Monday, August 12, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Music Grading - LDS Hymn Book
One piano, 341 songs--a surprising number of which I am unfamiliar with even though I have been LDS my whole life--several hours of spare time and voila: another list of music graded by relative difficulty! These songs are from the 1985 official LDS hymnal. As always, this is a subjective list and not intended to be the final word.
LDS Hymns often follow very formulaic patterns. Some of the challenges associated with playing hymns include the fact that they are almost always written in four parts and include many difficult or impossible left-hand intervals (since they are written for organ, not piano). Many songs on the list below can be made much easier simply by eliminating a few of the more challenging notes.
EASIEST
3 - Now Let Us Rejoice
6 - Redeemer of Israel
14 - Sweet Is the Peace the Gospel Brings
19 - We Thank Thee, O God, for Prophet
33 - Our Mountain Home So Dear
34 - O Ye Mountains High
38 - Come, All Ye Saints of Zion
44 - Beautiful Zion, Built Above
59 - Come, O Thou King of Kings
67 - Glory to God on High
84 - Faith of Our Fathers
98 - I Need Thee Every Hour
109 - The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare
116 - Come, Follow Me
117 - Come unto Jesus
137 - Testimony
141 - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
142 - Sweet Hour of Prayer
144 - Secret Prayer
145 - Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire
152 - God Be with You Till We Meet Again
153 - Lord, We Ask Thee Ere We Part
156 - Sing We Now at Parting
167 - Come, Let Us Sing an Evening Hymn
180 - Father in Heaven, We Do Believe
195 - How Great the Wisdom and the Love
196 - Jesus, Once of Humble Birth
204 - Silent Night
234 - Jesus, Mighty King in Zion
237 - Do What Is Right
239 - Choose the Right
247 - We Love Thy House, O God
258 - O Thou Rock of Our Salvation
294 - Love at Home
302 - I Know My Father Lives
303 - Keep the Commandments
304 - Teach Me to Walk in the Light
306 - God's Daily Care
MODERATELY EASY
4 - Truth Eternal
7 - Israel. Israel, God is Calling
16 - What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
20 - God of Power, God of Right
21 - Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice
23 - We Ever Pray for Thee
26 - Joseph Smith's First Prayer
28 - Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah
29 - A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
30 - Come, Come, Ye Saints
31 - O God, Our Help in Ages Past
36 - They, the Builders of the Nation
39 - O Saints of Zion
41 - Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise
42 - Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded
45 - Lead Me into Life Eternal
47 - We Will Sing of Zion
49 - Adam-ondi-Ahman
50 - Come, Thou Glorious Day of Promise
52 - The Day Dawn Is Breaking
53 - Let Earth's Inhabitants Rejoice
55 - Lo, the Mighty God Appearing!
57 - We're Not Ashamed to Own Our Lord
58 - Come, Ye Children of the Lord
1 - The Morning Breaks
5 - High on the Mountain Top
8 - Awake and Arise
9 - Come, Rejoice
10 - Come, Sing to the Lord
15 - I Saw a Mighty Angel Fly
17 - Awake, Ye Saints of God, Awake!
18 - The Voice of God Again Is Heard
22 - We Listen to a Prophet's Voice
24 - God Bless Our Prophet Dear
27 - Praise to the Man
35 - For the Strength of the Hills
40 - Arise, O Glorious Zion
42 - Hail to the Brightness of Zion's Glad Morning!
46 - Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
48 - Glorious Things Are Sung of Zion
51 - Sons of Michael, He Approaches
54 - Behold, the Mountain of the Lord
63 - Great King of Heaven
64 - On This Day of Joy and Gladness
66 - Rejoice, the Lord is King!
69 - All Glory, Laud, and Honor
70 - Sing Praise to Him
72 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
73 - Praise the Lord with Heart and Voice
74 - Praise Ye the Lord
78 - God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand
79 - With All the Power of Heart and Tongue
81 - Press Forward, Saints
83 - Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah
86 - How Great Thou Art
89 - The Lord Is My Light
90 - From All That Dwell below the Skies
93 - Prayer of Thanksgiving
94 - Come, Ye Thankful People
95 - Now Thank We All Our God
100 - Nearer, My God, to Thee
103 - Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer
104 - Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me
108 - The Lord Is My Shepherd
111 - Rock of Ages
113 - Our Savior's Love
124 - Be Still, My Soul
127 - Does the Journey Seem Long?
129 - Where Can I Turn for Peace?
131 - More Holiness Give Me
132 - God Is in His Holy Temple
134 - I Believe in Christ
135 - My Redeemer Lives
136 - I Know That My Redeemer Lives
146 - Gently Raise the Sacred Strain
149 - As the Dew from Heaven Distilling
151 - We Meet, Dear Lord
157 - Thy Spirit, Lord, Has Stirred Our Souls
158 - Before Thee, Lord, I Bow My Head
161 - The Lord Be with Us
162 - Lord, We Come before Thee Now
163 - Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
164 - Great God, to Thee My Evening Song
166 - Abide with Me!
169 - As Now We Take the Sacrament
170 - God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray
172 - In Humility, Our Savior
174 - While of These Emblems We Partake
175 - O God, the Eternal Father
177 - 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
178 - O Lord of Hosts
179 - Again, Our Dear Redeeming Lord
181 - Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King
183 - In Remembrance of Thy Suffering
185 - Reverently and Meekly Now
186 - Again We Meet around the Board
190 - In Memory of the Crucified
191 - Behold the Great Redeemer Die
192 - He Died! The Great Redeemer Died
193 - I Stand All Amazed
194 - There Is a Green Hill Far Away
198 - That Easter Morn
202 - Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
203 - Angels We Have Heard on High
205 - Once in Royal David's City
207 - It Came upon the Midnight Clear
208 - O Little Town of Bethlehem
209 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
213 - The First Noel
216 - We Are Sowing
218 - We Give Thee But Thine Own
219 - Because I Have Been Given Much
222 - Hear Thou Our Hymn, O Lord
226 - Improve the Shining Moments
227 - There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today
228 - You Can Make the Pathway Bright
229 - Today, While the Sun Shines
230 - Scatter Sunshine
231 - Father, Cheer Our Souls Tonight
232 - Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
233 - Nay, Speak No Ill
235 - Should You Feel Inclined to Censure
236 - Lord, Accept into Thy Kingdom
238 - Behold Thy Sons and Daughters, Lord
240 - Know This, That Every Soul Is Free
242 - Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
244 - Come Along, Come Along
246 - Onward, Christian Soldiers
248 - Up, Awake, Ye Defenders of Zion
252 - Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
253 - Like Ten Thousand Legions Marching
257 - Rejoice! A Glorious Sound Is Heard
259 - Hope of Israel
260 - Who's on the Lord's Side?
263 - Go Forth with Faith
2 - The Spirit of God
11 - What Was Witnessed in the Heavens?
12 - 'Twas Witnessed in the Morning Sky
13 - An Angel from on High
25 - Now We'll Sing with One Accord
32 - The Happy Day at Last Has Come
37 - The Wintry Day, Descending to Its Close
56 - Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning
68 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
71 - With Songs of Praise
88 - Great God, Attend While Zion Sings
91 - Father, Thy Children to Thee Now Raise
97 - Lead, Kindly Light
101 - Guide Me to Thee
105 - Master, the Tempest Is Raging
110 - Cast Thy Burden upon the Lord
112 - Savior, Redeemer of My Soul
114 - Come unto Him
118 - Ye Simple Souls Who Stray
122 - Though Deepening Trials
126 - How Long, O Lord Most Holy and True
130 - Be Thou Humble
138 - Bless Our Fast, We Pray
148 - Sabbath Day
154 - Father, This Hour Has Been One of Joy
155 - We Have Partaken of Thy Love
159 - Now the Day is Over
160 - Softly Now the Light of Day
189 - O Thou, Before the World Began
212 - Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains
214 - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
215 - Ring Out, Wild Bells
223 - Have I Done Any Good?
243 - Let Us All Press On
251 - Behold! A Royal Army
255 - Carry On
256 - As Zion's Youth in Latter Days
262 - Go, Ye Messengers of Glory
271 - Oh, Holy Words of Truth and Love
275 - Men Are That They Might Have Joy
276 - Come Away to the Sunday School
277 - As I Search the Holy Scriptures
284 - If You Could Hie to Kolob
298 - Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth
310 - A Key Was Turned in Latter Days (Women)
340 - The Star-Spangled Banner
MOST DIFFICULT
62 - All Creatures of Our God and King
82 - For All the Saints
120 - Lean on My Ample Arm
121 - I'm a Pilgrim, I'm a Stranger
168 - As the Shadows Fall
197 - O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown
200 - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
249 - Called to Serve
254 - True to the Faith
323 - Rise Up, O Men of God (Men's Choir)
325 - See the Mighty Priesthood Gathered (Men's Choir)
236 - Come, Come, Ye Saints (Men's Choir)
372 - Go, Ye Messengers of Heaven (Men's Choir)
328 - An Angel from on High (Men's Choir)
329 - Thy Servants Are Prepared (Men's Choir)
330 - See, the Mighty Angel Flying (Men's Choir)
331 - Oh Say, What is Truth? (Men's Choir)
332 - Come, O Thou King of Kings (Men's Choir)
333 - High on the Mountain Top (Men's Choir)
334 - I Need Thee Every Hour (Men's Choir)
335 - Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy (Men's Choir)
336 - School Thy Feelings (Men's Choir)
337 - O Home Beloved (Men's Choir)
LDS Hymns often follow very formulaic patterns. Some of the challenges associated with playing hymns include the fact that they are almost always written in four parts and include many difficult or impossible left-hand intervals (since they are written for organ, not piano). Many songs on the list below can be made much easier simply by eliminating a few of the more challenging notes.
EASIEST
3 - Now Let Us Rejoice
6 - Redeemer of Israel
14 - Sweet Is the Peace the Gospel Brings
19 - We Thank Thee, O God, for Prophet
33 - Our Mountain Home So Dear
34 - O Ye Mountains High
38 - Come, All Ye Saints of Zion
44 - Beautiful Zion, Built Above
59 - Come, O Thou King of Kings
67 - Glory to God on High
84 - Faith of Our Fathers
98 - I Need Thee Every Hour
109 - The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare
116 - Come, Follow Me
117 - Come unto Jesus
137 - Testimony
141 - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
142 - Sweet Hour of Prayer
144 - Secret Prayer
145 - Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire
152 - God Be with You Till We Meet Again
153 - Lord, We Ask Thee Ere We Part
156 - Sing We Now at Parting
167 - Come, Let Us Sing an Evening Hymn
180 - Father in Heaven, We Do Believe
195 - How Great the Wisdom and the Love
196 - Jesus, Once of Humble Birth
204 - Silent Night
234 - Jesus, Mighty King in Zion
237 - Do What Is Right
239 - Choose the Right
247 - We Love Thy House, O God
258 - O Thou Rock of Our Salvation
294 - Love at Home
302 - I Know My Father Lives
303 - Keep the Commandments
304 - Teach Me to Walk in the Light
306 - God's Daily Care
MODERATELY EASY
4 - Truth Eternal
7 - Israel. Israel, God is Calling
16 - What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold
20 - God of Power, God of Right
21 - Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice
23 - We Ever Pray for Thee
26 - Joseph Smith's First Prayer
28 - Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah
29 - A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
30 - Come, Come, Ye Saints
31 - O God, Our Help in Ages Past
36 - They, the Builders of the Nation
39 - O Saints of Zion
41 - Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise
42 - Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded
45 - Lead Me into Life Eternal
47 - We Will Sing of Zion
49 - Adam-ondi-Ahman
50 - Come, Thou Glorious Day of Promise
52 - The Day Dawn Is Breaking
53 - Let Earth's Inhabitants Rejoice
55 - Lo, the Mighty God Appearing!
