The Heart Of The Matter: Piano/Vocal/Chords
The Heart Of The Matter: Piano/Vocal/Chords
The Heart Of The Matter Sheet Music Preview

The Heart Of The Matter: Piano/Vocal/Chords

India.Arie

Item: 00-PSP-000175
Digital Download
$5.99

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Description
Alfred is pleased to release the album-matching folio for India.Arie's Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship. Released in 2006, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship is India.Arie's third CD, and her first record to reach the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top 200 Chart (2006). This book provides the lyrics along with piano and chord arrangements for all the songs on the record.

Titles are: Intro: Loving * These Eyes * The Heart of the Matter * Good Morning * Private Party * There's Hope * Interlude: Living * India 'Song * Wings of Forgiveness * Summer * I Am Not My Hair * Better People * Outro: Learning * I Choose * This Too Shall Pass.

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Additional Details
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 104
SKU: 00-PSP-000175

More about this title

About the Artist: India Arie

India.Arie Simpson is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose work centers on themes of self-acceptance, spirituality, and social consciousness. Her 2006 album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship marked a commercial breakthrough, becoming her first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart and establishing her as a major voice in contemporary R&B and soul music.

Beyond her recording career, India.Arie's influence in music education extends through her commitment to authentic songwriting and lyrical storytelling. Her compositions demonstrate how personal narrative and musical accessibility can work together to create meaningful art, making her work valuable for students learning to craft songs with both emotional depth and melodic clarity.

Why we love this

This folio captures the full sonic identity of a landmark album that broke commercial barriers while maintaining artistic integrity. Every arrangement here balances accessibility with sophistication, giving pianists and singers material that sounds fresh whether performed in a recital setting or used to study how contemporary R&B shapes melody, harmony, and lyrical storytelling.

What to expect

Intimate and reflective, with moments of joy and celebration woven throughout. These songs invite unhurried playing and singing; they reward attention to detail in both the musical arrangement and the emotional weight of each lyric.

Who it's for

Pianists and singers preparing material for recitals, auditions, or casual performance who want to explore contemporary R&B and soul songwriting. This folio also serves music theory and composition students studying how modern artists use harmonic complexity and lyrical vulnerability to create commercially successful yet artistically substantive work.

How to get the most out of it

  • Study the chord substitutions and jazz voicings throughout the book; they reveal how soul and R&B music builds harmonic richness beyond basic triads.
  • Let the lyrics guide your phrasing and dynamics rather than forcing strict rhythmic precision; these songs breathe and bend with emotional intent.
  • Use the chord symbols to explore the relationship between melody and harmony, noting where the singer sits against expected harmonic movement.
  • Consider the album's arc when selecting songs for performance; several pieces work beautifully as interludes or encore material.

How to use it

Feature individual songs in recitals celebrating contemporary songwriting, or program several tracks as a thematic set exploring relationships, identity, and hope. The interludes work particularly well as transitions between pieces in a longer concert program.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and voicing jazz and contemporary chord symbols
  • Balancing melodic interpretation with harmonic accompaniment
  • Understanding how R&B and soul songwriting structures differ from pop conventions
  • Connecting lyrical content to musical phrasing and expression

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