Blog Posts

Kravets Bros. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (strings)

4/6/2016

_Several months ago, Janice and I were privileged to eat dinner with the Kravets family, and enjoy some fellowship and great music afterward.
In this video, David, Sergey, Yuriy, and Vlad play an old favorite hymn, on strings.
Or click HERE to see the HD video on YouTube.

I put a Brass and a Vocal video, from the same session on my "MORE Music with Friends" Page. You can also click HERE to see Yuriy's YouTube videos, or HERE to follow him on Google+.

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How to Write a Song on Your SmartPhone

4/5/2016

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A Songwriting Tip
Lying in bed this morning— in those drowsy, almost-awake, musings— I realized I was in my all-too-frequent pattern of mentally beating myself up.

Several stupid mistakes I had made in volleyball last evening bounced through my mind, mixing with other assorted 'failures' until suddenly a new song [see my iPhone screen-shot, above] came to me— all the words of the first verse arriving with the melody.

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"Wind Chimes"

3/25/2016

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Wind Chimes (with instrumental mp3)

1.Wind chimes through my windows ringing Set my joyful soul a-singing,
Softly now, new life revealing, Sounds a Father's love appealing.
Listen! How the echo lingers, Played with air through God's own fingers,
Peace that falls, like fragrance falling, Cheery carols calling, calling, (calling).

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6 Songwriting Tips

3/24/2016

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If you're like me, you're always striving to become a BETTER songwriter. You play with it, work at it... always seeking ways to make better music, quicker!

Here are some win-win ways good for amateurs and experts alike.

1. Buy a box of file folders, and G.O. (Get Organized). Don't do like I did! Years ago I put my first 20 or so songs

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HymnCraft 101 #5: "Who's That Little Baby Sleepin'?"

12/18/2014

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13.5.13.5.13.5.5 -- a Spiritual

Who's That Little Baby Sleepin'?

[ Bass voices: Who’s that little baby sleepin’?... ]
1. Who’s that little baby sleepin’ on a bed of hay,
Angels holy watch a-keepin’ till the break of day?
That small babe is God’s great Mercy on a world so wild,
That small babe is God’s great Mercy, in a little child,
In a little child.

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HymnCraft 101 #4: "Silent Night, Holy Night"

12/5/2014

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Silent Night, Holy Night

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin, mother and child!
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

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HymnCraft 101 #3: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts"

11/27/2014

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[Irregular Meter: 10.11.13.11]

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts,

1. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts,
Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Ghost,
Through eternal ages past Your majesty was pure,
Through the ages yet to come will still endure.

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HymnCraft 101 #1: "He Wore Those Thorns For Me"

11/12/2014

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He Wore Those Thorns For Me

1. He wore those thorns for me, upon His holy head--
A crown of majesty He could have worn instead!
The cruel bruising reed had crushed it through His skin--
My evil-plaited deeds His diadem of sin

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Introduction to 'HymnCraft 101': Songwriting Studies & TIPS

11/11/2014

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'HymnCraft 101' is my attempt to help you pen lyrics worth learning, and compose musical melodies worth singing.

Am I qualified to do that? That’s for you, and time, to decide.

The first real hymn I wrote, Lo, I Come, was written more than forty years ago, before I was married, and was the honest cry of a youthful, God-seeking heart.

My best-known hymn today is Teach Me, O Lord, to Number My Days. It has been printed in various hard-cover hymnals, some of which have pressed on through dozens of printings. It has been sung in many different countries, in English or Spanish.

But most of my hymns, children’s songs, ballads, lullabies, and spirituals are known only to the Lord who gave them to me.

And that’s okay. But as time goes on, and as I get older— and as we see our society crying out for Salt and Light— I have a burden to pass along to others more of my songs, and some of the many 'word-smithing' and 'melody-crafting' TIPS I've learned through the years— hoping that they will help YOU as much as they have me.

May they encourage you! May they draw you even closer to your Creator! And may they, at least in a small way, help mentor your musical musings and ministerings!

If they do, my labors are already paid, and paid in full!

— Stan Brubaker

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Purpose of Blog

Tips... Insights... Song-writing How-to... Critiques... Time-saving Methods... to help make YOU a joyful bard for the Lord.

My best-known songs are probably "Lo, I Come"– composed before I was married– and "Teach Me, O Lord, to Number My Days" which you may have seen in various hymnals. I have many others trying to sneak out of their file folders, to join the march of music around the world.

Some will be introduced here first as just lyrics, to study the crafting of their messages, others will have music mp3 files or videos also.

Kravets Bros. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (strings)

How to Write a Song on Your SmartPhone

"Wind Chimes"

6 Songwriting Tips

HymnCraft 101 #5: "Who's That Little Baby Sleepin'?"

HymnCraft 101 #4: "Silent Night, Holy Night"

HymnCraft 101 #3: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts"

HymnCraft 101 #1: "He Wore Those Thorns For Me"

Introduction to 'HymnCraft 101': Songwriting Studies & TIPS

Purpose of Blog

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