57 - We're Not Ashamed to Own Our Lord
58 - Come, Ye Children of the Lord
60 - Battle Hymn of the Republic
61 - Raise Your Voices to the Lord
65 - Come, All Ye Saints Who Dwell on Earth
75 - In Hymns of Praise
76 - God of Our Fathers, We Come unto Thee
77 - Great Is the Lord
80 - God of Our Fathers, Known of Old
85 - How Firm a Foundation
87 - God Is Love
92 - For the Beauty of the Earth
96 - Dearest Children, God Is Near You
99 - Nearer, Dear Savior, to Thee
102 - Jesus, Lover of My Soul
106 - God Speed the Right
107 - Lord, Accept Our True Devotion
115 - Come, Ye Disconsolate
119 - Come, We That Love the Lord
123 - Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee
125 - How Gentle God's Commands
128 - When Faith Endures
133 - Father in Heaven
139 - In Fasting We Approach Thee
140 - Did You Think to Pray?
143 - Let the Holy Spirit Guide
147 - Sweet Is the Work
150 - O Thou Kind and Gracious Father
165 - Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide
171 - With Humble Heart
173 - While of These Emblems We Partake
176 - 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
182 - We'll Sing All Hail to Jesus' Name
184 - Upon the Cross of Calvary
187 - God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son
188 - Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done
199 - He Is Risen!
201 - Joy to the World
206 - Away in a Manger
210 - With Wondering Awe
211 - While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
217 - Come, Let Us Anew
220 - Lord, I Would Follow Thee
221 - Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd
224 - I Have Work Enough to Do
225 - We Are Marching On to Glory
241 - Count Your Blessings
245 - This House We Dedicate to Thee
250 - We Are All Enlisted
261 - Thy Servants Are Prepared
266 - The Time Is Far Spent
268 - Come, All Whose Souls Are Lighted
270 - I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go
273 - Truth Reflects upon Our Senses
278 - Thanks for the Sabbath School
282 - We Meet Again in Sabbath School
283 - The Glorious Gospel Light Has Shone
285 - God Moves in a Mysterious Way
286 - Oh, What Songs of the Heart
289 - Holy Temples on Mount Zion
292 - O My Father
296 - Our Father, by Whose Name
299 - Children of Our Heavenly Father
301 - I Am a Child of God
307 - In Our Lovely Deseret
308 - Love One Another
309 - As Sisters in Zion (Women)
314 - How Gentle God's Commands (Women)
315 - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Women)
316 - The Lord Is My Shepherd (Women)
319 - Ye Elders of Israel (Men)
322 - Come, All Ye Sons of God (Men)
339 - My Country, 'Tis of Thee
341 - God Save the King
MODERATELY DIFFICULT140 - Did You Think to Pray?
143 - Let the Holy Spirit Guide
147 - Sweet Is the Work
150 - O Thou Kind and Gracious Father
165 - Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide
171 - With Humble Heart
173 - While of These Emblems We Partake
176 - 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
182 - We'll Sing All Hail to Jesus' Name
184 - Upon the Cross of Calvary
187 - God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son
188 - Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done
199 - He Is Risen!
201 - Joy to the World
206 - Away in a Manger
210 - With Wondering Awe
211 - While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
217 - Come, Let Us Anew
220 - Lord, I Would Follow Thee
221 - Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd
224 - I Have Work Enough to Do
225 - We Are Marching On to Glory
241 - Count Your Blessings
245 - This House We Dedicate to Thee
250 - We Are All Enlisted
261 - Thy Servants Are Prepared
266 - The Time Is Far Spent
268 - Come, All Whose Souls Are Lighted
270 - I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go
273 - Truth Reflects upon Our Senses
278 - Thanks for the Sabbath School
282 - We Meet Again in Sabbath School
283 - The Glorious Gospel Light Has Shone
285 - God Moves in a Mysterious Way
286 - Oh, What Songs of the Heart
289 - Holy Temples on Mount Zion
292 - O My Father
296 - Our Father, by Whose Name
299 - Children of Our Heavenly Father
301 - I Am a Child of God
307 - In Our Lovely Deseret
308 - Love One Another
309 - As Sisters in Zion (Women)
314 - How Gentle God's Commands (Women)
315 - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Women)
316 - The Lord Is My Shepherd (Women)
319 - Ye Elders of Israel (Men)
322 - Come, All Ye Sons of God (Men)
339 - My Country, 'Tis of Thee
341 - God Save the King
1 - The Morning Breaks
5 - High on the Mountain Top
8 - Awake and Arise
9 - Come, Rejoice
10 - Come, Sing to the Lord
15 - I Saw a Mighty Angel Fly
17 - Awake, Ye Saints of God, Awake!
18 - The Voice of God Again Is Heard
22 - We Listen to a Prophet's Voice
24 - God Bless Our Prophet Dear
27 - Praise to the Man
35 - For the Strength of the Hills
40 - Arise, O Glorious Zion
42 - Hail to the Brightness of Zion's Glad Morning!
46 - Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
48 - Glorious Things Are Sung of Zion
51 - Sons of Michael, He Approaches
54 - Behold, the Mountain of the Lord
63 - Great King of Heaven
64 - On This Day of Joy and Gladness
66 - Rejoice, the Lord is King!
69 - All Glory, Laud, and Honor
70 - Sing Praise to Him
72 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
73 - Praise the Lord with Heart and Voice
74 - Praise Ye the Lord
78 - God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand
79 - With All the Power of Heart and Tongue
81 - Press Forward, Saints
83 - Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah
86 - How Great Thou Art
89 - The Lord Is My Light
90 - From All That Dwell below the Skies
93 - Prayer of Thanksgiving
94 - Come, Ye Thankful People
95 - Now Thank We All Our God
100 - Nearer, My God, to Thee
103 - Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer
104 - Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me
108 - The Lord Is My Shepherd
111 - Rock of Ages
113 - Our Savior's Love
124 - Be Still, My Soul
127 - Does the Journey Seem Long?
129 - Where Can I Turn for Peace?
131 - More Holiness Give Me
132 - God Is in His Holy Temple
134 - I Believe in Christ
135 - My Redeemer Lives
136 - I Know That My Redeemer Lives
146 - Gently Raise the Sacred Strain
149 - As the Dew from Heaven Distilling
151 - We Meet, Dear Lord
157 - Thy Spirit, Lord, Has Stirred Our Souls
158 - Before Thee, Lord, I Bow My Head
161 - The Lord Be with Us
162 - Lord, We Come before Thee Now
163 - Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
164 - Great God, to Thee My Evening Song
166 - Abide with Me!
169 - As Now We Take the Sacrament
170 - God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray
172 - In Humility, Our Savior
174 - While of These Emblems We Partake
175 - O God, the Eternal Father
177 - 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
178 - O Lord of Hosts
179 - Again, Our Dear Redeeming Lord
181 - Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King
183 - In Remembrance of Thy Suffering
185 - Reverently and Meekly Now
186 - Again We Meet around the Board
190 - In Memory of the Crucified
191 - Behold the Great Redeemer Die
192 - He Died! The Great Redeemer Died
193 - I Stand All Amazed
194 - There Is a Green Hill Far Away
198 - That Easter Morn
202 - Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
203 - Angels We Have Heard on High
205 - Once in Royal David's City
207 - It Came upon the Midnight Clear
208 - O Little Town of Bethlehem
209 - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
213 - The First Noel
216 - We Are Sowing
218 - We Give Thee But Thine Own
219 - Because I Have Been Given Much
222 - Hear Thou Our Hymn, O Lord
226 - Improve the Shining Moments
227 - There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today
228 - You Can Make the Pathway Bright
229 - Today, While the Sun Shines
230 - Scatter Sunshine
231 - Father, Cheer Our Souls Tonight
232 - Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
233 - Nay, Speak No Ill
235 - Should You Feel Inclined to Censure
236 - Lord, Accept into Thy Kingdom
238 - Behold Thy Sons and Daughters, Lord
240 - Know This, That Every Soul Is Free
242 - Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
244 - Come Along, Come Along
246 - Onward, Christian Soldiers
248 - Up, Awake, Ye Defenders of Zion
252 - Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
253 - Like Ten Thousand Legions Marching
257 - Rejoice! A Glorious Sound Is Heard
259 - Hope of Israel
260 - Who's on the Lord's Side?
263 - Go Forth with Faith
264 - Hark, All Ye Nations!
265 - Arise, O God, and Shine
267 - How Wondrous and Great
269 - Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth
272 - Oh Say, What Is Truth?
274 - The Iron Rod
279 - Thy Holy Word
280 - Welcome, Welcome, Sabbath Morning
281 - Help Me Teach with Inspiration
287 - Rise, Ye Saints, and Temples Enter
288 - How Beautiful Thy Temples, Lord
290 - Rejoice, Ye Saints of Latter Days
291 - Turn Your Hearts
293 - Each Life That Touches Ours for Good
295 - O Love That Glorifies the Son
297 - From Homes of Saints Glad Songs Arise
300 - Families Can Be Together Forever
305 - The Light Divine
297 - From Homes of Saints Glad Songs Arise
300 - Families Can Be Together Forever
305 - The Light Divine
311 - We Meet Again As Sisters (Women)
312 - We Ever Pray for Thee (Women)
313 - God Is Love (Women)
317 - Sweet Is the Work (Women)
318 - Love at Home (Women)
320 - The Priesthood of Our Lord (Men)
321 - Ye Who Are Called to Labor (Men)
324 - Rise Up, O Men of God (Men)
338 - America the Beautiful
MORE DIFFICULT312 - We Ever Pray for Thee (Women)
313 - God Is Love (Women)
317 - Sweet Is the Work (Women)
318 - Love at Home (Women)
320 - The Priesthood of Our Lord (Men)
321 - Ye Who Are Called to Labor (Men)
324 - Rise Up, O Men of God (Men)
338 - America the Beautiful
2 - The Spirit of God
11 - What Was Witnessed in the Heavens?
12 - 'Twas Witnessed in the Morning Sky
13 - An Angel from on High
25 - Now We'll Sing with One Accord
32 - The Happy Day at Last Has Come
37 - The Wintry Day, Descending to Its Close
56 - Softly Beams the Sacred Dawning
68 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
71 - With Songs of Praise
88 - Great God, Attend While Zion Sings
91 - Father, Thy Children to Thee Now Raise
97 - Lead, Kindly Light
101 - Guide Me to Thee
105 - Master, the Tempest Is Raging
110 - Cast Thy Burden upon the Lord
112 - Savior, Redeemer of My Soul
114 - Come unto Him
118 - Ye Simple Souls Who Stray
122 - Though Deepening Trials
126 - How Long, O Lord Most Holy and True
130 - Be Thou Humble
138 - Bless Our Fast, We Pray
148 - Sabbath Day
154 - Father, This Hour Has Been One of Joy
155 - We Have Partaken of Thy Love
159 - Now the Day is Over
160 - Softly Now the Light of Day
189 - O Thou, Before the World Began
212 - Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains
214 - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
215 - Ring Out, Wild Bells
223 - Have I Done Any Good?
