Can anyone recommend a book of praise music? I'm looking for, um, all the popular stuff you hear in contemporary Christian churches, like, um . . . "Shout To The Lord." I'm afraid I hear these songs and like them and then I can never remember the names. I've gone to my local music store, but I can't really tell whether any of the music will sound right once I get it home.

I need something that's fairly easy but still sounds like something. I'm not really ready for lots of tricky chords on both hands, I'm afraid. I'd say I'm intermediate.

Thanks!

Hello Cindy,

I have enjoyed reading many of your post, maybe I can recommend a book for you.


Best of Contemporary Christian

You can find it on musicnotes.com, or prob anywhere else. Over 400 songs. The music is in leadsheet format.
I play in my church, (about 4 years), and I just got this book. IMHO it is money well spent.

Have a great day!
YeCats
(lurcking around)

Hey, thanks, YeCats!

Uh oh. We're in trouble already.

What is "leadsheet?"

Hey, this might be fun. A geek hangin' out with the cool kids!

I don't smoke. I hope that's OK. . . .

Geez, Cindy, go back to AB. "What is 'leadsheet?'" You mean, there's something about music that I know that you don't?

A lead sheet typically gives you the chords (named, not notated) and the melody line.

good luck.. I've made many unwise purchases

*What?*

They give me the chord name only?

Well. I hope that music would be 1/2 price!

Seriously, I need the whole enchilada, hopefully with vocal line and then the piano solo.

Well, maybe I'll try the suggested book. It will give me some incentive to take my faking up a notch.

Praise music is all about faking it!

Integrity music publish vocal with keyboard versions of many contemporary praise songs. The melody (for vocals) is in the treble with all the harmony nicely written out. They are not too difficult (I can sight-read most of them, but I am pretty good at sight-reading), and my church uses them extensively. It is quite easy to fake a more complicated accompaniment since the harmony is already there. You can check out their website www.integritymusic.com

I think Maranatha! has scores that are fully written out. They do have lots of lots of praise songs.

I was one of the music editors for Maranatha, although I'm unsure of the print status. What you're looking for is the "Green Book" series, "Piano Book" (there are different books in that series). Each book has about 75 songs.

Maranatha tends to be a bit dated; the newest praise songs are published by Integrity Music. In fact, they churn out so many that it is hard to keep track of the latest books. Their music is arranged in the same way as in the Maranatha series.

Yes Cindy...I'd also reccommend Integrity. When I used to play in church thats the series they used to use... Anyone,,,Wasn't there also a Hosanna series?? Brain lapse here