Playing hymns on the organ is different from playing the piano. The organ is known for its sustained tone, smooth phrasing, and clear independent voice lines. In this lesson, you’ll learn which manual to use for hymn accompaniment, how to create registration plans for hymns to teach the gospel message, and how to approach learning to play a hymn on the organ with both hands and feet. 

Most hymn accompaniment is played on the Great manual (lower keyboard) because it contains the main principal chorus which provides a solid, foundational tone for congregational singing.

Unlike the piano, the organ has no sustain pedal; legato is created through deliberately planned fingering and pedaling, as well as the use of techniques unique to the organ, such as substitution, finger and thumb glissando, and redistributing the alto line into the left hand. 

When hymns are played on the organ, the bass line of a hymn is played on the pedals and is no longer played by the hands. It should not be doubled in the hands because doing so requires the organist to make sacrifices in legato and independence of line (see an explanation of independence of line below). The hands should only play the soprano, alto, and tenor voices.

• Counsel with your music coordinator and priesthood leaders in selecting hymns or arrangements of hymns you are comfortable playing. 

• Consider using simplified versions of the hymns such as Hymns Made Easy, Manual Only Hymns for Organ, or Simplified Hymns and Songs available on the church’s website.

• Consider playing the piano until you have several hymns you can play confidently on the organ.

• Remember, it is better to play something simple well, up to tempo, and with confidence than it is to play something complicated and have trouble getting through the notes.

It’s a common misconception that repeated notes should always be held or tied on the organ. While tying can help create a smoother, more legato effect, not all repeated notes should be tied. Overusing ties can blur the rhythm and weaken the natural meter of the hymn. In the beginning stages of learning to play the organ, it is best to play all repeated notes as written. If playing all repeated notes as written creates a choppy effect, selective tying can be done in two out of the three inner voices, typically the alto and bass (never the soprano), to achieve a more legato sound. Tying repeated notes in hymns, however, should not weaken the natural meter and rhythmic character of the hymn.

You will learn more about how to treat repeated notes in hymns as you begin working through “Hymn Studies for Organists” by Parley Belnap in lesson 10.

Step-by-Step Approach:

1. Analyze the hymn: Key signature, meter, rhythm, and voice parts.

2. Break the hymn down into small phrases—don’t try to play through the entire hymn at first. Break into sections and do the following:

   1. 1. Practice right hand alone, left hand alone, pedal alone. 

      2. Practice left hand and pedal, right hand and pedal, both hands together.

      3. Finally, play all parts together slowly enough to stay in control and gradually increase tempo.

3. Play slowly with correct fingerings—focus on legato (smooth connections).

4. Move on to the next section and repeat the same process until you have learned the entire hymn.

5. Add registration and expression after the hymn is fully learned.

For a meditative hymn:

• Begin with a subdued meditative hymn registration: 

  • • Great: Principal 8’ & Flute 4’

    • Pedal: Principal 16’ & Flute 8’

• Or a basic meditative hymn registration:

  • • Great: Principals 8’ & 4’

    • Pedal: Principals 16’ & 8’

• Next, prepare on the swell, flutes 8’, 4’, and 2’

• Later, between verses or between a verse and the chorus, add the Swell to Great coupler.

For a jubilant hymn:

• Begin with a jubilant hymn registration:

  • • Great: Principals 8’, 4’, 2’

    • Pedal: Principals 16’, 8’, 4’

• Later, between verses or between a verse and the chorus add a Mixture for brilliance in the great and pedal

• For yet another change, add an 8’ Reed in the great (Trumpet 8’ or Tromba 8’) and in the pedal a 16’ Reed (Waldhorn 16’ or Fagotto 16’) for “fire.”

Click HERE to find out the tonal families of the stops of your church organ.