243 - Let Us All Press On
251 - Behold! A Royal Army
255 - Carry On
256 - As Zion's Youth in Latter Days
262 - Go, Ye Messengers of Glory
271 - Oh, Holy Words of Truth and Love
275 - Men Are That They Might Have Joy
276 - Come Away to the Sunday School
277 - As I Search the Holy Scriptures
284 - If You Could Hie to Kolob
298 - Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth
310 - A Key Was Turned in Latter Days (Women)
340 - The Star-Spangled Banner
MOST DIFFICULT
62 - All Creatures of Our God and King
82 - For All the Saints
120 - Lean on My Ample Arm
121 - I'm a Pilgrim, I'm a Stranger
168 - As the Shadows Fall
197 - O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown
200 - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
249 - Called to Serve
254 - True to the Faith
323 - Rise Up, O Men of God (Men's Choir)
325 - See the Mighty Priesthood Gathered (Men's Choir)
236 - Come, Come, Ye Saints (Men's Choir)
372 - Go, Ye Messengers of Heaven (Men's Choir)
328 - An Angel from on High (Men's Choir)
329 - Thy Servants Are Prepared (Men's Choir)
330 - See, the Mighty Angel Flying (Men's Choir)
331 - Oh Say, What is Truth? (Men's Choir)
332 - Come, O Thou King of Kings (Men's Choir)
333 - High on the Mountain Top (Men's Choir)
334 - I Need Thee Every Hour (Men's Choir)
335 - Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy (Men's Choir)
336 - School Thy Feelings (Men's Choir)
337 - O Home Beloved (Men's Choir)
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Music Grading - LDS Primary Children's Songbook
I spent the past week playing through the LDS Primary Children's songbook (last updated in 2000), rating each piece by relative difficulty. Here are the results!
EASIEST
6 - Thanks to Thee
10 - Thank Thee for Everything
18 - I Need My Heavenly Father
19 - Heavenly Father, Now I Pray
20 (bottom) - Thanks to Our Father
21 (top) - For Health and Strength
23 (top) - Father Up Above
23 (bottom) - Heavenly Father, While I Pray
30 (bottom) - Our Chapel Is a Sacred Place
39 - Little Jesus
42 - Away in a Manger
55 - Jesus Once Was a Little Child
59 - Jesus Loved the Little Children
61 - Jesus Said Love Everyone
104 - I Like My Birthdays
107 - Listen, Listen
118 - Book of Mormon Stories
122 (bottom) - The Second Article of Faith
127 - The Eighth Article of Faith
145 (bottom) - Kindness Begins with Me
150 (top) - I'm Glad to Pay a Tithing
150 (bottom) - I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth
151 - I Am Glad for Many things
167 - Go the Second Mile
196 - Saturday
197 (top) - A Happy Helper
198 (top) - A Happy Family
198 (bottom) - When We're Helping
206 (top) - Mother Dear
206 (bottom) - Dearest Mother, I Love You
210 - Daddy's Homecoming
220 - The Handcart Song
229 - God Is Watching Over All
233 - The World Is So Lovely
234 - Because God Loves Me
235 - The World Is So Big
237 - The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden
238 - Springtime Is Coming
240 - In the Leafy Treetops
241 (top) - Birds in the Tree
241 (bottom) - Rain Is Falling All Around
243 - Little Seeds Lie Fast Asleep
248 - Falling Snow
249 - Once There Was a Snowman
252 - Lift Up Your Voice and Sing
253 (top) - Sing a Song
253 (bottom) - Fun to Do
254 (top) - Hello, Friends!
255 - Come with Me to Primary
261 - Here We Are Together
262 - Friends Are Fun
266 - If You're Happy
267 (top) Smiles
267 (bottom) - A Smile Is like the Sunshine
274 - Roll Your Hands
275 (top) - Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
276 (bottom) - To Get Quiet
278 - Stand Up
284 (bottom) - Have a Very Happy Birthday!
MODERATELY EASY
2 - I Am a Child of God
7 - I Thank Thee, Dear Father
11 - I'm Thankful to Be Me
16 - Children All over the World
20 (top) - A Song of Thanks
22 (bottom) - A Prayer
25 (bottom) - I Love to Pray
26 - Reverently, Quietly
26 (bottom) - We Are Reverent
28 (bottom) - I Will Try to Be Reverent
29 - Father, I Will Reverent Be
30 (top) - This Is God's House
31 - Reverence Is Love
36 - Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus
37 - Stars Were Gleaming
40 (bottom) - The Shepherd's Carol
41 - Once within a Lowly Stable
47 - Sleep, Little Jesus
50 - Picture a Christmas
51 - Have a Very Merry Christmas!
52 - The Nativity Song
56 - I Think When I Read That Sweet Story
58 - Little Lambs So White and Fair
66 - Hosanna
70 - Jesus Has Risen
71 - To Think about Jesus
73 (top) - Before I Take the Sacrament
73 (bottom) - Help Us, O God, to Understand
77 - The Church of Jesus Christ
86 (bottom) - The Golden Plates
92 - The Hearts of the Children
94 - Family History--I am Doing It
99 - Help Me, Dear Father
103 - When I Am Baptized
105 - The Holy Ghost
114 - The Books in the Old Testament
116 - The Books in the New Testament
122 (top) - The First Article of Faith
123 - The Third Article of Faith
125 - The Fifth Article of Faith
126 (top) - The Sixth Article of Faith
126 (bottom) - The Seventh Article of Faith
128 (top) - The Ninth Article of Faith
130 - The Eleventh Article of Faith
132 - The Thirteenth Article of Faith
145 (top) - A Special Gift Is Kindness
146 - Keep the Commandments
149 - I Believe in Being Honest
152 - Hum Your Favorite Hymn
155 - Remember the Sabbath Day
156 - The Chapel Doors
157 - When I Go to Church
158 - Dare to Do Right
159 - Stand for the Right
160 - Choose the Right Way
161 - I Pledge Myself to Love the Right
189 - Family Prayer
192 - Home
193 - Sing Your Way Home
195 - Family Night
197 (bottom) - Quickly I'll Obey
199 - I Have a Family Tree
200 - Grandmother
201 - When Grandpa Comes
203 - My Mother Dear
204 - Mother, Tell Me the Story
207 - Mother, I Love You
208 - The Dearest Names
209 - Fathers
211 - My Dad
214 - Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked
218 - To Be a Pioneer
219 - The Oxcart
221 - Covered Wagons
224 - My Country
225 - My Flag, My Flag
230 - I Think the World is Glorious
231 - All Things Bright and Beautiful
232 - Beauty Everywhere
236 - "Give," Said the Little Stream
239 - Because It's Spring
242 - Popcorn Popping
244 - Little Purple Pansies
245 - Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime?
246 - It's Autumntime
247 - Autumn Day
254 (bottom) Our Door Is Always Open
258 - Our Primary Colors
259 - We're All Together Again
260 - Hello Song
263 - We Are Different
264 - Happy Song
270 - Two Happy Feet
271 - I Wiggle
272 - I Have Two Little Hands
273 - My Hands
276 - Do As I'm Doing
277 - Hinges
279 - Oh, How We Love to Stand
280 - Health, Wealth, and Wise
281 - The Wise Man and the Foolish Man
283 - Your Happy Birthday
284 (top) - Happy, Happy Birthday
285 - You've Had a Birthday
MODERATELY DIFFICULT
4 - I Lived in Heaven
8 - Father, We Thank Thee for the Night
14 - I Pray in Faith
15 - If with All Your Hearts
22 (top) - A Prayer Song
24 - Thank Thee, Father
25 (top) - We Bow Our Heads
27 (top) - Reverence
28 (top) I Want to Be Reverent
38 - When Joseph Went to Bethlehem
40 (top) - There Was Starlight on the Hillside
44 - Mary's Lullaby
46 - Who Is the Child?
48 - Oh, Hush Thee, My Baby
54 - Christmas Bells
57 - Tell Me the Stories of Jesus
60 - Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
64 - Did Jesus Really Live Again?
68 - Easter Hosanna
74 - I Feel My Savior's Love
78 - I'm Trying to Be like Jesus
86 (top) - An Angel Came to Joseph Smith
90 - Truth from Elijah
95 - I Love to See the Temple
96 - Faith
97 - God's Love
108 - Seek the Lord Early
119 - The Books in the Book of Mormon
124 - The Fourth Article of Faith
128 (bottom) - The Tenth Article of Faith
131 - The Twelfth Article of Faith
135 - Our Bishop
136 - Love One Another
140 - I'll Walk With You
142 - Every Star Is Different
144 - Shine On
153 - The Lord Gave Me a Temple
154 - The Word of Wisdom
164 - I Will Follow God's Plan
168 - I Want to Be a Missionary Now
170 - The Things I Do
172 - We'll Bring the World His Truth
174 - Called to Serve
176 - Tell Me, Dear Lord
177 - Teach Me to Walk in the Light
180 - How Dear to God Are Little Children
188 - Families Can Be Together Forever
190 - Love Is Spoken Here
194 - The Family
202 - I Often Go Walking
215 - Pioneer Children Were Quick to Obey
216 - Little Pioneer Children
217 - Westward Ho!
222 - Whenever I Think about Pioneers
228 - My Heavenly Father Loves Me
256 - We Welcome You
265 - Be Happy!
268 - Two Little Eyes
269 - I Have Two Ears
288 - Impromptu
289 - To a Wild Rose
290 - Each Sunday Morning
292 (top) - Loving Shepherd
MORE DIFFICULT
5 - I Know My Father Lives
9 - Can a Little Child like Me?
12 - A Child's Prayer
21 (bottom) - For Thy Bounteous Blessings
65 - He Died That We Might Live Again
72 - The Sacrament
76 - This Is My Beloved Son
80 - Had I Been a Child
82 - When He Comes Again
88 - On a Golden Springtime
98 - Repentance
102 - When Jesus Christ Was Baptized
106 - The Still Small Voice
109 - Search, Ponder, and Pray
110 - Follow the Prophet
120 - Nephi's Courage
134 - Latter-day Prophets
138 - Where Love Is
148 - I Want to Live the Gospel
163 - I Am Like a Star
166 - A Young Man Prepared
169 - I Hope They Call Me on a Mission
178 - Teacher, Do You Love Me?
282 - Feliz Cumpleanos
291 - In Quietude
293 - My Heart Ever Faithful
295 - O Rest in the Lord
298 - Prelude in F
299 - Distant Bells
MOST DIFFICULT
34 - He Sent His Son
62 - Beautiful Savior
87 - The Sacred Grove
89 - The Priesthood Is Restored
100 - Baptism
112 - The Commandments
162 - I Will Be Valiant
182 - How Will They Know?
