Learn How to Play Gospel Piano Lessons

(Scroll down to see the full list of lessons in this section)

Gospel music is like a hybrid between blues and jazz genres. If you have ever listened to blues and jazz, you might have noticed similarities in them. Here’s a little background: Gospel actually stemmed from roots in blues and jazz as it evolved into a style with spiritual themes and connotations.  One slight difference that you might notice between these styles would be the tempo, pitch and chords commonly used in gospel.

So, what’s your role as a gospel pianist?

Essentially, you are both a musician and a deliverer. In a gospel band, you need to help your audience achieve a higher state of consciousness and allow them to attain better spiritual awareness.  Because of the significance of gospel music to targeted groups of people, you need to prepare yourself adequately for this duty.

By playing gospel piano music, you may be playing solemn hymns for a church choir or you may be backup piano for the entire congregation to sing lively songs of worship. A lot of that depends on feel and gospel music is versatile in the sense that if the song can change, your playing can change as well.

For example, if the congregation is singing in a lively and upbeat manner, you can change to match the mood of the song and that of the singers.  If your congregation is singing in a more solemn manner, you can alter your play to reflect that as well. The rhythm and the tone can vary depending on the needs of the vocalists.

Unlike playing traditional classical music where the lessons are comprised of warming up exercises and routines, playing in gospel styles may require you to incorporate prayers or mediation techniques to help you relax.

While I am not a self proclaimed expert in gospel music, I can share with you some tips and knowledge to get yourself acquainted with the style.

Gospel Piano Lessons Listing:

1. How to Play Any Gospel Piano Songs by Ear
   
   Learning to play piano by ear is a great skill to develop. When it comes to learning gospel styled piano songs, sight reading and other skills are just as important as ear training.
2. Chordal Movements in Gospel Worship Music
   
   The great thing about gospel worship music is that most of the songs have similar chord movements. Even though a song can sound different or be found in different keys, the essential basic chords are usually very much the same.
3. Hand Stretching Exercises for Piano Players
   
   For alot of piano players, physical issues like stiff shoulders, wrist or hands are a common complaint. To prevent such problems, having good warm ups and hand stretching exercises can help greatly.
4. Preparing for a Piano Recital
   
   With an upcoming piano recital, what are the key points and things to remember? By preparing for it as early as you can, you can be well prepared when it comes to performance day.
5. Improve Finger Independence on Piano
   
   Most beginner players have difficulty in gaining finger independence. In this lesson, we will cover the techy aspects of exercises and tips that you can take back to apply and develop dexterity.

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