Piano Cover of "Lomusa Ongaka"

Benjamin Dube’s “Lomusa Ongaka” is a choir favourite, and the Lomusa Ongaka piano chords live in B major at a driving 132 BPM. The isiZulu title speaks of grace that is this great, and the song sings it with energy, not hush. If your choir knows it (and most do), you need to be ready to play it at full tilt.

Praise at full tempo

At 132 BPM this is a praise song. It works as an opener or as the peak of the praise section, when the choir is up and the room is clapping. The keys player’s job changes here: you’re part of the rhythm section now, not a pad in the background. Your chords need to be clean, short and locked to the drummer.

The flip side is that busy hands at this tempo turn to mush fast. Play less, play it tight.

B major without the fear

Five sharps puts some players off, but B major is actually comfortable on the keyboard: your long fingers land on black notes and your thumb sits on B and E. Here’s what you’ll use:

• 1: B (B, D♯, F♯)
• 2m: C♯m (C♯, E, G♯)
• 4: E (E, G♯, B)
• 5: F♯ (F♯, A♯, C♯)
• 6m: G♯m (G♯, B, D♯)

A bright piano patch cuts through a choir well. If you have an organ on a second keyboard, a little drawbar organ under the choir adds body. Keep it from muddying the bass.

The Lomusa Ongaka piano chords: what to expect

We haven’t published a full chart for this song yet, so I won’t print a progression and risk teaching you the wrong one. What I can tell you is the family: it’s a major-key choir praise song built on the 1, 4 and 5, with the 6m and 2m adding colour. That’s the backbone of a huge share of South African gospel. Put the video above on and test each change against the chords listed. At this speed the changes come quickly, so listen for the bass first: it’ll tell you the chord before your hands find it.

Locking in with the band

Right hand: short and punchy

Play full triads as short stabs on the beat or the off-beat, matching the groove in the video. Keep voicings in the middle of the keyboard. Too high and they sound thin, too low and they clash with the bass player.

Left hand: octaves, or nothing

If there’s a bass player, keep your left hand light, maybe just octave roots on beat one. If there isn’t, drive octaves on the root and let them carry the low end.

The passing diminished

One of the best-known gospel moves fits this kind of song: a ♯4 diminished between the 4 and the 5. In B major that’s E♯dim (E♯, G♯, B). Play E, then E♯dim, then F♯, and the bass climbs by semitones. If you want to understand why it works, Wikipedia’s page on the diminished seventh chord is a solid read. Also try a 5/7 (F♯/A♯) on the way back to B.

When the MD calls a different key

Choirs often take Dube songs down a semitone or two for comfort, so be ready for B♭ or A. In B♭, the 1, 4, 5 and 6m are B♭, E♭, F and Gm. In A, they’re A, D, E and F♯m. The passing diminished moves with the key: E♯dim becomes Edim in B♭ and D♯dim in A. Have Gig Mode open and you won’t get caught out.

Practice: 15 minutes

1. Set the Smart Metronome to 110 and play the 1, 4, 5 and 6m in B as short stabs.
2. Push it to 132. If the stabs go sloppy, drop back and build up.
3. Drill the E to E♯dim to F♯ move until it’s automatic.
4. Play along with the video above and match the changes by ear.

Common questions

What key is Lomusa Ongaka in?

B major in our video, at 132 BPM.

Is it hard to play?

The chords are straightforward. The challenge is tempo: staying tight with the drums at 132.

Who sings Lomusa Ongaka?

Benjamin Dube.

Need another B major song? Try uMelusi, or see the full list of worship song charts.