Some of the best pianists in the world started playing in the Church. The world of professional gospel musicians is incredibly demanding, but even the best had to start somewhere. Here are some of the best gospel songs, spirituals, and hymns for beginner pianists.
Amazing Grace
“Amazing Grace” is a hymn written by English clergyman John Newton in 1772, and it’s about as universal as any music ever written.
The story of “Amazing Grace” is one of mercy, redemption, and reflection. It’s a story that we can all relate to in one way or another. For John Newton, a former slave ship captain, the song represents his personal discovery of faith and the second chance it afforded him.
“Amazing Grace” is an excellent reminder that the best melodies are simple. What I love most about the melody is that it’s entirely within the major pentatonic scale. Because the melody is so beautiful, you can play the entire song with three simple triads.
In addition, because the melody is so simple, it leaves plenty of opportunity for harmonic experimentation. So, you can do anything you like with this one!
“Amazing Grace” is a song for pianists of all levels, and whether you play a beginner or pro version, it sounds beautiful.
This Little Light of Mine
A simple children’s song that turned into an anthem of civil rights, “This Little Light of Mine” is both joyful and powerful.
The song’s origin isn’t set in stone; although the common arrangement is attributed to the evangelist Harry Dixon Loes, there’s no factual evidence to say he wrote the song. Many civil rights activists adapted the song as a symbol of resilience, strength, and unity, none more impressively than Freedom Singer Rutha Mae Harris.
Like “Amazing Grace,” it’s another reminder that simple melodies are the best. In its simplest form, we only have three notes per vocal/melody line; the song relies on rhythm more than pitch. I like this style because it’s a great chance to experiment with phrasing. When I think of the great crooners like Sinatra and Tony Bennett, I love their phrasing the most.
Learn to play the song straight, then experiment with different phrasing; listen to various gospel singers and how they perform it. Don’t be scared to play rubato; be flexible with the tempo and find notes you want to stretch or embellish.
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
This is one of my favorite tunes ever and has been since I was a student. Although made famous by Nina Simone in 1967, Billy Taylor wrote the song and released it with his trio a year earlier, in 1966.
“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” is a spiritual song that became a voice of freedom and equality toward the end of the American civil rights movement.
I love this song for a few reasons; firstly, it has a fantastic melody and powerful lyrics. But, beyond those things, as a pianist, it’s a chance to play something spiritual with a real groove. You can forget chords in your left hand and stick to octaves and single notes. Bold octaves and passing notes with your left hand, and play the melody with your right hand.
Billy Taylor was an exceptional sideman for many famous artists and, in mainstream terms, an incredibly underrated jazz pianist.
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
People have been singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” since the 1800s, and it’s still as impactful today.
Wallace Willis and his daughter Minerva Willis wrote the song in the late 1860s. Like many spiritual songs, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” has its roots in slavery. Both Wallace Willis and his daughter are Choctaw Freedmen, former enslaved African-Americans.
The song discusses the promise of glory in Heaven, a better life awaiting despite current troubles.
The melody is so soulful, and it doesn’t take much dressing up to sound fantastic. I love the call-and-response nature of the song because it lends itself perfectly to improvisation, and it’s a great song to start putting your pentatonic scales to use. I also love that it’s a great beginner introduction to using the mediant and submediant chords as passing chords on the way to the dominant V chord.
The pianist Cyrus Chestnut plays “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” beautifully; he’s far from a beginner, but he’s a great source of inspiration.
Go Down Moses (Let My People Go)
If you don’t know this song, you might recognize the melody, if not the name. The song draws from the Book of Exodus and how God commanded Moses to demand the release of the Israelites in Egypt.
The first publication of this song dates back to the 1800s, but it’s another spiritual that became part of the soundtrack of the American civil rights movement. In 1960s America, the words “way down” referred to Mississippi rather than Egypt.
Louis Armstrong recorded the song for his 1958 album, Louis and the Good Book. The reason I want to highlight Louis Armstrong’s version is because it’s beneficial to listen to the phrasing of master vocalists and horn players, and Louis Armstrong is both.
One of the things I like about this song for beginners is that much of the melody revolves around just two chords, so it’s not harmonically challenging. Additionally, it’s in a minor key but uses a dominant V chord rather than a minor five chord. It’s a good lesson for beginners in functional harmony and the power of substituting the minor five chords for a dominant.
Oh Happy Day
Gospel music is steeped in tales of struggle through adversity, but it’s also a true celebration of life through music, and no song embodies that more than “Oh Happy Day” by Edwin R. Hawkins.
Edwin R. Hawkins took the song from Philip Doddridge’s 1755 hymn, and in 1969, it peaked at number four on the U.S. singles charts (performed by the Edwin Hawkins Singers).
Despite gaining chart success, many church leaders were against the song because its jazzy, dance-friendly character made it secular and not a fitting adaptation of the original hymn.
It’s so much fun to play, and I like it for beginners because it usually features slash chords and secondary dominants. These harmonic concepts aren’t as tricky as they sound, and the best way to practice them is with a tune that’s lots of fun!
