I’m a musician and engraver.

I make beautiful, professional scores for real people.

About Me

As a church musician, I write and arrange weekly for a thriving community of instrumentalists and singers. I’m also a professional music engraver, orchestrator, and music publisher. I have a doctorate in choral conducting, with additional studies in piano, theory, and composition.

For more information on the professional services I offer, contact me for rates and requests.

Engraving

I’ve been preparing scores for 20 years for musicians under deadline, with an emphasis on clarity and accuracy. I offer a variety of music engraving services for digital delivery.

I work exclusively in Dorico. I can produce professional-quality parts and scores from manuscript or PDF. Most of my work these days is in hymnals. You can find out more information at hymnworks.com.

Fonts

I design specialized technical fonts for a variety of music-related applications. If you have a design concept or need a specialized font for a particular engraving project, I can create it. I also provide SMuFL conversion of custom house fonts for publishers.

MusGlyphs: Most popular font  

MusAnalysis: Roman numeral and harmonic analysis  

Cantorum: Comprehensive and elegant plainchant notation  

MusFrets: Create custom guitar chord diagrams  

Keyboard Harmony for Church Musicians

This conversationally-written book is intended for the church pianist who may have some formal instruction but wants to learn how to play from chord charts in a contemporary/blended church context. You’ll learn about chord voicings, creating melodic material, rhythmic patterns and fills, and how to adapt your playing to a rhythm band.

Length: 245 Pages
Format: Spiral-bound
Date of publication: January 23, 2023
ISBN: 979-8-218-04007-9

Dan Kreider’s Keyboard Harmony for Church Musicians is gold and contains much more than the title implies. It’s not just a book about harmony. It’s a master class in learning how to play the piano for congregational worship, whether you’re a soloist, playing with another instrument, or with a full band.

Dan has dissected the mechanics of chord charts, chord progressions, melody, rhythm, and harmony and laid them out in an clear, well-paced, thorough, personal, and eminently practical way. It’s a book that will benefit those just learning to play from chord charts and those who have been playing for years. And if you’re wondering if this is a book that might help you or your keyboardist serve your church more effectively, wonder no more. Just buy it. You can thank me later.

Bob Kauflin
Director, Sovereign Grace Music

The most comprehensive book available on this important topic today. Regardless of your level of proficiency at the keyboard, you will benefit greatly from Dan’s excellent work.

Kenon D. Renfrow
Director of Piano Pedagogy and Church
Keyboard, Bob Jones University

This is a highly approachable and engaging method book that presents deep concepts in a brilliant way. As a professional church musician and keyboardist of some 40 years, I only wish this book would have been available at the beginning of my work in the church!

Mark Williams
Chair, Music Task Force, The Anglican Church
in North America

What a valuable new project! If you are a classically-trained pianist who wants to learn how to play more effectively and creatively from chord charts, then this will be a very helpful resource for you.

Kevin Twit
Founder, Indelible Grace Music

Keyboard Harmony for Church Musicians fills an important void in the landscape of practical theory textbooks for aspiring church musicians. Dan Kreider’s approach to teaching keyboard harmony engages the mind, heart, and hands of the musician-theologian in a way that is winsome, accessible, and enjoyable. Concepts are explained in a clear, sequential way, and supported with relevant musical examples and exercises which can be immediately applied to any Sunday morning musical context. There is no doubt that this manual will serve to bless and further equip those called to lead the music ministries of their local church for years to come!

Matthew Swain
Assistant Dean of Worship Ministries,
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dan presents a confident, step-by-step approach here, with clear illustrations throughout. Each new concept is carefully explained, with suggestions for additional practice. This book is a great service to pianists and their congregations.

Larry Shackley
Composer, arranger, and church musician