292 - Morning Prayer
294 - Andante
296 - Air from Orpheus
297 - Supplication
EASIEST
6 - Thanks to Thee
10 - Thank Thee for Everything
18 - I Need My Heavenly Father
19 - Heavenly Father, Now I Pray
20 (bottom) - Thanks to Our Father
21 (top) - For Health and Strength
23 (top) - Father Up Above
23 (bottom) - Heavenly Father, While I Pray
30 (bottom) - Our Chapel Is a Sacred Place
39 - Little Jesus
42 - Away in a Manger
55 - Jesus Once Was a Little Child
59 - Jesus Loved the Little Children
61 - Jesus Said Love Everyone
104 - I Like My Birthdays
107 - Listen, Listen
118 - Book of Mormon Stories
122 (bottom) - The Second Article of Faith
127 - The Eighth Article of Faith
145 (bottom) - Kindness Begins with Me
150 (top) - I'm Glad to Pay a Tithing
150 (bottom) - I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth
151 - I Am Glad for Many things
167 - Go the Second Mile
196 - Saturday
197 (top) - A Happy Helper
198 (top) - A Happy Family
198 (bottom) - When We're Helping
206 (top) - Mother Dear
206 (bottom) - Dearest Mother, I Love You
210 - Daddy's Homecoming
220 - The Handcart Song
229 - God Is Watching Over All
233 - The World Is So Lovely
234 - Because God Loves Me
235 - The World Is So Big
237 - The Prophet Said to Plant a Garden
238 - Springtime Is Coming
240 - In the Leafy Treetops
241 (top) - Birds in the Tree
241 (bottom) - Rain Is Falling All Around
243 - Little Seeds Lie Fast Asleep
248 - Falling Snow
249 - Once There Was a Snowman
252 - Lift Up Your Voice and Sing
253 (top) - Sing a Song
253 (bottom) - Fun to Do
254 (top) - Hello, Friends!
255 - Come with Me to Primary
261 - Here We Are Together
262 - Friends Are Fun
266 - If You're Happy
267 (top) Smiles
267 (bottom) - A Smile Is like the Sunshine
274 - Roll Your Hands
275 (top) - Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
276 (bottom) - To Get Quiet
278 - Stand Up
284 (bottom) - Have a Very Happy Birthday!
MODERATELY EASY
2 - I Am a Child of God
7 - I Thank Thee, Dear Father
11 - I'm Thankful to Be Me
16 - Children All over the World
20 (top) - A Song of Thanks
22 (bottom) - A Prayer
25 (bottom) - I Love to Pray
26 - Reverently, Quietly
26 (bottom) - We Are Reverent
28 (bottom) - I Will Try to Be Reverent
29 - Father, I Will Reverent Be
30 (top) - This Is God's House
31 - Reverence Is Love
36 - Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus
37 - Stars Were Gleaming
40 (bottom) - The Shepherd's Carol
41 - Once within a Lowly Stable
47 - Sleep, Little Jesus
50 - Picture a Christmas
51 - Have a Very Merry Christmas!
52 - The Nativity Song
56 - I Think When I Read That Sweet Story
58 - Little Lambs So White and Fair
66 - Hosanna
70 - Jesus Has Risen
71 - To Think about Jesus
73 (top) - Before I Take the Sacrament
73 (bottom) - Help Us, O God, to Understand
77 - The Church of Jesus Christ
86 (bottom) - The Golden Plates
92 - The Hearts of the Children
94 - Family History--I am Doing It
99 - Help Me, Dear Father
103 - When I Am Baptized
105 - The Holy Ghost
114 - The Books in the Old Testament
116 - The Books in the New Testament
122 (top) - The First Article of Faith
123 - The Third Article of Faith
125 - The Fifth Article of Faith
126 (top) - The Sixth Article of Faith
126 (bottom) - The Seventh Article of Faith
128 (top) - The Ninth Article of Faith
130 - The Eleventh Article of Faith
132 - The Thirteenth Article of Faith
145 (top) - A Special Gift Is Kindness
146 - Keep the Commandments
149 - I Believe in Being Honest
152 - Hum Your Favorite Hymn
155 - Remember the Sabbath Day
156 - The Chapel Doors
157 - When I Go to Church
158 - Dare to Do Right
159 - Stand for the Right
160 - Choose the Right Way
161 - I Pledge Myself to Love the Right
189 - Family Prayer
192 - Home
193 - Sing Your Way Home
195 - Family Night
197 (bottom) - Quickly I'll Obey
199 - I Have a Family Tree
200 - Grandmother
201 - When Grandpa Comes
203 - My Mother Dear
204 - Mother, Tell Me the Story
207 - Mother, I Love You
208 - The Dearest Names
209 - Fathers
211 - My Dad
214 - Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked
218 - To Be a Pioneer
219 - The Oxcart
221 - Covered Wagons
224 - My Country
225 - My Flag, My Flag
230 - I Think the World is Glorious
231 - All Things Bright and Beautiful
232 - Beauty Everywhere
236 - "Give," Said the Little Stream
239 - Because It's Spring
242 - Popcorn Popping
244 - Little Purple Pansies
245 - Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime?
246 - It's Autumntime
247 - Autumn Day
254 (bottom) Our Door Is Always Open
258 - Our Primary Colors
259 - We're All Together Again
260 - Hello Song
263 - We Are Different
264 - Happy Song
270 - Two Happy Feet
271 - I Wiggle
272 - I Have Two Little Hands
273 - My Hands
276 - Do As I'm Doing
277 - Hinges
279 - Oh, How We Love to Stand
280 - Health, Wealth, and Wise
281 - The Wise Man and the Foolish Man
283 - Your Happy Birthday
284 (top) - Happy, Happy Birthday
285 - You've Had a Birthday
MODERATELY DIFFICULT
4 - I Lived in Heaven
8 - Father, We Thank Thee for the Night
14 - I Pray in Faith
15 - If with All Your Hearts
22 (top) - A Prayer Song
24 - Thank Thee, Father
25 (top) - We Bow Our Heads
27 (top) - Reverence
28 (top) I Want to Be Reverent
38 - When Joseph Went to Bethlehem
40 (top) - There Was Starlight on the Hillside
44 - Mary's Lullaby
46 - Who Is the Child?
48 - Oh, Hush Thee, My Baby
54 - Christmas Bells
57 - Tell Me the Stories of Jesus
60 - Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
64 - Did Jesus Really Live Again?
68 - Easter Hosanna
74 - I Feel My Savior's Love
78 - I'm Trying to Be like Jesus
86 (top) - An Angel Came to Joseph Smith
90 - Truth from Elijah
95 - I Love to See the Temple
96 - Faith
97 - God's Love
108 - Seek the Lord Early
119 - The Books in the Book of Mormon
124 - The Fourth Article of Faith
128 (bottom) - The Tenth Article of Faith
131 - The Twelfth Article of Faith
135 - Our Bishop
136 - Love One Another
140 - I'll Walk With You
142 - Every Star Is Different
144 - Shine On
153 - The Lord Gave Me a Temple
154 - The Word of Wisdom
164 - I Will Follow God's Plan
168 - I Want to Be a Missionary Now
170 - The Things I Do
172 - We'll Bring the World His Truth
174 - Called to Serve
176 - Tell Me, Dear Lord
177 - Teach Me to Walk in the Light
180 - How Dear to God Are Little Children
188 - Families Can Be Together Forever
190 - Love Is Spoken Here
194 - The Family
202 - I Often Go Walking
215 - Pioneer Children Were Quick to Obey
216 - Little Pioneer Children
217 - Westward Ho!
222 - Whenever I Think about Pioneers
228 - My Heavenly Father Loves Me
256 - We Welcome You
265 - Be Happy!
268 - Two Little Eyes
269 - I Have Two Ears
288 - Impromptu
289 - To a Wild Rose
290 - Each Sunday Morning
292 (top) - Loving Shepherd
MORE DIFFICULT
5 - I Know My Father Lives
9 - Can a Little Child like Me?
12 - A Child's Prayer
21 (bottom) - For Thy Bounteous Blessings
65 - He Died That We Might Live Again
72 - The Sacrament
76 - This Is My Beloved Son
80 - Had I Been a Child
82 - When He Comes Again
88 - On a Golden Springtime
98 - Repentance
102 - When Jesus Christ Was Baptized
106 - The Still Small Voice
109 - Search, Ponder, and Pray
110 - Follow the Prophet
120 - Nephi's Courage
134 - Latter-day Prophets
138 - Where Love Is
148 - I Want to Live the Gospel
163 - I Am Like a Star
166 - A Young Man Prepared
169 - I Hope They Call Me on a Mission
178 - Teacher, Do You Love Me?
282 - Feliz Cumpleanos
291 - In Quietude
293 - My Heart Ever Faithful
295 - O Rest in the Lord
298 - Prelude in F
299 - Distant Bells
MOST DIFFICULT
34 - He Sent His Son
62 - Beautiful Savior
87 - The Sacred Grove
89 - The Priesthood Is Restored
100 - Baptism
112 - The Commandments
162 - I Will Be Valiant
182 - How Will They Know?
292 - Morning Prayer
294 - Andante
296 - Air from Orpheus
297 - Supplication
Saturday, June 8, 2013
The 3 Biggest Values of Adult Piano Lessons
This post was written by Dan Starr, a friend of mine who teaches piano lessons in Arizona. He also teaches online lessons and has written several insightful e-books. Check out his web site at www.danstarr.com for more great info!
The 3 Biggest Values of Adult Piano Lessons
It's Worthwhile for a Variety of Good Reasons - Here's Only Three!
1. It's a wonderful, fun hobby that you can pursue for your entire lifetime.
Now, some folks like to play for others and some don't, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that your new ability, your new hobby, can give you a lifetime of sheer enjoyment for almost no money at all. Sure, you'll have to learn but once learning is done, you simply sit down at it when the mood strikes and make pleasing, beautiful music. For most folks, this means playing their favorite tunes with a minimum of practice.
2. It Costs Little in Terms of Money and Effort
The lessons do take awhile, but even learning can be fun - if you let it be. And once the lessons are through, and since you'll already own your own instrument, your enjoyment costs you zero in terms of effort and expense. Just play.
3. Science now confirms that your efforts will keep you as young as possible.
From the pages of NYT "best-sellers" to your favorite magazines, the news about adult music training is all positive. I have copies which explain how learning takes place at every age (I could have told them that years ago!) not just for children. Science now has proven this fact and even invented a wonderful $10 word for it - "neuroplasticity!" This means that in order to keep the brain and hands as young as possible, older learners need to learn new things.
