Beginner Gospel Piano Books

By Mark Harrison

Gospel Keyboard Styles: A Complete Guide to Harmony, Rhythm and Melody in Authentic Gospel Style

This book digs into the authentic gospel stylings associated with great artists such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. The first part of the book deals with the 3/4 or Slow Gospel style (used in the song "Amazing Grace," for example), showing the harmonic techniques needed to create the real gospel sound on the piano. The second part focuses on the 4/4 or Fast Gospel style, where gospel harmonies are combined with up-tempo rhythms and syncopations to create exciting results (such as in Paul Simon's song "Gone at Last"). The techniques covered in this book will help you lead your congregation at the piano, and will inject new ideas into your rock, R&B and funk playing.

By Ethel Caffie-Austin

Learn to Play Gospel Piano

Ethel Caffie-Austin continues her joyous and insightful lesson, teaching techniques and powerful arrangements of well-known hymns, spirituals and sanctified music. You'll be playing "Amazing Grace," "Yes Lord," "Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus," "Jesus is on the Mainline," "Show Me The Way," "Study War No More" and "I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord," complete with intros, walking basses, runs and embellishments.