Do you ever find yourself wondering how you can add variety to your praise and worship music or hymns but have no idea how to do it? Here are some ultra basic tips that can go a long way in making the music played for your worship gatherings much more interesting, regardless of if you have a full band or just a piano and some singers on your team.
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Hello all!
Well, last week and this week have left me with much training to do as I leave my current position. I have rarely had time to come up and breathe, let alone blog or even catch up on reading all of the wonderful blogs that are sitting in my reader accumulating “new article” notices.
Please pray for me as I continue to make this transition. I also have a meeting with one of the partners of one of our city’s advertising agencies tomorrow – could be very beneficial. Until later, keep doing whatever it is you’re doing, keep writing whatever it is you’re writing, and I’ll try to get back as soon as I can.
In a recent conversation I had with my pastor, who is also my spiritual mentor, he mentioned that he had been seeing some very positive fruit in me over the summer. I asked him, “Anything specific?” to which he replied with one word – “Discipline.”
My Discipline Journey
I have never been a very disciplined person. I achieved my first degree black belt in Taekwondo in MIddle School, but then lost the discipline to keep going with it. I was smart enough to have possibly achieved a 4.0 GPA in HIgh School – but wasn’t disciplined enough to actually achieve it. In college – my lack of spiritual discipline led to some major personal struggles that eventually led to all sorts of problems. I believe I always fell short of so many things because of a lack of displine in two areas: my physical life, and my spiritual life.
Physical Discipline
Maybe you’re like I was, and every time you went to the doctor you had to sheepishly answer “no” when the doctor asks if you’re exercising. Maybe you kept hearing everyone talk about physical fitness and thought to yourself, “Yeah, I know I should do that, but I just don’t have time.” As Paul is speaking to his young charge Timothy he says this:
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-9
I don’t think Paul was brushing off physical training in this passage – just comparing it as far less valuable than training to be godly, which we’ll get to in a minute. “I don’t have time” doesn’t work when you’re beginning to discipline yourself. Part of discipline is finding the time it takes to carry out what you’re trying to accomplish. I finally realized that everyone was right when they mentioned the importance of physical fitness – and after running and walking for just four days I am already feeling astoundingly better physically.
Spiritual Discpline
As Paul says in the passage we read earlier – “godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” Godliness has an eternal reward. This discipline is even more important than physical fitness because our bodies, no matter how fit we are, will decay and turn to dust. Our souls, however, will go on for eternity. My spiritual discipline of a devotional life was an on-again, off-again affair. But now, after being disciplined to read and study my Bible almost every day – I feel astoundingly better spiritually and emotionally.
My Challenge to You
Are you making time to discipline yourself, both physically and spiritually? If so, bravo! If not, I highly encourage you to do so. And don’t just do so with no goals in mind, or no way to track your progress. Find a training program for your physical fitness. I found one that even has a way to track your progress. Here’s a look at mine:
Keep a journal for your spiritual discipline. If you’re online constantly like I am (another reason why it’s so Important that I discipline myself physically), try using the wonderful You Version internet app. It has a built in journal right there with any Bible version you desire to use.
Physical discipline + spiritual discpline will equal a very healthy outlook on life.
Yesterday I was blessed to have an article in the “featured articles” section of The Worship Community. I wanted to point you over there to take a read. The article talks about five things that are needed to orchestrate effective rehearsals. Here are the five things (read the article to get the details about each step).
- Preparation.
- Have the Right People in Place.
- Proper Use of Time.
- Respect Each Other.
- Leaders lead. Followers follow.
Go over and take a read – and while you’re at it sign up to participate in the forums.
For a long time I’ve subscribed to the school of thought that playing by chord off of lead sheets or chord sheets is a much better way to go for piano players than playing straight from the actual piano music. You only have to have a couple of pages to turn through, you learn how to play chords just in case the piano music is unavailable, and you develop your ear. However, there is a problem: it’s much harder to lead if you don’t have experience.
Without Rhythm and Melody – Chords Don’t Go Anywhere
As I’ve begun to teach several piano players how to play by chords instead of by the piano music I’ve run into a problem that I completely didn’t expect. Chords, without being driven by rhythm and melody, don’t really go anywhere. I can tell the piano player to “just play by the chords on this one” and it leads to a great fit when I’m leading from the guitar. I can carry the rhythm from the guitar and let the piano color and accent the song. But if I say, “I’d like to you lead this one on the piano,” many of the piano players are not quite sure what to do. They can play the chords, but haven’t really been taught the rhythms to apply the chords to – so the song lacks movement. They can play the chords, but haven’t really been taught how to break them up and use passing tones to create interest – so the song lacks character.
What to Do?
I guess that is my dilemma. I can show the piano players what to do by saying, “Let me sit for a second and show you what I’d like.” But then they’re just watching me do something instead of actually learning how to do it. I would love to know what you’ve done to teach piano players how to play chords but play them rhythmically and melodically – able to lead a song well. Some things I can think of might perhaps be:
- Writing out piano parts for them for a while – then saying, “Okay – your turn to apply it – make up your own now.”
- Having a workshop with piano players on how to do these things – which is something I’d like to do – I just lack the time at the moment.
- Have the piano players listen and watch professionals to try and develop their ear and mimic what the professionals are doing
- Create an online youtube / vimeo video to help train – another thing I’d love to do – again with a lack of time
Are there any other suggestions that could help?
