Brass parts for Mass of Saint Ann Glory to God

Hey all,

I am pleased to announce that the very talented Rory Cooney has created a BRASS QUINTET arrangement of the Glory to God from the Mass of Saint Ann. For a limited time, we are making these parts available for free on Rory's website. The full score is available now, and the individual parts and audio file will be up tomorrow.

Check it out if you get the chance. If you are bringing in some brass players to sit in during the Christmas liturgies, and you are using Mass of Saint Ann, this would be a great addition to the Glory to God.

Thanks again, Rory, for arranging these and allowing people to use them. And thank you also, World Library Publications, for allowing us to make them available.

Here's the link:
http://www.rorycooney.com/www.rorycooney.com/freebies.html


Merry Christmas!

Ed

Glory to God in the Highest!

Hey all!  I'm sure so many of you are putting the finishing touches on your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day music selections, preparing folders, choosing verses, printing programs, etc, etc, etc.  There are always a few things that pop up every year where I say, "Oh yeah, I meant to fix that for this year!" or, "I wish I'd thought of that sooner." So, I thought I'd throw a few things out there and see if they might be helpful.

Do you know what we know?

Singing mass parts at Christmas (and Easter) is always a little problematic because there are a lot of people visiting who, perhaps, won't know them. I've shared with you how I've used familiar melodies for the Gospel Acclamation, Holy, and Lamb of God to try and make it a bit easier to involve everyone. When it comes to the "Glory to God," especially now that there are so many NEW versions available, there might be SO MUCH of the song that people won't know. For us, I've chosen to use the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" from "Angels We Have Heard on High" as the Refrain for Mass of Saint Ann.  The hymn version is in 4/4, so I adapted it for 6/8 so it would flow well with the 'Glory to God' from that setting.  Here it is if you care to use it for Christmas Eve and/or Day. It's just a two-part vocal that goes into three part at the end. Simple. People will know it and can at least sing the Refrain with you!

Too many chords!

Often times, for guitars, Christmas hymn arrangements have so many chord symbols listed above the staff. They usually follow the 4-part vocal arrangement. It's ok, however, to let the vocals 'change' around some static chords, too. This is especially effective for bass guitars.  Pedal tones are wonderful!  Consider simplifying the chord changes a bit to make it easier for everyone, especially 'hired musicians' who might be sitting in for the night or day.  'Too many notes!!!  Just...cut a few!' 

Listen to Paul Baloche's new arrangement of 'Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.' He does a fabulous job of simplifying the chord changes. The whole first line is now one chord, 4 bars of F.  Then he plays 2 bars of Dm, followed by 2 bars of C.  That's what I'm talking about.  Compare that to the typical hymn arrangement with chord symbols listed above.  For bands/contemporary groups, it works great!  If you're just playing piano or organ, the hymn versions are awesome, of course.

Walk...don't run.

As director or coordinator, try to plan ahead so when you show up on Christmas Eve, you can just walk from place to place, not rushing around. This is some of the best advice I can offer. Take a breath! You will be able to think more clearly, and you will perform your music much better!  Make sure you get extra batteries for the mics now. Make sure there is a backup wireless headset for when it starts to crackle like crazy right before Mass. Think of anything that would cause you to rush around and try and take it off the table. Often times people will be glad to handle a situation for you if you just ask them to be ready beforehand. 

Making' copies...

Post the copier code for all to see...just in case! 

It's too hot in here!

Make sure your facilities manager sets the A/C or heat early enough before the crowds show up!

Those pesky music stands...

Borrow music stands now if you need them.  School will be out next week!

So...there are lots of little things, and I'm sure you all know what they are.  I just wanted to suggest that we not put them all off until the last minute. Not next Monday, and certainly not next Tuesday!

If you have some suggestions, please feel free to comment and I will post them.

Dynamics! Help the assembly out!

It's easy to get caught up in our musical arrangements, instrumentation, vocal parts, vocal ranges, recorded versions, rehearsals, etc.   Let's always try to remember that no matter how great we sound, how many harmonies we know, how many instrumental parts we can fit in, etc...we need to be sure we are enabling our assembly to sing along!  It's not a concert.  There's back-and-forth dialogue (i.e. "The Lord be with you.  And with your Spirit."), communal prayers, built-in 'acclamations!'  The liturgy is designed to involve the assembly.  Our gathering songs, responsorial psalms, offertory songs, communion songs, and dismissal songs should, too!

