At our 6 p.m. Life Teen Mass at St. Ann’s we always try to find a creative way to break open the scriptures during the homily. Some Sundays are easier than others, depending on the readings. Regardless, one thing we strive for is variety so that we’re not always doing the same thing over and over.
The usual routine begins with a meeting on Wednesday morning prior to Sunday’s homily. It’s usually myself, the presider, and the youth minister. We discuss the readings, the main theme (or thrust) that father is using for his homily, and then brainstorm some creative ways to break it open. Sometimes we might plan a simple introduction the the homily; other times the homily might be based upon a certain idea. Here are three recent examples to give an idea of some the different levels of involvement:
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time/August 21, 2011: In Matthew’s gospel Jesus asks: “Who do you say that I am?”
This one was pretty involved. We chose 4 famous people and looked up some random trivia about each person. Father said, “I’m going to read 5 different facts about someone. When you know who I’m talking about, raise your hand and keep it raised until I’m finished. Let’s see if you can figure out who this person is.” We chose a president, a famous singer, a famous athlete, and a famous artist/musician. The facts were so obscure that almost no one could figure out who these people were. Afterward, father said, “Okay, let’s see who this person is...” The band started playing and singing, “Who Are You” by THE WHO, which everyone knows from CSI. Then, we showed a large image of the person on our screens. Everyone had an ‘aha’ moment when they saw the picture. It was fun and eye-opening at the same time.
The last one was Jesus. The first fact father read was “I was born in Bethlehem, the son of a carpenter.” Well, everyone cheered and threw their hands up. Each clue made it equally obvious that it was Jesus. When his picture was shown at the end, people cheered all the louder!
The point father made was, it’s really easy to recognize Jesus, to say you believe in him, and to stand up proudly when we are in the safety of our own church. But what happens when we go to work? to school? back home to our families? back to our friends? Will we still cheer for Jesus then? Will we say that Jesus is our Lord? our Savior?
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time/September 11, 2011: In Matthew’s gospel we hear of the ungrateful servant who didn’t show the same mercy given him to one of his fellow servants.
We simply began this homily with a short skit performed by 2 teens and an adult. To begin, a parent (the adult) and teen are having a conversation about an ‘over-the-top’ cell phone bill from too much texting. The parent threatens to take the phone away, but the teen begs for another chance. The parent shows mercy and decides to give her one more chance.
As soon as the teen leaves the conversation with her parent, she meets a friend who owes her 7 dollars. The friend begs her for more time, saying that he won’t be able to eat lunch, but she threatens to embarrass him on Facebook if he doesn’t pay up. You can see the similarities between this skit and the passage from Matthew’s gospel. The homily continues...
Feast of Our Lady of La Salette/September 18, 2011: Our parish of St. Ann is run by the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. Each year we celebrate the feast day on the anniversary when Mary appeared to two children in La Salette, France and asked them to make her message known to her people. (For more information on Our Lady of La Salette please visit here: lasalette)
This was even more simple than the previous example. Father began his homily by asking, “Who here has a cell phone?” Of course he immediately followed that with the somewhat humorous fact that it might be easier to ask who did NOT have a cell phone. He then asked, “If you wanted to get a message out to as many people as possible in the quickest way, what are some ways you can do that?” Immediately, teens responded with answers like, ‘texting,‘ and ‘email,’ and ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter.’ He then explained that those things did not exist in 1846 when Mary appeared to Melanie and Maximin, an 11 and 14 year old. She trusted them, God trusted them...young people like you...to make the message known.
These are just some examples of different ways we try to break open the readings. It doesn't always have to be as involved as the “Who Are You” version. A simple question at the outset of the homily that refers to something very familiar in all our lives can really help set the tone for a powerful and creative homily.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A music degree does not a great singer make, but rather an inviting voice and spirit
What makes a good liturgical singer a "good liturgical singer?"
A good liturgical singer/cantor sings in a manner that encourages and invites the assembly to sing along with them.
I was out one night last week for a walk and I had my ipod with me. I put it on shuffle and two Chris Tomlin songs came on in a row. They were songs I didn't really know well at all, but as I listened I just wanted to sing along. There is something about Chris Tomlin's singing that is inviting and makes you want to join in the song. It seems so...I don't know...honest and genuine, and approachable. He sounds like the guy next door picked up a guitar and started singing. I believe that is a huge reason he is so successful. (Not to mention that his songs are always so good.) Is your singing approachable, encouraging, and inviting? Or is it too soloistic and difficult to sing along to?
I think a good liturgical singer/cantor knows their style well and can perform it effectively.
If you are singing more traditional sounding music, sing it in that style. Listen to good, solid recordings and try to imitate them. (Lori True/GIA is a fine example.) Use the right tone with the correct diction. Be sure your voice fits the music you are leading.
In the same way, if you are singing more contemporary music, be sure you are singing it in that style. Use much less vibrato! (perhaps it's easier to say "less operatic!" ) Don't sing it like you are working on a song for a voice lesson, accenting every "t" and "s" so that you can be heard in the back of the concert hall...no, please. Again, listen to tried and true recordings of good contemporary liturgical singers. Guys, listen to Josh Blakesley & Tom Booth/spiritandsong.com. They are both so different yet so effective as song leaders. Ladies, listen to Karen Bolduc (WLP) or Jackie Francois (spiritandsong.com). Great style and great tone for contemporary music. There are many, many others.
A music degree does not a great singer make, but rather an inviting voice and spirit.
Yes, absoultely, a LOT can be learned by studying music and taking singing lessons, but there is so much more to singing than knowing theory and learning to sing Caro Mio Ben. The honest question: is your voice pleasing to the assembly...not incredible...but pleasing, inviting? When people watch you sing are they inspired or bored? You don't need to be a trained, classical singer to lead hymns and songs. You just need to sound good and know your music. You need to know your music and encourage the assembly to sing...through your voice and your whole being.
A good liturgical singer/cantor sings in a manner that encourages and invites the assembly to sing along with them.
I was out one night last week for a walk and I had my ipod with me. I put it on shuffle and two Chris Tomlin songs came on in a row. They were songs I didn't really know well at all, but as I listened I just wanted to sing along. There is something about Chris Tomlin's singing that is inviting and makes you want to join in the song. It seems so...I don't know...honest and genuine, and approachable. He sounds like the guy next door picked up a guitar and started singing. I believe that is a huge reason he is so successful. (Not to mention that his songs are always so good.) Is your singing approachable, encouraging, and inviting? Or is it too soloistic and difficult to sing along to?
I think a good liturgical singer/cantor knows their style well and can perform it effectively.
If you are singing more traditional sounding music, sing it in that style. Listen to good, solid recordings and try to imitate them. (Lori True/GIA is a fine example.) Use the right tone with the correct diction. Be sure your voice fits the music you are leading.
In the same way, if you are singing more contemporary music, be sure you are singing it in that style. Use much less vibrato! (perhaps it's easier to say "less operatic!" ) Don't sing it like you are working on a song for a voice lesson, accenting every "t" and "s" so that you can be heard in the back of the concert hall...no, please. Again, listen to tried and true recordings of good contemporary liturgical singers. Guys, listen to Josh Blakesley & Tom Booth/spiritandsong.com. They are both so different yet so effective as song leaders. Ladies, listen to Karen Bolduc (WLP) or Jackie Francois (spiritandsong.com). Great style and great tone for contemporary music. There are many, many others.
A music degree does not a great singer make, but rather an inviting voice and spirit.
Yes, absoultely, a LOT can be learned by studying music and taking singing lessons, but there is so much more to singing than knowing theory and learning to sing Caro Mio Ben. The honest question: is your voice pleasing to the assembly...not incredible...but pleasing, inviting? When people watch you sing are they inspired or bored? You don't need to be a trained, classical singer to lead hymns and songs. You just need to sound good and know your music. You need to know your music and encourage the assembly to sing...through your voice and your whole being.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A fresh look at a classic
I Am the Bread of Life by Suzanne Toolan (GIA Publications) is probably one of the most well–known songs sung today in the catholic church. It’s been played on organ, piano, guitar...you name it. It’s also one of those songs that seems to break the rules with regard to assembly range (an octave and a fifth) yet that never seems to scare anyone away from it, whether they are leading it or singing it from the pews. Naturally, it remains in our usual repertoire at St. Ann’s, and we use it from time to time.
Much like Gather Us In which I talked about last week, I Am the Bread of Life doesn't need help to be a good liturgical song, but sometimes it can be effective to rearrange things a bit to occasionally offer a different presentation. What follows below is essentially the same music (and text), just packaged a little differently.
Last week I mentioned that when I change things up (arrangement–wise) I often take things away, simplifying things a bit. Let's look at a typical arrangement you might find of the opening bars of this song:
Played in a traditional hymn-like fashion these chords are wonderful. When arranging it for a contemporary ensemble, or 'praise band' (drums, bass, elec/acoustic gtrs, piano, synth, etc.), it is more stylistic to simplify the progression like this:
These fewer chord changes are more typical of modern contemporary praise music, especially in slower songs. It allows time for the chords to sustain, leaving room for perhaps an interesting rhythmic pattern that drives the song. Look at this example of how a praise band might play this same, simpler arrangement:
In the above example, the bass guitar is driving the rhythm...but take note of the tempo marking! This is not a fast tempo. In the next example, the acoustic guitar is driving the song...same tempo.
This is much like what Matt Maher does on his song I Love You, Lord (spiritandsong.com) It's important to note, like in the Matt Maher example, the acoustic is being played almost constantly in a downward strum pattern, not up and down–which would sound more folksy. (here's a sample: I Love You, Lord (Maher) YouTube video)
What about the drums? The simpler chord progression leaves room for some more interesting rhythms. For the verse, we tried it with low toms happening on the second half of beat 2, and on beat 4, like this:
For the refrain we simply swapped out the toms for a snare, lighter on the first refrain or two, stronger on the later ones.
Speaking of the refrain, we made a couple of chord simplifications there as well. Keeping with the same style we did the following:
We added an alternate bass note in the 3rd and 4th measures. Notice also the slight changes in the 1st and 3rd measures of the piano–subtle changes that add a lot. Look also at the subtle change in the acoustic guitar in measure 3.
Again, these are just some simple ways to rearrange a classic, solid, tried-and-true piece of music. I Am the Bread of Life by Suzanne Toolan doesn't need any help to make it work, but sometimes a fresh approach is just what you need to help set the tone for a more contemporary style liturgy.
Much like Gather Us In which I talked about last week, I Am the Bread of Life doesn't need help to be a good liturgical song, but sometimes it can be effective to rearrange things a bit to occasionally offer a different presentation. What follows below is essentially the same music (and text), just packaged a little differently.
