Customer Reviews

Right from the Hymnbook : How to Play Hymns & Gospel Songs

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While I can appreciate the author's good intentions, this book really didn't help me much. I found it way too fast-paced and difficult for the average player. I took nine years of lessons and currently play for congregational singing at my church. I was hoping this book could help me add nice touches to the standard hymn arrangements. Instead, however, it simply presents a few concepts, gives many examples, but doesn't actually teach the reader how to use these concepts in playing. The section on modulation is okay, but my piano teacher taught me a better way of memorizing modulation formulas than this book presented. If you are an advanced player who really knows his/her chords, then "Right from the Hymnbook" might make more sense to you.

9/8/08
After looking over this book nearly four years later, I realize my initial criticism was a little premature. I would bump up my rating to at least a 3. As one reviewer said, the arrangements alone really are worth the price of the book. However, I still believe that without the guide of an instructor, the concepts it sets out to teach won't help a student who doesn't have a firm grasp on chord structures. As the book states "[i]t is assumed that the student has a working knowledge of note reading and is fairly well acquainted with the way hymns are written." For future editions, I would recommend the added clause "and is able to recognize and play chords on sight, without the aid of chord symbols."

The many hymn and gospel song arrangements alone are worth the price of this book. Then the author shows the reader how to develop their own arrangements. The sections on modulation and transposition are also excellent. Teachers will find it a great tool to use in showing their students how to expand the SATB notes in the hymnbook to accompany the singing of individuals or groups. I think it is an excellent book.