Learn Lookin' Out for Me: Kirk Franklin

The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 Here's a slow groove song, in the Key of Ab, Lookin' Out for Me by Kirk Franklin.

Intro

Bb13,  C7(#5 b9),  Ab13,  Bb13, C7(#5b9), Ab13, Bb13, C7(#5b9), Fm, Bbm7 Ab

Ab13 
Every time I look back 
                        Bb13 
And every time I think back 
Bb 
On all the stuff I been through 
                              
I prayed through I cried through 
C7(#5b9)          Ab13                             Bb13                                   
And then I tried you and just when I was about to fall 
                               C7(#5b9)                       
Your love caught me when your name I called 
Fm         Gm/Bb Fm/Bb    Bbm7     Ab       
Jesus you keep on looking out for me 
Ab13              
Remember when the doctor said 
                              Bb13  
He said he couldn't help you and 
                                                    
Remember when the money was getting low 
                           C7(#5b9) 
You're hurtin' now you're feelin' low and 
    Ab13                         
Just when you thought the night would never end 
Bb13                          C7(#5b9)                                   
The sun came out now you can smile again 
Fm         Gm/Bb Fm/Bb    Bbm7   Ab 
Jesus you keep on look-in' out for me 
Ab7      Bb/Ab    Dbm6/Ab    Ab     
You keep on lookin out for me (repeat 3x's) 
Fm/Bb        Fm/D    Db/Eb Db/Gb C7(#9)
In spite of all I've done 
Fm7   Bb13                Db/Eb   Ab
Jesus you keep on look-in out for me 
Ab13        
I shouldn't be here today 
                                         Bb13                               
And when I look back on all my mistakes if it hadn't been for your grace 
                   C7(#5b9)
I don't know where I'd be where I'd go 
Ab13                                  
Who can love me like you do 
 Bb13                        C7(#5b9)
And who can hold me when I'm goin' through? 
Fm         Gm/Bb Fm/Bb   Bbm7    Ab
Jesus you keep on lookin out for me
 

Ab7         Bb/Ab   Dbm6/Ab   Ab
You keep on look-in' out for me
Ab7        Bb/Ab   Dbm6/Ab  Ab
You keep on lookin out for me.

Ab7         Bb/Ab   Dbm6/Ab   Ab
You keep on look-in' out for me
Ab7        Bb/Ab   Dbm6/Ab  Ab
You keep on lookin out for me.

Fm/Bb    Fm/D    Db/Eb  Db/Gb C7(#9)
In spite of all I've done, oh.

Fm7    Bb13             Db/Eb  Dbm6/Eb
Je-sus, You keep on lookin' out for me.

Ab7
Jesus, Jesus, yeah!

Listen to the song on YouTube with it's cool rhythm and great sounding chords.

Chord Breakdown

Here's some slash chords used throughout the song, in no particular order from my copy of

The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin (Songbooks and Folios)

L.H. / R.H.

Bb13 = Bb/AbDG

C7(#5b9) = C/BbFbAbDb

Ab13 = Ab/GbCF

Fm = F/CEbFAb

Bbm7 = Ab/DbFBb

Ab = Ab/CEbAb

Gm/Bb = Bb/DGBb, DbGbBbb

Fm/Bb = Bb/CFAb

Ab7 = Ab/GbCEb

Bb/Ab = Ab/FBbD

Dbm6/Ab = Ab/FbBbDb

Fm/D = D/AbCF

Db/Eb = Eb/DbFAb

Db/Gb = Gb/AbDbF

C7(#9) = C/EBbEb

Fm7 = F/CEbAb

Eb/Db = Eb/DbFAb

Get the CD,  The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin

Take Your Piano Playing To The Next Level With These Courses

*affiliate links in post*

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"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

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7 Improvisation Experiences for Young Children

I was looking through one of my old issues of Jazzed magazine and came across a short article for piano teachers and those wanting to help children play the piano better. Specifically, it's on the subject of improvising. I thought I'd share it with you and maybe you'll find some treasures in it, hopefully.

