KEYS, PADS & LOOPS
[ 5 WAYS PADS WILL HELP YOUR TEAM | Mike Graff ]
You've probably heard other people talk about lightly improvise on top of it with your lead God is leading because the pad is providing a
using “pads" (also known as “pad loops”, instrument. Either way, you'll kill the dead space musical backdrop for you. Take a moment to
“ambient pads”, “drones”, etc.) to fill in their and avoid the awkwardness! Once you’re ready pray, repeat a section from the previous song,
worship team’s sound. for the next song, gently fade another pad (in share Scripture, spontaneously sing, etc. - the
the key of the next song) into place and you’ll sky’s the limit!
The idea is this: pick a pad sound you like, have a seamless transition from one song to
choose the appropriate key for your song, and the next.
4. PADS FREE YOUR KEYBOARD PLAYER FROM
PLAYING THE PAD-PATCH THEMSELVES.
let the pad (which continually plays in the root
key) help your worship team instantly sound full
and polished. While it may sound like a novel
idea to some, you might be asking yourself,
"Are pads really that great? How do pads
actually help?”
Here’s a list of five ways pads can instantly help
your worship team.
1. PADS HELP SMALL WORSHIP TEAMS SOUND BIG
WITHOUT ADDING MORE PEOPLE.
It's always good to add more members to your
worship team, but what if there aren't any? What
if you're in a bind on a Sunday when someone
got sick at the last minute? Simple solution:
turn on pads, and they'll fill your worship team's
sound in all the right places. You’re guaranteed
to have a full sound, no matter how many team
members there are.
2. PADS FILL THE DREADED "DEAD SPACE" IN
BETWEEN SONGS.
Perhaps you already have someone playing a
When a pad
pad patch on a keyboard. Is there any chance
is playing in the keyboardist would like to do something else
between songs time? Using pads frees your team member to
on your setlist, instrument. They’ll likely thank you for it!
besides holding pad chords for a really long
do other creative & meaningful things with their
you have more 5. PADS ALLOW LEADERS TO FOCUS ON LEADING
freedom to It can be easy to get distracted by all the
INSTEAD OF ON THE DETAILS.
respond how things that need to happen during a worship
God is leading you become less distracted by hollow sound
because the pad on worshiping the Lord and leading others in
service. Pads provide a musical "safety-net" so
is providing a
musical backdrop
and dead space, and can now focus more
the worship of Him. Pads not only help the
congregation stay in the moment, they help you
stay in the moment too!
There are a lot of worship teams that deal with
for you.
these same issues as you. But be encouraged
Dead space is awkward. It can distract your - pads are a simple, easy solution to help you
congregation quicker than just about anything conquer many of these issues instantly!
else. What’s the easiest solution? Let a pad 3. PADS GIVE YOU ROOM FOR SPONTANEITY.
continue to play once you're done with a song. When a pad is playing in between songs on your
You can let the pad play by itself, or you can setlist, you have more freedom to respond how
76
April 2018
Mike Graff
Chief
Creative
of
internationally-acclaimed
Coresound Pads. Worship leader since 2000
CoreSoundPads.com
WorshipMusician.com