KEYS
BE A FIRST RESPONDER | Ed Kerr
Wikipedia defines first responder as “someone most important rule for a worship music (or any roadmap isn’t going to be nearly as effective
with specialized training, among the first to musician) is that the melody wins. Respond to as it could be.
arrive and provide assistance at the scene of the melody. Don’t let anything you play distract an emergency.” Thanks to tv dramas or real life from or compete with it. If you choose to Have you just finished the intro? Let there be
encounters you and I might have had, it’s easy play lots of activity during vocal phrases, that some sort of musical contrast when verse 1
to visualize a first responder springing to action activity can distract from the melody being begins. Perhaps an instrument or two can drop
from the back of an ambulance, assessing sung. Be sure your playing supports rather than out. Perhaps you can drop out. The value of
the situation and doing whatever their training competes with the melody. this sort of response is that when you or other
suggests.
instruments rejoin the arrangement you’re
The more musicians you have on your team building energy into the next section of the
Though I hope what you and I do on our worship the more important it is for each player to be arrangement.
teams is never as dramatic as the work of a responsive. Respond to is the “roadmap” of the medical first responder, I hope you and I can song. A roadmap for a worship song could be Another situation in which you can develop
be responsive musicians. What does that look intro, verse 1, chorus, reintro, verse 2, chorus, skills as a first responder might involve avoiding
like? Here are some situations I’ve encountered bridge, chorus, chorus, outro. Are you and “dead air”. Dead air is awkward silence between
where my response matters. the other musicians on your team creating songs. Do you and your worship team make an
contrasts for the song’s sections? If everyone’s effort to connect your songs musically? Is there
First one: every time I’m playing keyboard for playing at the same dynamic level throughout ever confusion on your team as to who should
a worship time. We all can be “over-players”, the song and using the same amount of activity start a song? Does your pastor ever ask you to
musicians whose parts are just too busy. The on their instrument, the journey through that play keyboard behind a prayer time or ministry
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February 2019
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