MANDO
[ STUFF YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN’T SAY OUT LOUD | Tyson Bryant ]
As I’ve covered in previous issues of [WM], parts have to be simplified. Some common that you “want to make sure that your mandolin
most worship songs don’t have a built-in part strategies for helping out with your mandolin: rhythm is not stepping all over the drums and
for you to play on a mandolin. So, to find our double the lead part, harmonize the lead part, so can you please show me the part you are
“place in this world” (for those of you keeping or even trading off and taking turns playing that drumming on X section?” Simply asking the
track at home, yes, that was an obscure hook during different parts of the song. drummer to demonstrate the drum pattern on
Michael W. Smith reference) we mandolin purpose is typically enough to ensure he will
players must frequently resort to thieving parts play it that way every time.
in the arrangement from other instruments.
Sometimes those parts are on the recording
but are not played on our stage, making it
easy to take them for yourself. Other times
it takes real effort to get along with the other
musicians as we fit into the arrangement—we
are all human after all and it is our lot in life to
sometimes struggle with relationships.
The goal is two-fold. First, to figure out how to
How you “Your pad is washing out the lead vocal.”
communicate In a perfect world, your worship leader would be
is just as notice and address this before you ever could.
important as idea that in a good arrangement the various
what you play. ranges so that everything (including the vocal)
It does, however, speak to the more general
instruments each have their own frequency
can be heard properly. If a keyboard pad and
best fit in with the other instruments throughout your mandolin tremolo are playing the same
the equally notes in the same octave, listeners will have
important), to not disrupt the spirit of unity in a hard time distinctly hearing either one. And
worship
set.
Second
(and
the band. I mean, let’s face it—musicians are No guitar player likes to hear that his lead lines if either is in a frequency range that obscures
sometimes known for being a bit…let’s call it… sound weak or uninteresting, so you’ll want to the lead vocal...well, that’s possibly one of the
temperamental. approach it diplomatically. I’d say something unpardonable sins of worship band.
like, “Hey, it might be fun to try....” or “it might Tell your keyboard player that you’d like to
add some ear candy if we...” hear exactly what she is playing so that you
How you communicate is just as important as
what you play. What follows are some examples
of the type of communication that will help you
can occupy a different frequency space. If you
“Your rhythm part is all over the place?”
keep the “team” in “Worship Team.” (If anyone
happen to notice that one of you is covering
up the vocal, point it out in terms of the two of
who knows me personally asks, my official One of the points of emphasis in my mandolin you working together to lock in the best way to
story is that I made these “examples” up totally workshop is that the drummer owns the support the melody.
out of thin air.) rhythm. The snare drum is good. The snare is your friend. When in doubt, find that snare With any of these examples you’re trying
Here are some statements I recommend and match your mando rhythm to it. Naturally, to emphasize that your intention is to add
against this presupposes that the drummer is doing something artistic and musically intelligent to
something remotely consistent in his snare the arrangement (which is true). Maintaining
pattern for you to line up with. In all fairness team unity is of the utmost priority, so don’t
“That hook you are playing sounds a little to drummers, memorizing the nuances of every ever feel shy glopping on a generous portion of
thin (or sounds a little boring).” rhythm for every section of every song can be humility when interacting with the band!
using,
and
some
alternative
communication strategies.
a pretty tall order.
Most worship teams are a volunteer army—
sometimes your lead player can match Lincoln If you have a song where the drum pattern isn’t
Brewster lick for lick, but often (especially on ever being played twice the same way, wander
the weeks that I fill in on electric guitar) the lead over within earshot of your drummer. Explain
44
February 2018
Tyson Bryant
From a family of bluegrass musicians, Has played
mando in worship bands for 20+ years. Also plays
acoustic & electric guitar, cajon, and just enough
banjo to make people cringe.
WorshipMusician.com