WELCOME BACK!!!

Welcome (back) to Setting the Tone…Musical Ideas for Liturgy.  It’s been a year since my last entry and it’s time to get back at it! This time will be a little different.  Aside from now being linked to World Library Publications new contemporary music website, VoicesAsOne.com, each week will consist of three main sections:

1. My thoughts or reflections on some aspect of music during the Mass…LOTS of options!

2. Musical suggestions for Mass (one Sunday added each week)
3. YOUR input and suggestions for Mass (one of the coolest parts!)

So let’s get started. Please feel free to search or peruse the archives of Setting the Tone for lots of postings on many different areas of music ministry.

Covering the ‘BASS’-ics

So, Sunday, as I’m driving in to play 7:15 am Mass (why so EARLY?) I remembered LAST Sunday how our 8:45 bass player told me he wouldn’t be here this week. I then recalled how I responsibly sent out a request for someone to sub for him. I then remembered that no one responded. I THEN thought ...uh oh.
The 8:45 mass has drums, bass, guitars, synth, piano, flute, and 7 singers.  All of that, especially drums, with no bass guitar will sound very empty and noisy. The bass is a critical part of the sound, especially when there are drums.  Drums and bass go hand in hand. If you have drums, you gotta have bass. No way around it.

So I start to tell the sound guy that I will be playing bass on a synth.  I’ll put it on the piano and play with my left hand. I’m dreading it because it leaves the left hand of the piano out of the picture. That’s not great either.  Just then, our synth player says, “Hey Ed, I can play bass.”

I said, “Really?  You mean synth bass?”
“Sure.”
“Have you ever done that before?”
“No, but I have tons of sounds on this thing!”
Our sound guy says, “Let him play bass.”

Well, I was a little nervous.  He is a great synth and piano player, but had he ever played synth bass before?  So we had a little discussion about some do’s and don’t’s.  Some principals to keep in mind if this ever comes up:

1. Find a good middle-of-the-road bass sound. Nothing too ‘slappy’ or too ‘synthy.’ Usually, a General MIDI Fingered Bass will be close to the target. You may have some better sounds, but start there.

2. Plug into the bass guitar channel, NOT the synth channel.  There are several reasons for this:
                - The soundman will know where to look on the board for the instrument playing bass.
                - The monitors will already be set. Everyone knows which knob to turn for bass.
                - The channel will already be EQ’d for bass, not strings or pad or something else.

3. Play like a bass guitar player would, not a piano player. In other words, ONE NOTE AT A TIME!  No chords, no thirds, no octaves. Try to duplicate what a bass guitar would do.

4. Start simple…nothing too fancy. Play the chord changes (focusing, of course, on the letter AFTER the slash, if there is one). Try to match the pattern that the drummer is playing with the kick drum, if possible. That will really tighten things up.

5. Experiment with adding a little space (let go of the note) before the next change if you want to make it sound ‘punchier’ or ‘tighter.’

Our synth player had a blast, and did great!  We now have another alternative if we are out a bass player.  Of course, I really missed the strings and pads…  L

NOVEMBER 4, 2012 – 31st SUNDAY in OT (B)

(These songs are off of my planning notes for this particular Sunday, which means I am strongly considering using them on these days. After each title I’ve added some thoughts to consider.)

Love the Lord Your God by Al Valverde (OCP) - a very simple melody and easy chords. It’s sort of a bridge between traditional sounding and contemporary. You don’t really need to do much to it, just build it up and do it well. The assembly will sing it.

                Suggested use: Entrance/Gathering, Song of Preparation/Offertory, Second Communion

More Love, More Power by Jude DelHiero (CCLI) – a little more contemporary feel than the Valverde. Consider the key, though, because I’ve seen it set too high for assembly singing. Voices As One volume 2 has it in Gm which is as high as you’d want to go. I’ve also heard the verse melody sung with different rhythms and inflections, so figure out your plan before you play it!

                Suggested use: Entrance/Gathering, Song of Preparation/Offertory, Second Communion

I Love You, Lord by Matt Maher (spiritandsong) – very simple refrain…easy for the assembly. It might be nice to have a cantor or soloist sing the verses.  Not too much of the band at first; build it up.

                For Psalm, consider using the refrain. Proclaim or chant the verses from the Lectionary.
                Suggested use: Song of Preparation/Offertory, Second Communion

Love the Lord by Lincoln Brewster (CCLI) – very upbeat setting of this text from today’s first reading and gospel. Don’t go too fast or it will be too difficult to sing! Remember: it’s about the singing!  Still, practice the rhythm of the chord changes with the rhythm section to get it tight. Play along with a good recording to make sure the tempo stays put.

                Suggested use: Song of Thanksgiving/Dismissal/Sending Forth

Beautiful One by Tim Hughes (CCLI) – Great ‘love song’ to our Lord. Check the key to make sure the top note isn’t too high. ‘F’ seems to work well, especially with a female voice leading the verses. Full 3-part harmonies on the refrain! Plan your map for this song as there are verses, a refrain, a bridge, and a Coda…all different.  Maybe don’t do them all?  (Last time we left out the Bridge and ended with the Coda.)

                Suggested use: Song of Thanksgiving/Dismissal/Sending Forth

Hold Us Together by Matt Maher and Steve Wilson (CCLI) – Really speaks about loving one another. The Refrain (“Love will hold us…”) and Bridge (“This is the first day…”) are the most assembly-friendly in both text and melody, and a recessional song can be made out of just these two sections if necessary. ‘A’ major seems to be a good key for both the verses and refrain- both easy to play and comfortable to sing.

                Suggested use: Song of Thanksgiving/Dismissal/Sending Forth

Jesus, Messiah by Carson/Tomlin/Cash/Reeves (CCLI) – really speaks to the second reading on Jesus as our high priest forever, without sin, above all.  A beautiful, singable melody for the assembly.  Let the song build. The recording is a great tool for reference, but make it work for the liturgy.

                Suggested Use: Entrance/Gathering, Offertory/Song of Preparation, Communion

I Am the Bread of Life by Tom Kaczmarek (WLP) – many verses…helpful when used for Communion. Different cantors/soloists can switch off singing the verses. The refrain is very memorable and assembly-friendly. When used at Communion, consider starting simply- one or two instruments. At Offertory/Preparation of the Gifts, it could have a little more energy from the outset.  This song works great nice and slow or even a little faster.

                Suggested use: Offertory/Song of Preparation, Communion

Please share your song ideas with me and I will post as many as I can so we can all share our knowledge of resources. Remember, what works for one parish might not work for another. We should be open-minded to all styles and preferences of music. As long as the music serves the liturgy, it may be listed here.