How to play gospel music on piano

By | April 5, 2021

Play Gospel Chord Progressions

1.

Choose the key you want for your song. Different keys have different scales that determine the notes in the song’s melody. These other notes are the building blocks of all chords played in a particular chord progression.

2.

Decision on chord progression. Gospel uses many specific chord progressions to give it a special sound. Common gospel progressions include 7-3-6-2-5-1 progression, 3-6-2-5-1 progression, and 6-2-5-1 progression.

Expand your chords to give them a more fluid and funky sound. An extended chord is just a variation or enhancement of the basic chords with extra notes. Gospel often uses extended chords, as pianists sometimes play all seven notes of the scale in a particular chord. When more than four notes are used in a chord, the chord is normally played with two hands and uses notes. It is one octave (8 notes) or more above the root note.

4.

Voice your chords. A voicing of a chord is a method of playing a certain chord in a different way. Gospel music often uses alternative chords that allow each chord to have the lowest note as a baseline. A chord can be played in different ways, by reorganizing and omitting some notes in the chord. To return to the previous example of the typical Gospel 3-6-2-5-1 progression, chords here are typically expressed in a way where the lowest note played in a given chord progresses in small steps.

Tips and warnings

  • Listen to gospel recordings to get a sense of the rhythm that pianists use. There is no way to play any of the above progressions. When it comes to voices and chord extensions, it is best to play with different formats. Creating chords will not naturally write down all the notes in the key you want to play. Then construct different incarnations in the chords using this diagram.
  • Practice your chords before playing in public. Ask someone you know and trust if she thinks it sounds good and if she thinks it sounds like the gospel.
  • Although the music of the gospel is defined by the religious aspect of its lyrics, certain musical features have evolved over the years. Gospel piano is used for everything from accompanying sermons to provide the backbone of the development of ordinary gospel music. While piano playing can vary, there are some chord progressions that are most commonly used. Gospel games can be identified by their piano chord progressions and variations.

    Source:danspela.com