Ever notice how a good organist will accompany a cantor with just the upper manuals on a light registration for the first part of a responsorial psalm, then crank up the volume, adding the pedals and a much fuller registration when the assembly is supposed to join in?  Even if the cantor didn't raise his/her arms to invite the assembly to sing, they'd feel invited to sing simply by the fact that music changed and is suddenly full and supporting them.  Our contemporary ensembles (bands) should do the same.

Here's a video that shows some examples of how we did this sort of thing this past Sunday.

These aren't the only ways to do these songs, by any means.  We had only guitar, piano, bass guitar, drums, and 3 singers.  More instruments give you more options to be creative and orchestrate the music.  

But whatever you choose to do, however you choose to play the music...make it inviting to the assembly.

Involve them!

Songs for 4th Sunday of Advent (A)

Here are some song possibilities for December 22nd, 4th Sunday of Advent Cycle A:

Advent Penitential Act by Craig Colson (WLP) (from the CD "I Am the Way")

*Come, Emmanuel by Paul Tate and Deanna Light (WLP) (from the CD "Hope in the Lord")

Come, Lord Jesus by John Angotti (WLP) (from the CD "Welcome Home for Christmas")

Emmanuel by Steve Angrisano (spiritandsong.com) (from the CD "Never Too Young")

Emmanuel, Come to Set Us Free by Jalonda Robertson (WLP) (from the collection "More Voices As One")

Hope Is Dawning by Matt Maher and Aaron Keyes (worshiptogether.com)

The King Shall Come by Trevor Thomson (spiritandsong.com)

*Look to the One by Ed Bolduc (WLP) (from the CD "We Are Faithful")

*Lord, We are the People by Ed Bolduc (WLP) (from the CD "Awake to the Day")

*My Deliverer by Rich Mullins (CCLI) (from the collection "Voices As One vol. 2" and the CD "Jesus, Hope of the World")

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (traditional)

*Jesus, Hope of the World by Tate/Light (WLP) (from the collection "Voices As One vol. 2" and the CD "Jesus, Hope of the World")

To You, O Lord by Curtis Stephan (spiritandsong.com)

The Name of Jesus by Brian Flynn and Jeff Thomas (WLP) (from the CD "Born Again" and the collection "More Voices As One")

You are Mine by Ben Walthers (spiritandsong.com) (from the CD "Make Your Home in Me")

ALSO...be sure to check out the entire Advent Music section on voicesasone.com.  Click here.

* indicates instrumental parts available for these titles in the Voices As One series. All titles from this series have C and B-flat instrument parts. Select titles have Saxophone and Brass parts. 

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 C Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Bb Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Saxophone and Brass Instrument Book

Songs for 3rd Sunday of Advent (A)

Here are some song possibilities for December 15th, 3rd Sunday of Advent Cycle A:

Advent Penitential Act by Craig Colson (WLP) (from the CD "I Am the Way")

*Awake to the Day by Ed Bolduc (WLP) (from the CD "Awake to the Day")

*Come, Emmanuel by Paul Tate and Deanna Light (WLP) (from the CD "Hope in the Lord")

Come, Lord Jesus by John Angotti (WLP) (from the CD "Welcome Home for Christmas")

Emmanuel, Come to Set Us Free by Jalonda Robertson (WLP) (from the collection "More Voices As One")

Find Us Ready by Tom Booth (OCP) (from the CD "Find Us Ready")

The King Shall Come by Trevor Thomson (spiritandsong.com)

*Look to the One by Ed Bolduc (WLP) (from the CD "We Are Faithful")

Lord, Come and Save Us by Aaron Thompson (WLP) (from the CD "Days of Grace")

*My Deliverer by Rich Mullins (CCLI) (from the collection "Voices As One vol. 2" and the CD "Jesus, Hope of the World")

The Name of Jesus by Brian Flynn and Jeff Thomas (WLP) (from the CD "Born Again" and the collection "More Voices As One")

Ready the Way by Curtis Stephan (spiritandsong) (from the CD "Born to Us")

*Rise Up, My People by John Angotti (WLP) (from the CD "Rise Up, My People")

You are Mine by Ben Walthers (spiritandsong.com) (from the CD "Make Your Home in Me")



ALSO...be sure to check out the entire Advent Music section on voicesasone.com.  Click here.


