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Church Congregational Songs

The Body of Christ @ Cardiphonia

As promised, my song “The Body of Christ” was released today on the Cardiphonia compilation, Songs for Liturgy. Besides my song, there are 26 other songs that will rock your liturgical world. Really. Go download the whole album. You’ll be doing yourself a favor, treating your ears to all that sweet music. You’ll be doing your congregation a favor by finding fresh new songs for your church’s services. And you’ll be doing flood victims in NY/NJ a favor, as all proceeds go to them. What are you waiting for?

Once you’re done downloading the album, come on back and print the music.

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Church Congregational Songs Demos

Open Our Eyes to the Word of Life

Bruce Benedict and Cardiphonia crew are releasing another compilation. This time the theme is liturgical music. I’ll post a link to my song, “The Body of Christ” that will be included on the CD when it’s released in a few days. In the meantime, here is a brand new one that didn’t make the cut: Open Our Eyes to the Word of Life.

It’s a prayer for illumination to be sung before the reading or preaching of scripture. Even though it’s a compact little song, the lyrics include each person of the Trinity and conclude with the idea that we should not only be hearing the Word, we should be doing it, as well. Not bad for 18 measures. The first part of the song can be sung as a round, a cappella or using the chords in measures 21-24. But the likelihood of people singing a new song as a round is low, so I added a “Hallelujah” round after the main text. This can be sung directly following the first part of the song, as it is on the demo, or it can be separated and sung elsewhere in the service.

Give it a try: MP3, PDF

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Uncategorized

Everything You Need to get Diakonian

Welcome! Unless you’re a regular subscriber to my music blog (and who wouldn’t want to be?) you’re here to get the files you need for the Diakonia Remixed contest. If you just want to listen to the song, here’s the MP3.

If you want to make a video or something else that uses a CD quality version of the full song, download:

If you want the backing track so that you can record your own vocal, download:

All you mix masters can download the stems:

And please, people, don’t eat me out of house and home! I have to pay for the bandwidth on this site, so only download what you need.

Oh, and have fun.

After you’re done having fun, post your creative endeavors to the Diakonia Remixed contest page at Facebook and win a bunch of money and the admiration of all your friends.

Categories
Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Everything to Me

This last song to be completed for the Half the Man CD was one that I often used as the first song in a set when playing out. I thought it was fitting to start with the words, “Well, that’s just what we need–another song.” Of course, by the time I got to the end of the song, the audience was like putty in my hands, and were begging for more. (At least that’s the way I like to remember it.)

Everything to Me is one of my many songs about songs. I guess what one thinks about comes out in one’s writing. Songs like this one, Palestrina, and Tomorrow May Be More all explore the futility of creativity. There is so much music in the world. And now we can hear pristine examples of the greatest music from past centuries and throughout the entire world. What could someone like me possibly add to these endless treasures?

If you’re interested in exploring the answer to that question, join me at 7pm EST tonight for the Half the Manathon listening party. Those of you who aren’t local will be able to join us virtually via http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gregscheer. I’m working out the technical details for the virtual gathering, and putting finishing touches on the CD and munchies for the local gathering.

For now, enjoy this music hors d’oeuvre: Everything to Me, MP3

Categories
Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Our Father

Update 10/1/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

Though my Half the Man CD isn’t a religious project, per se, under every hat I wear is my halo…

No, really, this song just seemed to fit, so I’m including it in the first draft. Plus, the COS Guitarchestra is leading this on Sunday, and I thought it would be nice for them to hear it before playing it. (Get crackin’, Gs!) I’m still taking reservations for tomorrow night’s Half the Manathon listening party, so email me quickly if you’d like to join us.

Our Father, MP3

Categories
Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

Let Me into Your Heart

I’m still deciding whether this one will go on the Half the Man CD or not. That’s one of the reasons I’m holding a listening party on Tuesday night. I want to get feedback from fresh ears: Is it good? Does it fit with the other songs? Is it too weird to release a song about unrequited love two decades after meeting the love of your life? (“Requited love”–is that a thing?)

I took a different approach in recording this song. Most of the others I built up from a click track (I usually used a basic drum pattern rather than an actual click), then laying down a rough take on voice and guitar, then adding bass, guitars, and vocals. It doesn’t give the flexibility of a live recording, but it gives rhythmic stability to multiple tracks added at different times. On this song, though, I recorded the whole song on guitar and voice (3rd take, for those who are counting) without a click track and then added the bass and percussion on top of that. this gives the song a more organic, unpolished feel that I really like.

Hear for yourself: MP3

Categories
Rock and/or Roll

Tell You How I Feel

As I come to the finish line with the Half the Man project*, I’m coming across songs that aren’t going to make it from rough draft to first draft stage. “Tell You How I Feel” is one such song. It’s a good song–I mean, what’s not to like about a song sung half in English and half in German?–but it just doesn’t feel right for this CD.

But the CD’s loss is your gain. Instead of having to wait twenty years for the Half the Man reissue with all the outtakes and B sides, you can just click right here and take a listen now!

*(Hey, there’s still time to get in on the Half the Manathon!)

Categories
Half the Man Rock and/or Roll

We Know the Changes

I’m wrapping up the last few tracks on the Half the Man CD in preparation for Tuesday’s “Half the Manathon” listening party. In this particular case, I’m literally “rapping” up the track.

“We Know the Changes” has been around for a while. It was inspired by rap/jazz projects like the Diggable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick,” Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours,” and Buckshot LeFonque’s “Music Evolution.”

Take a listen to MC G layin’ it down: MP3.

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Finale demo

O Bless the Lord, My Soul (ST THOMAS)

Update 12/11/21: Sheet music for this song is now available at gregscheer.com.

I don’t know how I forgot to post this earlier, but a few weeks ago I finished a string orchestra arrangement of the hymn tune ST THOMAS, using the text “O Bless the Lord, My Soul.” These hymn tune arrangements give me the opportunity to squeeze as much counterpoint and harmonic variation as I can from an 8 measure tune. It’s both challenging and satisfying, and I was quite happy with how this turned out.

Categories
Arrangement Church Congregational Songs Live

God Is So Good

Update 10/2/20: Sheet music for this song can be downloaded here.

Here’s a little something I arranged for the October 7 BES Combo service at COS.

Everyone knows “God Is So Good” and everyone hears it in a Black Gospel style (don’t they?), but hymnals only have a boring four-part version. I took it upon myself to right this wrong. Opinions varied on the worship team whether this was just right or so wrong (it’s a fine line). I’ll probably do another draft in the near future, so contact me if you’re thinking of using it; I’ll get you the latest version.

God Is So Good: MP3, (see link above for PDF)