Last week I mentioned that when I change things up (arrangement–wise) I often take things away, simplifying things a bit. Let's look at a typical arrangement you might find of the opening bars of this song:
Played in a traditional hymn-like fashion these chords are wonderful. When arranging it for a contemporary ensemble, or 'praise band' (drums, bass, elec/acoustic gtrs, piano, synth, etc.), it is more stylistic to simplify the progression like this:
These fewer chord changes are more typical of modern contemporary praise music, especially in slower songs. It allows time for the chords to sustain, leaving room for perhaps an interesting rhythmic pattern that drives the song. Look at this example of how a praise band might play this same, simpler arrangement:
In the above example, the bass guitar is driving the rhythm...but take note of the tempo marking! This is not a fast tempo. In the next example, the acoustic guitar is driving the song...same tempo.
This is much like what Matt Maher does on his song I Love You, Lord (spiritandsong.com) It's important to note, like in the Matt Maher example, the acoustic is being played almost constantly in a downward strum pattern, not up and down–which would sound more folksy. (here's a sample: I Love You, Lord (Maher) YouTube video)
What about the drums? The simpler chord progression leaves room for some more interesting rhythms. For the verse, we tried it with low toms happening on the second half of beat 2, and on beat 4, like this:
Speaking of the refrain, we made a couple of chord simplifications there as well. Keeping with the same style we did the following:
We added an alternate bass note in the 3rd and 4th measures. Notice also the slight changes in the 1st and 3rd measures of the piano–subtle changes that add a lot. Look also at the subtle change in the acoustic guitar in measure 3.
Again, these are just some simple ways to rearrange a classic, solid, tried-and-true piece of music. I Am the Bread of Life by Suzanne Toolan doesn't need any help to make it work, but sometimes a fresh approach is just what you need to help set the tone for a more contemporary style liturgy.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Pedal to the floor...
I think Marty Haugen’s Gather Us In (GIA Publications) is a pretty cool piece of music. While it was written “back in the ‘82” it has endured over time. I chose it this week as a gathering song, but wanted to give it a fresh approach for an even more contemporary sound. If you recall, there are a lot of chord changes...not difficult ones, just a lot of them. The first phrase alone has 4, the next another 4, and so on. I’ve often found when I change something up I usually take things away or simplify the music. Maybe that’s a more modern approach. (?) So, for the verses of the song I asked the bass player to stay on D, the root of the chord. The bass pattern along with the chords we played looks like this:
You’ll also notice that I asked the guitars to play a D5 (and A5, C5, etc.) chord instead of a regular D. That just leaves out the 3rd, giving it a more open sound. Then it’s easier to mute it to add more rhythm and not sound so folksy.
For the 2nd half (where it goes back to “Gather us in” on A) we didn't really change anything until the last C again (“sound of our name”) where we again hit it and let it ring, but stretched that measure out to a full 6/8, singing “sound of our name” over the C2 chord. Then we played the turn-around, really strong, to head back to the next verse.
The song doesn't need any of these changes. It works so well as Marty Haugen composed it. These are just some ideas to change things up a bit, and maybe raise some eyebrows!
Next week I’d like to share some ideas I have for changing up I Am the Bread of Life (Toolan/GIA).
We just kept that D pedal the whole time throughout the verse until the 3/8 bar, where the C occurs (“light of this”). There, we just played a C2, but hit it big and let it ring for a dotted quarter note.
You’ll also notice that I asked the guitars to play a D5 (and A5, C5, etc.) chord instead of a regular D. That just leaves out the 3rd, giving it a more open sound. Then it’s easier to mute it to add more rhythm and not sound so folksy.
For the 2nd half (where it goes back to “Gather us in” on A) we didn't really change anything until the last C again (“sound of our name”) where we again hit it and let it ring, but stretched that measure out to a full 6/8, singing “sound of our name” over the C2 chord. Then we played the turn-around, really strong, to head back to the next verse.
The song doesn't need any of these changes. It works so well as Marty Haugen composed it. These are just some ideas to change things up a bit, and maybe raise some eyebrows!
Next week I’d like to share some ideas I have for changing up I Am the Bread of Life (Toolan/GIA).
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
John Williams is a genius.
Everytime I hear one of his scores in a movie I am reminded of how well he can craft a theme that fits the scene and keep bringing it back throughout the movie at just the right times, at just the right level, for just the right duration.
...like in Star Wars, when Luke Skywalker turns to Obi-Wan and says, "The Force?" and you hear that theme come in, played by a French horn. Later, he brings it back at just the right moments when the subject comes up again, and we are reminded of the first time we heard it and what it meant.
Movies, by their very nature, are filled with dialogue, music, and vibrant images. Everything works together to create a greater whole. The same goes for Broadway shows: dialogue, music, movement, vibrant images, lighting, etc. They, too, have recurring musical themes.
How similar are our liturgies? We use lighting, movement, dialogue (sort of), music, vibrant images, etc. Similarly, one of the ways we can enhance our liturgies is through that same use of recurring themes.
Most of the time we sing a song...and never hear of it again for the rest of the mass. If, for example, your gathering song was "Rain Down" (Cortez), it might be effective to bring the refrain melody back, instrumentally, at some other point in the liturgy. Perhaps it could be played softly on the piano underneath the Prayers of the Faithful? Or on a flute after communion as a meditation? Or you could even invite the assembly to sing just the refrain again after communion.
Another theme could be the responsorial psalm. Let's say you sang "If Today You Hear the Voice of God," for the psalm. It could be powerful to bring back that melody subtly, instrumentally, underneath a spoken prayer, as an interlude in between communion songs, or even sung again as a communion meditation.
The important thing to remember, though, is not to overdo it. Just like recurring themes in movies are brought back tastefully, at the right volume, and for the right duration, so should we be sensitive of the moment we are trying to create, or enhance. We never want to be distracting...only enhancing.
...like in Star Wars, when Luke Skywalker turns to Obi-Wan and says, "The Force?" and you hear that theme come in, played by a French horn. Later, he brings it back at just the right moments when the subject comes up again, and we are reminded of the first time we heard it and what it meant.
Movies, by their very nature, are filled with dialogue, music, and vibrant images. Everything works together to create a greater whole. The same goes for Broadway shows: dialogue, music, movement, vibrant images, lighting, etc. They, too, have recurring musical themes.
How similar are our liturgies? We use lighting, movement, dialogue (sort of), music, vibrant images, etc. Similarly, one of the ways we can enhance our liturgies is through that same use of recurring themes.
Most of the time we sing a song...and never hear of it again for the rest of the mass. If, for example, your gathering song was "Rain Down" (Cortez), it might be effective to bring the refrain melody back, instrumentally, at some other point in the liturgy. Perhaps it could be played softly on the piano underneath the Prayers of the Faithful? Or on a flute after communion as a meditation? Or you could even invite the assembly to sing just the refrain again after communion.
Another theme could be the responsorial psalm. Let's say you sang "If Today You Hear the Voice of God," for the psalm. It could be powerful to bring back that melody subtly, instrumentally, underneath a spoken prayer, as an interlude in between communion songs, or even sung again as a communion meditation.
The important thing to remember, though, is not to overdo it. Just like recurring themes in movies are brought back tastefully, at the right volume, and for the right duration, so should we be sensitive of the moment we are trying to create, or enhance. We never want to be distracting...only enhancing.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Music Ministry has it's own goal...
Choosing music is, obviously, one of our main responsibilities as music ministers.
When I first started choosing music for our (Life Teen) 6:00 contemporary mass back in 1992 the established contemporary catholic music of the time was in the Glory and Praise hymnal. (the blue one, for those of us that remember it well!) Much of my time was spent rearranging these songs, from the folk-mass versions we'd gotten used to hearing, to a more modern, contemporary sound. Songs like "And the Father Will Dance," and "Lift Up Your Hearts to the Lord" were among some of the early song choices for that mass. On the radio we heard Wayne Watson, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patti, etc. Tom Booth in Mesa, AZ was writing (and continues to do so) some great new contemporary music, which also proved very effective. There were other sources, but, needless to say, there was not the abundance of modern church music we have today. Voices As One, Spirit and Song, and Cross Generation were not around, nor was the music of Chris Tomlin or Paul Baloche being played on the radio. The pool of music was smaller then.
Today, the church is blessed with so much new music every single week. Websites feature new songs, videos, podcasts, downloads, etc. We don't have to wait for a songbook to be printed. We just download what we need immediately and make our copies (legally, of course, with paid permission.) We could do 5 new songs each week and probably never run out of repertoire.
But that's the challenge.
We have to always remember what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Radio stations and websites have a goal: stay current; always have the latest and greatest readily available.
Music ministry has its own goal: engage the assembly in sung worship.
If we simply tried to stay with the latest and greatest all of the time, we would be missing the boat. Our goal is not to show how current we are for fear of being called stale. Our goal is to choose music that serves the liturgy. Let's choose music our assembly knows well and can sing. Remember, most people come once a week. A song that was introduced last Sunday is still going to be considered "new" for quite some time. Find a balance of the well-used and the fresh. People like to sing songs they know. They like to be challenged with something new...yes...but not every week!
When I first started choosing music for our (Life Teen) 6:00 contemporary mass back in 1992 the established contemporary catholic music of the time was in the Glory and Praise hymnal. (the blue one, for those of us that remember it well!) Much of my time was spent rearranging these songs, from the folk-mass versions we'd gotten used to hearing, to a more modern, contemporary sound. Songs like "And the Father Will Dance," and "Lift Up Your Hearts to the Lord" were among some of the early song choices for that mass. On the radio we heard Wayne Watson, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patti, etc. Tom Booth in Mesa, AZ was writing (and continues to do so) some great new contemporary music, which also proved very effective. There were other sources, but, needless to say, there was not the abundance of modern church music we have today. Voices As One, Spirit and Song, and Cross Generation were not around, nor was the music of Chris Tomlin or Paul Baloche being played on the radio. The pool of music was smaller then.
Today, the church is blessed with so much new music every single week. Websites feature new songs, videos, podcasts, downloads, etc. We don't have to wait for a songbook to be printed. We just download what we need immediately and make our copies (legally, of course, with paid permission.) We could do 5 new songs each week and probably never run out of repertoire.
But that's the challenge.
We have to always remember what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Radio stations and websites have a goal: stay current; always have the latest and greatest readily available.
Music ministry has its own goal: engage the assembly in sung worship.
