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)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
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!
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