140 Left Hand Patterns for Church Pianists

Expand your students’ hymn playing by adding variety with 140 left hand patterns for church pianists!

This ultimate left hand patterns book for church pianists will supply everything you need for taking your hymn playing students to the next level.

Studio license copy is perfect for teachers who have a lot of hymn players, improv students, or ear players.

175 pages.

What’s Inside this Left Hand Patterns for Church Pianists Book

• 140 left hand patterns featured in the cadence of each key (I, IV, V chords)
• Left hand patterns in 5 meters: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8
• Every single pattern transposed into 8 major keys: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat
• Tips for transposing these patterns to minor keys
• Time Signatures and Key Signatures of this Left Hand Patterns for Church Pianist Book
  

I chose to feature both time signatures and key signatures popular in most standard hymnals, providing more patterns for the most popular time signatures.

• 21 left hand patterns in 2/4 (major keys: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat)
• 28 left hand patterns in 3/4 (major keys: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat)
• 42 left hand patterns in 4/4 (major keys: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat)
• 35 left hand patterns in 6/8 (major keys: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat)
• 14 left hand patterns in 9/8 (major keys: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat)

How the Book is Formatted

The book is formatted by time signature then key signature. For example:

• 2/4 patterns #1-21 in C major
• 2/4 patterns #1-21 in G major
• 2/4 patterns #1-21 in D major
• 2/4 patterns #1-21 in A major
• and so on
  

This makes it easy for the church pianist to flip to the time signature and key needed and have a variety of patterns to choose from immediately.

If you like Pattern #48 and want to use it in a hymn of a different key, you can easily locate #48 in all 8 keys.

Musical Elements in the Left Hand Patterns for Church Pianists Book

• Note values: sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half, dotted half, whole
• Time signatures: 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8
• Major key signatures: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat
• Ties
• Ledger lines
• Bass clef only
• Finger numbers
• Octaves
• Syncopation
• Chords
  

How to use the Left Hand Patterns for Church Pianists book in Lessons

When you order the studio license copy of this book, you have permission to print as many copies as needed for your entire personal studio for life.

Since there are 175 pages, this entire book can be overwhelming to students, especially if they are learning patterns for the first time.

I would introduce hymns in one key (e.g. Key of C major) to the student and print off just one page of left hand patterns for them to try.

As the student gets comfortable with the first patterns, print off another page and give them more to practice.

Once the student gains confidence in the first few patterns and keys, you can start assigning more. Maybe print off the entire 3/4 F major section and assign your student to come back with 3 hymns in the key of F using 3 different left hand patterns.

You can also use this book to help students learn improvisation. Give them a left hand pattern and encourage them to create a unique melody in their right hand.

The teaching ideas for this resource are endless! I can’t wait to hear how you use it in your studio!