Welcome to Rocket Piano’s Introduction to Gospel,

Spirituals and Hymns!

A personal message from me
Table Of Contents

01 01
Rocket Piano Progress Tracker

Lesson or Skill Page # Date Signature

Chapter one. A brief history of the Spirituals
Chapter two. Spirituals, the three main types
‘Call and response’

‘Ballad’ type
Faster tempo syncopated tunes
Chapter three. Spiritual melody

Major pentatonic

          50  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
     

          
1 2 3 5 6 8
     
    
       
1 2 3 5 6 8
     
You shall reap 01

 1        5
        
2

You shall reap jes what you sow you shall reap what you sow on the

 
               
1

moun - tain in the val - ley you shall reap jes what you sow
 02

O lamb, beautiful lamb

     
           
  
O lamb beau - ti - ful Lamb I'm going to serve God till i die
 

   
          

O Lamb beau - ti - ful Lamb I'm going to serve God till I die
 
Minor Pentatonic

           51  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
      

     
       

      

         
1 2 3 5 6 8
    
     
  
   
     
      

 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  3 4 5 7 8
1 1
  
     
D minor pentatonic

   

    

     
  
 03

Sittin down beside O' the Lamb

1 5 5
  
         
     

New Je - ru - sa - lem New Je - ru - sa - lem
            
5 1


sit - tin down be - side o' the Lamb
4 1 3 5

            
 
Be - fore I'd lay in hell one day good Lord
  1      1   
 
7 sit - tin down be - side o' 1 the Lamb 5

    
          
I'd sing an' pray my self a - way good Lord
          
 
sit - tin down be - side o' the Lamb
10 5

   
           

       3         
O mour - ner mourn a - long O
5

 
sit - tin down be - side o' the Lamb sit - tin down be - side o' the

  
13 5

  

 
mour - ner mourn a - long
          
 

Lamb sit - tin down be - side o' the Lamb
‘Blues’ pentatonic

     
  
1 3 4 5 7 8
   

      
     52

 Added chromatic note, E    

‘Blues’ pentatonic tune

04

I know it was the blood

q = 110
   
                   
         
I know it was the blood I know it was the blood I know it was the

      
 

             

    
blood for me One day when I was lost Je - sus
     
   
12

               

        
died up - on the cross I know it was the blood for me
  
        
 05

Wish I's in heaven settin' down


                 
     
Wish I's in hea - ven set - tin down set - tin down wish I's in hea - ven set - tin

        
  

   
        

 
   
        

down set - tin down O Ma - ry O Mar - tha wishI's in hea - ven set - tin down

              
           
 
Chapter four. Dotted 8th notes

Title
COMPOS
= 96

        53   

      
       
Piano

    Title    
CO
= 96

         

06

Piano             

       
 1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e+ a 4 e + a 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 2 3 4

    
               
Dotted 8th note tune

Roll, Jorden, roll 07

q = 80

         


Roll Jor - dan roll Roll Jor - dan roll I

         
 

               

 
want to go to hea - ven when I die to hear old Jor - dan roll O

         
 
    
   
9

      

bro - ther you ought to been there Yes my lord A

            
   
13

         

sit - ting - in - the - king - dom to hear old Jor - dan roll

           
     
Here are a few more Spirituals to look at and learn.
08

Go down Moses
q = 110

 1 5 2
             
      
   
When Is - rael was in E - gypt's land let my peo - ple go Op pressed so hard they
        
   

 
7 4
  
5 4
 
1
     
1

     

    
could not stand let my peo - ple go Go down Mo - ses way down in
      
  
    
5

 
13
3 1
  
2
       
       
E - gypt's land tell old Pha - roah let my peo - ple go
    
       
     

 
1
More spirituals.

09
My Lord what a morning
q = 78
5 4 5
     
           
3 1 3
 
       
My Lord what a morn - ing my Lord what a morn - ing
            
1
   1
1
5 5 5 4
 
5

       
      
2 1

  

my Lord what a morn - ing
    
when the stars be - gin to

fall

       
       
