| If you've ever listened to blues music and jazz piano, | | | | important position. On one hand, he is a musician. On |
| then you must have noticed the similarities that both | | | | the other hand, he is a deliverer. The gospel pianist's |
| genres share with black gospel piano lessons. Quite | | | | role is to deliver his audience into a higher state of |
| often, the most significant difference between gospel | | | | consciousness so that it may reach a spiritual |
| piano and blues or jazz is the tempo, pitch or chords! | | | | awareness or recognizing. As a vehicle of this |
| We don't mean to suggest that these genres are | | | | distribution, the gospel pianist must also deliver the right |
| exactly alike however. We mean to instead, | | | | rhythms and tones that will enable a divine |
| underscore that the philosophies or motivations behind | | | | transformation. Pianists who are tense, nervous, or |
| these styles are alike and they contribute to their | | | | unsure about playing the piano can not adequately |
| resemblances. | | | | facilitate this transference. |
| Gospel piano shares deep roots with blues and jazz in | | | | Understanding The Role Is Essential To Preparation |
| that it originated from a desire to break from existing | | | | Understanding the important role of the gospel pianist |
| styles -- styles that bore strong classical and patriotic | | | | then is essential to preparation. To fulfill this role, some |
| American themes. It differs from blues and jazz | | | | go to the length of getting a spiritual cleansing before |
| however because of its spiritual and historical | | | | they play. Others will pray over the instrument and its |
| connotations. In the far past, gospel piano accompanied | | | | music, while others may participate in a group |
| lyrics that both (1) worshipped and (2) instructed slaves | | | | meditation. We can not tell you in good faith what is |
| out of slavery. | | | | extreme and what isn't because the perspectives |
| Gospel May Indicate A Greater Significance | | | | vary. What's adequate preparation to one gospel |
| This gives gospel music a greater significance for | | | | pianist is extreme to the other (and vice versa). |
| specific groups of people and as a gospel pianist, you'll | | | | So the most important thing that you can do is |
| need to prepare yourself for this importance. With | | | | recognize your role as a spiritual administrator and then |
| traditional piano, lesson preparation usually entails little | | | | find a comfortable method of fulfilling that role. Every |
| more than a few finger exercises and a strong desire | | | | external event -- whether positive or negative -- can |
| to learn. With gospel piano, lesson preparation may | | | | influence the way that you learn and play the music. |
| necessitate prayer, meditation, or any other type of | | | | Stress factors will not only work against you and |
| exercise that's relaxing. | | | | cause frustration, they'll also prevent you from |
| The Gospel Pianist's Role | | | | absorbing the messages that your lessons try to |
| This is because the gospel pianist is put into an | | | | teach. |