But how hard is that? I've taught ages 5 ½ to 97 and I can conclusively state that adults, on the average, learn 10 -20X faster than children. Yes, I know this goes against "conventional wisdom." However, ask yourself how often that's been wrong! Ask any parent about why their child only slowly "gets the picture" and you'll have your answer. Sure, there are "young Mozarts," but they are few and far between!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Music Grading - LDS Simplified Hymnal
One thing I have discovered in my years of playing and teaching piano is that there is a serious need for a standardized, consistent music grading system. A large amount of music is simply ungraded, and different publishers use the same terms to describe VERY different playing levels (any beginner attempting to play "easy" piano music has surely encountered this phenomenon). I would like to develop a computer program that will accept and automatically grade digital music. But until that program is written, I've decided to take a stab at grading piano pieces myself. The first book I decided to grade is the LDS Simplified Hymnal (the one with the gray cover, last updated in 1986). Here then, with a *huge* "I've never done this before" disclaimer, is my attempt at organizing the songs in this book into relative difficulties:
EASIEST
5 - Redeemer of Israel
10 - We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet
50 - How Firm a Foundation
54 - For the Beauty of the Earth
76 - How Gentle God's Commands
89 - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
91 - Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire
92 - Sweet Hour of Prayer
100 - Lord, We Ask Thee Ere We Part
102 - Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
124 - Jesus, Once of Humble Birth
127 - Silent Night
132 - Away in a Manger
154 - Choose the Right
162 - Do What Is Right
207 - Our Father, by Whose Name
208 - I Am a Child of God
209 - Keep The Commandments
210 - Teach Me to Walk in the Light
211 - Love One Another
216 - Ye Elders of Israel
MODERATELY EASY
6 - Now Let Us Rejoice
15 - We Ever Pray for Thee
18 - God Bless Our Prophet Dear
20 - A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
33 - Glory to God on High
48 - Faith of Our Fathers
55 - Prayer of Thanksgiving
56 - Come, Ye Thankful People
57 - Now Thank We All Our God
58 - Dearest Children, God is Near You
63 - I Need Thee Every Hour
64 - Lord, Accept Our True Devotion
69 - Come, Follow Me
70 - Be Still, My Soul
72 - Come unto Jesus
73 - Come, We That Love the Lord
77 - Be Thou Humble
78 - Where Can I Turn for Peace
80 - I Know that My Redeemer Lives
83 - Testimony
88 - Let the Holy Spirit Guide
90 - Secret Prayer
96 - Sweet Is the Work
98 - Sing We Now at Parting
100 - God Be with You Till We Meet Again
114 - 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
116 - We'll Sing All Hail to Jesus' Name
120 - I Stand All Amazed
122 - There Is a Green Hill Far Away
123 - How Great the Wisdom and the Love
130 - Joy to the World
134 - Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
136 - The First Noel
141 - I Have Work Enough to Do
147 - Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
156 - You Can Make the Pathway Bright
158 - Count Your Blessings
164 - We Love Thy House, O God
166 - Let Us All Press On
186 - How Wondrous and Great
187 - Come, All Whose Souls Are Lighted
188 - I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go
190 - Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth
192 - Truth Reflects upon Our Senses
202 - Love at Home
217 - Rise Up, O Men of God
219 - Come, All Ye Sons of God
MODERATELY DIFFICULT
4 - High on the Mountain Top
8 - Israel, Israel, God Is Calling
16 - Praise to the Man
19 - Joseph Smith's First Prayer
22 - Come, Come, Ye Saints
31 - Come, Ye Children of the Lord
35 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
36 - All Glory, Laud, and Honor
38 - God of Our Fathers, We Come unto Thee
40 - Press Forward, Saints
41 - Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah
42 - All creatures of Our God and King
44 - God is Love
46 - How Great Thou Art
62 - Lead, Kindly Light
65 - Master, the Tempest is Raging
68 - Our Savior's Love
74 - Though Deepening Trials
82 - My Redeemer Lives
84 - I Believe in Christ
86 - Did You Think to Pray?
94 - Gently Raise the Sacred Strain
99 - Now the Day Is Over
104 - Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide
106 - Abide with Me!
107 - God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray
108 - In Humility, Our Savior
115 - Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King
117 - God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son
126 - He Is Risen!
128 - Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
133 - O Little Town of Bethlehem
138 - Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains
139 - We Are Sowing
142 - Come, Let Us Anew
144 - There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today
146 - Improve the Shining Moments
150 - Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
152 - Scatter Sunshine
160 - Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
165 - O Thou Rock of Our Salvation
179 - Hope of Israel
180 - Onward, Christian Soldiers
182 - Hark, All Ye Nations!
184 - Go 'Forth with Faith
185 - Arise, O God, and Shine
191 - Oh Say, What Is Truth?
194 - The Iron Rod
195 - Help Me Teach with Inspiration
196 - Thanks for the Sabbath School
198 - The Glorious Gospel Light has Shown
199 - Each Life That Touches Ours for Good
200 - O My Father
201 - As I Search the Holy Scriptures
206 - Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth
212 - In Our Lovely Deseret
218 - Ye Who Are Called to Labor
MORE DIFFICULT
2 - The Spirit of God
12 - Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice
14 - We Listen to a Prophet's Voice
26 - Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
28 - Battle Hymn of the Republic
30 - Come, O Thou King of Kings
32 - Great King of Heaven
34 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
37 - God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand
52 - The Lord Is My Light
60 - The Lord Is My Shepherd
79 - More Holiness Give Me
94 - As the Dew from Heaven Distilling
103 - As the Shadows Fall
110 - O God, the Eternal Father
112 - While of These Emblems We Partake
113 - Upon the Cross of Calvary
118 - In Memory of the Crucified
119 - Behold the Great Redeemer Die
140 - Because I Have Been Given Much
148 - Have I Done Any Good?
168 - Called to Serve
170 - We Are All Enlisted
172 - Behold! A Royal Army
176 - Carry On
204 - Families Can Be Together Forever
214 - The Light Divine
MOST DIFFICULT
1 - The Morning Breaks
9 - An Angel from on High
24 - Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded
125 - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
174 - True to the Faith
EASIEST
5 - Redeemer of Israel
10 - We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet
50 - How Firm a Foundation
54 - For the Beauty of the Earth
76 - How Gentle God's Commands
89 - Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
91 - Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire
92 - Sweet Hour of Prayer
100 - Lord, We Ask Thee Ere We Part
102 - Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
124 - Jesus, Once of Humble Birth
127 - Silent Night
132 - Away in a Manger
154 - Choose the Right
162 - Do What Is Right
207 - Our Father, by Whose Name
208 - I Am a Child of God
209 - Keep The Commandments
210 - Teach Me to Walk in the Light
211 - Love One Another
216 - Ye Elders of Israel
MODERATELY EASY
6 - Now Let Us Rejoice
15 - We Ever Pray for Thee
18 - God Bless Our Prophet Dear
20 - A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief
33 - Glory to God on High
48 - Faith of Our Fathers
55 - Prayer of Thanksgiving
56 - Come, Ye Thankful People
57 - Now Thank We All Our God
58 - Dearest Children, God is Near You
63 - I Need Thee Every Hour
64 - Lord, Accept Our True Devotion
69 - Come, Follow Me
70 - Be Still, My Soul
72 - Come unto Jesus
73 - Come, We That Love the Lord
77 - Be Thou Humble
78 - Where Can I Turn for Peace
80 - I Know that My Redeemer Lives
83 - Testimony
88 - Let the Holy Spirit Guide
90 - Secret Prayer
96 - Sweet Is the Work
98 - Sing We Now at Parting
100 - God Be with You Till We Meet Again
114 - 'Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
116 - We'll Sing All Hail to Jesus' Name
120 - I Stand All Amazed
122 - There Is a Green Hill Far Away
123 - How Great the Wisdom and the Love
130 - Joy to the World
134 - Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
136 - The First Noel
141 - I Have Work Enough to Do
147 - Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
156 - You Can Make the Pathway Bright
158 - Count Your Blessings
164 - We Love Thy House, O God
166 - Let Us All Press On
186 - How Wondrous and Great
187 - Come, All Whose Souls Are Lighted
188 - I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go
190 - Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth
192 - Truth Reflects upon Our Senses
202 - Love at Home
217 - Rise Up, O Men of God
219 - Come, All Ye Sons of God
MODERATELY DIFFICULT
4 - High on the Mountain Top
8 - Israel, Israel, God Is Calling
16 - Praise to the Man
19 - Joseph Smith's First Prayer
22 - Come, Come, Ye Saints
31 - Come, Ye Children of the Lord
35 - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
36 - All Glory, Laud, and Honor
38 - God of Our Fathers, We Come unto Thee
40 - Press Forward, Saints
41 - Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah
42 - All creatures of Our God and King
44 - God is Love
46 - How Great Thou Art
62 - Lead, Kindly Light
65 - Master, the Tempest is Raging
68 - Our Savior's Love
74 - Though Deepening Trials
82 - My Redeemer Lives
84 - I Believe in Christ
86 - Did You Think to Pray?
94 - Gently Raise the Sacred Strain
99 - Now the Day Is Over
104 - Abide with Me; 'Tis Eventide
106 - Abide with Me!
107 - God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray
108 - In Humility, Our Savior
115 - Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King
117 - God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son
126 - He Is Risen!
128 - Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
133 - O Little Town of Bethlehem
138 - Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains
139 - We Are Sowing
142 - Come, Let Us Anew
144 - There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today
146 - Improve the Shining Moments
150 - Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words
152 - Scatter Sunshine
160 - Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
165 - O Thou Rock of Our Salvation
179 - Hope of Israel
180 - Onward, Christian Soldiers
182 - Hark, All Ye Nations!
184 - Go 'Forth with Faith
185 - Arise, O God, and Shine
191 - Oh Say, What Is Truth?
194 - The Iron Rod
195 - Help Me Teach with Inspiration
196 - Thanks for the Sabbath School
198 - The Glorious Gospel Light has Shown
199 - Each Life That Touches Ours for Good
200 - O My Father
201 - As I Search the Holy Scriptures
206 - Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth
212 - In Our Lovely Deseret
218 - Ye Who Are Called to Labor
MORE DIFFICULT
2 - The Spirit of God
12 - Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice
14 - We Listen to a Prophet's Voice
26 - Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
28 - Battle Hymn of the Republic
30 - Come, O Thou King of Kings
32 - Great King of Heaven
34 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
37 - God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand
52 - The Lord Is My Light
60 - The Lord Is My Shepherd
79 - More Holiness Give Me
94 - As the Dew from Heaven Distilling
103 - As the Shadows Fall
110 - O God, the Eternal Father
112 - While of These Emblems We Partake
113 - Upon the Cross of Calvary
118 - In Memory of the Crucified
119 - Behold the Great Redeemer Die
140 - Because I Have Been Given Much
148 - Have I Done Any Good?
168 - Called to Serve
170 - We Are All Enlisted
172 - Behold! A Royal Army
176 - Carry On
204 - Families Can Be Together Forever
214 - The Light Divine
MOST DIFFICULT
1 - The Morning Breaks
9 - An Angel from on High
24 - Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded
125 - Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
174 - True to the Faith
Friday, April 5, 2013
An Introduction to Guitar Tab
While chords are the basis of rhythm guitar and typically the first skill new guitarists work to acquire, learning guitar tab notation can open up the world of melodies and solos. Like the piano (and unlike the violin--in most cases), the guitar is capable of playing melodies and harmonies simultaneously. Classical guitarists use standard notation, like pianists:
But many modern players have discovered that it is much easier to learn to play using a tablature (tab) notation system that has its roots in the renaissance (when lute players needed a quick and easy way to transcribe and learn songs).