Fine

    
9 1 4 3 1 4
    


      
you' ll hear the trum - pet sound to wake the na - tions un - der - ground
      

14 D.C al fine

           
     

look - ing to my God's right hand
  
when the stars be - gin to fall
           

1
5
Chapter five I, IV, V in spirituals
 q = 86
10

   

3 3 3
3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Piano
3 3 3 3 3 3 3
 3 3 3 3 3

            
  3
3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3

 3   3       
3 3 3 3
3
       
3
    
3 3 3 3


           3   3       
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3

 
descending

    3            3   3   3   3   3  3
3
3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1
3 3
7 3
    3 



3
   
3
  
3
  3   3   3   3  3 3 3 3 3

  
3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1

10
3 3
   3 3 3 3

3
3 3
                     
3
3 3 3 3
  3   3   3    
   
3
        

        3   3 
12
3 3 3
 3   3     

  3  3 3 3 3 3 3
                  
 11
Swing low sweet chariot
q = 56
 
4 3 5

      
     

5 3
     
1 1

   
Swing low sweet char - i - ot com - ing for to car - ry me home
   
           
    1
1
5 5

  
               
   
swing low sweet char - i - ot com - ing for to car - ry me home
 
          
    1 2
Fine
5 4

9

        
3
          
   
I looked o - ver Jor - dan and what did I see com - ing for to car - ry me

          
   
13 D.C al fine

   4      3     
          
a band of an - gels com - ing af - ter me com - ing for to car - ry me home

home

            
    
        
12
           
 
1 4 2 5 1 4 2 5


    
        
            
       



5 2 4 1 5 2 4 1

      

1 4 2 4 5 4 2 1

       

 
          
     

5 2 4 2 1 2 4 5

      
            
5 2 4 1 5 2 4 1
5

          

            
        
      
1 4 2 5 1 4 2 5 
    
           
7 5 3 2 3 1

          
      
        
      
1 3 5 4 5
Chapter six. Gospel songs
A brief history
Gospel songs
 13
Bye and bye
= 58

 1  
4 5

      
  
1
        
   
Bye an' bye we all shall meet a - gain
           
 
3 2


5
   1   
5 5 4 5

   
1
     
1
   
Bye   an'

bye we
   a  - gain 
      
all shall meet O
    
1 3
5
    5 5 4

           
2
 
         
 
   
bye an' bye we all shall meet a - gain an' I

         
   
 2
4

 1
7 5 5

 
  
2
      
      
would - n't mind dy - in
 
if

dy - in
 
was all
   
       
   
1
5
Chapter seven. E major

  
             

    
       

           

    
     


 
              

 
         
I, IV, V progression in E major.

  
 
   
  
    

  
 
      

 

  
    
   



      

    
 

       
      
       
  



 

         
         

I love the Lord 14

= 96
4 4 4
  2
               
1 1
     

   
I love the Lord He heard my cries and pit - ied

             
   
  

2 2 1 3
5 5 5

   
5 3 5 5
  
                  
2 1 1 3
 
 -  ry groan    long as I live
ev
   
when trou - bles
         
   
1 1 4 3
5 5
11 5 5
      
      
3 3
   


     
rise I'll has - ten to His throne
         

  
2 4 1 5
5
 15

The downward road is crowded

= 96

4 5 4

      
2

3
 
1
    

 
          
O the down - ward road is crowd - ed crowd - ed crowd - ed O the
    
3 1
5 5


4 5 3 4

                  
2 1 1

   
        
down - ward road is crowd - ed with un - be - liev - in' souls The win' blows east an' the
        
   
  1 1 1 1  1
5 4 4 5 4

11
 
           
  
win' blows west

it blows like the judg - ment

day
 an'

   


14

                  
5


  ne - ver did pray
ev - ry po' soul that
      pray that
will be glad to day
        
1 1

5
5 4
 16

Stand by me Albert Tindley

 3
    
2 3
              
   
When the storms of life are rag - ing stand by me (stand be me)
             

3 1
5 5
5 3
   
         
4
 
1 1
       
when
 
the storms of life
  
are rag - ing stand
 
by me (stand by 
me)
         