7 Improvisation Experiences for Young Children 

      by Dr. Daria S. Hanley

One of the new components of JEN is our focus on jazz for K-8 musicians. Our intent is to offer sessions at each conference designed to show how to engage young children with jazz music. We have already started putting K-8 educational materials and information on the Jen website. My expertise as a music teacher and music education professor leads me to offer the following activities to try with young children that teach them the fundamentals of improvisation.

1. Replace the Phrase

 

Ask children to create scat syllables to replace a phrase in a familiar song. Example: Have them sing Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho in a swing style and ask individual children to replace the "and the walls came tumbling down" phrase with scat. Ask children to sing Joshua on neutral syllables such as "doo" "bah" and "doot" instead of using lyrics and invite them to add their scat phrases.

2. Call-and-Response Conversations

 

Ask children to create cell phones using cardboard, Styrofoam, tin cans, or other arts and crafts materials. Have them form partners and "talk" to each other using scat syllables. Ask the child who is responding to listen to the sounds his.her partner is making and incorporate some of the same sounds (or similar) sounds in the response. Repeat asking children to converse over a blues progression.

3. Diamond Follow the Leader

 

Ask children to create 4-beat rhythm patterns with body percussion, instruments, found sounds, movement, etc. for others to imitate along with a track such as Rockit (Herbie Hancock) or My Baby Just Cares for Me (Nina Simone). Have them form groups of 4 and ask them to stand in a "diamond" formation. Identify the first leader and have him/her create patterns until you call "switch" where everyone turns to the right and a new leader begins.

4. Make a Chain

 

Provide a 4-beat rhythm pattern as the prompts for this improvisation. Distribute a variety of rhythm instruments and ask children to form a circle. Invite them to perform this 4-beat rhythm pattern on their instrument. Establish a steady pulse on a hand drum. Ask individual children (one at a time around the circle) to create their own 4-beat pattern to add to the chain starting from the top each time so all patterns repeat in preparation for the next/new one.

5. Improvisation Needs Vocabulary

 

List music vocabulary words (dynamics, tempi, rhythm instrument names, etc.) on small cards and place in an empty saxophone case (or fishbowl). Ask children to draw a card each week to add to their class vocabulary. Have them write the words and definition in a journal or on a worksheet. Design an activity for children to improvise incorporating their new word and/or it's meaning each week.

6. Riff off Children's Books, Poems, and Chants

 

Identify children's books, poems, and/or chants that feature jazz sounds, jazz artists, etc. Ask children to use their voices to explore different ways to read and/or sing the text. Have them create their own phrase or use words in the text to accompany the book (Example: Read A Tisket, A Tasket (2003, Ella Fitzgerald, Ora Eitan, illustrator) and guide children to speak "tisket a-tisket, a-tisket, a-tisket" while you perform a swing pattern with brushes on a hi-hat. Read Before John Was a Jazz Giant (2008, Carole Boston Weatherford, Sean Qualls, illustrator) and ask children to speak the repeated text improvising with their voices by exploring vocal ranges, tone colors, and dynamics. Have them improvise bongo accompaniments as you read (or sing) This Jazz Man (2006, Karen Ehrhardt, R.G. Roth, illustrator) Ask children to read Jazz Baby (2006, Carole Boston Weatherford, Laura Freeman, illustrator) and then write their own verses using music vocabulary.

7. Pentatonic Expressions

 

Remove bars from Orff instruments (xylophones) or use step bells to isolate only the notes in a pentatonic scale. Ask children to engage in call-and-response, fill-in-the-blank, or free improvisation within a specified pulse using this scale. Guide children to write a class pentatonic composition with "holes" to provide space for improvisation. Invite individual children to take solos in the "holes."

If you like Jazz, here are some resources you may want to add to your music library:

jazz101 jazz201 JITC (Jazz Intensive Training Center)

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"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

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Another Joel Weldon Song

About a year ago I posted the chords to Overwhelmed by Joel Weldon. I had met Joel around 1992 and he had put together a songbook that I purchased, called Catch Fire! America.  

There's another cool song that Joel wrote along with Dave Long and Steve Mills called, Lay Your Hands On Me, God.  Here  are  the chords in the Key of E Major.

