Hymns Collection
I arranged this collection of hymns to complement the modern worship movement. It is ideal for congregations that wish to include traditional hymns without reverting to block-style chords. These arrangements hold the essence of the original structures while adding subtle chord changes and variations along the way. It is not intended to be a simplified arrangement, nor is it meant to be a unique or complex arrangement. I did my best to approach these melodies as if they were written today and ask myself what chord structure I would use to provide the strongest overall sound. The result is highly usable and playable arrangements of songs we cherish in the Christian faith.
DETAILS
For years I have scribbled over the stock chord charts and lead sheets I had access to at the time, replacing some chords, scratching out others, and adding others in-between. Sometimes I would get creative and experimental, but most often, my goal was to make it sound like the rest of the setlist I planned for the day. I acknowledged that the melodies and words were powerful and relevant anthems for the church today, but the chord progressions were both out of date and, in some cases, inaccessible to the modern worship team.
The chords in the hymnbook or on popular distribution sites are not wrong (admittedly in preparing this project had some warm nostalgic moments while listening to the traditional voice part harmonies), but they are not always the best fit for today’s worship setting. On the other hand, there is no shortage of variations of popular hymns. A quick search will reveal dozens of arrangements of How Great Thou Art. These variations failed to meet the basic criteria I had. They were often missing important chords and many of these charts were just a guide to a unique interpretation written for a specific setting. The stylized versions were not bad, but not helpful for me, so self-arranging was my only option.
As I looked back on the years of ministry, I realized that I had common changes and edits that greatly enhanced the efficacy and playability of the hymns. I have chord charts in various databases, printed out and stored in different filing cabinets, but I felt ready to standardize what I believe is the best arrangement for today’s ministries. I put together this book of common hymns with the slight adjustments that I always make so others could use them in their rotation.
The benefit of this project is that churches will be able to sing and play these meaningful songs in a way that relates to the ear of most listeners. You can add one of these hymns into the rotation without the hymn sticking out awkwardly against the modern worship songs most churches include. I did my best to add enough character to bring the song up alongside the most common church repertoire while not taking every liberty I found. This is a balanced and interesting collection of hymns that I hope will become your go-to arrangements whenever you need to fit these classic songs into a setlist.
