Piano Songs - Improvisation

So this is still an on-going challenge but it's a fun challenge for those who are musically inclined.

A few years back, I was asked to help out with the Mandarin choir as a pianist/accompanist. Trying to juggle many hours of work and practicing songs was a huge challenge but it was manageable. It took away time from attending English service as there was an overlap between practice and service, so I would either miss half of English service or go to Sunday School late. It was disruptive when it came to learning more about faith. But again, it's all in the heart of if you're willing to learn on your own time as well.

After my stint with the Mandarin choir, I was asked to help out with the English worship team, which I am still part of to this day. The main difference with the songs are that there are way more songs for English than Mandarin. With Mandarin, they would choose one song to perform, but the music was written out. So I would just have to sight read and practice the song to master it.

With the English worship team, it's about 4 songs, but it does not include the prologue, offering song, doxology or finale song. So in a way, that's about 7-8 songs in total for the English worship team. The 4 songs are all in chords. The first time I volunteered to help, I had no clue what to do except play chords. And I believe that's how all new team members start learning. With chords.

I saw lyrics, and on top of the lyrics were a bunch of letters (they symbolize the key/chord that the phrase is sung in). It was all chords. Unless you know the song very well and can improvise the melody, then it's all a bunch of chords. I didn't know all the songs, so the songs that I didn't know, I would play chords. As long as you have a lead singer and co-singer to lead, then the chords on piano become the bass.

The most challenging part of worship songs and chords? Improvisation. But that becomes the most fun part of worship songs. You can play whatever fillers you want in between to make the song more full instead of only chords. As you get to know the song more and more, you start to improvise your own style and notes in the song.

Coming from a classically trained background in music, improvisation was not a daily practice growing up. I was used to reading what was in front of me. You put a sheet music in front of me and I'll be able to read it. You put a song with lyrics and a bunch of letters on it, I could play chords. But I could not improvise. And that is the most challenging part for someone who was only classically trained but not trained to improvise music. For some, it's a gift that they can improvise on the spot. For others who are not used to it, it could take quite some time before they can improvise.

So below, I have put together a cover for a song that I learned in the past. When I first learned this song, I played chords. As I got to know the song more, I was able to start improvising and putting in my own melody. The song is called "Here for You", by Matt Redman, Matt Maher and company. I played it a tad bit faster than it should be, but with a worship team and singers, it should be slower. Hope you enjoy my rendition. Be sure to click the HD button for better quality!

---->  Here For You  <---->