Lay Your Hands On Me, God

Intro: E  A/E  B/E  E  A/E  A/B  B

                                                        E                                  A/E

Lay Your hands on me, God

                            E

Lift me up, make me strong

                                                                   B/E                  A/E            E

Show me Your way, won't You heal me today

                                                                    A/E                                E

Your love is so real, and the feelings I feel

                                                                B/E                    A/E                 B/E  A/E A E

Words just won't say how You've touched me today

 

                                                      A           B      E

God of mercy, I'll try to stand

                                              A                B         E                             C#m

Strong and faithful, live by Your command

                                                           E                    A                      Bsus4  B

You still love me even when I lose my way

                                            C#m                 E        D  

I know You're only a simple prayer away

     Chord Breakdown

E = E/BEG#
A/E = E/C#EA
B/E = E/DF#B
A/B = B/C#EA
B = B/DF#B
A = C#EA
C#m = C#/EG#C#
Bsus4 = B/F#BE
D = DD/AEF#A
                                   

Catch Fire! America

For more information regarding Joel, visit his website

For those who play the guitar, Hear and Play offers this resource as well as piano courses.
Check out, Advanced Guitar 301 

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 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

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• How To Play Overwhelmed: Joel Weldon
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Learn Look Upon The Lord

 I like Kari Jobe. She has had an astonishing career with her gift of worship!

 

About The Artist

Kari Brooke Jobe (born April 6, 1981) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. Since her first album in 2009, she has received one Grammy Award nomination and three Dove Award nominations, two of which she won. Jobe is also an associate worship pastor at Gateway Church.  For more information, visit wikipedia

Video: Paul Baloche, Kari Jobe 

Song: Look Upon The Lord (Lyrics and Chords)

Majestic (Live) - Kari Jobe
By Paul Baloche, Jason Ingram and Kari Jobe
 

Intro
Em    Dsus4   D   Dsus4    D

[Verse 1]

Em                                     Dsus4  D   Dsus4   D
Look upon the Lord, stand in awe of his beauty
Em                                   Dsus4  D  Dsus4  D
Look upon the Lord, seated high, He is holy
Am                   Em        G           D
Let the glory of our God from heaven come down
Am                    Em       G             Dsus4  D
Let the house of the Lord be filled with the cloud

[Chorus]
G                      D
You are good and Your mercy will endure
Em                   Dsus4         D
You are good and, forever we are Yours
Am        Em    D
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Am        Em    Dsus4   D
Hallelujah, hallelujah
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/k/kari-jobe/385928.html ]
[Verse 2]
Em                                        Dsus4  D  Dsus4  D
Listen for the Lord, hear the voice of His Spirit
Em                                  Dsus4  D  Dsus4  D
Call upon His name; He is near, He is with us
Am                    Em       G          D
Let the glory of our God from heaven come down
Am                    Em       G           Dsus4  D
Let the house of the Lord be filled with the cloud

[Chorus]

+
Am        Em    D
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Am        Em    Dsus4   D
Hallelujah, hallelujah

[Instrumental 4x]
Em    C    G    D

[Bridge 3x]
Em C  G  D  
Holy, holy
Em        C
With one voice
G           D
Heaven and earth are singing
Em C  G  D
Holy, holy
Em   C       G   D
Lord God, Almighty

[Instrumental 4x]

[Bridge]

[14x]
Am   Em    G    D

[Ending]
Am                   Em        G           D
Let the glory of our God from heaven come down
Am                    Em       G             Dsus4  D
Let the house of the Lord be filled with the cloud

Application

Q: How do you play Dsus4? 

A: D-G-A (1-4-5 fingering)

All the other chords should be pretty easy to play. 

It's a nice slow, worship song.

If you'd like a refresher course on all the different chords 

to play, check out 

 Chords 101 & 102 

What's It About?

101: You'll explore the world of chords in this beginner course. From the various classes of chords, to intervals, inversions, and scales, you'll learn everything you need to know to start playing major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords by ear!

102: You'll discover the power behind extended chords like sevenths, ninths, elevenths and thirteenths and how to voice them differently to give you the sound you want!

