional hymn without giving the impression that one of the pieces is more important or, worse still, more holy? There are a few arrangers today who are doing just these type of settings, but they are few and far between, generally demanding extreme technical facility as well.

More often, I find myself looking for arrangements of hymns that are approached with harmonic and rhythmic freshness. My current congregation is a multi-generational group with eclectic tastes in music. I have quickly accepted the fact that I will never please everyone present with my selections. Because I have so many preferences in my congregation, I get to explore some unusual settings. Some of our favorites are jazz settings of hymns such as Leaning on the Everlasting Arms and a complex harmonic treatment of Great is Thy Faithfulness. I didn’t begin using these unusual arrangements immediately though; just as with all other areas of ministry, as the congregation develops trust in you as a music minister (for that is what every church pianist should strive to be), they will also extend that trust to your musical selectivity.

Here are a few closing thoughts on making your weekly offertory a highlight of the weekly service for those that you serve.

Select pieces weekly in an attitude of prayer. All too often we forget that our solo will be a part of the worship service. We can simply choose to provide pretty background music while the important activity of collecting the congregation’s cash is performed. I think the better decision – and the one for which we strive – is to play music that is anointed by the Holy Spirit to aid those who are hearing as they worship in the act of giving.

Always have a few selections that you can fall back on. We’ve all been in the situation where the week got too hectic and our preparation time suffered. Perhaps the scheduled soloist became ill at the last minute, making the planned offertory less than desirable. Having a few selections in your back pocket gives you some flexibility whenever the need arises to make a last minute substitution. Use them sparingly though or they will become part of the normal rotation and you’ll find yourself in need of some new fall-backs.

Don’t sacrifice beauty for showmanship. Have you ever listened to a church pianist play a solo only to later ask “What WAS that song?” The arpeggios are beautiful and the tricky scale passages are impressive, but if they get in the way of the music’s message, we’re taking the focus off of the One we are to worship and shining the spotlight directly on ourselves. (Ouch…is anyone else feeling the sting of those toes that were just stepped on?)

NEVER attempt to play beyond your technical abilities! As a musician, I am all for stretching myself and continuously developing my technique. The worship service is not a practice hall, though. Just as bad as shining the spotlight on how beautifully we play is presenting a glaring example of an ill-prepared solo as part of a worship service. I am not in competition with the pianist at the church across the street, so I don’t have to attempt to play as beautifully as she does. I just have to bring my musical offering to the Heavenly Father each week as a loving sacrifice that brings Him honor and my worship. When we try out that new arrangement that is just a bit too difficult (or – Heaven forbid – completely beyond our skills) we risk interrupting the flow of the service and distracting the congregation from their worship.

Always play for the Audience of One. This is the last point on my list because I believe it is the most important one. All that I am as a Christian, a musician, and a person is because of Jesus. It is a wonderful feeling to have an audience respond to beautiful playing with appreciative applause – and, let me add, there is nothing wrong with receiving these accolades! Scripture teaches us to give honor to whom it is due. More than anything though, I want the applause of Heaven that comes as I play for the audience of One – the One who gave His all that I might have life. He is the source of the music and our constant goal should be that our music bring attention only to His grace, mercy, and greatness.

Do I get tired of trying to find a new piece each week? Of course! Like everyone else, I have a core set of arrangements that I rotate through. But the blessing of sharing my gift with God’s people outweighs the long rehearsals. Occasionally, God opens doors because of our obedience as well. A few years ago, the congregation provided an opportunity to professionally record some of my favorite arrangements. In July, I will have the chance to sit down in the studio again and record two new CDs – one for Christmas, the other songs of praise and thanks.

