LearnGospelMusic.com Community

Please login or register.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: HINDERED BY MY OWN LIMITATIONS!  (Read 2382 times)

itsallpeach

  • Guest
HINDERED BY MY OWN LIMITATIONS!
« on: September 17, 2003, 09:08:30 AM »
OK...if the song is in A-flat, B-flat, E-flat, or C-Sharp, I've got ya'.  But if you start out in any other key I WILL LAUGH AT YOU!!!  That's not good now that I have started to actually play for a church - a COGIC church mind you!

So, I am now trying to figure out what I can do to at least break myself in in F and C.  I'll feel more comfortable.  They only have a 6-member praise team and most praise and worship songs are relatively easy.  People seem to really be "moved" when you modulate a praise and worship song for some reason, but I "clam up" when it's time to go up.  I am trying to  use Marvin's thing about using numbers to figure out what a chord would be in another key, but that only works at home when I'm practicing at my own pace.  When I'm playing at church where the song actually has a rhythm and I have to keep up....there is not enough time to pause and say "Ok...the one would be this key, and the five would be ..."

SO, I need help.  One thing that has helped me is just by learning songs and relating the chords and changes in one song to the chords and changes in the next.

SOOOO...if you guys have any SIMPLE (and I repeat SIMPLE) songs in F and C to post, it will really help me out.  That way, I can modulate to C# and F#.

Once I get to a certain point, I'll then try to conquer G (my ABSOLUTE WORST FEAR).

But any help you guys can give will surely help.  JR....I will definitely be looking to see what you have on your site too!  You always help me and I really appreciate it.

Offline Long Fingers

  • LGM Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3250
  • Gender: Female

Try doing this
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2003, 09:57:18 AM »
Well if you know how to play the songs you're comfortable playing in the key of Db and the key of Gb, all you need to do is this:

First relax, you're probably making things harder than what they really are. Remember if you want to move to the key of Db from the key of C, you just raise everything a half step.

So just start with a song you know that's in the key of Db (not C#...reread the keynote's post on sharp vs. flats that's in the lessons section) and practice playing that song in C, just take everything you're playing in Db a half step lower (and if you want to go to the key of D from Db raise everything a half step), for example:

let's say that you know how to play "Thank You Lord" in the key of Db: (I'll post how you would play it on the piano and since you said keep it simple, I'll keep it simple, so I'll post the basic chords (it's the choir parts)):

Left hand / Right hand (chord symbols)

I: Eb / Bb,Db,Gb   (Gb/Eb)
just: F / Ab,Db,F    (Db/F)
want: Gb / Gb,Bb,Eb  (Ebm/Gb)
to: G / F,Bb,Db   (Bb/G)
thank: Ab / F,Ab,Db   (Db/Ab)
you: Ab / Eb,Ab,C    (Ab)
Lord: Db / F,Ab,Db  (Db)

now lower everything a half step and you would have:

I: D / A,C,F  
just: E / A,C,E  
want: F / F,A,D  
to: F# / E,A,C  
thank: G / E,G,C  
you: G / D,G,B
Lord: C / E,G,C  

now you can modulate to Db by playing this: (this is just a simple progression that will take you to the key of Db from C)

(play "-" = (single notes) with both hands )

C-B-Bb
Ab / Eb,Ab,C  
Bb /F,Bb,Db  
C / A,C,Eb  
Db / Ab,Db,F

that Db chord will start you at the beginning of the song in Db.

Sure, remembering the numbers is fine, but you can keep it simple by remebering if you want to play a song a half step higher, you need to move your notes up a half step.  

Also make sure that the key of Gb isn't too high for your praise team & your congregration. Because the purpose of a praise team is to energize and encourage the congregation to join in and sing lift up praises to God. So try to keep you praise songs between Ab (the the left of middle c) to Db (a note above middle c), those keys are comfortable for congregations to sing along to.

