In this lesson, you will learn how to effectively practice the organ by dividing your practice time into two parts: service preparation and technical development. If you have a piano or keyboard at home, you can use it to your advantage to make your practice time at the organ more effective. Learning to practice with purpose and strategy will build your confidence, accuracy, and musical growth.

Piano Practice

A smart starting point for learning organ music is to first practice the manual (hand) parts at the piano. Do this without using the sustain pedal to mimic better the way the organ behaves. This approach can save valuable time later when practicing on the organ.

Organ Practice

Part One: Preparing for the Next Service

Organ practice is most effective when it's split into two separate sessions. The first part should be devoted to getting ready for your upcoming service. Focus on rehearsing the hymns and other pieces you'll be performing. Make sure any planned registration changes are both accurate and executed smoothly. Carefully time and register your prelude, and practice the hymns at the tempo that you and the music leader have agreed upon.

During this time, work to refine the music as much as possible. Think about how the music will sound from the perspective of a typical member of the congregation. Tackle the most apparent issues first. Once this part of the practice is done, it might feel like it's enough, but stopping here can prevent long-term growth. Organists often plateau in their skills because they rarely go beyond service preparation.

Part Two: Developing Technical Skill

To truly improve, the second practice session should focus on technique and overall musicianship—without the pressure of preparing for a specific service. Use this time to sharpen your playing ability and aim for a higher standard of excellence.

When working on technique, be as precise as possible. The organ is unique in that it doesn't require the same focus on touch, breath support, or tuning as other instruments. If a piece is within your skill level, you can achieve a very high standard with consistent, thoughtful practice.

Set realistic and manageable goals, and work slowly and carefully. Don't worry about how much music you get through—focus instead on the quality of your playing. Address mistakes as soon as they appear, since once bad habits set in, they are much harder to correct. With regular practice like this, precision and confidence will come more naturally over time.

Before adding the pedal part, ensure the manual sections are thoroughly learned with clean independence of line. Practice the pedal (bass) line separately, and study the upper voices—soprano, alto, and tenor—individually before combining them.

Hymn Practice

Hymns are excellent material for this second phase of organ practice. They provide you with practical experience in the core principles of organ technique and present a wide variety of common challenges. Use your hymnbook as a working tool—mark it up with fingerings, pedalings, and any necessary adjustments to help you play more effectively. This hands-on editing process is also excellent preparation for studying more complex organ music later on.

As an organ accompanist, accompanying hymns is one of your most important responsibilities. The success of congregational singing depends heavily on how confidently and accurately you play. To fulfill your role well, begin by focusing your practice time here.

It's a good idea to have your own copy of the hymnbook, so you can freely mark it and make notes. Use a pencil, as your markings—such as fingering or pedaling—might evolve as you gain experience.

1. 1. 1. PREPARE THE SCORE

• Deal with the TEXT (if you are learning a hymn). Understand the meaning, and mark phrasing.

• Deal with REPEATED NOTES.

• Divide into SECTIONS.

• REDISTRIBUTE the alto line into the left hand as needed to make it easier to play.

• Add FINGERING AND PEDALING.

1. 1. 2. LEARN EACH SECTION

• Practice SLOWLY AND PERFECTLY practice until you can play it three to five times perfectly without much conscious effort.

• SLIGHTLY INCREASE TEMPO, practice until you can play it three to five times perfectly with little effort. Repeat this step until you arrive at a “goal” tempo for that step.

• PRACTICE STEPS: 

  • Master single-unit combinations up to tempo:

1. right hand (including soprano and most of the alto voice)

2. left hand (including tenor and occasional notes from the alto voice)

3. pedal

• Master two-unit combinations up to tempo:

4. Left hand and pedal

5. Right hand and pedal

6. Right hand and left hand

• Master all three units up to tempo:

7. Right hand, left hand, and pedal

1. 1. 3. REVIEW AND COMBINE THE SECTIONS

• Continue practicing previously learned sections each day.

• Always practice slowly enough to stay in control.

• Learn a section, leave it, and learn it again to drive reflex-like habits deep into your subconscious mind.

• Combine sections into larger sections as they become easier until you can play the entire hymn or piece.