* indicates instrumental parts available for these titles in the Voices As One series. All titles from this series have C and B-flat instrument parts. Select titles have Saxophone and Brass parts. 

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 C Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Bb Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Saxophone and Brass Instrument Book

The Lord Comes to Rule the Earth

A few weeks ago I posted a new Psalm setting called "The Lord Comes to Rule the Earth with Justice."  I mentioned that I would post our 'performance' so you could see how we introduced and played it from scratch. 

Notice the simplicity of the introduction, how the drums creep in, how the singers allow the voices to build and solo...basically take note of the texture, arrangement, and balance of the instruments. This is how we interpreted the lead sheet for a Responsorial Psalm in the context of the liturgy.

Comments welcomed!

Songs for 2nd Sunday of Advent (A)

Here are some song possibilities for December 8th, 2nd Sunday of Advent Cycle A:

*Rise Up, My People by John Angotti (WLP) (from the CD "Rise Up, My People")

This Is Your Justice by Craig Colson (WLP) (from the CD "I Am the Way") - optional flute part available

*Look to the One by Ed Bolduc (WLP) (from the CD "We Are Faithful")

*On That Holy Mountain by Joe Mattingly (WLP) (from the CD "Walk in the Land")

The King Shall Come by Trevor Thomson (spiritandsong.com)

You are Mine by Ben Walthers (spiritandsong.com) (from the CD "Make Your Home in Me")

Prepare the Way by Charlie Hall (worshiptogether.com)

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord by Kenneth Louis (WLP) (from the CD "Touch Jesus")

The Name of Jesus by Brian Flynn and Jeff Thomas (WLP) (from the CD "Born Again")

ALSO...be sure to check out the entire Advent Music section on voicesasone.com.  Click here.


* indicates instrumental parts available for these titles in the Voices As One series. All titles from this series have C and B-flat instrument parts. Select titles have Saxophone and Brass parts. 

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 C Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Bb Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Saxophone and Brass Instrument Book

Arrangement ideas for Psalms

I often post a clip of a psalm setting we've done over the past weekend so you can hear the overall song as well as the overall arrangement.  This week, I'm going to do that again, but also include a new setting for this upcoming week: The Lord Comes to Rule the Earth with Justice.

The Lord Come to Rule the Earth with Justice: NEW Psalm for this Sunday:

The way I plan to play this is as follows: 

   1. Make up an intro by playing the Refrain through one time, just piano and/or guitar.  If I have a flute (or other solo inst), ask them to play only on the 2nd half of the Refrain during the intro. (melody)
   2. Soloist/cantor will intone the refrain...no solo instruments, still just piano and/or guitar.
   3. Bring in the choir in unison on the repeat of the refrain (with the assembly, of course). Add bass guitar...it supports the assembly when they enter...sounds 'full.'  No drums, yet.
   4. Verse 1 would be sung by a soloist or cantor. Add light percussion/drumset.
   5. Add harmonies on the Refrain, all voices. Add synth if applicable (strings/pad)
   6. Verse 2 would be arranged just like Verse 1. Perhaps bring in choir on "the mountains shout with them for joy."
   7. Refrain as before.
   8. Verse 3 could be a duet...two female voices at pitch, or a male voice on the melody and a female voice on the alto.  OR...the choir could sing it...everyone on melody except altos.  Change up the feel of the percussion/groove for this verse.  Perhaps synth/strings could play out more on this verse.  If I know I'm going to have a trumpet, I would definitely add it on this verse.
   9. Refrain as before.

After Sunday I will post how we ended up playing it!

I Will Praise Your Name

Also, here is a sample of a newer setting I've written of "I Will Praise Your Name." Hopefully, you can hear in the recording that it's really based around the assembly singing that Refrain.  I wanted something the assembly could sing easily and comfortably...and prayerfully.  The chords change underneath to help it build, but the melody stays the same.
Also, notice how the music begins quietly/prayerfully coming after the first reading...THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.  Don't break the silence with a loud chord, or a drum fill.  Ease into the music. Your assembly will thank you!
Listen to what the drummer does on this recording.  Notice when the bass guitar comes in.  Listen to the other vocalists.  The music builds...everyone is not 'in' right from the top.

