Worship at the Keys: A Method Book

Product Description

Are you a high school or middle school piano student and you want to play keyboard with the worship band at church? Are you a piano teacher who has a student who wants to play worship songs with their youth group? Are you a worship leader and you’d like to add a new keys player to your team? This book is for you!

Worship at the Keys is a step-by-step method, paced for teens, explaining how to play contemporary Christian praise and worship music with a church band. Reading chord charts, playing with different groups of musicians, understanding practical concepts in music theory, playing by ear – all this and more is contained the this user-friendly book. Helpful reference materials include a comprehensive chart of chords and an aid to transposing from one key to another.
This book is not intended for beginners who have never played piano before. It is written for students who have learned to play piano by reading music and now want to learn how to play from lead sheets or chord charts with a worship band. The method in Worship at the Keys is for teens and adults who can already read notes in treble and bass clefs and play music hands together.
There are 23 contemporary Christian worship songs written in simple keys and easy-to-read formats. Songs include: What a Beautiful Name * Here I Am to Worship * Breathe * Every Move I Make * Holy Spirit * Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) * From the Inside Out * Your Love Awakens Me * Cornerstone * 10,000 Reasons * My All in All * Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) * This is the Day * He’s Got the Whole World * Jesus Paid it All * Lord, I Need You * At the Cross (Love Ran Red) * You Never Let Go * Happy Day * Jesus, Lover of My Soul * Our God * Open the Eyes of My Heart * You Are My King (Amazing Love) *

Review

“If there’s a comment I get asked more routinely, after 60-plus years of playing the piano in public, it’s “I wish I could play by ear.” It is followed quickly by confessions of frustration at playing chord charts. Donna Gielow McFarland addresses these two issues, among a dozen others, in her clearly illustrated method book, Worship at the Keys. These alone are worth the price of the book. But she covers all the basics of playing in church in a logical progression, without overwhelming the beginner. Her inclusion of notes on theory and her “Hunt ‘n’ Peck” encouragements make it easy for even the most elementary student to start making progress right away. More and more students who show musical interest should get into this manual before they venture into playing in church. They’ll be well prepared if they follow Donna’s expert and thorough advice. I highly recommend the book.” — David Talbott, Resident Musician / Retired, Mount Hermon Christian Camp & Conference Center, California     

“a much needed and beautifully written book…
Worship at the Keys would be a tremendous asset for every new beginner who desires to learn worship music on the keyboard. Every Christian school should use this book in their music department.” — Darin Godby for Readers’ Favorite

About the Author

Donna Gielow McFarland taught herself how to play worship songs from chord charts when she was in middle school. Her love for praise and worship music continued on through grad school, where she was inspired to write her masters project on how classically trained pianists can learn to improvise for playing in church. After receiving a B.Mus. in Piano Performance from Wheaton College and an M.Mus. in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Oregon, Donna taught a number of courses including piano, class piano, music theory and ear training at New Hope Christian College and, currently, Northwest Christian University. Donna has published music books including Follow the Star: Christmas Songs for Piano (Vol. 1-5), Intro to Piano: Class Piano for Adult Beginners and Music Theory Made Simpl(er). She has also written several children’s early readers and chapter books. Donna lives in Eugen