Piano Diana Blog: Amazing Grace

One of my favorite songs is Amazing Grace. I have played it with gospel chords and here I used some jazz chords for a different sound. I'm thinking I should follow up with a tutorial next time and post the chords. Do you have a favorite song with a special style of playing it?

My friend, Yoke Wong, wrote a great article about practicing the piano.

How Do I Find Time To Practice?

"Would you like to know the answer? Piano practice
sessions do not need to be long.
Have you heard of the 7/20 rule? It's seven
repetitions for 20 minutes. If you can't play
something seven times in a row without making
mistakes, the section is probably too big for you
to work on. Also, 20 minutes is the limit of your
full concentration. After you practice for 20
minutes, you can take a break.

You should always be clear on your short- and
long-term piano goals. Knowing your goals will
help motivate you to practice. A short-term goal
might be that you want to play Rhapsody in Blue
and have it mastered and memorized by Feb. 1st.

A long-term goal might be that you want an active
repertoire of four pieces in 2011 or that you want
to sight-read anything at tempo. So, your
short-range goals determine what you play this
week, this month, but those short-range goals
should always help you move towards your
long-range goals.

The way many pianists typically learn is from the
beginning, the first section/introduction. When
they're fairly accomplished, they dive into the
second section. The second section is never
learned as well as the first. The third section
(save us!) is a disaster! Does this sound like
you?

If so, I advise you to start to learn a new piece
someplace other than the opening section. How
about the middle section? Or the end?

Are you ready to make a good start for this year?"...

Yoke Wong offers a great music dvd resource for playing hymns.

Become A Better Church Pianist Now!

Learn How To Play Hymns Using Color Chords

& Exciting Runs & Fillers

www.PianoArrangement.com

If you have the time, stop by my other blog http://LadyDpiano.com

If you would like to keep up with that blog, sign up for an email subscription. Thanks.

-- LadyD Have a heart that never hardens and a touch that never hurts. Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Image via Wikipedia

I love hearing Hezekiah Walker sing "I Need You To Survive." I have followed the chord chart listed below many times. Sometimes it is quicker to learn a song if you are watching another fellow musician on video. I have discovered a great tutorial by a very good musician and teacher, Alton Merrell, playing his Yamaha P- 120 keyboard... have a listen:

* Gospel Piano Lesson - I Need You To Survive - Hezekiah Walker

* Related Post:

http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-need-you-to-survive-hezekiah-walker.html

* Chords to I NEED YOU TO SURVIVE

Hezekiah Walker - Db
Arr. By Hammondman!
LH/RH- Words (SINGLE NOTES)

Intro: (F_Bb_C)__ BbF / Bbm7___(Ab_Gb)_FC / EbAbDb__(Ab_Db_Db_Eb_F_Ab)

BGb / Ebm7___BbF / Bbm7__EbBb / FF#BbDb___(Ab_C)___AbEb / Bbm7__(C_Bb)

CAb / Ab___(Ab_Gb)___DbAb / Db___(Bb_Ab)___ EbBb / Eb___(F)___AbEb / Ab

DbAb / Db I NEED YOU
FC / Db YOU NEED ME
GbDb / Gb WERE ALL A-
AbEb / Gb PART OF
AEb / Aaug - GOD'S BOD
BbF / Bbm7 DY, STAND WITH ME
FC / Gb9 AGREE WITH
EbBb / FF#BbDb ME, WE'RE ALL A-
AbEb / Gb6 PART OF GOD'S BO
BbF / Bbm7 DY, IT IS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ebb / Ab HIS
FC / BbEbAb WILL, THAT
DbAb / BM7(b5) EVERY
EbBb / FF#BbDb NEED HE
EbBb / Ebm7 WILL
EbBb / FF#BbDb SUPPLY
EbBb / FF#BbDb YOU
EbBb / Gb6 ARE
FC / Ab - IM
BbF / Bbm7 PORTANT
BbF / AbDbGb TO ME, I
EbBb / FF#BbDb NEED YOU
AEb / Aaug TO
(F_Bb_C)__ BbF / Bbm7 SURVIVE___________(REPEAT, USE LAST OF INTRO TO LEAD IN)
HE DOES THE VERSE AGAIN, SAME MUSIC UNTIL KEY CHANGE

EbBb / Eb I PRAYED FOR
GD / FBbEb YOU, YOU PRAYED FOR
AbEb / Cm ME, I LOVE YOU I
BbF / Ab NEED YOU
BF / Bdim6 TO
CG / Cm7 - SURVIVE
EbBb / Eb - I WON'T HARM
GD / FbbEb - YOU, WITH WORDS FROM MY
DbAb / Fm7 MOUTH, I LOVE YOU, I
BbF / AbM7 NEED YOU TO SURVIVE

KEY CHANGE

FC / F I PRAYED FOR
AF / F9 YOU, YOU PRAYED FOR
BbF / Dm7 ME, I LOVE YOU I
CG / Bb6 NEED YOU
DbG / Bbdim6 TO
DA / Dm7 - SURVIVE
FC / F - I WON'T HARM
AF / F9 - YOU, WITH WORDS FROM MY
EbBb / Gm7 - MOUTH, I LOVE YOU, I
CF / Bb6 NEED YOU TO SURVIVE
"NO MUSIC" THE HITS ARE THE CHORDS THEN THE CHORUS AND ALL THAT BACK TO THE INITIAL
VERSE AND END!
NEED YOU TO
FC / F SURVIVE____(A_G)___GD / (B_D_A)____GDbF / Gdim7___FC / F__(END)

* Visit Alton Merrell's site:

http://www.altonmerrell.com/lessons.html

Get songs like:

Alpha & Omega - Israel Houghton
Amazing Grace - Traditional
Calvary - Damita Haddon
Center of My Joy - Richard Smallwood
Father Can You Hear Me - Tyler Perry
Giants - Donald Lawrence
Glory Glory Hallelujah - Traditional
Grateful - Hezekiah Walker
He Will Supply - Kirk Franklin
I Am A Friend of God - Israel Houghton
I Just Want To Praise You - Maurette Brown Clark
I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me - Traditional
My Worship Is For Real - Bishop Larry Trotter
No Defeat - Hezekiah Walker
Rejoice - Israel Houghton
Safe In His Arms - Milton Brunson
Sovereign - Daryl Coley
Stand - Donnie McClurkin
The Blessing of Abraham - Donald Lawrence
The Presence of the Lord Is Here - Byron Cage
Total Praise - Richard Smallwood
Wait - Vanessa Bell Armstrong
What A Friend We Have In Jesus - Traditional
Your Grace and Mercy - Mississippi Mass Choir

Enjoy the tutorial and happy piano playing!