Another interesting note about this particular setting is that the verses are musically louder and stronger than the Refrain.

I welcome your comments.

This time of year...

'Love this time of year...both the 'earthly' season and the liturgical season!  It's difficult to put into words what makes it so special.  Here are some tried and true powerful songs to consider for your liturgies during the Advent season...

Craig Colson has written a beautiful and simple setting of an Advent Penitential Act.  This comes fresh off of his new recording I Am the Way. (WLP)  It's even more effective if you sing his song This Is Your Justice as a gathering/entrance song.  The melodies and thematic material are the same for both.  It's a nice way of making the entire Gathering Rite unified for a given Sunday in Advent, or even all four weeks. (get the lead sheet online at voicesasone.com) There is also a flute part for this song.

Curtis Stephen's Ready the Way (spiritandsong.com) sings the phrase 'ready the way' over and over in a powerful way. We're so used to hearing 'prepare the way' that this slight variation makes it that much more interesting and attractive.  I love the melody and the chord changes in this song.  It's enjoyable to sing and play and the assembly can grab hold of it immediately. (get the lead sheet online at spiritandsong.com)

You have to check out Matt Maher (and friends') (worshiptogether.com) beautiful song Hope Is Dawning.  The musical setting of this original text is just powerful...and simple!  The sound is fresh, contemporary, and immediately accessible by everyone.  Again, I love this song.  :-)  (get the lead sheet online at worshiptogether.com)

Paul Tate and Deanna Light's  Come, Emmanuel (WLP) is a staple in our parish during advent.  The way Paul and Deanna have used the melody for 'Come, Emmanuel' over and over is genius. The lyrics are great, the chord progressions are beautiful, and the melody is easy to sing. Instrumental parts are available in the Voices As One instrumental books.

If you're looking for something really upbeat, check out Lorraine Hess and Jaime Dilberto's Prepare Ye.  The assembly will easily be able to sing this refrain, and there's an assembly part in the verses as well. Your singers will enjoy the harmonies in the chorus and verses.

Here's a song I wrote years ago for Advent called 'O Come, Dear Lord.'  I used a bit of the melody from "O Come, O Come Emmanuel' in the verse.  (I'm sure you'll notice!)  I've included the music below, as I never had it published.  Feel free to use it. 

 

'Awake to the Day' (WLP) has a piano intro that really sets the tone, and it's not difficult to play. This song can be played with just piano and or guitar, or with a full band playing out.  The assembly sings a recurring 'We prepare for you, Lord' in both verses.  Feel free to let a cantor sing the first part of the verse while bringing in the assembly on the "we prepares..." and the last couple of phrases.  Instrumental parts are available in the Voices As One instrumental books.


Tom Booth's 'Find Us Ready' has powerful lyrics: "Find us ready, Lord, not standing still."  The whole song has a gospel feel to it and is, of course, very accessible...as is all of Tom's music.  This is classic Booth at its best! (get the lead sheet online at spiritandsong.com)


Awake, O Sleeper by Ike Ndolo (spiritandsong) – this song starts simply, building from the beginning. "In the darkest times of life when our lights refuse to shine you are there." A good medium-tempo song that works great at entrance, offertory, or closing. From the CD We are the Beggars.

 

And don't forget to sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel!


Here's a link to a previous blog post where I presented some options for the Gospel Acclamation and the Holy.

WARNING: OUT OF RANGE!!!

In some more recent contemporary worship songs, you may have noticed that the music is printed so that the worship leader might suddenly be asked to jump up an octave, or even temporarily go into a really high range to build intensity in the music. While this can be effective for some singers, for others it is just asking for trouble!  As liturgical musicians…or just as MUSICIANS…we should know our own vocal ranges and abilities and sing accordingly.  Sure, it’s nice to try something different, but maybe not at the expense of a listening and praying assembly!

I love to sing the song “Lay It Down” by Matt Maher.  The refrain and verse are very simple and in a very comfortable range for anyone. (We play it in D.)  However, the Bridge (“O pearl of greatest price…”) starts out fine but suddenly jumps the octave on the repeat.

In another very popular song by Matt, “Lord, I Need You,” he jumps the octave halfway through the verse.

