The Church Pianist: Left Hand Patterns for Mundane Bass Line

New website: http://thechurchpianist.com/

Send the Light has a rather mundane bass line...
meaning....alot of repeated bass notes.

This can make for a rather boring sound.

Actually, there's a lot the church pianist can do
to spice up this gospel song!


Remember that the hymnal is written for voice;
not for piano.


Piano score description for today's example
of "Send the Light"


*Half note chords are used in the right hand to
avoid a choppy tone due to the repeated notes
in the vocal score.


*Left hand pattern starts with marching octaves
in a stepping down pattern.


*On words: "...send the Light" the left hand plays
an octave followed by echos in 3rds within the
chord being used at the time. The echo is really
just a stepping pattern within the chord.


*The right hand basically played a broken G chord
with an added 'passing tone' for the words:
"restless wave".


(I will address passing tones in a future article.)


I added an extra piano score to demonstrate how
to play for another verse using a variation of the same
ideas.


It's simple left hand patterns like this that make an
ordinary gospel song come to life!

The Church Pianist: See Left Hand Pattern for Repetitive Bass Line

New website: http://thechurchpianist.com



Repetitive bass lines occur frequently in gospel songs.


The example at the right, applies

to gospel songs in 4/4 time.



I give an advanced and an easy version.



Notice the following in the advanced version:


*Playing an octave higher in the

right hand allows more creative

space for the left hand.

The use of chord inversions are then possible.

Description of Left Hand Pattern:

Measure one:




Octave (root of chord)



Chord (Adv. version allows room for chord inversions)


*Special note: The bottom note of the of the left hand
inverted chord, usually matches the melody note of the

right hand.



Octave (alternating bass; the 5th note of the C chord)



Chord


Measure Two:




Octave (alternating bass; the 3rd note of the C chord)




Chord (I added the minor 7th (b flat) of the C chord which leads to an F chord)




Stepping octaves in eight notes (this breaks up the octave - chord pattern for variety)







Hopefully, this visual will clarify previous text articles dealing with left hand patterns.