KEYS
[ ANYBODY A JOURNALER? | Ed Kerr ]
In my work as a worship arts director in Seattle, is for you to recognize that you can learn monitor systems. Whatever your monitor setup,
I take a ferry several days a week across the more about your instrument. These days that you MUST listen well to the rest of the players
Puget Sound. Yesterday I noticed another instrument might be a grand piano, something on your team. And listen well to the vocalists.
commuter was working with a notebook, with a huge library of sounds and features like If you’re noodling with lots of melodic activity
creating grids that looked familiar. Short the Montage 8 that I play, or a laptop with a during vocal phrases, stop it! Too harsh? Oops.
version of the story is that she was creating USB controller hooked up to it. The point is, we Listen well. Study recordings and note how
a bullet journal. It’s a way of organizing your can all progress beyond our current level. great arrangements showcase the vocal line.
time, prioritizing projects, setting goals, etc.
Instrumental activity is generally quite sparse
Check out bulletjournal.com for info. I’d used Think about the last time you played in a the approach last year and was recently worship service or were part of a rehearsal. Did reviewing my entries. What I discovered was you stumble over a lead part that was yours And when instrumental activity is guitar-based,
that I’d progressed in some areas and hit a wall on piano or synth? Was it awkward to find the stay out of the way. Often acoustic guitars play
in others. particular sound you wanted to use for the finger-picking patterns that have lots of 8ths
song? Did you feel uncertain about what to play or 16th notes. Electric guitar players often
in a song driven primarily by guitar? arpeggiate with lots of activity as well. If busy
I thought I’d throw the same challenge
your way that I’m giving myself: to be more
when vocal activity is present.
parts are rightly being played by a guitarist, find
intentional about the important things in our When you have a lead part that you’re a part that’s complementary to those parts.
musical pursuits. As you read through these asked to play, like the intro piano melody in Pad sounds are especially effective in this case,
paragraphs, hopefully something will resonate “Cornerstone,” or the lead synth line in “This since they tend to feature sustained notes.
with you and you’ll consider what you’re Is Amazing Grace,” do whatever you must to Acoustic piano or electric piano can be used
making priorities. be confident of the part. I know of classical for more sustained parts as well. Be an active
musicians who visualize their hands on their listener. Respond to what’s being sung AND
First of all, are you practicing? One of the instruments and “see” the music score in their what’s being played within your team.
guys at my church is a fine bass player. In our minds. Since more and more worship teams Christmas Eve service, he played Silent Night don’t use music during the service, ask yourself Are you comfortable thinking of the chords in
as a bass solo. Melody clear, root of chords how sure you are of the part. Is just your right your worship songs by number? If not, growing
clear, harmonies outlined. He loves funk and hand used? Is the part a single note? Are there more comfortable with this concept would be
indie rock, and writes music for the band he’s octaves played? Are you in the middle of the a great focus for you in the months to come.
in. But he’s also pushing himself to learn a Bach keyboard? Far above middle C? If it’s a synth There are lots of resources online for learning
cello piece transcribed for bass guitar. He sent part, is the sound you’ll use stored where it’s chord numbers. If you’re a Planning Center
me a recording the other day of himself playing easily found, or are you fumbling through a Online user there’s an option to display chord
the piece, and I was blown away. I heard bunch of patches before you find it? charts in numbers rather than chord names.
with steady tempo. Nice. You may be thinking Challenge yourself. Know the lead part with As I mentioned earlier here, I’ve seen some
he’s probably a young college kid with lots of absolute certainty. Learn how to store sounds progress in certain areas of my musicianship
time on his hands for practicing. Nope. His in your instrument where they’re quickly through the use of a journal to track my
name is Raoul Perez, and he’s executive pastor accessed, AND learn how to name the sound so efforts. No need for you to use a journal to
at our church. He and his wife have 2 boys, 3 there’s no doubt that you’ve found the right one. make progress, though. Have the humility to
measure after measure of 16th notes played
and under. His hands are full, yet he’s making
a determined effort to grow as a bass player.
recognize that you can grow as musicians. I’m
In terms of interacting with guitarists on your sure a few months from now you’ll see and
team, ask yourself if your monitoring system hear your progress.
So, how are you stretching yourself? Do you is doing its job. Are you hearing enough of the
find that you’ve plateaued in your musicianship? guitars to respond to what they’re playing?
My challenge isn’t for you to start working on a Are you hearing too much of yourself? Some
Bach piece or some funk classic. My challenge churches use floor wedges, some have in-ear
24
February 2018
Ed Kerr
Ed Kerr lives in Seattle with his family, he is 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.
www.KerrTunes.com
WorshipMusician.com