List of Lessons

Comprehensive List of Lessons on this Blog

Before We Begin: Acquiring the Essentials discusses proper organ shoes, Carol Dean's marked hymnal, and how to compile your organ's stoplist.

Lesson 1: Understanding Parts of the Organ covers the organ console, the manuals, the pedal board, expression and crescendo pedals, stops, couplers, pistons and combination action, and the organ bench.

Lesson 2: Demystifying the Organ Stops, Part 1 explains the meaning of the numbers and Roman numerals on the organ stops.

Lesson 3: Demystifying the Organ Stops, Part 2 explains the flue pipes, the reed pipes, and their families and types.

Lesson 4: Hymn Registrations briefly explains the different types of registration and how to create chorus registrations for congregational accompaniment.

Lesson 5: Interpreting the Hymn Text teaches the importance of tempo, registration guidelines, and how to better share the message of the hymn through registration.

Lesson 6: Breaking in Those Shoes teaches proper bench positioning, the importance of clean pedals, pedaling basics and symbols, and intervals up to a fourth.

Lesson 7: More Pedaling quickly reviews lesson 6, then covers larger intervals, heel playing, prelocating, and releases and note value.

Lesson 8: The Manuals teaches proper posture, seven organ techniques, common tones and tying, and practical application.

Lesson 9: Playing Your First Hymn teaches the 15-step and 7-step methods for learning hymns using hymn 285, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way."

Lesson 10: More Techniques in Hymns covers the techniques needed to learn hymn number 4, "Truth Eternal," from pedaling and fingering, to common tones and repeated notes.

Lesson 11: Prelude Registration is from Don Cook's The New LDS Organist packet and covers chorus and solo and accompaniment registrations.

Lesson 12: Prelude and Postlude shares the importance of prelude and postlude, what to play, and when to start.

Lesson 13: Thumb Glissando and a New Hymn shares a video of proper thumb glissando technique and how to implement it in hymn number 11, "What Was Witnessed in the Heavens."

Lesson 14: Marking a Hymn, Part 1 teaches how to mark hymn 296, "Our Father, by Whose Name" for breathing.

Lesson 15: Marking a Hymn, Part 2 teaches how to mark hymn 296, "Our Father, by Whose Name" for pedaling.

Lesson 16: Marking a Hymn, Part 3 covers how to mark hymn 296, "Our Father, by Whose Name" for common tones and tying, direct fingering, and redistribution of the inner part.

Lesson 17: More on Stops, Couplers, Pistons, and Combination Action explains stops and couplers, pistons and combination action in more depth and explains how to utilize programmable pistons.

Lesson 18: Seeking More Instruction shares numerous websites, books, software, courses, and workshops that are available to organists of all skill levels.

Lesson 19: Registering the Organ for Choir Accompaniment is Carol Dean's first guest lesson and covers the basics for choir accompaniment registration.

Lesson 20: Transcribing Piano Music for the Organ is the second half of Carol Dean's guest lesson and teaches how to best adapt piano accompaniment pieces for the organ.

Lesson 21: The History of the Organ gives a very brief overview of the different sounds of the organ throughout history.

Lesson 22: More technique (Don't forget the piano!) covers the technique, theory, scales and arpeggios that are helpful if continuing organ study beyond the basics that have been discussed previously.

Lesson 23: Helpful Resources shares a number of resources including theory, organ history, technique, and free lessons, while also assigning a hymn to learn for lesson 24.

Lesson 24: Creative Introductions for "Now Let Us Rejoice" shared five different introductions for this hymn, ranging from quite simple to moderately difficult.

Lesson 25: Leave the Piano Hands at the Piano shows proper hand position (and improper hand positions) at the organ.