Happy playing!
Kennith

A graduate of the University of Memphis (M.M. and D.M.A.) and Pepperdine University (B.A.), Dr. Kennith Freeman is an active pianist. A native Arkansan, Freeman is currently a member of two chamber ensembles: the Cox-Freeman Duo and the 3-D Trio. In addition to his performing schedule, Dr. Freeman is a member of the music faculty at Mid-South Community College in West Memphis and serve as Director of Music and Children’s Ministries at Abundant Grace Ministries in Collierville, Tennessee. Follow his thoughts about all aspects of collaborative piano and church music at http://freemanpiano.blogspot.com/

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Now that your arms and legs are flying in all directions, the pressure is on and although you are working very hard at every opportunity, you are still finding it difficult to keep up with the requirements of the job.

So what do you do next – how can you make the transition to the organ, keep your sanity and still give a good account of yourself on a Sunday?

When I first started to play the organ at church, my biggest worry was that I would make myself look stupid. Surrounded by people who would tell me how brilliant the organist was in the church down the road, and how if they had a bit more time, would take on the job themselves, I thought I was playing to a congregation of retired organists!

After a time, I realized that some people do tend to exaggerate and that I was the most eligible candidate for the job because I was the only person who could play the piano to any degree of proficiency. However, I also realized that I would only accomplish the transition from pianist to organist if I could play to my own expectation, which at the beginning was higher than was practical.

The first tip I would give to someone in a similar position is to play easy music well – not difficult music badly. People listening to organ music, or any music for that matter, cannot usually tell if the music is hard or easy to play, but most people do know if there are any mistakes. Playing easier pieces will also make the transition easier.

The next tip I would give is to learn to play the bass pedals. It may seem very difficult at first, but organ playing, especially hymn playing, becomes easier when the feet can contribute to the sound and you don’t have to rely solely on the hands and manuals. The pedals are often the most difficult hurdle when changing from piano to organ and it can feel like playing two instruments at the same time! Hymn playing is harmonic – based on chords – so if you can think of your feet as an extension of your hands so that your mind gets used to including the bass pedals in the chord structure, playing pedals in hymns should become a more natural process.

Lastly, be realistic about what is achievable, from yourself and the choir, and set yourself a practice schedule that you can stick to. Being too ambitious about the time you can give or the level of music you can play will probably result in disappointment. It is also encouragement that you need if you are to make the transition from pianist to church organist.

Nick Chenhall has been a musician and teacher for over thirty years and runs his own Reluctant Organist website with practical advice on how to survive the post.

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While early traditions of the church are sometimes seen as far different from modern practices, congregational singing was always an important element in the early church. From the earliest days of the church, the practice of singing psalms has taken place. To a large degree, psalm singing is a carry-over from synagogues. The elementary form grew from the practice of morning and evening prayers. Over the years, the styles of psalm singing have changed as cultures as well as musical tastes have evolved throughout time. In the last few years, the practice of singing has experienced a strong resurgence. One of the primary events that led to this resurgence occurred when Latin gave way to vernacular within the church. As a result, new settings needed to be composed. This was an important change within the tradition because it then made it possible for the congregation to take part in singing the psalms in a more meaningful way. That tradition of singing has carried over into modern times. Today, singing within the church is considered to be a favored part of worship. Depending on the nature of the hymn, singing within the church can allow the congregation to express the various moods of worship.

The Pope has said that singing in choir and receiving choir training can provide an education in peace as well as in life. He pointed out that when worshippers sing together, the practice commands the attention of each person so that they are able to walk together in peace.

This is exhibited in stunning clarity when The Priests perform together. In fact, when The Priests were receiving vocational training in Rome, their unique and combined talent was discovered and truly appreciated for the first time. The group, which had already sung together for many years, was chosen by the private secretary of the Pope to perform for him. They then went on to perform in the Vatican choir. Although the group later returned to Ireland to serve in different parishes, they have continued their love of singing and have continued to perform together.

Today, the Priests are continuing the long tradition of singing in the Catholic Church. Their ability to share their amazing combined talent and their unique expression of favorite hymns will be greatly broadened when their debut album is released this coming fall. Although the tradition has not historically included seeing priests become recording artists, this move will no doubt provide great benefit to the church.