If we simply tried to stay with the latest and greatest all of the time, we would be missing the boat. Our goal is not to show how current we are for fear of being called stale. Our goal is to choose music that serves the liturgy. Let's choose music our assembly knows well and can sing. Remember, most people come once a week. A song that was introduced last Sunday is still going to be considered "new" for quite some time. Find a balance of the well-used and the fresh. People like to sing songs they know. They like to be challenged with something new...yes...but not every week!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Quite a mass of Masses
Just got back from NPM last week, which is why there was no blog. Not surprisingly, the hot topic was new mass settings. Lots and lots and lots of new mass settings. Some new, some revised. Whatever you're looking for, I'm sure it's out there! Of course, everyone has their own idea about what will be the right setting for their own parish. What may work well in one parish may or may not work well in another. But that is what is so great...there are lots of options.
I started thinking about what were are currently using in my parish. At present we are singing the following:
1. Glory to God (Haas) from "Mass of Light"
2. Love Has Come (Maher) - specifically the Refrain ("Word of God enthroned...")
3. Holy (Bolduc) - one of mine that is not published
4. Christ Has Died (Booth) from "Mass of Life"
or Dying You Destroyed Our Death (Bolduc) from "Mass of Celebration"
5. Amen (Booth) from "Mass of Life"
6. Lamb of God (Maher) from "Mass of St. Timothy"
or Lamb of God (Bolduc) from "Mass of Celebration"
Wow. So that is made up of 4 mass settings, one unpublished piece, and part of a song. How did we end up with all of these different selections? And who's to say we won't somehow end up doing the same thing all over again...taking the Gloria from this setting, the Holy from another, and so on?
It's quite possible that may be the case. Maybe on paper it doesn't seem like all of those different pieces I mentioned go together in one 'setting,' but they sure work well together in our parish. They certainly don't all have the same thematic elements binding them together. Maybe that's what makes them so interesting to sing throughout the liturgy. Or perhaps individually they work so well that you don't even notice they aren't musically tied together. Whichever the case, the assembly sings these very, very well. It never seems like we are missing something greater because they aren't from the same musical setting.
The first choice, of course, would be to use a complete mass setting that is thematically tied together. The challenge there is to find one where all of the acclamations are well-crafted, singable, musically interesting...and they all fit the musical style of your parish.
The first choice, of course, would be to use a complete mass setting that is thematically tied together. The challenge there is to find one where all of the acclamations are well-crafted, singable, musically interesting...and they all fit the musical style of your parish.
I'd really like to go with the 'single mass setting approach' beginning this September. Right now we are planning on using Mass of St. Ann at our parish, especially as the text begins to change. I have a good feeling that it will 'stick' for us and be used for awhile, but I will not be afraid to create a mix of different settings as time goes on, especially to keep things fresh, and to bring back tried-and-true favorites that are still useable.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Song Suggestions...
A few Sundays ago, on Corpus Christi, we decided to introduce "O Saving Lamb" by my good, good friend Tom Booth as a second communion song. I've always known it was a nice setting; we've just never gotten around to using it. If you don't know this piece...PLEASE check it out here: O Saving Lamb (Booth) This is one of these songs that takes something very traditional and marries it with something new. In this case, Tom has used both the melody and the English translation of "O Salutaris Hostia" as the verses of the song. He then composed a new Refrain, music and text. The Refrain (to me) fits beautifully with the verses, creating a nice lift while adding simple 3 part harmony. It sounds great and the assembly jumps right in! It's very simple, very beautiful, and very appropriate in multiple settings.
We sang this at the teen mass on this particular Sunday. I remember saying to the teens, "If you don't know the melody of this verse...well...you should. It's a very important part of our Catholic tradition. And, if you haven't heard it here before...well, that's my fault. So let's sing it together." (or something like that)
"O Saving Lamb" is a good example of combining a well-known traditional hymn (text and melody) with new music and text. There are other examples of incorporating traditional music in a contemporary style as well. Chris Tomlin did the same thing with his arrangements of "Take My Life" (and let it be) and "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)." David Crowder took "All Creatures of Our God and King" and put a contemporary spin to the performance. It's essentially the same song, just repackaged in a different style. I kind of went a different route and just used the text to "At the Name of Jesus" by Caroline Maria Noel. I set it to my own original music and added a refrain as well. At the Name of Jesus (Face of God CD)
I encourage you to seek out these arrangements if you haven't already. I've found that once we've introduced them in a more contemporary style, they are just as well-received when played traditionally, or unaccompanied...the way they were originally written.
Good songs: it always comes down to the text and melody.
We sang this at the teen mass on this particular Sunday. I remember saying to the teens, "If you don't know the melody of this verse...well...you should. It's a very important part of our Catholic tradition. And, if you haven't heard it here before...well, that's my fault. So let's sing it together." (or something like that)
"O Saving Lamb" is a good example of combining a well-known traditional hymn (text and melody) with new music and text. There are other examples of incorporating traditional music in a contemporary style as well. Chris Tomlin did the same thing with his arrangements of "Take My Life" (and let it be) and "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)." David Crowder took "All Creatures of Our God and King" and put a contemporary spin to the performance. It's essentially the same song, just repackaged in a different style. I kind of went a different route and just used the text to "At the Name of Jesus" by Caroline Maria Noel. I set it to my own original music and added a refrain as well. At the Name of Jesus (Face of God CD)
I encourage you to seek out these arrangements if you haven't already. I've found that once we've introduced them in a more contemporary style, they are just as well-received when played traditionally, or unaccompanied...the way they were originally written.
Good songs: it always comes down to the text and melody.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
"Word."
So...June is over. Wow. Summer is flying by!
Last Sunday as I was sitting at the piano, listening to the lector proclaim the first reading, I was dismayed that the volume wasn't very strong coming from either the person reading or the microphone itself. Also, they seemed to speed through it a bit. Perhaps they were nervous, or just simply read too quickly. It just seemed that we rushed through the first reading. Before I knew it we were all saying "Thanks be to God," and it was time for the Psalm.
Now, the Psalm is supposed to be part of the Liturgy of the Word. In other words, it should share equal weight with the first and second reading, right? Quite often, though, it seems that the musical setting tends to overshadow the spoken word. Sometimes even, the musical setting might be too long, too robust, or maybe just too much for that part of the Liturgy. I think a few simple guidelines can help us, and perhaps your parish as well, in this situation.
PROCLAIMING THE WORD:
1. Wait a little longer before the lector approaches the ambo for the first reading. This doesn't have to be a long time, just enough time that everyone is seated before the reader approaches. We should all see that person walking up to the ambo. It tells us that something is about to happen. It 'sets up' the moment.
2. Proclaim the word, don't rush through it. Encourage your lectors to practice reading the scripture slowly and clearly. That's pretty self-explanatory.
3. Work on microphone technique. Get close enough to the microphone so that it picks up the voice well enough to amplify it. Otherwise, what's the point? People need to hear what you are saying!
THE RESPONSORIAL PSALM:
4. After the first reading, don't rush into the Repsonsorial Psalm. Allow the lector time to leave the ambo, bow, and begin walking back to their seat.
5. Begin appropriately with the music. Don't try and out-do the Gospel Acclamation or the Song of Thanksgiving. That doesn't mean "I will praise your name" needs to be subdued...just balanced. Find a good setting that really does justice to the text of the psalm of the day. A good setting will lead you in the right direction. Remember, the assembly needs to sing this!
6. Be careful how you end. You probably don't want to come crashing down with cymbals and a gliss on the piano all the time. (Maybe once in a while? :-)) Remember, you are setting up the next moment: the second reading.
If we’re not careful our enthusiasm for our music can sometimes outbalance what is happening in the rest of the liturgy. We should always try and be conscious of what is going on around the many musical moments of the Mass.
Last Sunday as I was sitting at the piano, listening to the lector proclaim the first reading, I was dismayed that the volume wasn't very strong coming from either the person reading or the microphone itself. Also, they seemed to speed through it a bit. Perhaps they were nervous, or just simply read too quickly. It just seemed that we rushed through the first reading. Before I knew it we were all saying "Thanks be to God," and it was time for the Psalm.
Now, the Psalm is supposed to be part of the Liturgy of the Word. In other words, it should share equal weight with the first and second reading, right? Quite often, though, it seems that the musical setting tends to overshadow the spoken word. Sometimes even, the musical setting might be too long, too robust, or maybe just too much for that part of the Liturgy. I think a few simple guidelines can help us, and perhaps your parish as well, in this situation.
PROCLAIMING THE WORD:
1. Wait a little longer before the lector approaches the ambo for the first reading. This doesn't have to be a long time, just enough time that everyone is seated before the reader approaches. We should all see that person walking up to the ambo. It tells us that something is about to happen. It 'sets up' the moment.
2. Proclaim the word, don't rush through it. Encourage your lectors to practice reading the scripture slowly and clearly. That's pretty self-explanatory.
3. Work on microphone technique. Get close enough to the microphone so that it picks up the voice well enough to amplify it. Otherwise, what's the point? People need to hear what you are saying!
THE RESPONSORIAL PSALM:
4. After the first reading, don't rush into the Repsonsorial Psalm. Allow the lector time to leave the ambo, bow, and begin walking back to their seat.
5. Begin appropriately with the music. Don't try and out-do the Gospel Acclamation or the Song of Thanksgiving. That doesn't mean "I will praise your name" needs to be subdued...just balanced. Find a good setting that really does justice to the text of the psalm of the day. A good setting will lead you in the right direction. Remember, the assembly needs to sing this!
6. Be careful how you end. You probably don't want to come crashing down with cymbals and a gliss on the piano all the time. (Maybe once in a while? :-)) Remember, you are setting up the next moment: the second reading.
If we’re not careful our enthusiasm for our music can sometimes outbalance what is happening in the rest of the liturgy. We should always try and be conscious of what is going on around the many musical moments of the Mass.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thank you, EQ.
Has this ever happened to you?
You take lots of time during rehearsal to EQ everything. The pianist plays a bit and you adjust the highs and lows so that it sounds nice and warm, full, round…it sounds great. Then the guitarist does the same and you adjust the EQ, again making it sound nice and full, warm, round, etc. Then you do the same for the vocals, adjusting everyone’s mic so that they sound fabulous.
During the intro of the song the piano (or guitar) sounds great, along with the cantor, or soloist. Then the band comes in and it sounds like…mud.
What happened? Everything sounded awesome when it was playing alone. Suddenly you can’t hear the piano, so you turn it up. Now you can’t hear the guitar so you turn it up, too. Wait…the vocals are getting lost…turn them up! Turn everything up! Why are the monitors feeding back? I want to go home!
Many times it’s all about the EQ, or equalization. I don’t want to get too detailed here. First, I am not really qualified to do so, and secondly, there are many others who are better at explaining this than I am, but put simply: there is only so much room in the “sound” we are listening to for low frequencies (like drums and bass guitars) and only so much room for higher frequencies.