The disadvantage to guitar tab is that it typically lacks rhythmic notation, whereas standard notation has rhythm values (half notes, quarter notes, etc.) This makes it impossible to site read an unfamiliar song, unless rhythm values are also included (which can be done but typically is not). However, the tab system can work quite well for familiar songs. It is easy to learn (much easier than standard notation) and is less ambiguous than standard notation because it always specifies exactly which fret and which string should be played (an optional feature of standard notation). It also handles alternate tunings much more easily than standard notation, and it can be written using rudimentary tools. If you look for guitar tabs on the Internet, you might find something that looks like this, which can easily be produced with a text editor like notepad (whereas standard notation can require expensive software programs):
e|------0-----------0-------5-5-2---3---3-----|
B|--3-----3-0---3-----3-0-----------------3---|
G|--------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
While standard notation only has 5 horizontal lines, guitar tab has 6--one for each guitar string. In the example above, the guitar strings are named, but this isn't always the case. If the lines aren't named, standard tuning is assumed. The strings on a guitar tab stave are upside down, with the highest-pitched string ("e") at the top and the lowest-pitched string ("E") on the bottom. The best way to see how this works is to hold your guitar horizontally upside-down next to the guitar tab staves, like this:
The numbers in guitar tab represent frets (not fingers!). A 0 means "open string," so playing the following passage requires only the usage of the right hand:
e|-----------------0--------------------|
B|--------------0-----0-----------------|
G|-----------0-----------0--------------|
D|--------0-----------------0-----------|
A|-----0-----------------------0--------|
E|--0-----------------------------0-----|
The passage below begins with the first (highest) string on the first fret:
e|--1-0-0-0-------------------0---------|
B|----------3-3-3----1-1-1-1------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
You can also play multiple notes at the same time:
e|--0-0-0-0-------------------0---------|
B|--1-1-1-1-3-3-3----1-1-1-1--1---------|
G|----------0-0-0----2-2-2-2------------|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
When creating guitar tab arrangements I generally like to combined the best of both worlds and include both notes and tab, to provide the musician with a good balance of playing ease (tab) and rhythmic reference (standard notation). Here's an arrangement that includes these elements:
But many modern players have discovered that it is much easier to learn to play using a tablature (tab) notation system that has its roots in the renaissance (when lute players needed a quick and easy way to transcribe and learn songs).
The disadvantage to guitar tab is that it typically lacks rhythmic notation, whereas standard notation has rhythm values (half notes, quarter notes, etc.) This makes it impossible to site read an unfamiliar song, unless rhythm values are also included (which can be done but typically is not). However, the tab system can work quite well for familiar songs. It is easy to learn (much easier than standard notation) and is less ambiguous than standard notation because it always specifies exactly which fret and which string should be played (an optional feature of standard notation). It also handles alternate tunings much more easily than standard notation, and it can be written using rudimentary tools. If you look for guitar tabs on the Internet, you might find something that looks like this, which can easily be produced with a text editor like notepad (whereas standard notation can require expensive software programs):
e|------0-----------0-------5-5-2---3---3-----|
B|--3-----3-0---3-----3-0-----------------3---|
G|--------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
While standard notation only has 5 horizontal lines, guitar tab has 6--one for each guitar string. In the example above, the guitar strings are named, but this isn't always the case. If the lines aren't named, standard tuning is assumed. The strings on a guitar tab stave are upside down, with the highest-pitched string ("e") at the top and the lowest-pitched string ("E") on the bottom. The best way to see how this works is to hold your guitar horizontally upside-down next to the guitar tab staves, like this:
The numbers in guitar tab represent frets (not fingers!). A 0 means "open string," so playing the following passage requires only the usage of the right hand:
e|-----------------0--------------------|
B|--------------0-----0-----------------|
G|-----------0-----------0--------------|
D|--------0-----------------0-----------|
A|-----0-----------------------0--------|
E|--0-----------------------------0-----|
The passage below begins with the first (highest) string on the first fret:
e|--1-0-0-0-------------------0---------|
B|----------3-3-3----1-1-1-1------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
You can also play multiple notes at the same time:
e|--0-0-0-0-------------------0---------|
B|--1-1-1-1-3-3-3----1-1-1-1--1---------|
G|----------0-0-0----2-2-2-2------------|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|
When creating guitar tab arrangements I generally like to combined the best of both worlds and include both notes and tab, to provide the musician with a good balance of playing ease (tab) and rhythmic reference (standard notation). Here's an arrangement that includes these elements:
Saturday, March 30, 2013
The Metronome Doesn't Lie
Recently I introduced one of my piano students to the dreaded metronome. I'm confident it will help her improve, but I also know exactly how difficult and painful it is to be constantly subjected to the relentless tick-tick-tick of this infernal but essential device. For those who have made their peace with the metronome, I applaud you. For everyone else, I offer the following advice:
1) The metronome doesn't lie
While a good piano teacher can provide great feedback about a variety of topics during a lesson, most students only see their piano teachers once a week and are on their own the other six days. As someone who struggles with rhythm, I've learned that the metronome doesn't lie. I either pressed the right keys at the right time, or I didn't. When I practice without a metronome, I often think I'm playing a passage correctly, but then discover when attempting to follow the beat of the metronome that I don't know it nearly as well as I should.
2) The metronome is an excellent substitute for singers or other instruments
When I am preparing to accompany singers or other instruments, I know that nothing matters more than the beat (this is true for solo performances as well, but it is especially true for duets and ensembles). I may miss a note here or there, but if there are pauses in my playing the whole performance can quickly turn into a train wreck. When I'm practicing on my own, the metronome does an excellent job of imitating the driving rhythm that singers and other instrumentalists will maintain during a performance. By learning to keep up with the metronome I'm doing everything I can to avoid costly rhythm mistakes while accompanying others.
3) The metronome is an effective music learning tool
Well-known classical guitarist Christopher Parkening was once asked after a virtuosic performance, "How many times do you think you've played that particular song? A hundred?" He smiled and gave a polite response, but in his mind he was thinking, "You have no idea." Thoroughly learning a piece of music requires frequent repetition to develop muscle memory, and a metronome is the perfect device for ensuring that each repetition is rhythmically correct.
4) The metronome can help pianists increase playing speed
The metronome allows pianists to begin learning a song at a slow and steady rate, then gradually increase the tempo until the desired goal is achieved. This process, repeated over time, improves agility and accuracy and allows the developing pianist to tackle increasingly greater challenges.
While certainly not easy, learning to play with a metronome can do more to sharpen piano skills then any other method I've found.
Monday, March 25, 2013
A Quick Guide to Piano Chords
A thorough knowledge of chords can benefit every musician, and it doesn't take a college music degree to understand the fundamentals. This article will introduce the basics of chord theory and discuss tips and tricks to help you unlock the "secrets" of chordal harmony. We'll start with the old standby, a C major chord:
Using simple math we can use our knowledge of the C major chord to play any of the other 11 major chords. A C major chord is composed of 3 notes separated by two intervals. The first interval, a major third, begins at the C note, ends at the E note, and is composed of 4 half-steps: C to Db, Db to D, D to Eb and Eb to E. The second interval, a minor third, begins at the E note, ends at the G note, and is composed of 3 half-steps: E to F, F to Gb, and Gb to G. (Note: Db could also be called C# depending on the key, but for the sake of simplicity only one note name has been provided.)
Armed with a knowledge of intervals, we can now use the C major chord as a template for any other major chord. For example, a D chord begins with the note D and contains a major third (from D to F#) that is composed of 4 half-steps: D to D#, D# to E, E to F and F to F#. The second interval, a minor third, begins at F#, ends at A, and is composed of 3 half-steps: F# to G, G to G#, and G# to A:
Now, returning to the original C chord example:
This chord can be changed from a major chord to a minor chord by moving the middle tone (an E in this case) a half-step down. This effectively inverts the intervals, putting the minor third (3 half-steps) in the lower half of the chord and the major third (4 half-steps) in the upper half. What a difference a half step makes!
Again, this same process could be applied to any of the twelve keys to determine any minor chord. For example, a D minor chord contains the same intervals as a C minor chord but begins on the D note and ends on the A note. It contains a minor third (3 half-steps) in the lower half of the chord and a major third (4 half-steps) in the upper half:
Returning to the C minor chord example:
To turn this chord into a diminished chord, all we need to do is lower the fifth tone as follows:
Now we have two minor thirds (three half steps) stacked on top of each other. Again, this process can be used to determine the notes that make up any diminished chord. For example, a B diminished chord begins with B and is composed of two minor thirds (three half-steps): from B to D and D to F.
Now we will discuss 7th chords, which can be made by adding a fourth note to any of the chords discussed above and which add variety and interest to music. (There are also 9th, 11th and 13th chords, as well as suspended chords, 6/9 chords, augmented chords and many others, but for the sake of brevity these additional chords will be discussed another time.)
There are several types of 7th chords. First we will discuss the dominant 7th. It is formed by adding an interval of a minor third (3 half-steps) to a major chord, as follows:
A major 7th chord can add a contemporary/jazz sound to songs and is formed by adding an interval of a major third (4 half-steps) to a major chord:
A minor 7th chord is formed by adding a minor third (3 half-steps) to a minor chord:
And finally a diminished 7th chord is formed by adding a minor third (3 half-steps) to a diminished chord:
Don't be confused by the esoteric music rule requiring the use of a double-flat to notate diminished seventh chords; a "B double-flat" is really just an A.
Before ending this article I'd also like to point out that the notes all of the chords discussed so far can be played in ANY ORDER to enhance variety and interest as well as improving playability, preventing muddied sounds in the lower register of the piano and preventing collisions between the right and left hands. These variations are called "chord voicings" and sometimes are notated with a slash, as in G/D. This doesn't mean you can play a G chord OR a D chord, it means you should play a G chord with a D note at the bottom, like this:
Sometimes, in addition to inverting chords, you can drop less important notes. A standard G7 chord in the root positions looks like this:
But it is often inverted and "voiced" with only three notes (the 5th tone is dropped because it's function is less important that of the other three notes):
When it comes to chord construction, a little knowledge really can go a long way! Once these fundamentals have been internalized, you'll be able to spend less time looking through chord reference books and more time playing the songs you love.
Using simple math we can use our knowledge of the C major chord to play any of the other 11 major chords. A C major chord is composed of 3 notes separated by two intervals. The first interval, a major third, begins at the C note, ends at the E note, and is composed of 4 half-steps: C to Db, Db to D, D to Eb and Eb to E. The second interval, a minor third, begins at the E note, ends at the G note, and is composed of 3 half-steps: E to F, F to Gb, and Gb to G. (Note: Db could also be called C# depending on the key, but for the sake of simplicity only one note name has been provided.)
Armed with a knowledge of intervals, we can now use the C major chord as a template for any other major chord. For example, a D chord begins with the note D and contains a major third (from D to F#) that is composed of 4 half-steps: D to D#, D# to E, E to F and F to F#. The second interval, a minor third, begins at F#, ends at A, and is composed of 3 half-steps: F# to G, G to G#, and G# to A:
Now, returning to the original C chord example:
This chord can be changed from a major chord to a minor chord by moving the middle tone (an E in this case) a half-step down. This effectively inverts the intervals, putting the minor third (3 half-steps) in the lower half of the chord and the major third (4 half-steps) in the upper half. What a difference a half step makes!
Again, this same process could be applied to any of the twelve keys to determine any minor chord. For example, a D minor chord contains the same intervals as a C minor chord but begins on the D note and ends on the A note. It contains a minor third (3 half-steps) in the lower half of the chord and a major third (4 half-steps) in the upper half:
Returning to the C minor chord example:
To turn this chord into a diminished chord, all we need to do is lower the fifth tone as follows:
Now we have two minor thirds (three half steps) stacked on top of each other. Again, this process can be used to determine the notes that make up any diminished chord. For example, a B diminished chord begins with B and is composed of two minor thirds (three half-steps): from B to D and D to F.
