Understanding Gospel Time Signatures
In this lesson we explore the most common time signatures that are used in gospel music. We take the church hymn “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” and play the song in 4 different time signatures.
What Time Signature To Use?
The time signature that you choose to use is often left to the interpretation of the musician. However, for gospel musicians playing in church, the time signatures used can depend on the denomination of your church, and also the area you are from.
The Same Songs with Different Meters
Whilst many denominations share the same gospel songs, they are not always played in the same way. The time signatures and the meters will change from one church to another and so you must be mindful what type of denomination you are playing for and how the song will be received.
Lesson Downloads
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“What A Friend We Have” 3/4 with Lyrics File Type: pdf -
“What A Friend We Have” 12/8 Solo Piano File Type: pdf
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Similarites To Country Music File Type: pdf
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Comparing 6/8 & 4/4 Meters with Lyrics File Type: pdf
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“What A Friend We Have” 12/8 with Lyrics File Type: pdf
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Final Performance with Mixed Meters File Type: pdf
Related Lessons
The Rhumba and Habanera grooves are an important element of the rhythmic toolbox of New Orleans Piano to make the music funky.
The 12/8 groove is associated with Fats Domino who was one of the most famous musicians to come out of New Orleans in the 20th century.
In this 5 minute masterclass we’re going talk about time, and how to improve you own time feel and detect your bad tendencies.
Practice Tips
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Analyse and compare the performances to develop an understanding of each time signature.
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Download the PDF notations and emulate each time feel with the lyrics and voicings.
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Play and sing along with Davell's performances to internalise the different feel of each demonstration.
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Experiment with the lyrics and the placement of the lyrics in the each time signatures.
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Repeat this same process for all types of gospel songs and all types of church hymns.
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Be mindful what type of denomination you are playing for and how the song is usually received.