  
5

5 4 5
    
         
2 3
  
when  
the world is toss - ing me
   
like a ship
 
u - pon
 
the sea
 
          
  
1
5
7 3 5

       
1 3 2

              

  
thou who rul - est wind and wa - ter stand by me (stand by me)
         
       
5 4 1 3
5
 17
There's something on my mind
 3
5

          1
    

     
There's some - thin' on my mind that's worr - yin' me There's
    
2

4
 
4

     
1
      
         
        
some - thin' on my mind that's worr - yin me There's some - thin' on my mind that's
        

    
 
1

1
5 3

   
    
7 5 3

         

3

1

    
worr - yin me so
  
let us watch Lord an' pray as we
  
live
            
   1 
5
Chapter eight. Hymns
A brief history
 18

Words by John Newton Tune: "American melody" from

and John P. Rees Amazing grace Cirginia Harmony

3 5 2

       
1 1 4

         
   
        
A - maz - ing grace how sweet the sound that saved a
  
 
1
 
5 3 1
     
5 3

   
      
5

      

     
me I once was lost but
   
wretch like
      
     
5 3

12 5 4

      
3 1

        
 
 
  
now am found
    
was blind
  
but 
now
I see 
     
5 2 2
4 5
 19
Battle hymn of the Republic
Words by Julia Ward Howe Music by William Steffe

= 82 5 4 5
 1     
        
       
 
2

3

                 
Mine eyes have seen the glo - ry of the com - ing of the Lord He is

         
1 2
5 4
3 4

    
    
       
1 2
 
tram - pling out the vin - tage where the grapes of wrath are stored He hath

      


        
     
1 1
6 5 4 5
       
       
          
2
 

  
loosed the fate - ful light - ning of His ter - ri - ble swift - sword His truth is march - ing on
     
              
 


2
Chorus 4
10

4
2    
3

        
1
  
  
   
Glo - ry glo - ry hal - le - lu - jah Glo - ry glo - ry hal - le - lu - jah
             
   

        

 
14 4

            
     
2

on
  
Glo - ry glo - ry hal - le - lu - jah His truth is march - ing
          
     

 20

Hark the herald angel sing

Words by Charles Wesley Tune: Mendelssohn
= 96 3 5 4
             
     
1 3 2
  
          

   

  
Hark the her - ald an - gels sing Glo - ry to the new - born King peace on earth and
         
   

  1       
5
4

5 4 5

               2    
3 3 3

             

    
mer - cy mild God and sin - ners rec - on - ciled joy - ful all you na - tions rise
              
     3
2 3
4 5 5

11 4 4

                     

2 2 1

    
join the tri - umph of the skies with the angel- ic host pro - claim Christ is born in
 
        
   
      
1 5 2
4 4

      
16 3

             
1
     
Beth - le - hem Hark the her - ald an - gels sing Glo - ry to the new - born King

                    

     
4
 21

Holy, holy , holy

Words by Reginald Heber Music by John B. Dykes
3 5 5

                      
1 3 2 3

  
Ho - ly ho - ly ho - ly
    
Lord God
   
al - might - y
 
ear - ly
 
in the
             
  
1` 2 1 2
3 5

    5

           
 
   
  
2 1
   
morn - ing our song shall rise
   to Thee Ho - ly ho - ly ho - ly
                  
   
2 2 1
5 5
11 5
 
          
3
      
mer - ci
  
- ful

and

might

- y God in three
    


   
2 3 1
4
14 5

       
2 1

  
   
 

per - sons bless - ed Trin - i - ty A - men

         
  
    
 22
Joy to the world
Words from Psalm 98, adapted by Issac Watts Music, 'Antioch' arranged from George F. Handel


= 82
   
    
 

    


 

Joy
 
to the world the Lord

is

come let
 
earth
re -
       

   

  
                
             
   
      
cieve her King let ev - ry heart pre - pare Him room and
 
    
 


12

      
   
       
ture sing and

heav'n and na - ture sing and heav'n and na -
         
      

16
  
     
      
heav'n

and
heav'n
 and na - ture sing
          
    
Conclusion