Music selection
Tips for song selection
Most congregations will need to have a copyright licence for using music in worship, whether it is for copying sheet music or projecting lyrics for singing. The two main licences are CCLI and One Licence. They both have excellent search engines to help you find music. See Copyright Resources for more information and listings of the copyright holders for the LHS and AT songbooks).
Song Select (CCLI): Search the CCLI listings by title, songwriter or themes. Tip: make sure you check the box ‘Expand search to show all songs’ to see all songs available through CCLI. Lyrics, chords, lead and vocal sheets available for many songs, both traditional and contemporary.
One Licence: Search for songs covered by this licensing organisation.
Hymns and All Together songs
Modernised hymns
A list of hymns from Lutheran Hymnal (1973) (LH) which have been modernised. All hymns from LH which are also in TIS in some form are indicated in the list. The first lines of the hymns that appear in blue text are linked to a Word document containing the modernised version. Click on the blue text to download the Word document.
Song and Hymn Index (LHS & AT)o
An Excel spreadsheet of all LHS and AT hymns and songs, organised by Title, Number, Tune, Meter and Season/Theme.
AT Song Index
A PDF Index of All Together songs, includes:
- an Alphabetical Index -All songs listed in alphabetical order including first line of the songs where they are different from the song title. This index also cross references to the "Sing to Jesus" book and the "Supplement to the Lutheran Hymnal".
- Scripture Index - The scripture text references from each song are listed in biblical order, making it easy to see if there is a song directly relevant to your particular text. Note that this list is not exhaustive and that you should check other related texts if your text is not listed.
- Topical/Seasonal Index - All songs have been assigned to particular categories to assist in finding a song on a particular subject. The categories have been chosen to reflect the different stages of worship, seasons of the church year, special occasions in the life of the church, and themes relevant to today. Where topics can be interpreted in different ways a brief description has been included to indicate the author's interpretation. Within each topic the songs are also grouped into three broad tempos, Slow, Moderate and Fast. In addition, a suggested usage is made alongside each song as to whether the song is best suited to children, a large congregation, or a small group performing the song.
Other music
Together to Celebrate
Uniting Church website which includes weekly contemporary song suggestions following the Revised Common Lectionary.
Modern Songs in Lutheran Worship
Singing from the Lectionary
Weekly song, hymn and recorded music suggestions and resources for worship - based on the Revised Common Lectionary. Suggestions are posted on Wednesday nights, usually a few weeks in advance of each Sunday.
Psalms
Other sites
Jill Young (Australian songwriter, especially for children)
Advice for musicians
Tips for song leading
Advice for congregations without musicians
Backing tracks for hymns
Hymns of the church MP3
The hymns on this DVD have been recorded for personal use and for use by congregations that do not have a church organist. They are played on the pipe organ at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Adelaide, by the late church organist James Thiele. This DVD (not a CD) contains the 647 hymns of the Australian Lutheran Hymnbook.
https://www.acresources.com.au/products/music/product/1061-hymns-of-the-church-mp3
NEW! The Hymns of the Church is now available on USB https://www.acresources.com.au/products/music/cd-s/product/2265-hymns-of-the-church-mp3
CD Hymns I Remember By Adelaide Lutheran Choir
Twenty-five favourite and treasured hymns sung by Adelaide Lutheran Choir, directed by Norm Schulz, with James Thiele at the organ. https://www.acresources.com.au/products/music/product/1536-cd-hymns-i-remember
Best Loved Hymns of the Church By Concordia Publishing House
Three-CD set contains 52 hymns which are beautifully and professionally played on the Schlicker pipe organ in Kramer Chapel at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. CD contents are listed on the website. https://www.acresources.com.au/products/music/product/1029-best-loved-hymns-of-the-church-3cd-set
Backing tracks for Together in Song
Together in Song CD 1 and CD 2
Audio CDs with over 40 tracks of full organ accompaniment for congregational singing. Pipe organ accompaniments by organist Siegfried Franke. https://www.acresources.com.au/products/music/product/708-together-in-song-cd1-cd2
Together in Song CD 3 and CD 4
Audio CDs with over 40 tracks of full organ accompaniment for congregational singing. Pipe organ accompaniments by organist Siegfried Franke. https://www.acresources.com.au/products/music/cd-s/product/823-together-in-song-cd3-cd4
Songs of Grace supplement to Together in Song
Songs of Grace is a supplement to Together in Song, featuring fifty four new songs, four of which were the winning entries in the 2013 hymn writing competition. Songs of Grace continues on from where Together in Song finished, so is numbered from 784. The list of song titles is available here.
This book is available in full harmony, but also includes scripture and church year references for both hymnbooks, so it is a resource not only for the musician, but for the person responsible for worship planning/song choosing.
A CD Rom with all lyrics and references is also available.
Backing tracks for All Together songs
All Together series books and CDs
Other music sites offering backing tracks and/or lyrics
Small Church Music – You can download MP3 and midi files of popular hymn tunes from this site (free)
Hymns Without Words – MP3 downloads of hymn tunes (free)
Hymnary – Lyrics, midis and MP3s of thousands of hymns (free)
Five Songs of Faith
Five Songs of Faith is a new setting of the service with communion for the Lutheran Church of Australia. It has been composed by Simon Schmidt and is a project of the LCA’s Commission on Worship. Lyrics are available in Word and PowerPoint, music scores and MP3 backing tracks also available with and without vocal tracks free.
https://www.lca.org.au/worship/wpp/liturgical-resources/five-songs-of-faith/