Now we will discuss 7th chords, which can be made by adding a fourth note to any of the chords discussed above and which add variety and interest to music. (There are also 9th, 11th and 13th chords, as well as suspended chords, 6/9 chords, augmented chords and many others, but for the sake of brevity these additional chords will be discussed another time.)
There are several types of 7th chords. First we will discuss the dominant 7th. It is formed by adding an interval of a minor third (3 half-steps) to a major chord, as follows:
A major 7th chord can add a contemporary/jazz sound to songs and is formed by adding an interval of a major third (4 half-steps) to a major chord:
A minor 7th chord is formed by adding a minor third (3 half-steps) to a minor chord:
And finally a diminished 7th chord is formed by adding a minor third (3 half-steps) to a diminished chord:
Don't be confused by the esoteric music rule requiring the use of a double-flat to notate diminished seventh chords; a "B double-flat" is really just an A.
Before ending this article I'd also like to point out that the notes all of the chords discussed so far can be played in ANY ORDER to enhance variety and interest as well as improving playability, preventing muddied sounds in the lower register of the piano and preventing collisions between the right and left hands. These variations are called "chord voicings" and sometimes are notated with a slash, as in G/D. This doesn't mean you can play a G chord OR a D chord, it means you should play a G chord with a D note at the bottom, like this:
Sometimes, in addition to inverting chords, you can drop less important notes. A standard G7 chord in the root positions looks like this:
But it is often inverted and "voiced" with only three notes (the 5th tone is dropped because it's function is less important that of the other three notes):
When it comes to chord construction, a little knowledge really can go a long way! Once these fundamentals have been internalized, you'll be able to spend less time looking through chord reference books and more time playing the songs you love.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Practice Makes Possible
There are widely varying philosophies about the best way to effectively practice a musical instrument, but when it comes to learning challenging piano songs I've found that a sectional approach works quite well. Here's the process I use:
1) Choose an enjoyable song because otherwise this process won't be worth the effort!
2) Site read through the song to get a feel for the material.
3) Divide the piece into sections. The best way to break it up will depend on the song--the patterns it uses, the difficulty of each section, the pagination, etc. I usually end up with sections of between 4 and 8 measures.
4) Set a tempo goal for the entire song (or for various passages if the song contains tempo changes).
5) Start working through a section at a time (in any order). Figure out the best fingering and smooth out trouble spots with frequent repetition. Be sure to use the same fingering every time to aid muscle memory, and practice difficult sections one hand at a time before playing with both hands simultaneously. Learn each measure in the section separately if necessary. Choose a starting tempo that is slower than the tempo goal and play through the whole section until it is smooth and repeatable. Then, using a metronome, gradually increase the speed. Repeat the section as many times as needed until it can be reliably played at the correct tempo. Try playing the section 3 times in a row without making a mistake, then 5 times and finally 7 times. The goal is to get to the point where you can play it correctly every time. Practice daily to retain muscle memory and mental clarity, and periodically play through sections you've already learned to make sure you haven't forgotten them.
6) Once each section can be played at the right tempo, focus on the transitions from section to section and play them until they are as smooth as the sections themselves.
7) Combine sections to form longer and longer passages until you can play through the entire song fluidly. Set high standards and use repetition to reinforce learning. Refocus on trouble spots as necessary.
8) If this piece will be a repertoire piece, play it regularly (once or twice a week) so it stays fresh.
This process can take several days or weeks, depending on the difficulty of the song, but I've found it to be very effective. As an amateur musician I don't strive for absolute perfection, but I like to get as close as I can and this practice method makes it possible for me to thoroughly enjoy my favorite hobby.
1) Choose an enjoyable song because otherwise this process won't be worth the effort!
2) Site read through the song to get a feel for the material.
3) Divide the piece into sections. The best way to break it up will depend on the song--the patterns it uses, the difficulty of each section, the pagination, etc. I usually end up with sections of between 4 and 8 measures.
4) Set a tempo goal for the entire song (or for various passages if the song contains tempo changes).
5) Start working through a section at a time (in any order). Figure out the best fingering and smooth out trouble spots with frequent repetition. Be sure to use the same fingering every time to aid muscle memory, and practice difficult sections one hand at a time before playing with both hands simultaneously. Learn each measure in the section separately if necessary. Choose a starting tempo that is slower than the tempo goal and play through the whole section until it is smooth and repeatable. Then, using a metronome, gradually increase the speed. Repeat the section as many times as needed until it can be reliably played at the correct tempo. Try playing the section 3 times in a row without making a mistake, then 5 times and finally 7 times. The goal is to get to the point where you can play it correctly every time. Practice daily to retain muscle memory and mental clarity, and periodically play through sections you've already learned to make sure you haven't forgotten them.
6) Once each section can be played at the right tempo, focus on the transitions from section to section and play them until they are as smooth as the sections themselves.
7) Combine sections to form longer and longer passages until you can play through the entire song fluidly. Set high standards and use repetition to reinforce learning. Refocus on trouble spots as necessary.
8) If this piece will be a repertoire piece, play it regularly (once or twice a week) so it stays fresh.
This process can take several days or weeks, depending on the difficulty of the song, but I've found it to be very effective. As an amateur musician I don't strive for absolute perfection, but I like to get as close as I can and this practice method makes it possible for me to thoroughly enjoy my favorite hobby.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Guitar Tips for Beginners
One of the first challenges a guitarist faces is switching smoothly from one chord to another. Here are two techniques that you may find helpful as a beginning player:
4x4 Practice
Whenever I teach my beginning students a new song, I start by listing each of the required chord changes. Sometimes students get overwhelmed by trying to do everything at once (strumming, left-hand fingering, optionally singing) and trying to do it at the same tempo as the original artist. Isolating the chord changes and just doing down strums allows students to first focus on the basics and then tackle the other elements of the song.
If a song has 4 chord changes (e.g., G D Em C) I write these chord changes at the top of the page like this:
G G G G
D D D D
Em Em Em Em
C C C C
and then I tell my student to play this pattern, using a single down strum for each chord symbol, 4 times (thus the name 4x4, meaning that each chord gets played 4 times and then the whole pattern is repeated 4 times). This exercise should be played slowly enough to allow chord changes to occur smoothly (without any pauses). You should be able to tap your foot to the rhythm (or, even better, play along with a metronome).
Hand-position Technique
I learned this technique from a talented lead guitarist in a local band. For this exercise, choose a single chord to work on (e.g., D). Play the chord once, then move your left hand away from the guitar strings about a half inch, keeping your hand in the same shape it was in when you were playing the chord. Return your hand to the strings and play the chord again. Repeat several times.
Variation 1: Perform the same exercise described above with your eyes closed. Repeat several times.
Variation 2: Move your hand several inches away from the guitar (while keeping it in the appropriate shape for the chord you are playing), then "land" it back on the strings and play the chord. Repeat several times.
Variation 3: Relax your left hand after removing it from the strings. Then, prior to putting your hand back on the strings, form it into the shape it needs to be in to play the chosen chord. Then play the chord. Repeat several times.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Learning to Play the Guitar
Recently someone asked me how to get started playing guitar, so I thought I'd share a few thoughts about the first steps every new guitar student should take:
1) Get a guitar (see my previous blog entry on buying your first guitar for more information about finding the right instrument for you)
2) Get a guitar instructor
Whether you are young or old, whether you want to learn to play hard rock or smooth jazz, there's simply no substitute for a good teacher. You can't get your black-belt in karate by watching YouTube videos, and you can't learn to dance by reading a book about it. So why should guitar--a similar physical skill--be any different? I used to think that being self-taught was a badge of honor, but on my own I was only able to master the skill of making mistakes. Hiring a teacher to save me from my own misguidance was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
3) Learn how to read chord diagrams. They look something like this:
The letter at the top represents the chord name. All chord names have a letter (A through G with an optional sharp or flat) to indicate the root note of the chord, and they may also have additional modifiers such as "7" or "m" to indicating the type of chord to be played. The dark line at the top of the diagram represents the "nut" at the top of the guitar neck (the picture next to the chord diagram below shows the correct orientation for a guitar chord diagram relative to the guitar itself; the white horizontal band between the guitar head and fretboard is the "nut"):
The vertical lines in the chord diagram represent strings (with the lowest/thickest string on the left and the highest/thinnest on the right). The XX's at the top (just under the chord name) indicate that these particular strings should not be played as part of the chord. The O indicates that the string should be played "open," meaning that no finger should be placed on the string. The black dots represent finger positions, and the numbers at the bottom represent left-hand finger numbers (1=index finger, 2=middle, 3=ring, 4=pinky).
4) Learn how to change quickly and smoothly from one chord to another. This can take a lot of practice, and to make it more interesting I recommend choosing simple songs (such as Christmas songs, hymns or folk songs) and try to get to the point where you can change chords without having to pause your strumming. Here are some useful chords for beginners: D, G, Em, C, D7, A, A7, Am, G7. While playing, pay attention to the position of your finger relative to the frets. Too far back (toward the head of the guitar) and you could end up have to press quite hard to avoid string buzz. Too far forward (toward the body of the guitar) and you could end up on top of the fret itself, which produces an unsatisfactory muted sound. Here is the ideal position (just behind the fret):
Curl your fingers around the guitar so they only touch one string at a time, and use the tips of your fingers to play. This is the most sensitive part of your fingers, and it may hurt at first until you build up calluses. Be patient, it will get better with time and practice. When switching from one chord to another, look for opportunities to use "anchor fingers," which are fingers that don't have to be moved during a chord change. For example, when switching from C to D7 the first finger doesn't have to move at all. This makes it easier to get your other fingers in the right place. If you don't have an anchor finger, look for a "guide finger" that can be slid along the same string to a different fret when making a chord change. For example, when switching from a D to an A chord the third finger can remain on the second string and be slid from the third fret to the second. This makes it a little easier to "land" the chord in rhythm.
5) Practice, practice, practice
There's no substitute for practice. A high IQ may help you retain theoretical musical knowledge, but learning to play a musical instrument requires physical learning that can only be gained through frequent, consistent practice.
6) Don't give up
Many people don't realize how much time it can take to learn a new instrument. In the beginning the effort is great and the rewards are few, but if you stick with it then you'll be richly rewarded for your hard work. As someone who has traveled that road, I can promise that great things await you if you persevere.
1) Get a guitar (see my previous blog entry on buying your first guitar for more information about finding the right instrument for you)
2) Get a guitar instructor
Whether you are young or old, whether you want to learn to play hard rock or smooth jazz, there's simply no substitute for a good teacher. You can't get your black-belt in karate by watching YouTube videos, and you can't learn to dance by reading a book about it. So why should guitar--a similar physical skill--be any different? I used to think that being self-taught was a badge of honor, but on my own I was only able to master the skill of making mistakes. Hiring a teacher to save me from my own misguidance was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
3) Learn how to read chord diagrams. They look something like this:
The letter at the top represents the chord name. All chord names have a letter (A through G with an optional sharp or flat) to indicate the root note of the chord, and they may also have additional modifiers such as "7" or "m" to indicating the type of chord to be played. The dark line at the top of the diagram represents the "nut" at the top of the guitar neck (the picture next to the chord diagram below shows the correct orientation for a guitar chord diagram relative to the guitar itself; the white horizontal band between the guitar head and fretboard is the "nut"):
The vertical lines in the chord diagram represent strings (with the lowest/thickest string on the left and the highest/thinnest on the right). The XX's at the top (just under the chord name) indicate that these particular strings should not be played as part of the chord. The O indicates that the string should be played "open," meaning that no finger should be placed on the string. The black dots represent finger positions, and the numbers at the bottom represent left-hand finger numbers (1=index finger, 2=middle, 3=ring, 4=pinky).