Peter Ruppert is an avid fan of catholic hymns. Find out more about Catholic Hymns on the official The Priests website

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This saying comes from a banner that hangs next to the band set-up at our church. It’s absolutely true. What you play and what you sing are your prayer as well as your witness. What you convey when you play church guitar says more about you than words could ever say.

Whether you are learning to play church guitar right now, or if you are adapting “secular” guitar playing to fit into sacred music, you are not very far away from performing the music you love. Many of the old Spirituals, such as “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”, as well as the hymns, such as “Amazing Grace” have very easy chord structures and the music is simple to play and/or sing. There is not a lot of adapting that needs to take place with these old and simple songs; if you have played Folk, Rhythm and Blues, or early Rock and Roll, you have played variations of these songs for years.

The biggest adaptation you need to put in place, if you are already a guitar player, is that a church guitar needs to be a little quieter. If you play electric guitar, you will want to put away the reverb and “heavier” settings for now. Church songs are played slower and quieter, in nearly every application. Happy songs still have a level of respect that the adapting musicians need to understand.

If you are joining an already formed group, you will easily be able to feel the group’s “groove”; what style of songs they like to play, their favorite songs, etc. If you are forming a group of church guitars for the first time, there needs to be some understanding of each other before you can start strumming. What, for example, is the level of emotion for this band? Some folks love to jump and shout for the Lord, others are more reserved. Who leads, and the style of leadership, is something that needs to be understood from the beginning.

Find Out More About How to Play Church Guitar? Get Professional Lessons On How to Play Guitar Here.

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God has given us talents to sing his praises and playing guitar for the church is one of the greatest ways to glorify God. There are several well known duets, solo artists and even bands that go from church to church playing gospel music for God’s glory. You too can learn guitar for god praising.

I’ve had the honor of playing in a band while singing in a few churches and I know there’s no greater feeling than to be blessed with the knowledge that you had blessed others with your music. Whether you’re an experienced guitarist or you’re just starting out, God will inspire you to play guitar for worship. By asking Jesus Christ to come into your heart, you would have made a commitment to bless others. This would make one start to appreciate the life that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for in a different light.

In modern days, several churches have their own sounds systems built in with microphones and amplifiers. The acoustics are pretty amazing in the sanctuary of the church and provide a rich and clear sound. One important tip is that you should choose the most appropriate songs that will bless the majority of people in your congregation. Another tip is to make sure you pick songs you will be the comfortable playing and singing at the same time.

Practice and learn everything you can about playing the guitar and the different major guitar chords. You can play several church gospel hymns with only three guitar chords and a few gospel songs with as little as two guitar chords. Once you learned the basic chord progressions of songs, you should then practice those songs over and over to make them perfect. Finally, be sure to record yourself and listen to the recordings for any improvements that need to be made. This will help you polish up your skills in playing worship guitar. Have lots of fun while you learn guitar for praise!

Find Out More About Learn Church Guitar? Get Professional Lessons On How to Play Guitar Here.

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Several types of Chorale Church Music exist. Specific notice is deserved to the ancient-Roman songs of the VII-VIII centuries. Information from the Lorana Institute and Greek research into choral traditions of L. Anhelopulocs show a united modal, rhythmic and ornamental basis. These actual chants were placed into the foundation of Gregorian chorals until the VIII-IX centuries until the systematic Gregorian eight-toned foundational singing arose. In the East this process ceased a century earlier (Eight Tones of St. John Damascene), in time the Gregorian chorale became the basis of all European professional music and its rightful name should be “The Musical Teacher of Europe”.

In the “Liturgy of Peace” the Greek Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in the Church-Slavonic language is “dressed “by the author in the melodies of ancient Gregorian chorals with minimal adaptation of harmonious methods. That way, and through the one thousand year old alienation of Church culture the “Liturgy of Peace” creates a musical synthesis of both cultures: firstly, and again the meeting of western and eastern liturgical traditions. After more than three centuries of domination of eastern Slavonic Divine Liturgies in its concert style of music, the “Liturgy of Peace” is received and accepted as something un-expected. Its uplifting “awakening -angelic” and lulling intonations carry peace and harmony, giving birth to passion, as though uniting us with the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why it is no coincidence that it is titled: “Litany of Peace”, “Angelic”. “Liturgy of Peace” is the spiritual fruit of many years of reflection and the seekings of Archbishop Ionafan as to the way to Universal Peace, which is so necessary today in our uncertain lives.