Now, in both of these cases he sounds great doing that…I do not!  It’s simply not in my range. So, if I’m leading the majority of the song, I would ask one of the women in the group to sing that part, in their range. That would be quite comfortable for them while really high for me. Here’s an example of that section of “Lay It Down” from this past weekend.

If I’m the only one singing, or there is no one else to take that part, I would just continue singing in the lower octave.  I’ve done it many times and it really doesn’t take away from the music or the worship.

I do the same thing with “I Can Only Imagine.”  That refrain at the end of the song is too much for me.  I just keep it the same as the other refrains. It works fine and no one really notices. Trust me, it would be worse if I ‘went for it.’

So, don’t sing something that’s out of your range simply because it’s printed that way.  Find a solution that works with another singer, or another range. Or another song!

That certain ‘something’

Some songs seem to suit certain singers better.  In our groups I will ask someone to sing a song (or a verse in the song) if I think the style of the music will really match their voice.  They might have a certain ‘something’ that they can bring to that particular piece of music.  Yes, range is still a factor in this obviously, but I’m also talking about the way they sing it, too.  If it will enhance the music, which will in turn enhance the worship, I think it’s important to consider.

This is the job as the Music Director.  It’s our responsibility to make good musical decisions. Yes, we want to give as many people as we can an opportunity to share their talents. Obviously, we want to be pastoral in our decisions. Of course, it’s about more than performance.

But it’s still music.  Right?  We are, after all, musicians. It’s what we do. So let’s do it the best we can.

Our assemblies deserve it.

What goes together should 'go together!'

Did you ever listen back to a recording of your band or contemporary ensemble and think, “Something’s not right. We’re playing and singing all the right notes, everyone is in tune, the tempo is right, the mix is good…but it still sounds ‘off?’”

Sometimes it can be a matter of simply not 'playing together' and not having a 'tight' sound. It might just sound 'loose.'  If this is the case, there are some things to listen for and even practice when you get together at rehearsal.

Hand in Hand

Ever wonder why professional bass players like to stand near the drummer during a performance? One of the main reasons is that they want to hear the kick-drum as clearly as possible. Drummers and bass players often (if not always) try to match the kick-drum pattern with the main ‘groove-pattern’ of the bass player. The more those line up, the tighter the sound will be.

If you’re a bass player and you’re not paying attention to what the kick-drum is doing, you are really missing out on an opportunity to make the rhythm section sound pro! Next time you rehearse…listen and watch the beater! It’s ok to play ‘around’ the kick pattern, too, but for the most part, stick with the drummer.

And drummers, same thing goes. Pay attention to the pattern you’re playing. When you change it up for the verse or the chorus (which is often a good idea) make sure you and the bass player are on the same page. You guys go hand-in–hand! The rest of the band is counting on you.
 

Rhythm guitars can add so much to the vibe of a song. They can really take it to a new level…or bring it down. Guitarists, be careful not to be in your own world. When playing that all-important pattern on either acoustic or electric, be careful to listen to the rest of the rhythm section. If you’re playing an eighth-note strum pattern and the drummer is playing eighth notes on the hi-hat…be sure those line up!!! Nothing sounds ‘looser’ than an acoustic guitar playing at a different tempo than everyone else.


Piano players make sure you get your eyes off of the keyboard score and listen to what is happening around you. If you have a drummer and bass player with you, you can probably leave out a lot of the left-hand stuff. They'll cover it. Listen to the guitars, too. Often, keyboard arrangements try and cover strum patterns or certain riffs. They're designed/arranged for a piano player playing alone. So, if the guitar is doing it, leave it out and let them cover it!

Listen to this sample of the original studio tracking of the “Glory to God” from Mass of Saint Ann. In the beginning of this audio clip, you hear the click-track, which actually continues throughout while we are recording. (It’s only at the beginning on this sample so you can here everything else) The click track sets the tempo…the drummer counts it off, and everyone plays.

 

There is a ‘shaker loop’ also happening throughout. Notice how the acoustic guitar stays right with it the whole time! Notice how the piano isn’t playing tons of notes either, but rather adding a few things here and there, making sure to stay locked in with everyone else. (not much in the left hand at all!) Listen to the bass…it is right with the drummer (kick drum). No one is trying to ‘outplay’ anyone else, or step all over someone else’s part. They are working together to create an arrangement where every instrument has a purpose.