In other words, we can’t let the instruments get into each other’s ‘space.’ Since the bass guitar is dwelling in the low end of the sound, keep other instruments away from there or things will get all muddy or mushy as they bump into each other. Playing low synth pads alone, for example, sounds awesome…big and full. But, as soon as the bass guitar comes in, that synth player has to leave the left hand out or it will collide with what the bass player is doing.
In a solo acoustic guitar performance you want that ole’ six string to have a full sound, covering the lows and the highs. When playing with a band, however, the bass guitar and drums will be covering the lows. If you want the acoustic guitar to cut through, you need to “roll off” the low end and brighten up the sound. By itself it will sound rather thin and empty, but in the full band mix it will fit very nicely into the spectrum.
The same goes for vocals. Be careful how much low end is in there. Get the singers to move in closer to the mic. That proximity (nearness to the microphone) will give it a warm sound. Then you can roll of the lows (decrease the amount of low frequency) and brighten it up. Plus, if they move in closer, you won’t have to turn that mic up as much. Less feedback. Always good.
You’ll be amazed at how the sound will just clear up. You won’t need to keep turning things up to 11 in order to hear them. It gets easier on the ears, too.
This just goes to show that getting some trained, professional ears to help you is vital to sounding good. Remember, the assembly is going to listen to you on and off for about an hour! They deserve to have good sound projected at them. Consider hiring a pro to come in and set some eq’s during a rehearsal. If you have a digital board, great. It will remember the settings. If not, take a picture with your cell phone or digital camera and keep it handy in case something gets moved.
You take lots of time during rehearsal to EQ everything. The pianist plays a bit and you adjust the highs and lows so that it sounds nice and warm, full, round…it sounds great. Then the guitarist does the same and you adjust the EQ, again making it sound nice and full, warm, round, etc. Then you do the same for the vocals, adjusting everyone’s mic so that they sound fabulous.
During the intro of the song the piano (or guitar) sounds great, along with the cantor, or soloist. Then the band comes in and it sounds like…mud.
What happened? Everything sounded awesome when it was playing alone. Suddenly you can’t hear the piano, so you turn it up. Now you can’t hear the guitar so you turn it up, too. Wait…the vocals are getting lost…turn them up! Turn everything up! Why are the monitors feeding back? I want to go home!
Many times it’s all about the EQ, or equalization. I don’t want to get too detailed here. First, I am not really qualified to do so, and secondly, there are many others who are better at explaining this than I am, but put simply: there is only so much room in the “sound” we are listening to for low frequencies (like drums and bass guitars) and only so much room for higher frequencies.
In other words, we can’t let the instruments get into each other’s ‘space.’ Since the bass guitar is dwelling in the low end of the sound, keep other instruments away from there or things will get all muddy or mushy as they bump into each other. Playing low synth pads alone, for example, sounds awesome…big and full. But, as soon as the bass guitar comes in, that synth player has to leave the left hand out or it will collide with what the bass player is doing.
In a solo acoustic guitar performance you want that ole’ six string to have a full sound, covering the lows and the highs. When playing with a band, however, the bass guitar and drums will be covering the lows. If you want the acoustic guitar to cut through, you need to “roll off” the low end and brighten up the sound. By itself it will sound rather thin and empty, but in the full band mix it will fit very nicely into the spectrum.
The same goes for vocals. Be careful how much low end is in there. Get the singers to move in closer to the mic. That proximity (nearness to the microphone) will give it a warm sound. Then you can roll of the lows (decrease the amount of low frequency) and brighten it up. Plus, if they move in closer, you won’t have to turn that mic up as much. Less feedback. Always good.
You’ll be amazed at how the sound will just clear up. You won’t need to keep turning things up to 11 in order to hear them. It gets easier on the ears, too.
This just goes to show that getting some trained, professional ears to help you is vital to sounding good. Remember, the assembly is going to listen to you on and off for about an hour! They deserve to have good sound projected at them. Consider hiring a pro to come in and set some eq’s during a rehearsal. If you have a digital board, great. It will remember the settings. If not, take a picture with your cell phone or digital camera and keep it handy in case something gets moved.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Excuse me, FLOw?
To me, 'flow' is a very important part of an engaging liturgy.
So, I'm not one for singing EVERY verse of a song just because it's there.
I, for one, don't insist that people sing every verse of one of my songs just because I wrote them!
Maybe it's different when you are singing something like the Beatitudes, or a setting of the Prayer of St. Francis. The text would be incomplete without the whole thing. Most songs aren't like that, though. For example, I know when I've written songs for Communion, my publisher has sometimes asked me to simply "add some more verses so it can be longer."
For those of you who might be thinking, "Ed, the text is very important!" I do, of course, agree. It most certainly is. No argument there. The gathering song, for example, isn't 'filler' until the presider reaches his chair, but it doesn't need to go to the other extreme either.
Again, to me, 'flow' is a big part of the liturgy.
For example, today I played for a funeral and the family had chosen "Here I Am, Lord," by Dan Schutte for the Entrance Procession. Well, it was a pretty small gathering and the family didn't process in. By the time we had finished verse 1 and the refrain, it already seemed like it needed to end. It didn't feel right to sing ANOTHER verse followed by another refrain. I think what might have been a better plan would've been to sing the refrain first, then verse 1, then the refrain again. Or, I could've just sung another refrain. The point is, creating the right 'flow' with the right amount of 'pacing' is vital, I think, to the liturgy. When something feels forcibly lengthened, or seems to drag on, it ceases to engage the assembly.
So, I'm not one for singing EVERY verse of a song just because it's there.
I, for one, don't insist that people sing every verse of one of my songs just because I wrote them!
Maybe it's different when you are singing something like the Beatitudes, or a setting of the Prayer of St. Francis. The text would be incomplete without the whole thing. Most songs aren't like that, though. For example, I know when I've written songs for Communion, my publisher has sometimes asked me to simply "add some more verses so it can be longer."
For those of you who might be thinking, "Ed, the text is very important!" I do, of course, agree. It most certainly is. No argument there. The gathering song, for example, isn't 'filler' until the presider reaches his chair, but it doesn't need to go to the other extreme either.
Again, to me, 'flow' is a big part of the liturgy.
For example, today I played for a funeral and the family had chosen "Here I Am, Lord," by Dan Schutte for the Entrance Procession. Well, it was a pretty small gathering and the family didn't process in. By the time we had finished verse 1 and the refrain, it already seemed like it needed to end. It didn't feel right to sing ANOTHER verse followed by another refrain. I think what might have been a better plan would've been to sing the refrain first, then verse 1, then the refrain again. Or, I could've just sung another refrain. The point is, creating the right 'flow' with the right amount of 'pacing' is vital, I think, to the liturgy. When something feels forcibly lengthened, or seems to drag on, it ceases to engage the assembly.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Some cool stuff to help with planning...
If you haven't already heard, CCLI has released a Church Rehearsal License which allows you to legally send audio files to your musicians and singers...for rehearsal purposes. These are the actual studio recordings...not your own demos. The way it works is very similar to their normal reprint license. You pay for a certain number of audio files. Each one sent or received counts as 1. It's VERY affordable and, might I add, a great idea. Now artists and songwriters can benefit from people using their recordings to learn, and later perform, their songs.
I have often said, "don't feel like you have to sound like the recording." I am still saying that. However, the studio recording WILL give you the original 'vibe' of the song. From there you can proceed to custom-arrange it for your particular need in the liturgy. Change the key, change the map, simplify a rhythm, etc.
Check it out at www.CCLI.com
Couple that together with this...
I have just started using an online planner called Planning Center Online. (www.planningcenteronline.com) With this utility you can create custom 'services,' invite musicians to play, attach sheet music (PDFs), attach mp3's...and more. Your musicians and singers can update their profiles with contact info, days they will be away, etc. You can indicate what the 'map' of each song will be (i.e. Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, etc.) You can even show stage plots, schedule A/V personnel, indicate timelines, and more. Your musicians and singers receive an invite via email where they click "ACCEPT" or "DECLINE" or "VIEW THIS SERVICE." You are immediately notified of their answer and their name is placed in their particular spot in the service. There is a monthly fee, again very affordable. This is only my second week using it, but so far it seems pretty cool! Check it out: www.planningcenteronline.com
I have often said, "don't feel like you have to sound like the recording." I am still saying that. However, the studio recording WILL give you the original 'vibe' of the song. From there you can proceed to custom-arrange it for your particular need in the liturgy. Change the key, change the map, simplify a rhythm, etc.
Check it out at www.CCLI.com
Couple that together with this...
I have just started using an online planner called Planning Center Online. (www.planningcenteronline.com) With this utility you can create custom 'services,' invite musicians to play, attach sheet music (PDFs), attach mp3's...and more. Your musicians and singers can update their profiles with contact info, days they will be away, etc. You can indicate what the 'map' of each song will be (i.e. Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, etc.) You can even show stage plots, schedule A/V personnel, indicate timelines, and more. Your musicians and singers receive an invite via email where they click "ACCEPT" or "DECLINE" or "VIEW THIS SERVICE." You are immediately notified of their answer and their name is placed in their particular spot in the service. There is a monthly fee, again very affordable. This is only my second week using it, but so far it seems pretty cool! Check it out: www.planningcenteronline.com
Friday, May 13, 2011
Song Suggestions...and Refrains
A few song suggestions and performance ideas:
“Christ Is Risen” by Mia Fieldes and Matt Maher is a wonderful song for the Easter Season and beyond. The text is great. The melody is very simple, yet also interesting and fun to sing. On the recording, Matt starts with an intro, followed by Verse 1, followed by the Refrain. At my parish we were going to introduce this song at the Preparation of the Gifts on Sunday with NO time to rehearse with the assembly. So, instead of following the recording we chose to start with the Refrain. We began with just piano, guitar, and a single voice. Then we repeated the refrain with more voices and more instruments. The bass came in on the verse immediately after while the drums came in full once the Refrain came back. By doing it this way the assembly had a chance to hear the refrain twice before they normally would have, and the song ramped up nicely. They caught on quickly and the song worked great.
We have been using “Alle, Alle, Alleluia” by John Angotti (WLP) for our Gospel Acclamation this Easter. We actually perform it pretty much like the recording, though I play the intro on piano instead of guitar. I think it’s important to point out to the rhythm section that the drums and bass play ON the beat while the vocals sing on the off-beats (on the “Alle, alle” part of the refrain.) That’s what gives it the ‘feel’ you hear on John’s recording. There are three verses in the score, each one of them different both in words and music. We’ve been changing it up each week. Verse 2 adds a nice modulation to give it another ‘lift.’
