How much do we need to plan in worship music ?

The bible says, paraphrased, "Man may plan but it's God who decides."

Without planning, the music might be chaotic or not in-sync or not nice at all.

But over-planning would stiffle the flow of the Spirit and creativity. In addition it might not even be practical due to time constraints and the inability of most self-trained musicians to read musical notations.

Of course it would be ridiculous to write down every bit of music for each worship services, unless you are a full-time church musician.

What to plan

• the tempo
• the musical style
• the chords !!
  
• who plays what and when
  
• the building up of the song
• the climax

What not to plan

• instrument solo
• while solos are not written down, a solo musician should know the starting note and the ending note and roughly whats in between.
  
• song of the Spirit
• number of times the song , stanza or chorus is sung
• music when someone is prophesying or word of knowledge or ministering time

It would be ideal if church musicians are able to play what they sense God's message is. For example, if the pianist senses God is saying "rain", he should play music that reflects "rain" if he is skillful enough.

Drummers must know how to play a given tempo or style

Tempo

A drummer should always train with a metronome.

He should be able to play at a given tempo.

For example, if the worship leader wants a 120 beat per minute tempo, the drummer should be able to play close to 120.

Of course , we won't expect non-professional drummers to play at 120 exactly without the help of metronomes.

It is also unfortunate to note that some drummers have problems maintaining his drumming tempo. We had one drummer whose tempo could increase by up to 30%

These days metronomes are mostly electronic and they can fit into a person's pocket.

I have seen good drummers placing these electronic metronomes on their side drums during worship services and play in tandem with its pulsating LED lights!

Perhaps drummers should all do this.

Style

It is so sad that the present Hillsong generation drummers only know how to play folk-rock.

There are about more than 30 popular musical drumming styles.

Most drummers i encountered went totally blank when they are asked to play bossanova or even simple stuff like 6/8 slow rock. They tend to confuse 6/8 with the 3/4 waltz.

While 6/8 sounds like 3/4, the notation for 6/8 is different from 3/4. There two beats in a 6/8 while there are 3 beats in a 3/4.

Thus, in order to expand a drummer's repertoire , a drummer must listen to many styles of music , not only to contemporary pop.

I listen to music ranging from the 1940s till the present age , just to learn what a style sounds like and how instruments are played.

Find your own instrument spaces and range

When we play in a band, we must always try to find the range which our instrument can play and yet not covered by other instruments. Do not try to clash with other instruments by playing in the same range.

The synth always clashes with the piano because they both want to play in the same range. It would be better if the synth is played in a higher octave as in using the string or flute sounds.

The rhythm guitar sometimes clashes with the piano as new guitarist knows only open string position of chords. Learn barred chords to solve this problem.

The drums being an untuned instrument has no such problems. And the lower ranges are the monopoly of the bass guitar. Pianists should play minimal low keys to avoid clashing with the bass guitar.

Likewise, each instrument must find its own spaces to fill in. Please be considerate. Do allow other instruments breathing spaces to play. Do not monopolize all space playing from A to Z. People also get bored listening to only one prominent instrument all the time !

Get rid of that boring quaver and bring in dotted and semi-quavers!

These are very boring rhythms :

Anything that is uniformed is as dull as Mao Tze Tung Communist China.
An exciting thing is something that always keep us in suspense, out of balance or even unpredictable.

Thus to make these above interesting just get rid of the crochets and quavers and replace them with dotted notes and semi-quavers.

So when we play the rhythm or solo , try not to play those boring kid-stuff crochets and quavers but play dotted notes and semi-quavers !

Change dead-boring melody

into interesting jazzy snappy melody

 

Crescendos , Climaxes and Build Downs

Key Changes

Key Changes are being done in a piece of music primary for the reasons below :

• to make the music sound refreshed
• to go into a key comfortable for a singer to sing especially during a song change
• making the key comfortable for the next singer to sing during a change in singer.
  

Usually keys are transposed a semi or a whole tone higher e.g.

• E - A - B - E - F - Bb - C ( semi )
• F - Bb - C - D7 - G - C - D  ( whole )

Note: Reading the circle of fifths as descending pitches going clockwise, or ascending counterclockwise, gives the circle of fourths.

Sometimes keys are transposed in the circle of fifths e.g.

• C - F - G - C - D7 - G - C - D  
  

And circle of fourths e.g.

• C - F - G - C7 - F - Bb - C

And transposing one and half or two tones higher  ( Hosanna Music loves to do this !). This is usually done when there is a change in the singer gender e.g male to female or vice versa.

