Count Your Blessings: E-Z Play Today

Count Your Blessings carries the reflective, grounded quality of traditional gospel hymnody. The arrangement settles into warm harmonic spaces that feel familiar yet fresh, inviting a meditative quality rather than rushing through the text.

Beginning to early intermediate pianists who want to accompany singers or perform independently without drowning in dense harmonic writing. Sacred music leaders looking for reliable, unpretentious arrangements that work in worship settings, school programs, or solo recitals.

• Let the melody breathe. Even in a simplified arrangement, phrasing matters. Shape the hymn's natural peaks rather than playing mechanically through the tune.
• Anchor the left hand with a steady pulse. The supporting harmonic structure in E-Z Play editions often centers on steady root position chords; commit to them fully rather than rushing.
• Consider tempo as a choice, not a preset. Gospel arrangements benefit from flexibility. Find a tempo that lets your hands move comfortably and the lyrics (if sung) land with intention.

Pair this with vocal arrangements of the same hymn for choir and piano collaborations, or offer it as a standalone piano offering during a sacred music concert. Its brevity makes it ideal for opening or closing a service, requiring minimal transition time between pieces.

• Reading and playing hymnal-style voicings with functional harmony
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in the same hand
• Interpreting phrasing cues within simplified notation
• Developing steady tempo and pulse without relying on complex rhythmic patterns