The author dedicates the “Liturgy of Peace” to the eternal memory of his spiritual guardian Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) the eminent religious champion and upholder of Christian unity and Peace.

Archbishop Ionafan (Anatolij Ivanovych Yeletskyh) was born in Russia on the 30th January 1949 in the Voronezkij oblast (now Bilhorodska). In 1976 he graduated from the Leningrad Theological Academy (now St. Petersburg) attaining the learned level of Candidate of Theological Learning. Simultaneously, he studied choral directorship at the Theological Academy under the tutorage and in the classes of N.D.Uspenskij, a famous music expert and doctor of Theology and liturgical historian. For ten years Archbishop Ionafan lectured at the Theological Academy and within the department of Choral Directorship where he directed the student choir in the seminary church. In 1986 and prior to 1,000 years of Christianity of Kyivan Rus, and under the directorship of the then Hieromonk Ionafan (Yeletskyh) the student choir of the Leningrad In 1988 Archbishop Ionafan – the then Vicar of the Kyiv Pechersk monastery of the Caves in its God-serving rites revived the traditions of monastic singing.

The musical activity of Archbishop lonafan supplements the multifarious foundational recovery, restoration and deciphering of ancient-Ukrainian church melodies of the XVI century, the epoch of its ancient methods being the priceless spiritual inheritance of a great Slavonic culture. The Lyturgy was first performed and  recorded by Kyiv Chamber Choir.

About the Author

Origen Music

Because of the different influences that the youth are exposed into, they are easily acquiring the curiosity of engaging into learning music. It may not exactly be reading musical notes and the other formal stuff regarding such, but at least, something highly relevant to it like playing musical instruments or simply singing.

Before, people, specially the youth, viewed Music, a subject in their primary and secondary schooling, as a conservative and boring one. With lots of different bits and pieces that should be memorized and understood without knowing their use and purpose, music then had been a vague and dull form of school activity to do.

Perhaps, the reason is that they relate music with “church” where they usually hear the hymns and praises when they were kids. They thought music should be solemnly expressed all the time.

As these young people aged up, they began to realize how interesting music could be far from what they used to perceive. From all the different genres and styles, they found a match. I am truly glad to say that finally, they are now fascinated with music learning as well as music teaching.

Many are aware that music centers began to spring suddenly nowadays. People look for formal lessons and their aim is, of course, to learn music. They also want to develop the talents they believe they are blessed with.

Music teaching is definitely an issue when talking about learning music. Aside from being considered as something pretty difficult and tedious, many believe that it requires lots of effort, patience, and passion in doing so.

However, with the kinds of trends, technology and methods that we have right now, music teaching has become less complicated. Indeed, different resources and tools are made readily available to be an aid to anyone who has interests in music teaching. It may be through various means like seeking the help and guidance of music enthusiasts and experts, enrolling in various learning centers, reading music-related books, availing advanced music gadgets, or browsing the web.

Music teaching has been both the career and passion of many musically inclined individuals around the globe. Thus, schools of music spring forth worldwide, paving the way for music enthusiasts for greater opportunities globally. That is how powerful music and music teaching can be.

About the Author

Music Teacher

As an organ lover and someone who enjoys singing, I do love Church Music, You know hymns and carols. It is very easy to shut your eyes and imagine singing the hymn as you play (And yes, I often play with my eyes shut. I will cover that in the near future).

The organ with its wealth of Flutes or Tibias, is the one instrument that can add much variance to the melodies of the music of the church. Use of Reverb, Chorus/ Chorale/ Lesle Speaker/ Tremelo, with fast or slow speeds can bring life to the music as you play. Sustain, and a really deep Bass Pedal sound also fills it out nicely.

