Doug Hammer’s Heart e-songbook is the companion sheet music collection to his 2013 CD release by the same name. All of the music from the recording is included except Doug’s arrangement of “I Will Always Love You” and a second ensemble version of the title song. Doug did the transcriptions himself, ensuring that the sheet music is exactly the way he wants it. The notation is clear and easy to read, and dynamics, pedaling and playing instructions (including metronome settings) are included. The pieces range from upper-intermediate to early-advanced with a few complicated key signatures and occasional rhythms that are on the tricky side. Diligent practice and attention to detail should yield some very rewarding results! One word of caution is that Doug has a wide reach and there are quite a few chords with the span of a tenth. In that case, chords can be rolled or sometimes the other hand can reach the difficult note. He offers a page of alternate suggestions for “Shine Like the Stars,” and those will offer ideas for some of the other pieces as well. I should mention that “A Piece of Home” is piano accompaniment to a vocal melody and includes the cello solo as well as chord charts; it isn’t a piano solo.

This is a very beautiful collection and is available from doughammer.net. Recommended!

The song titles, the keys they are in, and the number of pages follow:

Spinning Sky - key of Ab/F minor (4 flats) - 7 pages
The Chimes Are Ringing - key of C (0 sharps or flats)
- 7 pages
Your Face in the Moonlight - key of D (2 sharps)
- 3 1/2 pages
Shine Like the Stars - Key of A (3 sharps) - 5 pages +
alternate suggestions
Rain Clown - key of E (4 sharps) - 4 pages
Peace For Martin - key of D - 5 1/2 pages
Newtown - key of C - 4 pages
Last Dance - key of Eb minor (6 flats) - 4 pages
Heartlight - key of D - 5 pages
Heart - key of D - 3 pages
Heart Clock - key of Ab (4 flats) - 3 1/2 pages
Heart (epilogue) - key of C - 2 pages
For Camden - key of C - 4 pages
Fly Away - key of Bb (2 flats) - 1 1/2 pages
Arielle - key of Ab - 4 pages
All Is Calm key of Ab - 2 pages
A Piece of Home - key of Ab - 4 pages