• D - G - A - F - Bb - C
• C - F - G - E - A - B
  

Usually when we directly transpose a song to a lower key, there is a sinking or lowering down of spirit. But we can solve this by indirectly transposing it to a lower key e,g,

• D - Em - A7 - D - Dm7 - G - C

The use of Dorminant Chords e.g.  7th, 9th , 11th . 13th , 7b5 , 7#5 , 9b5 etc as the next fifth helps to usher the music into the next key.

Principle #6 - Building up your song

A song is like a movie. It builds up through time. The plot thickens as time goes by until it reaches climax and the tension is resolved.

We do not dump everything in the music at the first bar.

Why? Because there will be nothing new to look forward to in the next bars for the listeners.

It is also like cooking. You do not dump all the oil, spices , onions , meat and vegetables all at one shot into the wok. You need to first heat up the wok. Then you heat up the oil. And fry the onions . Then the meat and .. you get my point.

A good song arrangement is a song that builds up until the climax and the tension is resolved in the end.

Give your listener bit by bit and get them hooked onto your music and finally bring them to a climax and end the climax.

We add or subtract instruments , for example:

• We start the music with only the bare minimum - the rhythm section - drums , bass and piano. Drummer plays just the rimshot
  

• We add the strings in the second stanza. Drummer plays rimshot and bass drum
  

• We include the brass in the chorus. Drummer plays snare and bass drum.
  

• We put in a saxophone solo in the instrumental part.

• We climax with everything. Drummer can play his crash cymbals tastefully here.
  

• and perhaps end with just the piano.

• and we start this all over again with different instruments for the next song.
  

Principle #5 - Different instruments get prominence at different times

Listening to the same instrument being played louder than the rest all the time is very boring.

Different instruments should be given prominence at different times, by arrangement or by the musical styles.

For example :

In hard rock , the guitar and drums must be prominent.

In waltz , the strings ( synthesizer ) should be prominent

In march , the brass ( synthesizer ) should be prominent.

In pop , the guitar and synth should be prominent.

In country , acoustic guitar , banjo , fiddle should be prominent.

In old school rock and roll , clean guitar and piano should be prominent.

In gospel style, the organ sound should be prominent. etc.



When an instrument is prominent, it is played slightly louder than the rest.

Other instruments would have to play merely chords at slightly lower volume.

For example, in waltz , there is no guitar. So the guitarist would have to play chords using clean guitar sounds, not the distortion sound.

Don't be surprised that sometimes a specific instrument e.g. the drums should not play during a particular song. Just don't ruin the song by playing it when you are not supposed to play.

But sometimes, the musician just does not play. For example, a saxophonist do not play in country music style. Nor a banjo player in pop. Just take a rest for the song and help out with the P&W singing.


Note :

• Remember to be considerate, let other instruments have their moments. 
• Don't just want your instrument to be prominent all the time - It is very boring to hear.
• Always think of the overall effect rather than only of your own instrument.
  

Ending

The ending are the bits of music before a song ends.

Why endings are needed?

• to resolve all chords and bring the song to a stop.
• to raise a song to a climax before stopping
• to conclude the whole worship.

Intros

Intros are short music pieces preluding the song.


Why do we need intros ?

• To usher the worship leader and congregation into the next song especially if there is a key change.
• To get the congregation's attention and focus on the next song
• To act as a bridge if a few songs are sung in succession
• To let the worship leader and congregation catch their breaths before singing another song.
• To allow focus on the  musicians playing

How long are the intros ?
It could be 2-bars , 4-bars and the usual 8-bars or even 16 or 32 bars.

Of course if the whole song is like 96 bars, a 32-bar intro would seem ridiculous !

What to play for intros?
We could play ..

1. just the first chord of the song e.g. G major
2. the suspended first chord of the song e.g. Gsus2 or Gadd9
3. the first or last 4 or 8 bars melody of a stanza/chorus
4. a modified version of the melody of the first 4 or 8 bars of stanza /chorus
5. a totally different melody but based on the same chord progression of the first 4 or 8 bars of stanza/ chorus
6. an intro which is neither melodically nor chordally related to the song.
7. no melody but just chord progression , drums and percussion
8. just drums and percussions
9. progressive intro - a new instrument comes in every 4  bars
   

Usually the first or second options are meant for the most musically-challenged worship leaders and congregation.

The third and fourth would be great for church worship leader and congregation.

The last two would also be fine if the musicians are not able to play the melody correctly.

The fifth and the sixth options are more for more 'professional' worship leaders.

The last option may require a long intro.

Which to choose as intros - stanza or chorus ?
Choose the melody that is most memorable or strongest or the catchiest. Some stanzas are catchier than their chorus and vice versa. Choose the catchiest that people are able to easily identify.

Stanza variations

Do not play the same thing stanzas after stanzas. People get bored listening to the same old stuffs.

For each new stanza, musicians must play it slightly different.