Alle, Alle (Angotti) - WLP
“Blessed One” by Aaron Thompson (WLP) is a beautiful song to our Blessed Mother. There are 4 verses with wonderful text followed by a refrain that simply says:
“Ave, ave, ave, ave, ave, ave, Blessed One.”
Aaron does a great job of changing up the chords in the refrain while the melody stays the same. Even though you are singing the same melodic figure three times, it doesn’t seem like it since the chords are changing underneath. BUT…it makes it very easy to learn and sing.
Many times I have led the assembly in just singing the refrain a few times. It’s beautiful enough to hold its own, plus it takes no time to learn it. I plan to use it this weekend for the May Crowning at St. Ann’s. Take a listen and you’ll see what I mean.
Blessed One (Thompson) - WLP
It is often effective to begin a song with the refrain, even if the sheet music and recording do it differently. It enables the assembly to get familiar with the text and melody more quickly. Otherwise, I have found that, after playing an intro, verse, and a pre-chorus, we might get to sing the refrain a couple of times...that's all. My goal is to always engage the assembly as soon as possible. This is not to say that the assembly shouldn't sing the verses...of course they should. Usually, though, the refrain is the easiest to learn first.
It's also an effective way to lengthen a song. If you begin with the refrain (maybe even twice) you can then, essentially, 'start over' from the beginning.
“Christ Is Risen” by Mia Fieldes and Matt Maher is a wonderful song for the Easter Season and beyond. The text is great. The melody is very simple, yet also interesting and fun to sing. On the recording, Matt starts with an intro, followed by Verse 1, followed by the Refrain. At my parish we were going to introduce this song at the Preparation of the Gifts on Sunday with NO time to rehearse with the assembly. So, instead of following the recording we chose to start with the Refrain. We began with just piano, guitar, and a single voice. Then we repeated the refrain with more voices and more instruments. The bass came in on the verse immediately after while the drums came in full once the Refrain came back. By doing it this way the assembly had a chance to hear the refrain twice before they normally would have, and the song ramped up nicely. They caught on quickly and the song worked great.
We have been using “Alle, Alle, Alleluia” by John Angotti (WLP) for our Gospel Acclamation this Easter. We actually perform it pretty much like the recording, though I play the intro on piano instead of guitar. I think it’s important to point out to the rhythm section that the drums and bass play ON the beat while the vocals sing on the off-beats (on the “Alle, alle” part of the refrain.) That’s what gives it the ‘feel’ you hear on John’s recording. There are three verses in the score, each one of them different both in words and music. We’ve been changing it up each week. Verse 2 adds a nice modulation to give it another ‘lift.’
Alle, Alle (Angotti) - WLP
“Blessed One” by Aaron Thompson (WLP) is a beautiful song to our Blessed Mother. There are 4 verses with wonderful text followed by a refrain that simply says:
“Ave, ave, ave, ave, ave, ave, Blessed One.”
Aaron does a great job of changing up the chords in the refrain while the melody stays the same. Even though you are singing the same melodic figure three times, it doesn’t seem like it since the chords are changing underneath. BUT…it makes it very easy to learn and sing.
Many times I have led the assembly in just singing the refrain a few times. It’s beautiful enough to hold its own, plus it takes no time to learn it. I plan to use it this weekend for the May Crowning at St. Ann’s. Take a listen and you’ll see what I mean.
Blessed One (Thompson) - WLP
It is often effective to begin a song with the refrain, even if the sheet music and recording do it differently. It enables the assembly to get familiar with the text and melody more quickly. Otherwise, I have found that, after playing an intro, verse, and a pre-chorus, we might get to sing the refrain a couple of times...that's all. My goal is to always engage the assembly as soon as possible. This is not to say that the assembly shouldn't sing the verses...of course they should. Usually, though, the refrain is the easiest to learn first.
It's also an effective way to lengthen a song. If you begin with the refrain (maybe even twice) you can then, essentially, 'start over' from the beginning.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
I usually plan to plan with a planner...at least that's the plan
There are a lot of good, useful liturgy planners out there for music, including:
AIM (World Library Publications/J.S. Paluch Co., Inc.)
Today's Liturgy (Oregon Catholic Press)
G.I.A. Quarterly (G.I.A.)
Liturgy Planning Guide (Life Teen)
All of them provide helpful, useful information and ideas for planning the music for your upcoming parish liturgies. Instead of relying on a single resource (like one of the above) I usually lay out ALL of those and get a lot of different points of view. Most companies that publish planners typically suggest their own copyrighted music (or public domain titles) for the majority of the song/hymn suggestions. That's fine, which is why I like to have a larger base from which to choose. At St. Ann's, we don't stick with one hymnal, one publisher, or one resource, or even one style of music. We draw from everywhere. We use everything from traditional to contemporary worship music for our liturgies.
I think it's important to say that, just because it's written in a planner, it doesn't mean you HAVE to incorporate those suggestions, or that they're even right for YOUR next liturgy at YOUR parish. They are suggestions. They are meant to be a helpful tool as you make the best decisions for your liturgies.
You may find that a lot of the songs you would choose aren't listed there. Often times it's impossible for publishers to list every option, so they may choose to go with a reliable stand-by or something new and fresh for a particular suggestion. Just know that the planning guides are not 'law;' they are not 'required.' They are not 'official.' They are suggestions. Use your best judgment, but use the planners. They could be just what you're looking for, or show you something you would have never thought of yourself, or even lead you to new ideas.
AIM (World Library Publications/J.S. Paluch Co., Inc.)
Today's Liturgy (Oregon Catholic Press)
G.I.A. Quarterly (G.I.A.)
Liturgy Planning Guide (Life Teen)
All of them provide helpful, useful information and ideas for planning the music for your upcoming parish liturgies. Instead of relying on a single resource (like one of the above) I usually lay out ALL of those and get a lot of different points of view. Most companies that publish planners typically suggest their own copyrighted music (or public domain titles) for the majority of the song/hymn suggestions. That's fine, which is why I like to have a larger base from which to choose. At St. Ann's, we don't stick with one hymnal, one publisher, or one resource, or even one style of music. We draw from everywhere. We use everything from traditional to contemporary worship music for our liturgies.
I think it's important to say that, just because it's written in a planner, it doesn't mean you HAVE to incorporate those suggestions, or that they're even right for YOUR next liturgy at YOUR parish. They are suggestions. They are meant to be a helpful tool as you make the best decisions for your liturgies.
You may find that a lot of the songs you would choose aren't listed there. Often times it's impossible for publishers to list every option, so they may choose to go with a reliable stand-by or something new and fresh for a particular suggestion. Just know that the planning guides are not 'law;' they are not 'required.' They are not 'official.' They are suggestions. Use your best judgment, but use the planners. They could be just what you're looking for, or show you something you would have never thought of yourself, or even lead you to new ideas.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Mass of St. Ann
Hey all, just wanted to share the news that the Mass of St. Ann has been released, full score and CD. I know there are a lot of great, new settings out there, so I hope you won't mind one more!
Here's a link to World Library's Website: (there are sample pages and audio clips)
http://www.wlp.jspaluch.com/12130.htm
God bless.
Ed
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Different sounds make it…well…different.
Like most of you, I planned and played a ‘whole lotta music’ during the Triduum and Easter Sunday. While it is always a bit of a task to choose the music for every part of the liturgies, it is equally challenging to put together the musicians who will provide the arrangements…the sound…of every piece.
I like variety as much as possible. Even during college recitals I would get bored and fall asleep when it was too much of the same thing (i.e. all piano, all guitar, all soprano, etc.) even if the performance was great. I just wanted to hear different sounds from time to time. (Maybe that’s why I can’t seem to get through an entire album in one listening!) ANYway, I tried to apply that as much as possible to the different liturgies.
For the most part, the music for Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday was arranged for a contemporary band. We had drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, synth, and singers/choir. In addition, a trumpet, flute and violin on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday added a nice change to the sound from time to time. With all of these musicians ‘at the ready’ it would have been easy to just tell them to play every song from beginning to end. Instead, the challenge…the fun…was to arrange each piece a little differently as need for the liturgical moment. One piece would start with piano, one with piano and violin, another with a full band. It just depended on what was called for by the moment in the liturgy.
Different sounds make it interesting. Different sounds add variety. Different sounds make it, well, different. When the assembly can predict exactly what they’re going to hear at the beginning of every song, the ‘surprise’ is left out. We don’t often hear violin in our parish (unfortunately) so when we started “Our Blessing Cup” by Marty Haugen on Holy Thursday for the Responsorial Psalm with violin and piano, you could almost sense the assembly’s surprise and delight. A well-executed soprano duet on verses 2 and 3 really enhanced it further, along with the addition of the bass guitar and choir (on the refrain only). We kept it light, which was a nice contrast to the Haas ‘Glory to God’ we had sung just moments earlier in all its ‘glory’ with full band and voices!
Many of you, I’m sure, use organ a lot more than I. It’s not the main, driving instrument at our parish. Piano is the norm. However, for Holy Thursday I really wanted to use the organ to create just the right tone for the transfer of the Eucharist. After choosing the right registration, I started playing “Pange Lingua Gloriosi” and it was a welcome change from the instrumentation we had been using up to that point. A solo voice cantored while the assembly joined in beautifully.
My main reason for choosing this subject for this week’s blog is that I’ve never heard so many comments about a single service before, namely the “Holy Thursday” liturgy. People couldn’t stop talking about the use of the violin throughout and the organ during “Pange Lingua.” It was different, it was special, and it was extremely musical. By adding some instruments, creatively arranging each piece, and begin sensitive to each moment, it really seemed like we truly “set the tone” for the music of the Triduum this year.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Holy Week...Whole Lotta Music
I mentioned in an earlier blog that I like to make a chart of all of my song selections on a dry-erase board in order to see the different weeks/liturgies side by side. It helps me to see all of the recent weeks at a glance for comparison sake. Needless to say, with the additional Holy Week liturgies, I began to run out of room in the music office! The white-board was full with the weeks leading up to Palm Sunday, so I had to add some extra paper for Holy Week: Holy Thursday, 3 Good Friday Services, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. A lot of blanks...a lot of songs. A challenge...and a privilege to choose the music our community will sing at these beautiful and important celebrations.
Every song choice is important.
Every song serves a purpose in the liturgy.
Add to that the fact that there would be many, many visitors to our parish liturgies in these coming days. The music needs to work for everyone. You can't just choose music your particular community is familiar with singing. It needs to appeal to everyone. It needs to engage everyone. It can't just be the latest, most popular songs. A good mix of tradition...combined with solid, familiar songs...combined with new and fresh music...that's my goal for this weekend's music.
And, for the most part, there will be different musicians at all the masses. Some will have drums and bass, some will only have piano, some will have a choir, some will have a solo cantor, etc.