He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands
I know this song might not be instantly appealing to adult beginners, but this classic tune is far more than a Sunday school singalong.
This traditional African-American spiritual (first published in 1927) has gone all around the world, sung by everyone from Judy Garland to Nina Simone. A young Laurie London gained international chart success in the late 1950s with his version of the song.
“He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands” has a simple melody, but it moves a little more than some other spiritual melodies. It doesn’t move so much that it’s a stretch for your right hand, but it’s enough to keep things interesting when paired with the left-hand accompaniment.
It’s the left hand I like most here; for now, take basic root triad chords and play a chord on every beat. Now, you have your left hand acting as a strict metronome; this is a great way to practice keeping time and exploring more syncopated phrasing when you are comfortable.
When The Saints Go Marching In
“When The Saints Go Marching In” is a tune that I think every musician should play, no matter what instrument.
It’s the tune most people think of when imagining a New Orleans marching band; it’s iconic. Although the song began life as a traditional Christian hymn, it’s more recognizable as an African-American spiritual, embraced by generations of jazz musicians.
One of the most famous recordings of the song was by Louis Armstrong and his orchestra in 1938. Again, even though he’s a horn player, I urge all pianists to listen to Louis Armstrong and hear how he develops melodic ideas.
Many beginner arrangements of this tune share a few things in common: they play the melody in both hands and play chords on the upbeats. Playing chords in between beats, or on the second and fourth beats, is a basic but valuable lesson in the fundamentals of swing.
How Great Thou Art
This is one of the world’s favorite hymns, but you might be surprised at its place of origin. “How Great Thou Art” is a Swedish hymn Carl Boberg wrote in 1885. The English language version came later, in 1949, translated by an English missionary, Stuart K. Hine.
If you’re familiar with the hymn, you’ll know that it’s very, very traditional. People sometimes get the impression that there isn’t much you can do with a traditional hymn; some even think you shouldn’t make any creative changes. But, whatever your faith, very few things are more personal, so why shouldn’t you express yourself?
I think traditional hymns make great solo piano ballads. One of the most common techniques for playing emotional ballads on piano is to arpeggiate the chords on your left hand. For example, if I have a Cmaj chord, I’d play each note individually.
To make it more interesting, I like to arpeggiate in fifths. So, rather than your Cmaj notes being C-E-G, you’d start on the root C and move up in perfect fifths, giving you C-G-D. It’s a simple technique that adds harmonic variation, and it works perfectly with How Great Thou Art.
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
The origin of “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” is somewhat disputed, with some suggesting it predates the American Civil War. Whatever the case, this song has become one of the most popular gospel songs ever and is considered a jazz standard by many pianists.
“Just a Closer Walk with Thee” discusses one’s faith in Jesus to share the burden of life’s troubles and provide guidance. Like most gospel songs, it delivers the message that everything will be OK in the end if you persevere and keep your faith close to you.
There are countless versions of this song, from traditional gospel to swing and bebop. The melody doesn’t really change from the verse to the chorus, but it’s one of those melodies that never gets old.
As a beginner, I remember thinking every note I played had to be diatonic to the key signature. “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” is an excellent introduction to accidentals and using chromatic passing tones in your melody lines.
The Old Rugged Cross
“The Old Rugged Cross” was written in 1912 by the evangelist George Bennard. It has become something of a signature song for The Salvation Army organization.
In 1952, Ernest Tubb turned “The Old Rugged Cross” into a country gospel hit record, and it’s been covered by some of the biggest names in music since then. Some of the most notable singers who tackled the song were Al Green, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson.
One of the reasons many artists add a country character to the song is that country music is famous for storytelling, and this song tells a story.
I like “The Old Rugged Cross” for beginners because it’s in the 3/4 time signature. The 3/4 time signature is also known as waltz time, and it’s a favorite of many jazz musicians. It can be daunting if you’ve never played in anything other than 4/4 (common time), but this song provides a gentle introduction with a simple melody and chord structure.
Some people also play it in 6/8, which changes the feel.
Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
“Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” was first published in 1867, but the song originated sometime before then. It’s another spiritual song born from slavery and a shining example of strength throughout social and racial injustice.
Many popular artists, including Sam Cooke, Bing Crosby, and Lena Horne, have released versions of “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” An interesting fact about the song is that it’s one of the very few gospel songs that crossed over to the classical domain. Classical musicians like Michael Tippett performed the song in his 1944 oratorio, A Child of Our Time.
One of the things I love most about gospel music is that despite coming from a place of terrible injustice, it has a magnificent sense of pride and elegance. “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” is a great tune for beginners to play a simple melody with real intent and purpose. Practice playing the melody as you would sing it, flowing and graceful.
Conclusion
Gospel music and spirituals aren’t just for Sunday service; they come from an element of musical history that no pianist should ignore, regardless of individual faith. Don’t just listen to one version of each song above; take inspiration from various artists and make it your own.
