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A valued guest from Spirit Teahouse contacted me over Facebook as she needed some urgent assistance. Here’s the song she would like to play

Susan figured out the melody on her own (which is the RIGHT thing to do! It’s very satisfying when you get it!). She just needed more clues on the left hand parts. If you are in the same position as Susan, I hope the following conversation will help you. All the best wishes from Susan and I. ^_^

 

Susan (12:33 PM):  amazing grace

Seren (12:33 PM):  ok. for the first lyrics: amazing grace how sweet the sound

Seren (12:34 PM):  what are the numbers you play?

Seren (12:34 PM):  is it 51 313 21 65?

Susan (12:34 PM):  yes!

Susan (12:34 PM):  =)

Seren (12:36 PM):  A(ma)zing grace

Seren (12:37 PM):  (left hand) 15123

Seren (12:37 PM):  How (sweet)161 the (sound)151

Seren (12:38 PM):  ok for this two sentences…

Seren (12:38 PM):  at the part where I place (bracket) is where your left hand comes in. the numbers are the notes you play.

Seren (12:38 PM):  try this two sentences first. does it make sense?

Susan (12:38 PM):  ooo, ok2, I got it

Susan (12:39 PM):  =)

Seren (12:40 PM):  That (saved)63613 a wretch like (me)5125^

Susan (12:40 PM):  =)

Seren (12:41 PM):  I (once)15123 was lost, but (now)161 I’m (found)151

Seren (12:41 PM):  Was (blind)636, but (now)525 I (see)15123
Seren (12:42 PM):  ok the part where I put ^ is 上滑音。Do you know what is that?

Susan (12:43 PM):  shang…yi??

Seren (12:43 PM):  shang hua ying

Seren (12:43 PM):  means that you use your second finger and pull upwards accross the strings?

Susan (12:45 PM):  does it mean play the string from downward(string #1) to upward(string #21)?

Seren (12:46 PM):  ya i guess that would be it!

Susan (12:46 PM):  ok

Seren (12:47 PM):  actually the most upward string (the highest string) is string #1, and the lowest is string #21 XD

Seren (12:47 PM):  hehehehehe

Susan (12:47 PM):  hahaha

Susan (12:47 PM):  upsss

Seren (12:47 PM):  ok, now we know, where i say 21to1 means glide up

Seren (12:48 PM):  when i say 1to21 it means glide down. =)

Susan (12:48 PM):  ok

Susan (12:48 PM):  copy that

Seren (12:49 PM):  ok now that i’ve given you the basic melody (because the stanzas repeat themselves), do you also want the bridge (my chains are gone that part?)

Susan (12:49 PM):  yeeeeeesssss

Seren (12:50 PM):  do you know how to play the melody (right hand)?

Susan (12:52 PM):  yes

Seren (12:52 PM):  ok, so you dont need right hand, you just need left hand?

Susan (12:52 PM):  yes

Susan (12:52 PM):  =)

Susan (12:53 PM):  because I think it will too troublesome for you if I ask for both hands, so I practise the right hand first yesterday.

Seren (1:01 PM):  My chains are (gone)63613
I’ve been set (free)15135
My God, my (Savior)6361 has ransomed (me)5252[21to1]
And like a flood *[1to21]2 His mercy (reigns)31356
Unending love *55, Amazing (grace)15123,15123

Seren (1:02 PM):  ok, you look at the above, you understand when I say [21to1] rightt?

Susan (1:02 PM):  yes.

Seren (1:02 PM):  ok look at “And like a flood”

Susan (1:02 PM):  from lowest to highest

Susan (1:02 PM):  right?

Seren (1:03 PM):  yah lowest to highest, but doesn’t mean you have to play everything, you can shorten it.

Susan (1:03 PM):  ooo, ok

Seren (1:03 PM):  ok anyway, i typed [1to21]2, do you know what that means?

Susan (1:04 PM):  1 to 21 = highest to lowest?

Seren (1:04 PM):  It means that you glide all the way down and pluck a 2 at the end of it. can?

Susan (1:04 PM):  oooo

Susan (1:04 PM):  2=re?

Seren (1:04 PM):  ya

Susan (1:04 PM):  ooo

Susan (1:04 PM):  ok2

Seren (1:04 PM):  so you understand [1to21]2 now?

Susan (1:05 PM):  from highest to lowest, then pluck on re

Seren (1:06 PM):  ok, last but not least, I want you to see that at “Like a flood” and “Unending Love” I put a *?

Susan (1:06 PM):  yes?

Seren (1:07 PM):  It is because instead of playing the left hand on a (bracketed word), you are playing after the word instead. On the blank when no words are sung.

Seren (1:07 PM):  can?

Susan (1:08 PM):  so, play them after the melody?

Seren (1:09 PM):  ya, because there’s no word, I put a *. That’s where your left hand comes in. Ok?

Susan (1:09 PM):  ooo, ok2

Seren (1:09 PM):  Susan I got a favor to ask

Susan (1:09 PM):  yes?

Seren (1:10 PM):  A thought just went through my mind… is it ok that I publish our convo on my blog, so that Other people can learn and also ask questions about the song？

Seren (1:10 PM):  We can help other people.

Susan (1:11 PM):  hahha

Susan (1:11 PM):  ok2

Susan (1:11 PM):  that’s fine with me