Gospel Hymn - Need Help w/ Chords and/or Lead Sheet

[gospelpiano12]

I wrote this hymn, would anyone be able to make a lead sheet (just lyrics, chords, and lead notes) or just a chord sheet with chords over the lyrics? Sorry for the bad singing, I am a much better sax player and pianist than singer.

[lelle]

Hi and welcome!

I think it will be hard for anyone to know which chords you intended just based on your singing. Or did you want someone to come up with a good chord progression that matches your vocals? Keep in mind that arranging and notating music is usually something people charge money for.

[gospelpiano12]

A chord progression that matches my vocals. I think I'm singing in the key of Ab major.

[lelle]

Hmm, that might be a tall order to ask someone to do for free. But it's always good to ask, you might get lucky!

Have you tried picking out what notes you are singing on the piano and then notating it yourself? Might be a good exercise 

[getsiegs]

Yep, you're singing in A-flat. I'd suggest a simple tonic-predominant-dominant progression.

example:
-"no power..." AbM (tonic)
-"will ever..." Bb7, Bbm7, or DbM (predominant)
-"mightier..." Eb7 (dominant)

It seems that this pattern repeats throughout, so you could take this simple progression and spice it up with more interesting chords than the basic ones I outlined as the hymn goes on. Hopefully this helps!

[gospelpiano12]

Would you be able to just write them down in a chord sheet ?

[getsiegs]

I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with chord sheets... if you want it as simple as possible, the Ab - Bb7 - Eb7 progression will be just fine. If I were you I'd tweak it a bit to make it a little more interesting and then see if you can put it in a chord sheet when you're happy with your chords.

[gospelpiano12]

Ok thanks

[j_tour]

Hi and welcome!

I think it will be hard for anyone to know which chords you intended just based on your singing.

I echo the welcome.

But, I'm glad I'm not the first to say I had some difficulties based on the singing.  But I'd just call it three chords, with some disguises or "substitutions" for the subdominant (preparing for the dominant), if I were going to play it in real time.

In any case, I think what you want is something in the following form:



You may want more detail or voice leading like in a hymnal, but to me that's a basic lead sheet that anyone can follow.

[gospelpiano12]

What you attached is exactly what I'd like, please PM me with whatever chords you found. Hoping to play it this Sunday, so any chords you find would be great.

[j_tour]

What you attached is exactly what I'd like, please PM me with whatever chords you found. Hoping to play it this Sunday, so any chords you find would be great.

I'm flattered you think I could do it quickly, but I'm way behind on all kinds of stuff.

If you wrote out the melody, as you sang it, with the correct durations, though, yes, that would take only a few minutes to add some chords, or some optional passing chords or alternate chords with voicings.

IME, the most work is just putting the first marks on the page:  regular numbers of bars per line, set up the key signature, maybe put some labels on repeated parts, etc.

By contrast, while I had no idea the piece was in Ab (even though like most people I use that key a lot), there shouldn't be any problem at all for me or anyone here, I suppose, to just play along with some basic chords without preparation.

So if you do the first step, I or no doubt others can easily fill in the rest without any trouble.

[gospelpiano12]

Ok,I will try and do the thing with the pitches.