How to Play “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” on Piano: Harmony, Melody & Rhythm Explained

Download the sheet music with chord symbols (free): https://www.lindaschoolofmusic.com/le...

Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Piano Hymn Tutorial in E♭) — full, measure-by-measure lesson for church pianists 🎹
In this in-depth tutorial, I teach you how to play the beloved hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” step by step—covering melody shaping, functional harmony, and 3/4 rhythm. We start with the key of E♭ (three flats), map the I–ii–iii–IV–V–vi chords, then move into real hymn mechanics: dominant 7ths, sus2/sus4, major-7/13 color tones, Lydian ♯11 on A♭, secondary dominants (C7 → F7 → B♭), diminished passing chords, bass-led voicings (E♭/G, A♭/E♭), and a strong congregational accompaniment approach. I also show simple options (one chord per measure) before adding fills, left-hand octaves, and right-hand voicings. 🙌

Download the sheet music with chord symbols (free): https://www.lindaschoolofmusic.com/le...

What you’ll learn
• Key of E♭: scale, chord family, and 3/4 counting
• Measure-by-measure harmony: E♭ → A♭ movements, A-natural leading tone, voice-leading
• Color tones: A♭Maj7(13), A♭(♯11), B♭7(9/11), E♭ add-11/13, E♭m6 moment in the chorus
• Cadences & borrowings: C7–F7 to B♭ (V/V chains), five-sus sounds (E♭/B♭), diminished connectors
• Practical playing: LH octaves following the bass; RH fills/voicings for congregational singing

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro & lesson plan (measure-by-measure in E♭)
00:15 Key of E♭ (3 flats): scale & notes
00:50 Diatonic chords in E♭ (I–ii–iii–IV–V–vi–vii°)
03:40 Measure 1: melody on G; E♭ chord → B♮ leading tone
06:20 Lydian color: A♭(♯11) and why it works
13:10 Borrowed/secondary dominants: C7 → F7 → B♭
16:48 Chorus begins: straight B♭ & dotted-eighth/16th feel
20:45 B♭7 climbs; E♭m6 color on “new every morning”
23:20 Iconic diminished pass: A° → D/A → A°
35:30 Verse playthrough (enhanced arrangement)

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