Hymn Playing Made Simple, Level 6

For centuries, churches have used music for worship, as emphasized in the Scriptures. We are thankful for this divine creation. The desire to worship God with music begins in the heart, and over the years, God has gifted many with the ability to write, compose, and perform music. Playing or singing in church remains a privilege.

Today, there is a growing demand for church pianists and organists. Christian piano teachers have the opportunity to teach and encourage the development of accompaniment for congregational, group, and individual singing.

While many piano students are trained in classical performance, they often lack understanding of “hymn playing,” a style used in churches. Hymns are typically written in parts for sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. Playing hymns as written follows classical training, but adding extras can enhance congregational singing.

Level 6 builds gently leads the hymn playing student through turning a song straight out of the hymn book into a full-fledged accompaniment. More advanced skills are also introduced, such as transposing into more distant keys, creating modulations and adding cadences to the end of songs. The book concludes with a list of ministry options available to hymn players.

The Hymn Playing Made Simple series is intended as a supplementary resource rather than a standalone method. At this stage, the piano student should be progressing steadily through a standard piano method. It is essential that the student has completed Hymn Playing Made Simple, levels 1-5. These foundational texts focus on ear training, chord recognition, and developing right-hand finger dexterity for melody playing. Skipping these levels will forfeit the crucial skill-building they provide.