It takes practice, but it gets easier the more you focus on it. Once you know what you’re supposed to do, get your eyes out of the music and listen. You’ll be amazed at the difference when everything comes together.

REPLAY: Thank you, EQ

First of all, let me say "HEY!" to all of the folks from the Life Teen Musicians Training Conference this past week.  It was a blast meeting you all and sharing prayer and worship through music, along with Sarah Kroger and Joshua Blakesley. What a blessing.

We covered a LOT of topics in a short period of time. So, I thought I might dig up an old post here and 'replay' it. It still applies, after all. Some of you more tech-y folks might have some great input on the subject as well.

This was originally posted in May, 2011.

 

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'll be glad you did!

"Choose love..."

So, I'm still in vacation mode (beach mode) and, at the last hour, I was looking for a second communion song for this weekend. I maintain a huge Word document with lyrics to all the songs we've used at liturgy, and quite often, I will do a 'search' for a particular word or phrase that really hits on a certain theme.  I began a search for the phrase "choose love."

I only hit on one song with that phrase.  One.

One song.

Out of all of them.

What?

Thank you, Tom Booth, for writing the ever-timeless "I Will Choose Christ."

Here are the lyrics to the refrain:

I will choose Christ.
I will choose love.
I choose to serve.
I give my heart.
I give my life.
I give my all to you.

I was surprised, then shocked that there weren't more songs with this simple, basic, Christian phrase in the body of the lyrics. There were no occurrences of 'choose to love' either.

Tom wrote this song for a Confirmation class at his parish, probably never realizing it would be sung so many times, recorded by mainstream artists (like Kathy Troccoli), or published in hymnals.

To me, it's a classic. It's simple, and beautiful.

And our parish will be singin' it this week!!!

Thanks, Tom.

Ed

Song Ideas for Sunday, 9/22/2013

Here are some song possibilities and suggestions for 

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

*All I Need by Brewster/Chambers/Houghton/Booth (Integrity) - (found in the collection Voices As One vol. 2)

*Be Glorified by Giglio/Reeves/Tomlin (worshiptogether.com) - (found in the collection Voices As One vol. 2)

 

Every Day by Jacob and Matthew Band (WLP) - (from the CD "Every Day" and found in the collection More Voices As One vol. 1)

Follow Me by Danielle Rose (WLP) - (from the CD Pursue Me, and the collection More Voices As One vol. 1)

For Your Glory by Matt Maher (spiritandsong.com) – (from the CD “Overflow”)

I Will Choose Christ by Tom Booth (spiritandsong.com) - (from the CD "The Best of Tom Booth")

Jesus, My Everything by Matt Maher (spiritandsong.com) - (from the CD "Welcome to Life")

Love the Lord by Lincoln Brewster (Integrity/CCLI)

Love the Lord, Your God by Al Valverde (OCP)

More Than Yesterday by Tom Booth (spiritandsong.com) - (from the CD "Cry the Gospel")

*Reason to Live by Ed Bolduc (WLP) - (from the CD "We Are Faithful" and found in the collection Voices As One vol. 1)

Take My Life by Tomlin/Giglio (worshiptogether.com)

The Beatitudes by Ed Bolduc (WLP) - (from the CD Word for Word, found in the collection More Voices As One vol. 1) – see this blog post about suggestions for performing this song.

*We Will Serve the Lord by Rory Cooney (OCP) - (found in the collection Voices As One vol. 2)

*You're Worthy of My Praise by David Ruis (Integrity) - (found in the collection Voices As One vol. 2)

 

* indicates instrumental parts available for these titles in the Voices As One series. All titles from this series have C and B-flat instrument parts. Select titles have Saxophone and Brass parts. 

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 C Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Bb Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Saxophone and Brass Instrument Book

SONG - The Prodigal Father

This past week, the gospel told the familiar parable of the prodigal son. As I was planning music for that liturgy, one title kept coming up, for obvious reasons. The song is "The Prodigal Father" by Brian Flynn.

Since I work as a transcriber and arranger for World Library Publications, I have the privilege of hearing some music more than others. I remember transcribing this song from Brian's album "Born Again" and thinking, "This is really good. Simple, honest, and good." I promised myself I'd store it in the back of my mind for future reference and use at liturgy. I almost forgot it!