4) Learn how to change quickly and smoothly from one chord to another. This can take a lot of practice, and to make it more interesting I recommend choosing simple songs (such as Christmas songs, hymns or folk songs) and try to get to the point where you can change chords without having to pause your strumming. Here are some useful chords for beginners: D, G, Em, C, D7, A, A7, Am, G7. While playing, pay attention to the position of your finger relative to the frets. Too far back (toward the head of the guitar) and you could end up have to press quite hard to avoid string buzz. Too far forward (toward the body of the guitar) and you could end up on top of the fret itself, which produces an unsatisfactory muted sound. Here is the ideal position (just behind the fret):
Curl your fingers around the guitar so they only touch one string at a time, and use the tips of your fingers to play. This is the most sensitive part of your fingers, and it may hurt at first until you build up calluses. Be patient, it will get better with time and practice. When switching from one chord to another, look for opportunities to use "anchor fingers," which are fingers that don't have to be moved during a chord change. For example, when switching from C to D7 the first finger doesn't have to move at all. This makes it easier to get your other fingers in the right place. If you don't have an anchor finger, look for a "guide finger" that can be slid along the same string to a different fret when making a chord change. For example, when switching from a D to an A chord the third finger can remain on the second string and be slid from the third fret to the second. This makes it a little easier to "land" the chord in rhythm.
5) Practice, practice, practice
There's no substitute for practice. A high IQ may help you retain theoretical musical knowledge, but learning to play a musical instrument requires physical learning that can only be gained through frequent, consistent practice.
6) Don't give up
Many people don't realize how much time it can take to learn a new instrument. In the beginning the effort is great and the rewards are few, but if you stick with it then you'll be richly rewarded for your hard work. As someone who has traveled that road, I can promise that great things await you if you persevere.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Learning to Play Piano as an Adult
When I was 26 years old I started learning to play the piano. For several months I toiled on my own, thinking that being "self-taught" would be so much cooler than learning from a piano teacher. Then one day my 7 year old daughter asked if she could take piano lessons, so I signed her up with a local instructor. After about two lessons she was already ahead of me, and I realized that being "self-taught" was for the birds. I decided to take piano lessons, too (from the same teacher as my daughter), and that's when I started to make real progress.
I began by learning the basics of note reading and fingering while playing songs out of children's method books. It was okay at first, because I didn't expect to be a virtuoso right away. But after about two years I started to get pretty frustrated. I thought that after spending so much time at the piano I should be a lot better than I was, and I wanted to play songs that were more musically satisfying. I got a new job around this time and was pretty busy, so I quit taking lessons and probably would have stopped playing altogether were it not for my music-loving daughter who asked me to play piano for her every night when I tucked her into bed.
I was still progressing, but at a very slow rate, and I was still very frustrated. That was when I decided to learn another instrument, and I picked up a low-priced guitar at a local music store. While learning to play guitar I started to make connections about chords and the piano. I had always felt that playing chord-style piano was "cheating," and I didn't find it very musically satisfying to simply play a block chord (like C-E-G) at the beginning of each measure. Sure, it filled in the harmony part, but it left a lot to be desired (and some songs, particularly classical compositions, didn't lend themselves to chord-style playing at all). One night after a frustrating practice session I did an Internet search for "adult piano lessons" and ended up purchasing an ebook written by Dan Starr called "How to Win at Piano Lessons" (www.danstarr.com). This helpful book dispelled many of the incorrect beliefs I held about learning to play the piano.
Soon afterward I attended a piano concert, and as I exited the performance hall and entered the lobby I heard someone playing the piano just as well as the performer I had just paid to see. I walked up and asked him what he was playing, and he said it was an improvisation. I was amazed and asked if he would be willing to teach me.
I began my first lesson with him by playing a song I had learned while studying with my previous piano teacher. There were a lot of hesitations and missed notes (partly due to performance anxiety and partly due to my limited abilities). After such a performance, most teachers probably would have coughed politely and said something like, "Well, it looks like we have a lot of work to do!" But he looked at me after I finished and said, "I think you're better than that."
I only had four lessons with him, but they lasted three hours each. At each of these lessons we spent about thirty minutes on piano instruction (he taught me how to improvise and compose and how to play more interesting chord-style piano with arpeggios and inversions and octaves). Then we spent the rest of the time working through the emotional baggage I had accumulated surrounding the piano (he was a motivational literature buff and aspiring public speaker, so this was an area in which he excelled). Chief among my erroneous beliefs was that I would never be a competent pianist because I hadn't taken lessons as a child.
With the tools he gave me and much of my emotional baggage behind me, I began to excel. I played chord-style songs, composed my own music, improvised, studied music theory and even started taking traditional lessons again to improved my site reading capabilities. I played everything from hymns and jazz to new age and classical. I spent about an hour a day at the piano and began to perform more frequently for audiences, slowly overcoming my performance anxiety as my confidence and skills and experience expanded. I spent a lot of "quality" time with a metronome (learning to play "2 against 3" was particularly difficult for me) and took a very cerebral approach to piano. I'm still not very good at playing difficult classical music, and faster songs can be quite challenging. But at the age of 35 I am an intermediate/late intermediate player and am continuing to progress. A few years ago I even started teaching piano lessons.
While I was busy developing my skills, my daughter continued to take traditional piano lessons. I didn't realize it at the time, but as she got older she began to resent the inane music in her method books and probably would have quit playing altogether if her studies hadn't been supplemented by more enjoyable songs (some of which came from me as I searched for more satisfying music to play). When her teacher got a full-time job and had to close her studio, my daughter asked me to instruct her. I was amazed, because I had been expecting her to zoom past me at some point since she had started playing at age 7 and I had started playing at age 26, but there she was asking me to teach her after only taking 4 years of lessons when she had taken 7 or 8. Learning as an adult, in spite of my emotional baggage, had actually allowed me to develop more quickly than her and it helped me understand things such as music theory at a much deeper level. It also helped that I already knew how to learn and how to overcome obstacles. My daughter plays well instinctively and is an excellent site reader, whereas I tend to approach problems more academically and can usually work through them with the help of Google, a metronome, and frequent repetition. We each excel in the areas of music we have studied (for example, I am better at playing hymns and jazz and ballads than she is, but she is better at playing movie music and faster songs). But I am thoroughly convinced that the only disadvantages to learning music as an adult were psychological--because I held an erroneous belief, reinforced by incorrect societal views about early development, that music was something that could only be learned in childhood. I am grateful that I never gave up, and as a reward for my perseverance I've gained a lifelong skill and thoroughly enjoyable hobby.
I began by learning the basics of note reading and fingering while playing songs out of children's method books. It was okay at first, because I didn't expect to be a virtuoso right away. But after about two years I started to get pretty frustrated. I thought that after spending so much time at the piano I should be a lot better than I was, and I wanted to play songs that were more musically satisfying. I got a new job around this time and was pretty busy, so I quit taking lessons and probably would have stopped playing altogether were it not for my music-loving daughter who asked me to play piano for her every night when I tucked her into bed.
I was still progressing, but at a very slow rate, and I was still very frustrated. That was when I decided to learn another instrument, and I picked up a low-priced guitar at a local music store. While learning to play guitar I started to make connections about chords and the piano. I had always felt that playing chord-style piano was "cheating," and I didn't find it very musically satisfying to simply play a block chord (like C-E-G) at the beginning of each measure. Sure, it filled in the harmony part, but it left a lot to be desired (and some songs, particularly classical compositions, didn't lend themselves to chord-style playing at all). One night after a frustrating practice session I did an Internet search for "adult piano lessons" and ended up purchasing an ebook written by Dan Starr called "How to Win at Piano Lessons" (www.danstarr.com). This helpful book dispelled many of the incorrect beliefs I held about learning to play the piano.
Soon afterward I attended a piano concert, and as I exited the performance hall and entered the lobby I heard someone playing the piano just as well as the performer I had just paid to see. I walked up and asked him what he was playing, and he said it was an improvisation. I was amazed and asked if he would be willing to teach me.
I began my first lesson with him by playing a song I had learned while studying with my previous piano teacher. There were a lot of hesitations and missed notes (partly due to performance anxiety and partly due to my limited abilities). After such a performance, most teachers probably would have coughed politely and said something like, "Well, it looks like we have a lot of work to do!" But he looked at me after I finished and said, "I think you're better than that."
I only had four lessons with him, but they lasted three hours each. At each of these lessons we spent about thirty minutes on piano instruction (he taught me how to improvise and compose and how to play more interesting chord-style piano with arpeggios and inversions and octaves). Then we spent the rest of the time working through the emotional baggage I had accumulated surrounding the piano (he was a motivational literature buff and aspiring public speaker, so this was an area in which he excelled). Chief among my erroneous beliefs was that I would never be a competent pianist because I hadn't taken lessons as a child.
With the tools he gave me and much of my emotional baggage behind me, I began to excel. I played chord-style songs, composed my own music, improvised, studied music theory and even started taking traditional lessons again to improved my site reading capabilities. I played everything from hymns and jazz to new age and classical. I spent about an hour a day at the piano and began to perform more frequently for audiences, slowly overcoming my performance anxiety as my confidence and skills and experience expanded. I spent a lot of "quality" time with a metronome (learning to play "2 against 3" was particularly difficult for me) and took a very cerebral approach to piano. I'm still not very good at playing difficult classical music, and faster songs can be quite challenging. But at the age of 35 I am an intermediate/late intermediate player and am continuing to progress. A few years ago I even started teaching piano lessons.
While I was busy developing my skills, my daughter continued to take traditional piano lessons. I didn't realize it at the time, but as she got older she began to resent the inane music in her method books and probably would have quit playing altogether if her studies hadn't been supplemented by more enjoyable songs (some of which came from me as I searched for more satisfying music to play). When her teacher got a full-time job and had to close her studio, my daughter asked me to instruct her. I was amazed, because I had been expecting her to zoom past me at some point since she had started playing at age 7 and I had started playing at age 26, but there she was asking me to teach her after only taking 4 years of lessons when she had taken 7 or 8. Learning as an adult, in spite of my emotional baggage, had actually allowed me to develop more quickly than her and it helped me understand things such as music theory at a much deeper level. It also helped that I already knew how to learn and how to overcome obstacles. My daughter plays well instinctively and is an excellent site reader, whereas I tend to approach problems more academically and can usually work through them with the help of Google, a metronome, and frequent repetition. We each excel in the areas of music we have studied (for example, I am better at playing hymns and jazz and ballads than she is, but she is better at playing movie music and faster songs). But I am thoroughly convinced that the only disadvantages to learning music as an adult were psychological--because I held an erroneous belief, reinforced by incorrect societal views about early development, that music was something that could only be learned in childhood. I am grateful that I never gave up, and as a reward for my perseverance I've gained a lifelong skill and thoroughly enjoyable hobby.
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