I've spent a good deal of time going over the selections and instrumentation to do my best to help enhance these celebrations. It's been wonderful working with the rest of our liturgy and audio/visual team to find creative and effective ways to celebrate with our community. I've welcomed their comments about years' past and their suggestions for this Holy Week as well. We're a team. It's not MY music. It's not MY ministry. It's ours.
It's a lot to think about!!!
So, this weekend we'll be singing everything from "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today," to "Pange Lingua Gloriosi," to "Revelation Song." We're using everything from a contemporary band to a traditional organ.
I'm looking forward to sharing our experiences in next week's blog.
Every song choice is important.
Every song serves a purpose in the liturgy.
Add to that the fact that there would be many, many visitors to our parish liturgies in these coming days. The music needs to work for everyone. You can't just choose music your particular community is familiar with singing. It needs to appeal to everyone. It needs to engage everyone. It can't just be the latest, most popular songs. A good mix of tradition...combined with solid, familiar songs...combined with new and fresh music...that's my goal for this weekend's music.
And, for the most part, there will be different musicians at all the masses. Some will have drums and bass, some will only have piano, some will have a choir, some will have a solo cantor, etc.
I've spent a good deal of time going over the selections and instrumentation to do my best to help enhance these celebrations. It's been wonderful working with the rest of our liturgy and audio/visual team to find creative and effective ways to celebrate with our community. I've welcomed their comments about years' past and their suggestions for this Holy Week as well. We're a team. It's not MY music. It's not MY ministry. It's ours.
It's a lot to think about!!!
So, this weekend we'll be singing everything from "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today," to "Pange Lingua Gloriosi," to "Revelation Song." We're using everything from a contemporary band to a traditional organ.
I'm looking forward to sharing our experiences in next week's blog.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Make Musical, Liturgical Decisions...Not Personal Ones
Continuing on last week's theme, I thought I'd expand on some questions and comments I've consistently heard from liturgical musicians regarding planning and performing music at liturgy.
1. Teens don’t like old songs.
Well, that’s just a broad, false, statement. The reality is that teens don’t like songs that don’t engage them. No one does. Don’t discount a song just because it was written a few (or many) years ago. If the song is a good song…use it…period! In the same way that you like to hear music on the radio that you know…songs that are familiar…songs that remind you…songs that are ‘old’…your assembly will embrace, often with enthusiasm, familiar songs with solid texts and melodies that enhance the liturgy.
The challenge is to choose a balance of old and new, familiar and unfamiliar, fast and slow. Make musical decisions; liturgical decisions, not personal ones. Remember, the assembly doesn’t think about these songs every day; they hear them once a week. You might think it would be too soon to repeat a song you did last week…but if it was brand new, and it went well, and it could support the liturgy…do it again. They will sing even more.
2. All of the planners and websites recommend this song over and over, but the assembly doesn’t seem to be engaged when we sing it at my parish.
Why doesn’t this song seem to be working? You like it, you enjoy playing it, but no one is singing the way you would expect. This is where it gets tough: sometimes we need to evaluate if our performance is affecting the song.
Tempo: Are you playing it too fast? Too slow? Are you rushing through the rhythms? Is the tempo dragging, putting everyone to sleep? BEFORE you start the song, sing through part of it in your head. Remember: the vocal part is crucial. Let that determine your tempo.
Vocal sound and style: How we sing/lead certain songs can really effect the overall presentation. Are you singing a pop-style song with a classical voice? Or are you using too many pop-style ‘licks,’ (turns, scoops, runs, etc.) distorting the melody so that the assembly can’t even recognize it? Or, simply, are you singing out of tune? It’s difficult to sing along with an out-of-tune melody. Setup a video camera and record your group. Listen back and evaluate your performance.
How is the balance of the instruments? Are the drums too loud? Is the piano too soft? Can you hear the singers? Too much guitar? All of these things can affect the overall presentation and invitation to sing. Listen and make appropriate adjustments.
Again, as we present and lead music week after week at our liturgies it’s important to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate our music and our musical performance. This is not to simply be critical of ourselves, but rather to be sure we are leading our assemblies the most effective way we can.
1. Teens don’t like old songs.
Well, that’s just a broad, false, statement. The reality is that teens don’t like songs that don’t engage them. No one does. Don’t discount a song just because it was written a few (or many) years ago. If the song is a good song…use it…period! In the same way that you like to hear music on the radio that you know…songs that are familiar…songs that remind you…songs that are ‘old’…your assembly will embrace, often with enthusiasm, familiar songs with solid texts and melodies that enhance the liturgy.
The challenge is to choose a balance of old and new, familiar and unfamiliar, fast and slow. Make musical decisions; liturgical decisions, not personal ones. Remember, the assembly doesn’t think about these songs every day; they hear them once a week. You might think it would be too soon to repeat a song you did last week…but if it was brand new, and it went well, and it could support the liturgy…do it again. They will sing even more.
2. All of the planners and websites recommend this song over and over, but the assembly doesn’t seem to be engaged when we sing it at my parish.
Why doesn’t this song seem to be working? You like it, you enjoy playing it, but no one is singing the way you would expect. This is where it gets tough: sometimes we need to evaluate if our performance is affecting the song.
Tempo: Are you playing it too fast? Too slow? Are you rushing through the rhythms? Is the tempo dragging, putting everyone to sleep? BEFORE you start the song, sing through part of it in your head. Remember: the vocal part is crucial. Let that determine your tempo.
Vocal sound and style: How we sing/lead certain songs can really effect the overall presentation. Are you singing a pop-style song with a classical voice? Or are you using too many pop-style ‘licks,’ (turns, scoops, runs, etc.) distorting the melody so that the assembly can’t even recognize it? Or, simply, are you singing out of tune? It’s difficult to sing along with an out-of-tune melody. Setup a video camera and record your group. Listen back and evaluate your performance.
How is the balance of the instruments? Are the drums too loud? Is the piano too soft? Can you hear the singers? Too much guitar? All of these things can affect the overall presentation and invitation to sing. Listen and make appropriate adjustments.
Again, as we present and lead music week after week at our liturgies it’s important to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate our music and our musical performance. This is not to simply be critical of ourselves, but rather to be sure we are leading our assemblies the most effective way we can.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
How Often Should We Introduce New Music?
I get a LOT of questions from musicians who are leading ensembles/bands at different liturgies in their parishes. I thought it might be a good idea to share some of the most common ones here, along with answers that seem to stay consistent from year to year.
How much new music do you do at your Mass?
Let’s face it– there are new songs being written every day. Some are incredible; some are average; some (like a lot of mine) never make it past the 1st draft. Still, the library of songs from which we can choose continues to grow leaps and bounds. That’s a great thing! We should celebrate that musicians are being moved by the Holy Spirit to share their gifts. So, how do we comb through all of it and choose what’s right for us? To what degree do we need to keep updating our repertoire?
Tough question. Obviously, we want to keep our music fresh, but not so that people don’t recognize the music when it comes time to sing. Too many new songs at one mass might be new and “fresh,” but it would also be a lot of unfamiliar music. Every song would be a challenge, maybe even intimidating; there would be nothing they knew. People would tend to sing much less.
At the other extreme, never introducing new music would assure the assembly knows the songs, but there is the danger of becoming stale. Even the best songs played every week will get old, not to mention the fact that you would be depriving your parish of some wonderful, new music.
So what’s the answer? How much new music should we do at Mass? Only you can answer that question. Every parish is different. Every music ensemble is different. Every liturgy is different. We need to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate how well we are performing our ministries, in this case, music. One suggestion would be to keep an ongoing chart of the songs played at a particular liturgy. Every week add a new column with the song titles. This way you can see ‘at a glance’ what songs have been played in recent weeks. Also, TALK TO YOUR PARISHIONERS! Casually ask them about the music. Ask them what they think of the songs. Do they feel invited to sing? Etc.
Keep track of what new songs really stand out; seek out which new songs are the most popular. Follow the publisher’s websites: OCP (spiritandsong), WLP, GIA, CCLI, etc. Which songs are they highlighting? Which songs get strong reviews? Which songs are consistently listed in the planners? Usually, this means the songs are solid, singable, and very useable for liturgy. But, check them out for yourself. Choose the ones that will work well for you.
Consider choosing a balance of songs for every liturgy: 2 solid stand-by’s, something leaning toward traditional, something contemporary, and something new. It’s a start- a rough template to work from. It won’t always work, but it can be a good guide to get you thinking consistently and more balanced.
As we present and lead music week after week at our liturgies it’s important to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate our music and our musical performance. This is not to simply be critical of ourselves, but rather to be sure we are leading our assemblies the most effective way we can.
For more on choosing music, check out my January 20th blog, "A Lot to Consider." (scroll down to the list below)
For more on choosing music, check out my January 20th blog, "A Lot to Consider." (scroll down to the list below)
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
1+1 = 11
When you look at a 1 or 2 page lead sheet for a song, what do you see? Do you see 1 or 2 pages of music, or do you see 11 or 12? or more?
When I took piano lessons I was expected to play every note on the page exactly as it was written. I didn’t add any measures, repeats, dynamics...nothing. I played it note for note, measure for measure.
When I was in choir in high school we sang all sorts of choral arrangements, or octavos. We sang them note for note. I even accompanied some of them, playing each measure as written.
This is how I was trained, and this is what was expected. The music was designed to be performed exactly as it was written. There was no need to change or add anything. Every aspect of the arrangement had already been thought out for you.
With contemporary worship music we have to get away from that way of thinking. The music is not usually designed to be played exactly as written. Every aspect of the arrangement has not been thought out for you. In most cases there is a lot of information ‘missing.’ In order to fit music on a music stand with minimal or no page turns, composers and arrangers create lead sheets (or charts) for the instrumentalists and singers. As much as possible, all of the verses are stacked atop one another, all of the harmonies are there from the beginning, there is no indication when the drums should come in, or the bass guitar...all there is is a melody (with or without harmonies), the lyrics, and the chords (or ‘changes.’) It’s up to us to figure out who will play when. That’s where the fun begins! That’s called arranging.
If everybody started together right from the top of the song–drums, bass, guitars, piano, vocal harmonies, etc.– there would be nowhere left to go! Instead, create your own arrangement, or octavo: make simple notes on the page like “bass in on vs.2,” or “drums out until Ref.” Indicate when it will be a vocal solo, unison voices, or when the harmonies will be added. Change a chord to make it more interesting, or easier to play. That’s basically what arrangers do. Build the song from the ground up. Turn those 1 or 2 pages into a full-blown 15 page octavo!
When I took piano lessons I was expected to play every note on the page exactly as it was written. I didn’t add any measures, repeats, dynamics...nothing. I played it note for note, measure for measure.
