Worship Piano/Keyboard Workshop
What is the keyboard's 'place' in the context of
worship music? “For the body is
not made up of one part, but of many...
But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them,
just as He wanted them to be” I
Corinthians 12:14,18
- Is the worship in your church mostly guitar led, or keyboard led? If its guitar led, pick little ditties or play passing
notes here and there to fill things in.
- When
there is free worship or sharing, be sensitive to providing a quiet background
wash – simple chords with no recognizable melody. Change chords slowly, with precision.
- Watch
your posture. Try not to stand
with your hand on your hip. Try not to make faces when you make a mistake if you can help it
Less is more “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the
kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:15
- Let
notes sing their allotted time. Think of the notes as voices. Don't be
concerned about trying to play too much.
- Rest,
stillness, peace - 23rd Psalm.
How can we help people hear God (especially if He's talking with a still
small voice)?
Be
Prepared
- I
like to have 3 different ideas of how to play each song.
- A
full band keyboard part (minimal – find motifs to fill in ‘blank’ areas)
- An
ensemble keyboard part (fuller keys, but not super busy)
- Keys
alone – you’re covering all the instrumental parts
- (chords
& rhythm)
- upper
RH plays melody
Additionally here's some questions you can ask yourself:
- Are you prepared to switch keys?
- Do you know which patches you want to use?
- How will you manage dynamics/intensity changes?
- Which arrangement of the song are you playing? Do you know your part for that arrangement?
- Try to learn the obvious keyboard parts or the arrangement by ear or by YouTube
Technical Prep (scales, chording, arpeggios)
- Helps with accuracy
- Simple scales
- Alternate exaggerated short/long notes, strengthen fingers
- Solid and broken chords
- Alternate broken chord patterns
- Alternate short/long notes
- Arpeggios
- Regular triads 1,3,5,1
Keep your playing as simple as you can.
- Octaves - great in RH (right hand) for exaggerating a melodic line
- Motifs
- Dynamics
- Rhythm
- Tension
with passing notes – accentuate them by stressing them louder and longer
- Repeat single notes - surprisingly effective!
How to play simply to almost any song
I've been playing keys in church for over 3 decades and tried lots of different ways to sound good. Surprisingly, one can actually sound quite good by playing 2 notes in the Right Hand (RH) that never move, and follow the chords of the song with a single bass note (or octaves) in the Left Hand (LH). The two notes in the Right Hand that don't have to move are the I and the V (or a simple 5th interval in the key your playing. Line them up in the charts below. Sometimes the RH can change to use the 4th interval instead of the 5th.
Doodle notes (or passing notes) can be played in the spaces. Experiment with different patters with them: octaves, hitting them twice in a row, different intensities, etc. They can be super effective as well. I have charts for most of the common keys that songs are played in below.
Key of C
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Song
Sheet Chord
|
C
|
Dm
|
C/E
|
F
|
G
|
Am
|
G/B
|
RH
|
G
|
F
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
C
|
C
|
D or C
|
C
|
D
|
C
|
D
|
LH
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
F
|
G
|
A
|
B
|
Doodle
notes
|
B,C,D,G
|
E,F,G,C
|
B,C,D,G
|
E,F,G,C
|
B,C,D,G
|
B,C,D,G
|
B,C,D,G
|
Key of D
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Song
Sheet Chord
|
D
|
Em
|
D/F#
|
G
|
A
|
Bm
|
A/C#
|
RH
|
A
|
G
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
D
|
D
|
E or D
|
D
|
E
|
D
|
E
|
LH
|
D
|
E
|
F#
|
G
|
A
|
B
|
C#
|
Doodle
notes
|
C#,D,E,A
|
F#,G,A D
|
C#,D,E,A
|
F#,G,A,D
|
C#,D,E,A
|
C#,D,E,A
|
C#,D,E,A
|
Key of E
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Song
Sheet Chord
|
E
|
F#m
|
E/G#
|
A
|
B
|
C#m
|
B/D#
|
RH
|
B
|
A
|
B
|
B
|
B
|
B
|
B
|
E
|
E
|
F# or E
|
E
|
F#
|
E
|
F#
|
LH
|
E
|
F#
|
G#
|
A
|
B
|
C#
|
D#
|
Doodle
notes
|
D#,E,F#,B
|
G#,A,B,E
|
D#,E,F#,B
|
G#,A,B,E
|
D#,E,F#,B
|
D#,E,F#,B
|
D#,E,F#,B
|
Key of G
Song
Sheet Chord
|
G
|
Am
|
G/B
|
C
|
D
|
Em
|
D/F#
|
RH
|
D
|
C
|
D
|
D
|
D
|
D
|
D
|
G
|
G
|
G or A
|
G
|
A
|
G
|
A
|
LH
|
G
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
F#
|
Doodle
notes
|
F#,G,A,D
|
B,C,D,G
|
F#,G,A,D
|
B,C,D,G
|
F#,G,A,D
|
F#,G,A,D
|
F#,G,A,D
|
