I agree the default key of F is too high (unless you are Chris Tomlin). I used to play it in E and just got the high notes (but not on a cold morning), but dropped down to D as the piano players found 2 sharps easier than 4! I am reasonably comfortable with it in D and thought the congregation would be likewise (as my low range is quite limited). I can very easily go up to E and actually think my 12 string guitar sounds better with open E chords. I am happy to go back to E if we are sure the rest of the congregation can reach the high notes. Do any other St. John's musician's have any thoughts on the debate?

  1. > Hi Simon, > Which key to play “Amazing Grace (My chains)”? > Should it be in F? In my view, the reason the CCLI website chose F as the default key is: it makes the entire scope of the melody happily within the acknowledged range of a soprano voice (the men then have to sing an octave lower, and that’s OK for them too!). Like I said, Jane has a voice a little lower then soprano (semi-alto). So, she can’t reach the climax of the chorus, which in the key of F is a high F. > Should it be in E? You suggest settling for D, because if we go for E, a pianist may say, “Yikes! Four sharps! - too difficult!!” My view on that is, to say to pianists, “Let’s get practising, and accept the challenge of learning to play the keys across the keyboard, so to be able to choose the right key!” Guitarists have an advantage over pianists, in that ‘you guys’ simply play the same memorised finger shapes/patterns all over the finger board, irrespective of which key you play in. But, pianists have black notes (differently shaped from the white keys), and that simple fact makes the shapes more complicated. > Should it be in D? Problem: it starts the song 2 1/2 tones below the low end of a soprano voice. Thus, when the men, in their turn, sing an octave lower, a bass voice is OK with D - it can handle it - but a tenor voice cuts out at the low end. Again, it cuts out (for the tenor voice) 2 1/2 tones above that deep place, to which the music wants to take us. > Please don’t think I find it easy to play in four sharps. I don’t, but I aim to improve; let’s give the LORD the very best we have to offer. But, if it’s to be D - not a big deal. The one-time management guru said Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” Zig Ziglar:

  2. The CCLI default is generally the key it was written and recorded in. But when the original artist has a brilliant vocal range, some problems arise for the congregation: http://www.musicademy.com/2010/07/keys-for-worship-music/ We are not the first when it comes to struggling with Chris Tomlin - there seem to be dozens of articles posted by song leaders online and they all cite Chris Tomlin songs as the source of their struggle: http://www.worshipteamcoach.com/blog/2013/01/14/why-a-new-chris-tomlin-song-will-not-make-our-rotation But rather than focus on the problem, I think the most helpful article is this one from Bob Kauflin who I heard speak at the Sydney Twist music ministry conference in 2011: http://www.worshipmatters.com/2009/05/11/finding-the-right-key-to-sing-in/ I think my approach has largely come from accepting Bob's considered view on the topic, so hopefully you find it helpful. A shaky low note seems less distracting than a squeak at the top!

  3. The Music academy website looks brilliant. No doubt I shall find myself using it a lot, being more British oriented than American (cf. “WorshipteamCoach”). Andy says: “ . . . I’d suggest you have some round table discussions with your musicians and find out the real reasons why they don’t want to change the key before issuing a fait-a-complis saying that they must. … [S]ome of your musicians just may not have the skills yet to transpose or even play in some unfamiliar keys. If that is the case then a bit of give and take along with some music theory education will vastly help, along with lots of rehearsal time. All our intermediate DVD courses cover music theory and transposing thoroughly so if they need some help here is a good place to start.” Selah! I notice you said you changed the key for AMAZING GRACE (MY CHAINS) from E down to D, not because of congregational concerns but because the keyboardist eschewed the four sharps!!! Lack of (self) training, then, was the reason. Likewise, song leaders who avoid “too high” a key for themselves have not realised, it’s not lack of gift, but lack of training. (See “Per Bristow” online as proof of that). Anyway, on a Sunday morning we are song leading “with" the congregation, rather than “to" the congregation, so they should come first every time, in my view. Thanks, too, for introducing me to the Bob Kauflin article, which looks difficult to master, but, with detailed study and application . . !!!