When I was in choir in high school we sang all sorts of choral arrangements, or octavos. We sang them note for note. I even accompanied some of them, playing each measure as written.
This is how I was trained, and this is what was expected. The music was designed to be performed exactly as it was written. There was no need to change or add anything. Every aspect of the arrangement had already been thought out for you.
With contemporary worship music we have to get away from that way of thinking. The music is not usually designed to be played exactly as written. Every aspect of the arrangement has not been thought out for you. In most cases there is a lot of information ‘missing.’ In order to fit music on a music stand with minimal or no page turns, composers and arrangers create lead sheets (or charts) for the instrumentalists and singers. As much as possible, all of the verses are stacked atop one another, all of the harmonies are there from the beginning, there is no indication when the drums should come in, or the bass guitar...all there is is a melody (with or without harmonies), the lyrics, and the chords (or ‘changes.’) It’s up to us to figure out who will play when. That’s where the fun begins! That’s called arranging.
If everybody started together right from the top of the song–drums, bass, guitars, piano, vocal harmonies, etc.– there would be nowhere left to go! Instead, create your own arrangement, or octavo: make simple notes on the page like “bass in on vs.2,” or “drums out until Ref.” Indicate when it will be a vocal solo, unison voices, or when the harmonies will be added. Change a chord to make it more interesting, or easier to play. That’s basically what arrangers do. Build the song from the ground up. Turn those 1 or 2 pages into a full-blown 15 page octavo!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Are you too good at ‘not playing guitar’ well? (Wait...what?)
Being a keyboardist in the 80’s...in high school...was awesome. So many popular songs were piano driven: Billy Joel, Journey, Chicago, etc. Others were heavy on the synth side. I found myself learning the piano parts note for note and finding the right patch on my synth so I could try and sound just like the record. Or, I could just buy the sheet music to Hill Street Blues, or Cheers and everyone would recognize that opening piano part as I played it right from the score.
Later (still the 80’s!) I started playing piano in the folk group at church. We had keyboard books for all of the music, so all I had to really do was play from the score. No sweat, right? We had guitars, flute, percussion...everything. I just stayed in the background and played my part.
I never learned guitar.
Suddenly...I found myself leading a contemporary group at church.
Suddenly...there was a LOT more church/worship music being led by guitar.
Suddenly...I had to play those songs on the piano...because there wasn’t a guitarist at every mass!!!
Suddenly...(last one, I promise) I had to learn to play the piano like a guitar.
When I started leading the music for the Life Teen program at St. Ann’s there were a lot of times I was playing alone, without a band. Many of the songs the teens liked to sing were guitar-driven, so I had to figure out how to pull off these tunes on a piano. I learned to play rhythms in the right hand while adding simple off-beats in the left to imitate guitar parts. I’ve learned to fake a lot guitar figures this way, and I’ve gotten used to doing it quite often.
While this has its benefits, it can also get you (and me!) into some bad habits. Just tonight, at rehearsal, I found myself playing the guitar intro of a song on the piano...while there were 3 acoustic guitars in the room! I literally had to force myself not to play it. I am so used to leading that I sometimes forget to ‘let go of the reins’ and let someone else drive a song. It’s better for the other musicians, it’s better for you (and me), and it’s better for the song. I’m always talking about variety, arranging, orchestration, etc.
I need to remember that part of being a good leader means sometimes you need to ‘get out the way.’
(Thanks, JT, for the post idea)
Later (still the 80’s!) I started playing piano in the folk group at church. We had keyboard books for all of the music, so all I had to really do was play from the score. No sweat, right? We had guitars, flute, percussion...everything. I just stayed in the background and played my part.
I never learned guitar.
Suddenly...I found myself leading a contemporary group at church.
Suddenly...there was a LOT more church/worship music being led by guitar.
Suddenly...I had to play those songs on the piano...because there wasn’t a guitarist at every mass!!!
Suddenly...(last one, I promise) I had to learn to play the piano like a guitar.
When I started leading the music for the Life Teen program at St. Ann’s there were a lot of times I was playing alone, without a band. Many of the songs the teens liked to sing were guitar-driven, so I had to figure out how to pull off these tunes on a piano. I learned to play rhythms in the right hand while adding simple off-beats in the left to imitate guitar parts. I’ve learned to fake a lot guitar figures this way, and I’ve gotten used to doing it quite often.
While this has its benefits, it can also get you (and me!) into some bad habits. Just tonight, at rehearsal, I found myself playing the guitar intro of a song on the piano...while there were 3 acoustic guitars in the room! I literally had to force myself not to play it. I am so used to leading that I sometimes forget to ‘let go of the reins’ and let someone else drive a song. It’s better for the other musicians, it’s better for you (and me), and it’s better for the song. I’m always talking about variety, arranging, orchestration, etc.
I need to remember that part of being a good leader means sometimes you need to ‘get out the way.’
(Thanks, JT, for the post idea)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Underneath it all...
Sometimes underneath the Opening Prayer, or during the Prayers of the Faithful, or when the priest or deacon is leading a prayer, I may play the piano softly. The purpose is not to distract from the spoken word, but to enhance it–much like the scoring of a film. Some people find this to be a wonderful addition to the liturgy, while others might not care for it so much. (This is why I started out by saying “sometimes.”)
Done well, this can serve to draw attention to what is being said, or prayed. Done poorly, it can draw attention away from the spoken word and instead, to the music.
Most of this depends on the player, both in style and technique. Here are a few things I’ve learned in my experience doing this:
1. Stay out of the way of the speaker’s voice. If a man is speaking the voice will most likely be in a lower register. Stay out of those areas of the keyboard (or guitar) and play in the upper. If a woman is speaking, focus your playing in the lower registers and avoid the upper registers. It’s like arranging a piece of music where the speaker has the melody. All of the accompaniment needs to stay out the way so it can be heard.
2. Avoid banging out a melody that could be distracting. If a familiar tune is being played too loudly people will begin to focus on that rather than what is being said. Instead, try to focus more on the chord changes of a song that was used earlier in the liturgy (or will be used later) with maybe a hint or a phrase of the melody.
3. If you play a melody, try changing up the rhythms ever so slightly by augmenting them (making notes longer) or shortening them. Create subtle variations that won’t encourage people to hum along with you.
People may glance over at you when you start to play, but they shouldn’t remain focused on you, especially if you, too, have your attention focused on the speaker (or, at least have your eyes closed or looking down.) They will hopefully realize what you are doing and turn their attention to the speaker.
There is really an art to this, and it may take some practice. Hearing and watching someone else do it well is the best way to learn. Just keep in mind that you are underscoring something else that is more important at the moment!
Done well, this can serve to draw attention to what is being said, or prayed. Done poorly, it can draw attention away from the spoken word and instead, to the music.
Most of this depends on the player, both in style and technique. Here are a few things I’ve learned in my experience doing this:
1. Stay out of the way of the speaker’s voice. If a man is speaking the voice will most likely be in a lower register. Stay out of those areas of the keyboard (or guitar) and play in the upper. If a woman is speaking, focus your playing in the lower registers and avoid the upper registers. It’s like arranging a piece of music where the speaker has the melody. All of the accompaniment needs to stay out the way so it can be heard.
2. Avoid banging out a melody that could be distracting. If a familiar tune is being played too loudly people will begin to focus on that rather than what is being said. Instead, try to focus more on the chord changes of a song that was used earlier in the liturgy (or will be used later) with maybe a hint or a phrase of the melody.
3. If you play a melody, try changing up the rhythms ever so slightly by augmenting them (making notes longer) or shortening them. Create subtle variations that won’t encourage people to hum along with you.
People may glance over at you when you start to play, but they shouldn’t remain focused on you, especially if you, too, have your attention focused on the speaker (or, at least have your eyes closed or looking down.) They will hopefully realize what you are doing and turn their attention to the speaker.
There is really an art to this, and it may take some practice. Hearing and watching someone else do it well is the best way to learn. Just keep in mind that you are underscoring something else that is more important at the moment!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Change your beatitudes, Ed
This past Sunday I chose to introduce the song “The Beatitudes” from the recording Word for Word. (WLP 008280) It’s a decent setting musically, but I was a bit apprehensive about singing it with the assembly. Obviously, there are a lot of words (it’s the beatitudes) and the arrangement uses a lot of syncopation in the verses. Still, I passed it out at a rehearsal (yep, rehearsal...more about that later) and we sang and played through it.
I figured the verses would be led by a soloist and we would bring in the assembly for the refrain. That meant the assembly would not be singing for much of the song. At least, that’s the way it was on the recording. Everyone played it great, and the singers sang the refrain easily. I told everyone, “I’m just not sure, yet. It’s not you guys, it’s the song. I need to think about it. I’ll let you know.”
That was Tuesday evening. I still wasn’t sure what we were going to do.
So, Wednesday (or Thursday, can’t recall) I get an email from Rick, one of our singers on Sunday and he says, “Hey! I have an idea about ‘The Beatitudes.’ Why don’t you just break up the verses? Sing the Refrain, verse 1, Refrain, verse 2, Refrain, Refrain?”
He was totally right. It made all the difference. Here's what we ended up doing:
Refrain (1st half): piano & solo voice
Refrain (2nd half): piano/guitar/voices unison
Refrain (all): piano/guitar/bass/light drums/vox with harmonies
Verse 1: solo
Refrain: full band
Verse 2: solo
Refrain: full band:
Verse 3 (which was the little turn-around at the end of verse 2- sounds like a Bridge): solo
Refrain KEY CHANGE: kick drum on 2 and 4/vocals with harmonies
Refrain: Full band
It made all the difference in the world. The assembly had plenty to sing. It worked great!
So, Rick reminded me of one of my own lessons on one of my own songs: don’t get stuck doing what the recording does! Sometimes you need to rearrange things a bit to make it work for liturgy.
I figured the verses would be led by a soloist and we would bring in the assembly for the refrain. That meant the assembly would not be singing for much of the song. At least, that’s the way it was on the recording. Everyone played it great, and the singers sang the refrain easily. I told everyone, “I’m just not sure, yet. It’s not you guys, it’s the song. I need to think about it. I’ll let you know.”
That was Tuesday evening. I still wasn’t sure what we were going to do.
So, Wednesday (or Thursday, can’t recall) I get an email from Rick, one of our singers on Sunday and he says, “Hey! I have an idea about ‘The Beatitudes.’ Why don’t you just break up the verses? Sing the Refrain, verse 1, Refrain, verse 2, Refrain, Refrain?”