The dynamics of expression pedal use can change a quite opening to a crescendo by the finish or lower the volume of a verse for example in, Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem, where we sing “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given”.

If you need to add a little bit of, Church Singers, Folk Singer  or Gospel, style to it, then it is so much easier on your modern compact instrument, than trying to do that from the original huge, Church Pipe organ.

My own favourite hymn, is  “The Lord’s My Shepherd.” The current video is a straight Camera Recording, and not directly through the computer, but I am sure that you will make allowances for the lower sound quality as The Canon Video Camera struggles with the 300 watt Multi Speakered Technics GX5 Organ.

Do not be afraid of playing church music in your own way, as that is how you develop style. Never forget that “Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory” is also “John Browns Body”, and I”I Vow To Thee My Country” is also “Jupiter” from the “Planet Suite” by Gustav Holtz.

More articles soon -

Bye for now,
Robin

Robin Melling loves to help people and by using his knowledge of family life, teaching, design, sales, writing, entertainment, music, disaster management and voluntary work. For his personal music performances and further help, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/2009RobinC where he also welcomes requests for pieces of music you would like him to play.

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Exposed:

Even though a praise band is a group, there is usually only one person playing each instrument and maybe a couple a singers, but even the singers usually are singing different harmonies. So, everyone in the band is exposed. There is no cover from other musicians. If the base player hits the wrong notes, then it’s very obvious. If the drummer can’t keep a steady beat, not only is that usually apparent to the congregation, but it usually makes the rest of the band mess up as well. So, unlike the choirs of the past, with a band, it’s not so easy to not care if someone can’t sing or play well.

The Big Problem:

Church people are “nice”. That’s not necessarily true for everyone, but as a whole, church people tend to not want to hurt people’s feelings. My question is whether that’s really being “nice”. Personally, I don’t think allowing someone to humiliate themselves in public is very nice. I have a theory that most of the people who try out for American Idol who stink try out because people at their church told them they were good and should try out. Perhaps in some cases congregation members who have not music training may not realize how bad a performance is because they don’t have the trained, critical ear of a musician, but I think in most cases, the people are just trying to be “nice”. Maybe what they are really doing is trying to avoid their own discomfort, but you can be honest about a person’s lack of musical ability without being mean.

The Other Big Problem:

Musicians are arrogant, stubborn, and opinionated. Just kidding…or am I? A while back we had an issue with some of the musicians in my church. I was talking to a friend about it and he said they have an expression in their church, “They’re an artist.” It’s not an insult, but more of an understanding. True artists tend to be passionate and very personal about their art. So, they can come off seeming arrogant, stubborn, or very opinionated. Whatever you want to call it, the passion can cause for some difficult issues. The truth is that most church music programs (and drama programs) have issues because of this, more so than other ministries of the church.

Two Perspectives:

So, let’s say that as a band leader, you have overcome the need to be “nice” and have realized you can actually tell someone when they aren’t very good. When do you do that? Sure, if you have a congregation of 1000, you probably have several good musicians for every instrument. You could probably even hold auditions. However, if you have a congregation of 100, your options are limited. You may not have people experienced with certain instruments or musical accessories. From my experience, your decision of who can be in the band (based on skill) depends on your perspective of what the band is for:

1. One perspective is that the band is leading worship and with the congregation in mind, the goal is to have as much quality to the music as possible.

2. Another perspective is that the band plays the role of an outreach or a way for members to be involved in the church. The goal is to include people.

These are two opposing perspectives. With the first perspective, if someone isn’t very good, they will not be allowed to play in the band. The band may even do without some instruments or singers in order to make sure that all those involved are skilled and the music is good. It’s an exclusive group. With the second perspective, being an inclusive group is the goal, so people who have little musical skill or experience are allowed to join the group. The music quality may suffer (and probably will), but people get to be involved and feel more a part of the church.

What’s The Right Approach?

