Stress-less Carols this Christmas!
“Imagine how good it will feel, with just a little bit of time commitment each week over the next month, when you get to Christmas, and you're all organized and prepared.”
When I reflect back on the many times as a church piano player, that Christmas has been on the horizon - I always seem to leave my preparation too late. Maybe you are more orgnanized than me, or perhaps you can relate?
I always found it so easy to procrastinate and put it off.
Part of the reason for this was that I knew I’d always have to hunt around, find the right songs, which often were in the wrong keys, or had the words written in a way that made it hard to follow if I was singing and playing the piano.
Yes, over time I gradually collated Christmas music, but as I was usually in a rush, more often than not I just dug out the same pile of disorganized music I told myself I would orgnanize before putting away!
Then there was all the lyric copies, and trying to match the lyrics with the chord chart versions, with each church doing some songs slightly differently to another church, and it always seemed like such a big task.
What's the point of saying all this? Well, it's simply to encourage you to think now about preparing to play carols this Christmas.
Imagine how good it will feel, with just a little bit of time commitment each week over the next month, when you get to Christmas, and you're all organized and prepared. That's the way to have a stress-less carols experience this Christmas!
As I pondered this reality for so many piano players (unless it really is just me!), I was motivated to work on a resource to make it easier for others to get prepared for playing carols. It's been quite unusual playing so many carols, so much, all through October, but I'm pleased that now even if no one in the world uses this resource...
...I never have to worry about getting organized to play carols again!!!
Why is this?
Because all the work has been done, and it's something have called "The Ultimate Christmas Bundle".
If you want to know what it includes, checkout the website here. But to wet your appetite, I can tell you that it includes 17 of the most popular carols, with chord charts for each carol, in 3 different keys - how's that for options!
I also included powerpoint slides, lyric sheets, and MP3 audio files for reference (to help people new to carols, or for when they were unfamiliar with a melody).
Then in addition to this, I recorded 17 tutorial videos, showing you how to play effective intros, use embellishments, and play creatively and supportively for each of the carols included in the bundle.
It can be frustrating when you open up a carol, and there's tons of chords. That's why I designed my chord charts with both basic and advanced chord options - and even better, all the charts, lyric sheets and slides are customizable too - which means you can get them just how you want them, and save them that way for good!
I hope if you checkout the bundle, it's helpful for you - but if you're already organized for playing carols, good for you - and I hope you have a blessed and happy time playing these timeless classics for another year.
Ok, time to end this post, I'm feeling all Christmassy, which is a little wierd in October. Mind you, considering it's all about the wonder of Christ's birth into this world to save sinners, that's something we can feel joyful about every day of the year!
[Return to The Church Piano Player Website]
This blog post was written by pastor and pianist Kris Baines, from The Church Piano Player. Kris lives in the UK with his family, having recently moved back New Zealand where he worked as a pastor for the past 26 years (also leading worship/worship teams). Kris has also spent over 35 years writing, recording, and performing music and is now bringing all that combined experience together to help equip church piano/keyboard players.
Check out the church piano player website for more information on online courses by Kris Baines.
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