A over a G from the bass, a G2 chord is heard.
Some of you are comfortable enough with
music theory to know if you hold a D and an This creates an intense dissonance that Here’s a G triad: G (root) B (third) D (fifth)
A over an A chord, a G chord and a B minor resolves by letting go of the C# when the next (IMAGE 3)
chord you’re sometimes playing a note that chord comes along.
And now here’s the G2 chord: G (root) A
doesn’t belong in a few of the chords. The D
isn’t part of an A chord (A C# E). The A isn’t part Modern worship musicians often think of the (second) D (fifth).
of a G chord (G B D), and an A isn’t part of a chords in the key by number. These numbers (IMAGE 4)
B minor chord (B D F#). Well, here’s something relate to the numbers of the notes in the scale. that’s especially important in creating modern- So, in this song D is the 1 chord, G is the 4 There are many more possibilities implied in
sounding pad parts. In modern worship chord, A is the 5 chord and B is the 6 chord. Jared’s statement that he wants to make his
arrangements we often allow “colors” to be Each of these chords are called triads, meaning part a part, whatever his role on the worship
heard in our harmonies that our chord charts they each have 3 notes, and those notes are team. His years of musical experience lead
don’t always specify. built by playing the root of chord, skipping a to masterful melodic possibilities, rhythmic
note in the scale and playing the next note. options and more. Make my few points about
Listen to the piano part at the start of the That interval is called a third. Skip the next note pad voicings and chord spellings something
chorus. You can clearly hear a C# played as and you’ll reach the fifth of the chord. So, what you can confidently involve in your playing, and
part of the A chord. This creates a momentary happens when you add another third to your B you will see your musical contributions to your
dissonance with the D being held by the pad, minor chord, B D F#? You add an A. team grow and grow.
but that’s one of the colors that are so common
now. Let yourself get used to sustaining notes You’ve created what’s known as a B minor 7
even when they may clash with a note someone chord, most often seen as Bm7 or Bmin7 on
else on your team is playing. chord charts. I mention this because now you
see how the A in our original D-A pad voicing
There’s another beautiful color that you can can work so well over the Bm shown in the
involve in your pad part that relates to what I’ve chord chart. Store that away in your musical
just discussed. I mentioned that the D being tool kit and when another song you’re playing
sustained in the pad part isn’t part of the A C# has a 6 chord in it, remember that you could
E that make up an A chord. If you consider this think of that chord as a minor 7 chord.
chord an Aadd4, though, the D now “belongs”.
An add4 chord has root, third, fourth and fifth. Finally, there’s another “color” chord implied
So, rather than just playing the D and the A in when you’re holding the D A pad voicing over
your pad voicing, you could add a C# just below the chords of the chorus. It occurs when you
the D you’re holding, like you see in IMAGE 2. reach the G chord. By holding the notes D and
IMAGE 3
Ed Kerr
Lives in Seattle with his family. He serves as worship
arts director at First Free Methodist Church, teaches
keyboards in Paul Baloche’s leadworship workshops
and is a clinician with Yamaha’s House of Worship.
He also manages the Yamaha Worship Facebook
group and invites you to join the group.
www.KerrTunes.com
IMAGE 4
August 2019
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