After talking it over with my associate, we decided that, for us, it would be best as a post communion song, and it would be sung as a solo with minimal instrumentation.

Well...I received emails, my associate received emails, and people kept asking about this song! It was moving people to tears at every Mass. Folks came up afterward and asked the musicians where they could find a copy of it. "Is it on iTunes? Who wrote it? Where can I get it?"

So, let me share this song with you if you haven't heard it already. It was on my song suggestions for last Sunday, so perhaps some of you have already checked it out.

The Prodigal Father by Brian Flynn (WLP) - (from the CD "Born Again")

The Song

I asked Brian to share the 'backstory' of this song with all of us. He immediately agreed and sent me the following:

"My own father, Vinny Flynn speaks all around the country on Divine Mercy. Years ago I was at a gig with him and heard him give a talk called "The Prodigal Father." It basically takes the story from the gospel of Luke and emphasizes the love and mercy of the Father. Up until then, I had always heard preaching about the passage emphasizing the son and his sin and how we should be like the son and repent and come back to the father. I, in my own life had rebelled as well and didn't come back to the Church until I was 22. Although I could relate to the son in the story, I also wanted people to hear about the unconditional love and mercy of the Father, so I wrote the song. The song reflects the truth that, although the son recklessly and, without regard, squandered his inheritance, so too the Father squandered His love and lavishly poured out His love and mercy on His son, as He wants to do for each of us. There is always greater rejoicing at the return of a wayward son than anger at his leaving!"    - Brian Flynn 

Cue the Drummer

This week's guest blogger, Craig Colson, discusses the role of the drummer through his experience as both a drummer himself, and music leader at Liturgy.


by Craig Colson

 


I think we have all been to the Mass with the overzealous drummer who was way too loud, played way too much, and just plain overpowered the entire group. Being honest, I have to admit that, at one time or another, I was that drummer. There is something about being a drummer that makes you want to play loudly! It just feels better and sounds better. While this may be great in a concert setting with mic’d up drums, sub woofers, a thumping kick drum, etc...it is not the case at Liturgy.

I began playing the drums at the young age of 13 for the weekly youth Liturgy at my home church. Having the opportunity to play drums at Mass was what got me involved in the church. It also got me interested in learning more about Liturgy. To this day, whenever I'm leading from the piano or guitar, I always seek to find the best drummer I can to play.

In our celebration of the Liturgy, it's about the voice! The music must support the people singing!

So, if it's about the voice, why do we need drums? First of all, we don’t always need them, but they are nice to have as a main instrument in our liturgies when played tastefully. Drums and percussion are mentioned several times in the psalms, most popularly in Psalm 150 which says:

“Give praise with tambourines and dance, praise him with flutes and strings. Give praise with crashing cymbals, praise him with sounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath give praise to the LORD! Hallelujah!”

Even the U.S. Bishops document on Liturgy “Sing to the Lord” says:

89. “However, from the days when the Ark of the Covenant was accompanied in procession by cymbals, harps, lyres, and trumpets, God’s people have, in various periods, used a variety of musical instruments to sing his praise. Each of these instruments, born of the culture and the traditions of a particular people, has given voice to a wide variety of forms and styles through which Christ’s faithful continue to join their voices to his perfect song of praise upon the Cross.”

So the question I would ask is: If these are the instruments that were used in the beginning, when the Ark of the Covenant was in procession, shouldn’t we be using them now? Don’t they express true worship and the true joy that we have in the resurrection?

A few things to be considered when using drums at Liturgy. First, the space you’re in can dictate a lot. If your church is made of stone and marble and is like an echo chamber, drums will be a challenge...but can still be used effectively. In this case, a great solution is to either use percussion such as congas, shakers, tambourines, etc. and/or to construct a drum enclosure that will help limit the sound of the drums. Microphones can then be placed on the drums to put them into the sound system so that the sound engineer can control the volume. This has proved very effective in many churches. Of course, we should do our best to make the enclosure as professional and as aesthetically pleasing as possible so as to not draw a lot of attention to the drummer.

This is a picture of the drum enclosure we recently built in my church. It is lined with acoustic paneling, the wood bottom is fully insulated, and there is a small door for the drummer to enter and exit through. It is cooled by the A/C vent in the ceiling.
 