So, which of the two approaches to the church music is best? I don’t know. I think its decision you have to make for your church. Church’s with smaller congregations may not have much choice if they want to have a band. They may just have to take what they can get. So, your congregation situation may determine which approach you take. Whichever approach you decide on, there are two things you should not do.

1. Don’t let your decision to have your band be more inclusive be because you just don’t have the spine to tell someone they aren’t very good. Make the decision before you start the band and be honest with each other.

2. Don’t let arrogance creep into the group. There’s no room for the “I’m not playing if they are in the group” attitudes. You can be a skilled musician and be humble.

There is also one thing you should do. Always remember that this is a service for the Lord and keep a servant’s heart. Servant doesn’t mean pushover or spineless, but it is a humble attitude and a desire to provide the best you can do.

Francis Beaudry is currently the conductor of two orchestras. He is a writer and arranger and has published musical works for choir and orchestra. In addition he is the president of TheMaxZone.net, an online musical accessories superstore offering instrument accessories, musical accessories, and more.

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This means that instead of relying solely on the music in front of your face you have beneath your skilled fingers and in your head fill in notes, other chords, and different chord progressions to bring about the sound that will portray the message of the song you are playing.

To do this you need to be most aware of certain parts of music theory and how it all fits together in the music you play. Yes there are some that play  skillfully by ear without knowing how to read a note of music but there are many more of us who need to read our notes, understand what we are doing with them and have a few lessons under our belt to be better pianists.

If you don’t know most hymnals are created for singers not pianists. The notes guide the different singers as to how high or low their voice is to be. This comes across as very dull and mundane when translated on the piano.

Enter Greg Howlett’s Inspirational Improvisation: A Nine Step Approach to Becoming a Versatile Church Pianist DVD Course.

A detailed straightforward nine lesson DVD program designed most particularly to help church pianists improvise hymns and Praise and Worship songs at the piano.

The lesson program includes

* 5 DVDs each containing one to two piano improvisation lessons.
* 1 Lesson Study Guide to follow along and takes notes of what is happening on your DVD player.

The best part of these piano lessons is that instead of just showing you how he improvises one song Greg uses nine detailed piano lessons to help you become more proficient at improvising your own songs.

In my years of attempting to improve my own piano playing for church (because we are always learning) this is an omission that I found increasingly frustrating and something that l was always looking for. The concrete steps and theory rules that guided me to work with those hymnal songs and change them from that of of the mundane to having more feeling and giving across the message of the song.

These piano lessons are not for beginners. Inspirational Improvisation is listed for intermediate to advanced pianists. You should have a grasp of basic music theory, know all your 12 major scales and be able to read and play both clefs (treble and bass, or F and G) of the grand staff.

Be prepared to spend some working time at the piano. At least 20 to 30 minutes a night. Each lesson should take you about a month to have a mastery of (I’m on week two and three and this is about right).

The improvisation skills you will learn with this DVD program are not limited to one particular style. The knowledge you will learn will allow you to add beautiful meaning and feeling to any song you play.

I’ve been enjoying my lessons for a little less than a month now and I have seen nice improvement in not only my playing but my ability to improvise the music I am playing. Not that I look for this because truly I attempt to blend into the background when playing at church but I have had some very positive comments too.

In my own experience the organized format of each lesson is almost as important and as helpful as the information itself.

In the study guide you get an overview of what you will learn in each lesson, any charts that are needed and your homework assignment.

The introduction of the study guide also repeats the information you will receive on the introduction of the DVD as to how to use this course, how long it will take you, what you will learn and how you will learn.

As a piano playing adult having these very organized and detailed piano lessons is a great bonus.

I have been willing to pay plenty of money for one day church music workshops with less than half of this information.

You can purchase Inspirational Improvisation: A Nine Step Approach to Becoming a Versatile Church Pianist directly from Greg Howlett’s website here

K Quinn has been a church pianist for 15+ years. Continually calling herself a struggling church musician you can visit her website at The Struggling Church Musician for more church musician tools and tips.

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