Key of A
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Song
Sheet Chord
|
A
|
Bm
|
A/C#
|
D
|
E
|
F#m
|
B/G#
|
RH
|
E
|
D
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
A
|
A
|
B or A
|
A
|
B
|
A
|
B
|
LH
|
A
|
B
|
C#
|
D
|
E
|
F#
|
G#
|
Doodle
notes
|
G#,A,B,E
|
C#,D,E,A
|
G#,A,B,E
|
C#,D,E,A
|
G#,A,B,E
|
G#,A,B,E
|
G#,A,B,E
|
Key of Bb
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Song
Sheet Chord
|
Bb
|
Cm
|
Bb/D
|
Eb
|
F
|
Gm
|
F/A
|
RH
|
F
|
Eb
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
Bb
|
Bb
|
C or Bb
|
Bb
|
C
|
Bb
|
C
|
LH
|
Bb
|
C
|
D
|
Eb
|
F
|
G
|
A
|
Doodle
notes
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
D,Eb,F, Bb
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
D,Eb,F, Bb
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
Key of F
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Song
Sheet Chord
|
F
|
Gm
|
F/A
|
Bb
|
C
|
Dm
|
C/E
|
RH
|
C
|
Bb
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
F
|
F
|
G or F
|
F
|
G
|
F
|
G
|
LH
|
F
|
G
|
A
|
Bb
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
Doodle
notes
|
E,F,G,C
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
E,F,G,C
|
A,Bb,C,F
|
E,F,G,C
|
E,F,G,C
|
E,F,G,C
|
Key of Eb
Song
Sheet Chord
|
Eb
|
Fm
|
Eb/G
|
Ab
|
Bb
|
Cm
|
Bb/D
|
RH
|
Bb
|
Ab
|
Bb
|
Bb
|
Bb
|
Bb
|
Bb
|
Eb
|
Eb
|
Eb or F
|
Eb
|
F
|
Eb
|
F
|
LH
|
Eb
|
F
|
G
|
Ab
|
Bb
|
C
|
D
|
Doodle
notes
|
D,Eb,F,
Bb
|
G,Ab,Bb,
Eb
|
D,Eb,F,
Bb
|
G,Ab,Bb,
Eb
|
D,Eb,F,
Bb
|
D,Eb,F,
Bb
|
D,Eb,F,
Bb
|
Songs where Rhythm is
important:
-
You Are
Good (Israel Houghton) Key
of E
o Shots
are important in this song
o Syncopated
Rhythm between LH and RH in chorus
-
Forever (MWS) Key
of E
o Certain
chords held in verses, certain chords follow vocals
o Syncopated
Rhythm between LH and RH in chorus
-
Everlasting
God Key
of G
o Bridge
– syncopated bass in LH with RH keeping straight beat playing 5th's
-
How Great
is Our God (Chris Tomlin – live version) Key
of E
o
Simply keyboard rhythm with RH - super powerful
Songs with a strong Key melody
(that you should know):
-
No Longer
Slaves Key
of D
o Really
important to get the instrumental correct (as that is what people ‘generally’
expect to hear)
o Use
octave key?
-
Our God
is Greater (Chris Tomlin) Key
of G
o Piano
with strings layered – again, people are listening for this riff
-
I Will
Exalt Key
of D
o Intro
& instrumentals – good learn.
-
Great Are
You Lord (Bridge) Key
of E
o The
bridge – keys carry it to begin and can really build intensity
o Solid
low piano notes can really add ‘umph’!
-
This is
Amazing Grace Key
of D
o Intro
instrumental and chorus – people will be listening for this
-
At Your
Name Key
of E
o Intro
Songs with space (where you
can add your own doodles/motifs):
-
Amazing
Grace/My Chains are Gone Key
of E
o The
fantastic scale down in the chorus (listen for counter melodies)
o Octaves
-
Jesus We
Love You Key
of G
o Passing
notes/chords with a rhythm can take this song to another level
o Special
chords and riffs
o How
do I play this on the grand piano?
o Bridge
is key in this song (getting the chords correct)
-
How He
Loves (He is jealous for me…) Key
of E
o The
passing note riffs
o Octave
builds
-
Come As
You are Key
of C or A
o Intro
– good to learn
o Lots
of space in the chorus – great place for tasteful motifs
-
All Who
are Thirsty Key
of E
o Passing
notes in verses
o
Octave scale ups in chorus where there’s space
Fast songs – good for an organ
patch
-
Happy Day Key
of D
-
The Happy Song Key
of D
-
You Are Good (Bethel) Key
of G
-
Let God Arise Key
of E
-
General tips for playing with an organ patch:
o If
there is a manual vibrato, USE IT!!
J It will make your organ sound great!
o Play
higher on the keyboard than you normally would.
o NEVER
use you left hand to play keys on the organ patch
o
NEVER use the pedal on the patch
o Slide up and down the keys!
Songs with Passing Chords
-
The Stand Key
of G or A
o In
the pre-chorus ‘What can I say…’
-
This is
Amazing Grace Key
of D
o The
70’s version
-
Jesus, We
Love You Key
of G
o
The whole song
Other songs
-
Praises Key
of G
o Falling
scale passing notes
o Lots
of space in chorus for adding motifs and riffs
-
I am a
Friend of God Key
of A
o Either
use organ patch with a bigger band, or
o Piano
with a smaller band, and tear it up
-
Good Good
Father Key
of E
o Dynamics
are important
o 3
note riff in chorus (Chris Tomlin’s version) that sounds great and is quite
simple – Just have to master the rhythm.
-
Hosanna (Praise is rising….) Key
of G