Hope this helps some.

itsallpeach

  • Guest
DO YOU THINK THIS IS STUPID?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2003, 10:36:41 AM »
Good point about the keys!  I have noticed that a lot of church folks (regardless of denomination) will break out in E-flat or F when there is no music.  The few times I have tried to "pick someone up" who started out a cappella, that's where they usually end up.  That's why I am going to try and conquer F because it seems to be such a crucial key for church folks.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS STUPID?  Looking at the way things are chorded out on this site, do you think I would be stupid for taking the time (probably hours upon hours) to write a song out chord for chord and transpose.  I think maybe if I do it enough on paper, I'll be able to commit it to memory.  Kind of like with spelling words in 2nd grade.  If you write it 100 times, you know how to spell it for the rest of your life.  You know?

I'm just trying to find the easiest way to "grasp it all".  They say that all good musicians start out with basic congregational songs and once they learn how to jazz those up, the other songs come naturally.  All these people sing are congregational/praise and worship songs, so I figure this job will be my FIRST STEP in becoming a good musician.

Offline dingster1

  • LGM Royalty
  • LGM Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1166
    • DINGTHING

HINDERED BY MY OWN LIMITATIONS!
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2003, 02:27:24 PM »
Its really funny! when I got caught foolin around on the organ, I could ONLY pick out F! My director doesn't play in F!! Go figure! So he took me under his wing and gave me a few pointers on Eb, F# Db and G which is pretty much what all we sing are in or he changes them to! Shoulda just left that organ alone!!

Offline raypam

  • LGM Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 70

HINDERED BY MY OWN LIMITATIONS!
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2003, 11:18:26 AM »
I am working in all 12 keys....I can play in 10 now......I took some note cards and on one side put the II of C and on the other side put D.

it's not  really that boring to do...and it will help out a whole bunch if you want to do the number system.

Offline Long Fingers

  • LGM Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3250
  • Gender: Female

Re: DO YOU THINK THIS IS STUPID?
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2003, 07:57:32 AM »
Quote from: itsallpeach

DO YOU THINK THIS IS STUPID?  Looking at the way things are chorded out on this site, do you think I would be stupid for taking the time (probably hours upon hours) to write a song out chord for chord and transpose.  I think maybe if I do it enough on paper, I'll be able to commit it to memory.  Kind of like with spelling words in 2nd grade.  If you write it 100 times, you know how to spell it for the rest of your life.  You know?

I'm just trying to find the easiest way to "grasp it all".  They say that all good musicians start out with basic congregational songs and once they learn how to jazz those up, the other songs come naturally.  All these people sing are congregational/praise and worship songs, so I figure this job will be my FIRST STEP in becoming a good musician.


I don't think that's stupid, if you think that will work for you and help you understand everything, then go for it; because what it all comes down to, is finding out what will make you learn and play better, so give it a go and let us know how it's going for you.

Offline aljeres

  • LGM Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 948
  • Gender: Male
  • IT'S ALL THAT MATTERS......
    • www.algieres.com

dont forget!!!!!!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2003, 08:22:41 PM »
listen..........when you play anything enough times...your muscles in your hands develope what is called muscle memory!!!!!!!! so just do it....i agree with longfingers....( yes i agree), but remember the memory your hands developed from playing in all the keys, you do know. plus the second thing i wanted to say is, it is all in your mind.....the chords may seem strange to your hands at first.....but i'll tell you what was told to me and i feel it is a fact....and it works!!!!  if you do anything for 7 straight days, it will become relative to you....NOW I CHALLENGE YOU......DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW ALL THE KEYS?......THEN DO THIS......PLAY IN TWO OF THOSE KEYS OR  EVEN THREE.....HECK, YOU CAN BE LIKE ME AND JUST DO ALL OF THE KEYS YOU DONT KNOW FOR 7 STRAIGHT DAYS.....AND I'M PROMISING RIGHT HERE ON LGM, IF THOSE CHORDS DONT BECOME RELATIVE TO YOU...I WILL PERSONALLY SEND YA A MEAL TICKET!!!! AND I MEAN WHAT I SAY!!!!! IF YOU DO IT...IT WILL WORK!!!!!! TRY IT! AND YOU WILL SEE IT FOR YOUR SELF......NOW.........GET THIS.....YOU HAVE TO DO IT FOR AT LEAST ONE HR, A DAY...I DONT CARE WHEN YOU DO IT....JUST DO IT!!!!!! GIERES
gieres.....

god is greatly to be praised!!!!!!!!!
Pages: [1]   Go Up