Left Hand Rhythm, Timing and Techniques for 6/8,3/4 hymns.

[Manofchrist101]

I am a self-teaching piano novice in gospel music. I need help on how to play 6/8, 3/4 hymns on piano. I can read notes and identify the chords in the hymnal but the trouble is that the timing in the hymnal for the bass notes is for voices and not the left hand itself.
The sound i am looking for is that "black church" "jazz ballad" "thick and rich" sound THAT ALSO HAS A TEMPO TO IT! I have asked several musicians for help and ALL THEY TELL ME IS TO JUST "PLAY THE CHORDS!"  THAT DOESN'T HELP 


What i need help with is EXACTLY and LITERALLY WHAT ORDER OR TIMING IN MY LEFT HAND DO I USE TO FILL IN THOSE SOUND GAPS IN 6/8, and 3/4 songs.

Examples of songs i am looking for help on:

The blood will never lose its power (Traditional hymn)
Theres a bright side somewhere (hymn)
Oh how i love Jesus
It came upon a midnight clear.......etc.... you get the idea....
I need my left hand to fill in the sound gaps.
How do i do it?

I would be soooooo greatful for some help.

God Bless

-Tony-

[T-Block]

I am a self-teaching piano novice in gospel music. I need help on how to play 6/8, 3/4 hymns on piano. I can read notes and identify the chords in the hymnal but the trouble is that the timing in the hymnal for the bass notes is for voices and not the left hand itself.

The bass voice in the hymnal will almost always be the bass note for the chord. So, that timing does work for the left hand of your chords, unless you want a more acommpaniment style rather than a word-for-word style of playing.

I need my left hand to fill in the sound gaps.

Why? That's what your right hand is for, playing scales and licks to fill in gaps. If you need a more busy left hand, try adding either a nice running bass line or rolling octaves and a 5th (1-5-1). The bass line will come from the progression of the song. Once you have the bass notes that go with the main chords, create a bass line that leads to and from those bass notes.

[SoundofJoy]

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The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power

Sam's Music Moment 7 " O How I Love Jesus" chording techniques

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[SoundofJoy]

Sam's Summer Shed 2011 "Christ is All" "Let Us All Go Back"

[Manofchrist101]

The bass voice in the hymnal will almost always be the bass note for the chord. So, that timing does work for the left hand of your chords, unless you want a more acommpaniment style rather than a word-for-word style of playing.

Why? That's what your right hand is for, playing scales and licks to fill in gaps. If you need a more busy left hand, try adding either a nice running bass line or rolling octaves and a 5th (1-5-1). The bass line will come from the progression of the song. Once you have the bass notes that go with the main chords, create a bass line that leads to and from those bass notes.

I am looking for the accompaniment sound....the hymnal teaches me nothing about left hand. whats exactly a rolling octave? i know what 1-5-1 is, for example Ab-Eb-Ab but what's rolling....and what are some standard licks i can do.?

[T-Block]

the hymnal teaches me nothing about left hand.

That's where you're messing up. The hymnal should teach you what your LH note is for the chord. Hymns are basically chords that were written to be sung rather than played. If you can figure out the chord, you can play it anyway you want on the piano. The bottom, or bass voice will usually be your LH note for the chord. I suggest learning the progression of the chords first.

Rolling (arpeggiating) is where you play each note one at a time, but hold down each note as you play. So, using that Ab-Eb-Ab, you would play the first Ab, hold it, play the Eb, hold it as well, then the second Ab and hold it. It should be a fluid, kinda fast motion just like a chord arpeggio, but in the LH.

It also seems to me like you're struggle may be more rhythmic than necessarily learning notes and chords. Like, how to play quarter notes, sixteenth notes, etc. in the different time signatures. I've found that clapping the rhythms first helps with timing.

and what are some standard licks i can do.?

Here's a couple of things you can do. I'll stay with the key of Ab for examples:

You can throw a little RH run based on the pentatonic scale in between chords: #2, 3, 5, 6, 1 --> single notes: B, C, Eb, F, Ab   octaves: B-B, C-C, Eb-Eb, F-F, Ab-Ab

A little  3-4-5-6-7-1 turnaround progression to get back to the beginning of the song:
3 / 1 chord          (C / Eb-Ab-C)
4 / 2 or 4 chord   (Db / F-Bb-Db)
5 / 1 chord          (Eb / Eb-Ab-C)
6 / 4 chord          (F / Db-F-Ab) 
7 / 5 chord          (G / Eb-G-Bb)
1 / 1 chord          (Ab / Eb-Ab-C)