Chords 101 & 102

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"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

How To Play Word of God Speak

I Can Only Imagine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MercyMe does a beautiful song that I think you may want to play on the piano. It's a peaceful, ballad song, Word of God Speak. I've shared a chord chart with you in the Key of G but I like to sing the song in the Key of C.  If you're not familiar with the melody, be sure and check out the audio/visual on YouTube

Chords and Lyrics

intro
C F/C C


             C           F/C      C
I'M FINDING MYSELF AT A LOSS FOR WORDS
 G/C     C/F                F2                     
AND THE FUNNY THING IS IT'S OK
              G/B  C     F/C    C 
THE LAST THING I NEED IS TO BE HEARD
       C/F                  F/A
BUT TO HEAR WHAT YOU WOULD SAY

chorus
F/A     G/B  C2
WORD OF GOD SPEAK 
                         Gsus
WOULD YOU POUR DOWN LIKE RAIN 
 G      F2/A Bb                F
WASHING MY EYES TO SEE YOUR MAJESTY
   F/A       G/B C2                       Gsus
TO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THIS PLACE
  G        F2/A Bb2                   F2  
PLEASE LET ME STAY AND REST IN YOUR HOLINESS 
             C
WORD OF GOD SPEAK

V2

              C            F/C     C      

I'M FINDING MYSELF IN THE MIDST OF YOU 
 G/C         C/F               F2
BEYOND THE MUSIC BEYOND THE NOISE
         G/B  C    F/C   C       
ALL THAT I NEED IS TO BE WITH YOU
           C/F               F/A
AND IN THE QUIET TO HEAR YOUR VOICE (repeat chorus x2)



             C2         F/C      C
I'M FINDING MYSELF AT A LOSS FOR WORDS
G/C     C/F                 F2                                        
AND THE FUNNY THING IS IT'S OK

Chords in G

intro
G C2 G C2 G C2 G C2

V1
G             C2                  G
I'M FINDING MYSELF AT A LOSS FOR WORDS
        C2                   G              
AND THE FUNNY THING IS IT'S OK
                 C2           G
THE LAST THING I NEED IS O BE HEARD
       C2                  G
BUT TO HEAR WHAT YOU WOULD SAY

chorus
C2          G
WORD OF GOD SPEAK 
                         D
WOULD YOU POUR DOWN LIKE RAIN 
           Am                C
WASHING MY EYES TO SEE YOUR MAJESTY
                G                        D
TO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THIS PLACE
              Am                    C  
PLEASE LET ME STAY AND REST IN YOUR HOLINESS 
            G
WORD OF GOD SPEAK

C2 G C2 G C2 G C2 G
V2
              C2                   G
I'M FINDING MYSELF IN THE MIDST OF YOU 
           C2               G
BEYOND THE MUSIC BEYOND THE NOISE
           C2                 G
ALL THAT I NEED IS TO BE WITH YOU
           C2                 G
AND IN THE QUIET TO HEAR YOUR VOICE

chorus 

ENDING
C2          G
WORD OF GOD SPEAK 
                         D
WOULD YOU POUR DOWN LIKE RAIN 
           Am                C
WASHING MY EYES TO SEE YOUR MAJESTY
                G                        D
TO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THIS PLACE
              Am                    C  
PLEASE LET ME STAY AND REST IN YOUR HOLINESS

G C2 G C2 G C2 G

             C2                  G
I'M FINDING MYSELF AT A LOSS FOR WORDS
        C2                   G              
AND THE FUNNY THING IS IT'S OK

 Chords in A

Intro

A D2

Verse 1
            A                  
I'm finding myself at a loss for words
        D2                   
And the funny thing is it's okay
                  A                
The last thing I need is to be heard
        D2                        
But to hear what You would say
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/m/mercy-me/197595.html ]
Chorus
             A   
Word of God speak
                          E
Would You pour down like rain
            G                D2      
Washing my eyes to see Your majesty
                 A                         E  
To be still and know that You're in this place
               G
Please let me stay and rest
           D2                   A          
In Your holiness, Word of God speak

Verse 2
     
A D2

            A                      
I'm finding myself in the midst of You
             D2             
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
            A              
All that I need is to be with You
            D2             
And in the quiet hear Your voice

Repeat Chorus X2

Repeat Intro and 1st half of Verse 1

Word Of God Speak (Album Version)

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"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

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