How to make variations?

• By adding or subtrating one or two notes
• By slightly varying the rhythm e.g using dotted or semi-quavers
• By adding new instruments
• By subtracting instruments
• By changing the rhythm
• By changing the tempo
  

Phrasing

This topic is applicable to :

• wind instrumentalists
• valve instrumentalists
• vocalists
• synthesizer players who wants to simulate wind or valve instruments

People need to breathe. Musicians who play the wind and valve instruments need to pause for a few millisecs to take in air. Likewise singers too.

The time when breathing happens is very crucial. If one breathes too early, he/she might not last the last note. If one breathes too late, he/she might not be in time to play the first note.

Breathing at the wrong time would cause a vocalist to sing off-beat.

A synthesizer player who wants to naturally simulate a wind instrument e.g. flute must realise that flautists must pause a while to breathe. Therefore,  he needs to phrase his synth playing, pausing at the right moment.

Usually each phrase can be at most 3 bars ( measures ).

Thus phrasing of musical notes is very important.

Dynamics

Musical dynamics - the soft and loud playing of music - is the hardest skill for a musician to acquire.

Musicians tend to overplay and drown others.

Musical dynamics add an effect to the music. At some part of the music, softer tones are called to bring the music to some peaceful moments and at others, louder music for emphasis.

Basically, we look at the lyrics to determine where to play softly and where to play loudly.

Song parts that talk about God's wrath, retribution , majesty , power etc can be played loudly.

But it is illogical ( or even sacrilege ) to play a piece of music loudly and brashly if it is a song about the love or peace or grace of God.

It is unfortunate that lots of young excited musicians think that music must always be loud. Perhaps they have not yet experienced romantic love, thus are unable to play music in a loving way !

Drum-Bass-Rhythm Coordination

Drum-bass-rhythm guitar is called the rhythm section. This is a very important section.

Before any music is played, the drummer-bass guitarist and guitarist must get their rhythm together.

The drummer determines the tempo and the style of the music. The bassist plays in sync with the drummer's bass drum while the rhythm guitarists imitates the drummer's hi-hat.

If these three are not in sync, the result is a very much muddled rhythm. In short, the music is not 'tight'.

Thus, get the rhythm section right first before other instruments come in.

Try the exercises at this URL : http://www.rhythmpatterns.com/

Be reactive to the melody , not indifferent

We all have heard of portasound keyboards that auto plays music rhythms and bass when we press a chord. No matter what song we play with it, it still gives the same rhythm and bass , bar after bar.

Of course such music is boring. Yet lots of musicians play music this way. Almost like a mechanical portasound. No matter what song a worship leader sings, they would play a certain fixed rhythm.

A better way is to play your instruments with the melody and around the melody.What i mean is the backing music must react with the melody, not ignorant of the melody.

There are two types of musicians - the first group is totally indefferent of the melody. They play like robots, totally disregard the melody  We might as well replace them with drum machinese and sequences.

The second are the worst. They accent everything - every beat or even half-quarter beat and their playing leave much to be desired.

In this respect ,bass guitarists must always remember this age old principle - your bass notes move the opposite direction to the melody i.e. when the melody goes up, bass goes down and vice versa.

This way the music is less predictable and always fresh.

Accents

Accents are musical notes which are emphasized at certain part of the music.
The first beat of an 8-bar is usually slightly accented.

Accents are being done with bass drum-cymbals , bass and other instruments. To slightly accent a beat, the drummer can hit the splash cymbal - a small cymbal of the drumset or hit other cymbals lightly.

Where to accent?

• the first beat of an 8 , 16 , 32 bar
• syncopated notes
• notes that need emphasis on the lyrics
• even at certain parts of the fills
  

Example : The power of Your love.

Lord I come to you
Let my heart be changed

re newed

Flowing from the grace
that i found in you

Lord I come to know
The weaknesses i see in me
Will be striped away
By the power of your love

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side

And as I wait
I'll rise up like an eagle
And i will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love


All the blues are lightly-accented and red are the heavily-accented parts.
Notice the accents gets louder as the music approaches chorus.

In fact, in the example above, i accent more than in professional arrangements.


Why do we need to accent?

• To give small shocks to prevent the music being monotonous and predictable
• To emphasize certain words in the lyrics
• To build up climaxes.
• To signal the beginning an 8 , 16 or 32 beat etc.

Note:

• It is very disheartening to see 'rock-inspired' musicians especially drummers accents every beat.  
• This would drown other musical instruments. Only tasteless drummer wacks every beat or half-a-beat of every bar. 
• I have the unfortunate pleasure of playing with a drummer who wacked the cymbals two or three times at every beat. The band finally 'transferred' the drummer to another group after we were all pissed with his playing.