From the producers of Project Psalms:
Project Psalms
This project was started in August 2011 and is thought to be one of the most effective ways to learn the Psalms and also to improve Psalm singing. It is an ideal tool for you and your family and even your congregation.
The project does however still require a lot more funding to proceed with the recordings and production costs. They provide a pre-order option in which you can “donate” by pre-ordering. The project only requires a total of 300 pre-orders and already has 26. Please visit http://www.projectpsalms.com/Pre-OrderDonate.html to pre-order or donate.
There are five key features of this project which make it different and more effective than any other Psalms project produced today or in the past; these include:
1. Solo voice (tenor) – This enables the recordings to act as an electronic lead (or Precentor) that people can easily learn from and sing along to. In their market research, when it comes to actually learning the Psalms to sing, having four-part harmonies or a choir setting is more distracting and makes it harder for the average person to learn the main melody line.
2. One tune per Psalm – This is quite unique in that it really helps with keeping the internal consistency of the words in the Psalms and also aids in remembering a Psalm by associating a single tune to it. In total there will be 184 tunes (150 + 21 (for the additional parts in Psalm 119) + 13 (for the Psalms with two versions in the Scottish Psalter)). Of course if people want to mix and match tunes later, they have the liberty to do that.
3. High-definition recordings – This further allows for clarity in the tone of the voice and will also enable people to hear and understand the words clearly even without a song book in front of them. Unfortunately many recordings of Psalms in song are of poor quality and in many cases not understandable, or they are in four part harmony or choir settings which makes it difficult to understand many words.
4. Comprehensive – These recordings will cover every verse of the Psalms, and will be including both versions of the 13 Psalms which have two versions in the Scottish Psalter of 1650. To date there is not a recording package of all the Psalms in song in English with internal consistency.
5. Devotional – Not only is this the most efficient tool for learning to sing the Psalms, it is also providing devotional and contextual notes which can heighten the intimacy people can have with the Psalms and therefore with Christ. This enables families and individuals to reflect on the Psalms with clarity and is a great aid to their devotional life.
The project is currently endorsed Dr. Francis Nigel Lee ((Professor-Emeritus Queensland (Presbyterian) Theological College (Seminary), Australia), Rev. David Silversides (Pastor, Loughbrickland RPCI, Ulster, UK) and Rev. J. Glenn Ferrell (Pastor, First OPC, San Francisco, CA, USA), and all donations will be under 3rd party review by Daniel Scot (Director of Ibrahim Ministries International (www.imi.org.au)).
You can listen to Psalm 23 on their website at http://www.projectpsalms.com/Psalm%2023%20v1-6.mp3
The final package from Project Psalms will include:
– A 15 Audio CD set with the first-ever comprehensive recordings of the metrical Psalms (including 2 versions for 13 of the Psalms) as found in the original Scottish Psalter of 1650 (sung unaccompanied by a professional tenor).
– A 4 MP3 CD set with the same recordings but in MP3 format.
– A hard-copy booklet containing the Scottish Psalter of 1650 text and also devotional and contextual notes by John Brown of Haddington.
– A hard-copy booklet containing the sheet music for the tunes used throughout the recordings.
– A soft-copy booklet (on the last MP3 CD) with sheet music and the Scottish Psalter of 1650 text in one PDF for easy reading of both the tune and the text together; ideal for iPad’s and the like.
This project will be a powerful resource for generations to come. Please prayerfully consider pre-ordering or donating. You can learn more about the project at www.projectpsalms.com.
The main purpose of Project Psalms is to provide the simplest and most effective tool for learning to sing and memorize the Psalms, initially in English; as a result of learning and singing the Psalms with understanding and zeal, we believe it will strengthen the English-speaking Church unto victory. It is also our desire, God-willing, that at a later stage we will be able to provide a similar tool in Chinese and other major languages across the world.
Exclusive Psalmody 