How Great Is Our God-Ed Cash/Chris Tomlin/Jesse Reeves

↓ Original first-release video 

This is “How Great Is Our God,” the third piece in the third volume of the sheet music collection.

At our church, we usually sing this song in A.

Next time, I should make an A-key score as well.

* Performance Notes |

This is one of the most widely sung worship songs in churches today.

Its progression consists almost entirely of four chords: C, Am, F, and Gsus4.

In scale-degree terms, they are I, vi, IV, and Vsus4. I arranged this score in C.

Chris Tomlin’s original, however, is played in Db.

C and Db are generally too high for congregational singing in church.

Churches therefore often use A, or raise it a semitone to Bb for the chorus.

Accompanists should therefore practice transposition regularly.

Be ready to play this song not only in C, but also in A and Bb.

There is no shortcut; begin by identifying the progression by scale degree.

Then apply those degrees to the desired key and visualize the chords as you practice.

For example, for I-vi-IV-Vsus4, think of scale degrees I, vi, IV, and Vsus4 in A.

In A, that becomes A, F#m, D, and Esus4. First think it through and connect that thought to your hands.

Eventually, you should also be able to imagine the sound of the progression by ear.

With this skill, you will eventually be able to play without reading the score.

Of course, it requires continuous effort, practice, and training; nothing happens by itself.

Because the progression is simple, I varied the voicing within a measure even on C, using C, C2, and Cadd2.

For Am7, I used tensions such as Am7(add4), Am9, and Am7(9,11).

The add4 is the same pitch as the 11th; in Am7, that note is D.

The 11th is often used on minor chords as an added tone that sounds refined without standing out.

On F, as on C, I used F2 and Fadd2.

The 2 and add2 forms are commonly used on major chords.

* “2” is shorthand for sus2, replacing the third of a major chord with the second (1-2-5).

An add2 chord adds the second to a major triad (1-2-3-5).

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