Graciebs Music Ministry

[Gracie Knafel (gknafel)]

Hi Everyone:

I am so pleased to tell you about the new website and invite you to check it out. I started playing the keyboard a little over a year ago and many worship songs that I used to know began to come to my memory. I made a couple of Praise CDs and mailed them out to my friends, then I learned of Sherry and Clyde's websites, and that's when it all began. Clyde McLennan is the site developer, and my sister Donna Mitchell (also a licensed Midinote Composer user) helped notate the songs. We have 61 songs on the site (some may disappear when I find the authors). I can't tell you what a tremendous blessing it is to offer the songs in sheet music .pdf from our .not files along with the .mp3s. I did another one today, and everytime I notate, I learn something new! I know I have a long way to go when it comes to reading music and using Composer.....and playing the keyboard too. But it has been great FUN! I read about everyone's posts, and it helps me to learn. Most of the songs have other authors, so there are just a few that I have written. We also have put 3 of Clyde's songs on the site 56, 59, 45.

Please visit at -----> www.gracesongs.net (http://www.gracesongs.net) and feel free to sign the guestbook.

Songs written by Gracie: 1, 2, 4, 51, 52, 61 (just completed #61 tonight)
Songs written by Gracie's Daughters: 5, 6
Songs written by Gracie's Dad: 54
Songs played by Donna: 53, 58, 60, 54
Songs sung by Donna's granddaughters: 58, 60 (you need to listen to these two- they are a special treat)

I welcome your feedback and especially constructive feedback that will help me and my sister do better as we continue notating/writing new songs. All of this would not have been possible without the positive encouragement of Clyde, Sherry, Mark, Fred, and all the Forum.

Mark, we are still hunting authors of many of the songs, so I am not quite ready to link to the Notesoft Directory.

Thanks for reading this post and visiting my site!
Gracie Knafel

[Clyde (clyde)]

Hi Gracie,

Its great to see you now have been able to get to the stage of putting your songs on the web - most of it you have done yourself with a bit of technical help from others.

I know for you it has been a sharp learning curve of a whole of new technologies, including Composer and I must commend you on the way you have grasped it all.

Of course this is not to forget your obvious ablity on your keyboard. I have enjoyed listening to your rendition of many well known and favourite Gospel Songs, and also the way you have played my music. Continue the good work.

Thanks also for your comments in another posting about the 'Reading music' course I put on the forum. I've now updated that and I think its in its first release format for people to utilise. There is a forum for feedback & questions, and this will undoubedly result in updates to the course.

I think we see in your site a good example of how composer because of its intuitive nature is able to allow even those that struggle with reading the score. So Mark, Gracie's achievements are a real endorsement of your great product of Composer.

So congratulations on a job well done ..

Clyde

[Sherry Crann (sherry)]

Howdy,

Congratulations on putting together a great website, with some great music. You've done a tremendous amount of work in a very short period, and as Clyde has pointed out, a lot of that has been whilst in the middle of a major learning curve. Way to persevere!

It was also fun seeing the pictures of you and your family. It's always nice to put a face with a name http://www.notation.com/discus/clipart/happy.gif

ttfn,
Sherry

[Mark Walsen (markwa)]

Hello Gracie,

Congratulations on your new web site! It's a joyful place to share your music and music of others, as part of your music ministry.

Cheers
-- Mark

[Gracie Knafel (gknafel)]

Thank you Sherry and Clyde. I am overcome with gratitude, and I thank the Lord for his gifts to me and the encouragment I have received from you.

Clyde, I am almost ready to take you up on your "lessons" and hopefully, can graduate from paddling a canoe to running a motor boat! Suppose?

And thanks to my sister, Donna, who has been incredible through this project. I wish you all could have a sister like her! And also, Sherry, Donna is a new Composer licensed user. Since I am an avid fan of Composer, I have already told my friends at work about it! I'm glad to put in a good word at every opportunity.

Warm regards,
Gracie

[Gracie Knafel (gknafel)]

Thank you, Mark! You are right about the joy and sharing. Since I have started this project, I sing every morning on my way to work and all the way into my office. It has been a joy!

Warm regards,
Gracie

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

Hello Gracie,

What a marvelous and awesome web site. I toured it and enjoyed listening to several of the songs. The enormous amount of work that must have gone into the site and the music must surely be a testament to the power of music to inspire.

all best,
mgj

[Gracie Knafel (gknafel)]

Hi MG:

Thank you for your warm comments. You have hit on something extraordinary in your statement......"the music must surely be a testament to the power of music to inspire."

Most of the songs have been in my heart for over 30 years, and I have never forgotten them. I remember singing to my children, "you are my sunshine", and breaking in a puddle of love singing the song. My daughter, Kayle, wrote a testimony "Scripture in Music Is Power", and her examples illustrate the power of scripture when it is in music.

It is wonderful to be able to share the songs so that others can play them and Composer has made that possible; plus I am benefitting with a "song in my heart" every day!

Thanks again,
Gracie