He was totally right. It made all the difference. Here's what we ended up doing:
Refrain (1st half): piano & solo voice
Refrain (2nd half): piano/guitar/voices unison
Refrain (all): piano/guitar/bass/light drums/vox with harmonies
Verse 1: solo
Refrain: full band
Verse 2: solo
Refrain: full band:
Verse 3 (which was the little turn-around at the end of verse 2- sounds like a Bridge): solo
Refrain KEY CHANGE: kick drum on 2 and 4/vocals with harmonies
Refrain: Full band
It made all the difference in the world. The assembly had plenty to sing. It worked great!
So, Rick reminded me of one of my own lessons on one of my own songs: don’t get stuck doing what the recording does! Sometimes you need to rearrange things a bit to make it work for liturgy.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
All are welcome...
I'm sitting here at Monkey Joe's. It's a party, play place for kids. I'm watching my son jump around on all of the slides and play areas with a bunch of other kids as they celebrate a classmate's birthday. They're having a blast!
Celebrating.
We celebrate different events in so many different ways. It varies among age groups. It varies among cultures. And, of course, it varies depending on what we are celebrating.
For example, I wouldn't expect a group of adults to choose a place like the one I'm in now to celebrate a friend's retirement! Or a 5 year old to choose a nice dinner and dancing! We all celebrate in different ways.
When we all come together on Sunday to CELEBRATE The Eucharist, we are many ages, many cultures...many people. I try to consider this as much as possible when planning what songs we will sing TOGETHER! Choosing only songs for kids wouldn't be right, nor would choosing only songs adults would find more familiar, or even teens. (and teens are their OWN culture) It's a balancing act. Contemporary, traditional, fast, slow, loud, soft, old, new...whatever works. Not only does it help to engage each age group, but it also helps everyone appreciate ALL styles of music.
As I sit here in this room designed for kids, I see flat screen tv's, recliner chairs, coffee, wi-fi, music from the 90's(!), etc. Even the adults feel welcome and included in the celebration. We are all joining in the festivities. Shouldn't the same hold true for Sunday mass?
Celebrating.
We celebrate different events in so many different ways. It varies among age groups. It varies among cultures. And, of course, it varies depending on what we are celebrating.
For example, I wouldn't expect a group of adults to choose a place like the one I'm in now to celebrate a friend's retirement! Or a 5 year old to choose a nice dinner and dancing! We all celebrate in different ways.
When we all come together on Sunday to CELEBRATE The Eucharist, we are many ages, many cultures...many people. I try to consider this as much as possible when planning what songs we will sing TOGETHER! Choosing only songs for kids wouldn't be right, nor would choosing only songs adults would find more familiar, or even teens. (and teens are their OWN culture) It's a balancing act. Contemporary, traditional, fast, slow, loud, soft, old, new...whatever works. Not only does it help to engage each age group, but it also helps everyone appreciate ALL styles of music.
As I sit here in this room designed for kids, I see flat screen tv's, recliner chairs, coffee, wi-fi, music from the 90's(!), etc. Even the adults feel welcome and included in the celebration. We are all joining in the festivities. Shouldn't the same hold true for Sunday mass?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A LOT to consider
Each weekend I am responsible for choosing the music for many different liturgies. For me, it’s always a lot more involved than simply selecting music where the lyrics match the theme of the readings. There are a LOT of factors to consider:
The readings of the day, of course.
This could be an entire blog alone. Suffice it to say that the main thrust of the readings should be reflected in the song choices. Other factors are holidays, parish celebrations, etc.
What have we sung recently at that time slot?
Did we recently introduce a new song that could be repeated? Have we overused a song?
Is there a good flow to the music? Are there too many songs of the same tempo? Too many of the same style? A good variety always seems best. Would one of the song choices work better at a different point of the Mass?
Who are the musicians for that Mass?
Will the players and singers at that particular liturgy perform these songs well? Are there other songs better suited for their style of playing and singing?
Who is in the assembly for that Mass? Mostly children? teens? adults?
A good variety is always good, but who are we leading in song? Are we choosing age-appropriate music for the assembly?
I typically spend a lot of my time considering all of these factors when choosing music. I like to write the list down on a board and stare at it a bit until I feel that I’ve gotten it as right as I can make it. I’ve been known to make some last minute changes when something doesn’t seem right, or when something doesn’t go over well in a rehearsal. Or...I might write something if it seems like there’s a need in a particular spot!
Feel free to share your comments and ideas.
The readings of the day, of course.
This could be an entire blog alone. Suffice it to say that the main thrust of the readings should be reflected in the song choices. Other factors are holidays, parish celebrations, etc.
What have we sung recently at that time slot?
Did we recently introduce a new song that could be repeated? Have we overused a song?
Is there a good flow to the music? Are there too many songs of the same tempo? Too many of the same style? A good variety always seems best. Would one of the song choices work better at a different point of the Mass?
Who are the musicians for that Mass?
Will the players and singers at that particular liturgy perform these songs well? Are there other songs better suited for their style of playing and singing?
Who is in the assembly for that Mass? Mostly children? teens? adults?
A good variety is always good, but who are we leading in song? Are we choosing age-appropriate music for the assembly?
I typically spend a lot of my time considering all of these factors when choosing music. I like to write the list down on a board and stare at it a bit until I feel that I’ve gotten it as right as I can make it. I’ve been known to make some last minute changes when something doesn’t seem right, or when something doesn’t go over well in a rehearsal. Or...I might write something if it seems like there’s a need in a particular spot!
Feel free to share your comments and ideas.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Chart your Progress(ions)
Have you ever had someone sit in with your group because a bass player or guitarist is out, so you hand them pages and pages of music with multiple endings, capo chords or...worse yet...a keyboard score? (especially to someone who is NOT playing keyboard!) What do you think the chances are that things will go well? Even to an experienced session player, a clean, easy-to-read chart is crucial to promoting success.
Sometimes publishers tend to be over-accurate when they publish music. That might mean the instrumentalists have to comb through 3 different endings of a verse simply because the vocal did something slightly different each time, even though the chords are the same! Or maybe the keyboard score is doing something pretty involved in the right hand, so there ends up being this cluster of chord symbols with alternate basses all crammed together above the staff, even though the bass just needs to stay on B-flat! Or there could be extra pages showing extra verses when all they really need is the same chord progression from verse 1. All of these things can cause even the best players to stumble simply because things are over-complicated.
Sometimes the best solution is to take the most complicated tunes (more than 2 pages, multiple endings that are essentially the same, over-complex chords, etc.) and simplify them for bass and guitar. Finale, Sibelius, or even hand-written versions are extremely useful. Eliminate the potential stumbling blocks. Save the new, easier-to-read charts for future use. Your instrumentalists, your singers...and your assembly...will thank you.
Sometimes publishers tend to be over-accurate when they publish music. That might mean the instrumentalists have to comb through 3 different endings of a verse simply because the vocal did something slightly different each time, even though the chords are the same! Or maybe the keyboard score is doing something pretty involved in the right hand, so there ends up being this cluster of chord symbols with alternate basses all crammed together above the staff, even though the bass just needs to stay on B-flat! Or there could be extra pages showing extra verses when all they really need is the same chord progression from verse 1. All of these things can cause even the best players to stumble simply because things are over-complicated.
Sometimes the best solution is to take the most complicated tunes (more than 2 pages, multiple endings that are essentially the same, over-complex chords, etc.) and simplify them for bass and guitar. Finale, Sibelius, or even hand-written versions are extremely useful. Eliminate the potential stumbling blocks. Save the new, easier-to-read charts for future use. Your instrumentalists, your singers...and your assembly...will thank you.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sunday Night Live
I've been given the opportunity to lead the music at our 6:00 pm teen mass again at my parish. It's been several years since my wife, Karen, and I led the music at that mass, so were feeling a bit of nervous excitement as we head into it. Sunday was the first night we were back and, I have to say, it was really wonderful. There was a good energy, and some powerful worship...it was a great celebration of the Feast of Epiphany. We're both excited about continuing on!
One of the biggest (and first) decisions I had to make was: what will the band consist of, and who will be in it? I knew that I wanted drums, bass, piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and 2-3 vocals to start. With these instruments we could cover a lot of ground.
I also knew that I wanted some experienced musicians...and not just experienced playing their instrument...but experienced in playing for liturgy. For example, there's a big difference in being a good drummer and being a good liturgical drummer: knowing how to orchestrate a drum part versus simply laying down a groove. Same for guitar and piano: knowing when to play out and when to lay back; knowing when to strum a guitar, play a piano melody, or comp chords in rhythm. Or when not to play. We are fortunate to have a great drummer and bassist as permanent members. I've actually played with both of them for quite awhile in contemporary liturgy music groups. They're fantastic.
And then there are the vocals: good, strong singers who know when to sing and when not to sing, how to blend and how to lead a verse, how to use a mic and not just always sing as close to it as possible. I am very fortunate that Karen is probably one of the best liturgical singers I've ever met: beautiful voice and a strong sense of what needs to happen at liturgy. Her sound, demeanor, posture...everything...is what we look for in a strong liturgical singer. She's not concerned about solos- just adding to the liturgy in any way she can.
So...it's a good start. We are still missing some pieces. We need a permanent guitar player...2 actually. We'll use subs for now. And eventually we'll add another singer. But for now, as long as we have the basics: drums, bass, piano (or guitar), and at least two singers (male and female), we can cover a lot of ground.
Wish us luck! We're looking forward to it!
One of the biggest (and first) decisions I had to make was: what will the band consist of, and who will be in it? I knew that I wanted drums, bass, piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and 2-3 vocals to start. With these instruments we could cover a lot of ground.
I also knew that I wanted some experienced musicians...and not just experienced playing their instrument...but experienced in playing for liturgy. For example, there's a big difference in being a good drummer and being a good liturgical drummer: knowing how to orchestrate a drum part versus simply laying down a groove. Same for guitar and piano: knowing when to play out and when to lay back; knowing when to strum a guitar, play a piano melody, or comp chords in rhythm. Or when not to play. We are fortunate to have a great drummer and bassist as permanent members. I've actually played with both of them for quite awhile in contemporary liturgy music groups. They're fantastic.
And then there are the vocals: good, strong singers who know when to sing and when not to sing, how to blend and how to lead a verse, how to use a mic and not just always sing as close to it as possible. I am very fortunate that Karen is probably one of the best liturgical singers I've ever met: beautiful voice and a strong sense of what needs to happen at liturgy. Her sound, demeanor, posture...everything...is what we look for in a strong liturgical singer. She's not concerned about solos- just adding to the liturgy in any way she can.
So...it's a good start. We are still missing some pieces. We need a permanent guitar player...2 actually. We'll use subs for now. And eventually we'll add another singer. But for now, as long as we have the basics: drums, bass, piano (or guitar), and at least two singers (male and female), we can cover a lot of ground.
Wish us luck! We're looking forward to it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)