Electric drums can also achieve a similar effect and some brands are better sounding than others. I would caution that if you are going to use electric drums, be sure that they sound as “real” and “acoustic” as possible so as to not make the music at Mass sound electronic or hokey.

The Drummer
Now that we know what kind of drum kit we will use and how to help control the sound, the next important element is the player. As I said earlier, a good drummer is essential. The drummer doesn’t have to- and shouldn’t be- flashy. 'Less is more' is always a good principal at Liturgy. There shouldn’t be any 'clicking sticks' to start songs, or 'trash can endings' at the end of songs. The drums don’t need to come in at the beginning of every song either. In fact, they shouldn’t! Dynamics are key to using drums effectively. Brushes and Hot Rods (which are a type of sticks that have softer sound) can be used depending on the feel of the song.

A good drummer will not always play the typical rock beat, but will listen to recordings to get a few different beats to build a song up and bring it back down. In contemporary music, a popular beat is to have the kick drum play on all four beats with just the Hi-hat cymbal and building into a beat adding a tom or two in-between to build the song. The use of playing the same beat with a side-stick (rim) instead of the snare is a great way to approach the softer section of a song. If you listen to what the drummer played on the song below you can get an idea of this concept as the verses use kick drums on all four beats and then add in the 'typical' rock beat on the refrains.

 

That's a clip from "Veni, Sancte Spiritus" off of Craig's new CD, 'I Am the Way.'  (see the sidebar)

‘Training’ a Drummer for Liturgy
When training a drummer for Liturgy, a great way to get them started is to have them play a few percussion instruments along with a more seasoned drummer who can 'show them the ropes.' Let them sit in on the kit for a song or two here and there. As their confidence builds, adding the newer drummer as the 'main drummer' can be achieved slowly and effectively. Sending out recordings to musicians is a great way to get them to learn the music ahead of time so that they are not just coming in cold, not having heard the beat on a song or knowing how it goes.

Contemporary music can be used very effectively with good, pastoral musicians. We need to strive to help our communities sing with full, active, conscious participation with a solid support of instruments to uphold their voices that praise our God...just as David did in the psalms, and our ancestors did in the early church.
 

Song Ideas for Sunday, 9/15/2013

Here are some song possibilities and suggestions for 

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

10,000 Angels by Aaron Thompson (WLP) - (from the CD "10,000 Angels")

Be Merciful, O Lord by Steve Angrisano (spiritandsong.com) - (from the CD "Set Free")

*Create a Clean Heart by Tom Booth (spiritandsong.com) - (found in Voices As One vol. 2)

Create in Me by Curtis Stephan (spiritandsong.com)

Faith Enough to Believe by Craig and Kristin Colson (WLP) - (from the CD "I Am the Way") - leads sheets imminent

I Will Rise and Go to My Father by John Angotti (WLP) - (from the CD "Rise Up, My People")

In the Arms of Jesus by John Angotti (WLP) - (from the CD "Extraordinary Love")

*In You, O Lord by Ed Bolduc (WLP) - (from the CD "The Face of God")

Lord, I Need You by Maher et all (worshiptogether.com)

Pursue Me by Danielle Rose (WLP) - (from the CD "Pursue Me")

Return to God by John Angotti (WLP) - (from the CD "Joy Beyond Our Dreams")

Revive Us, O God by Jesse Manibusan (spiritandsong.com) - (from the CD "Power of Peace")

*Shelter Your Name by Danielle Rose (WLP) - (from the CD "Defining Beauty")

The Prodigal Father by Brian Flynn (WLP) - (from the CD "Born Again")

*We Fall Down by Tomlin and Giglio (worshiptogether.com) - (found in Voices As One vol. 2)

Welcome Home by Steve Angrisano (spiritandsong.com) - (from the CD "Welcome Home")

*You Know Who I Am by Tom Booth and Matt Maher (spiritandsong.com) - (found in Voices As One vol. 2)

*Your Grace Is Enough by Matt Maher (spiritandsong.com)

*Your Love Is Deep by Jami Smith et al (Integrity) - (found in Voices As One vol. 2)

* indicates instrumental parts available for these titles in the Voices As One series. All titles from this series have C and B-flat instrument parts. Select titles have Saxophone and Brass parts. 

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 C Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Bb Instrument Book

Voices As One ® Vol. 1 and 2 Saxophone and Brass Instrument Book