BETTER BY SUNDAY
we find a flow, they’ll put it back in for me.
I love the click. I didn’t know that a lot of singers
of the technical challenges the click presents, SINGERS DON’T LIKE THE CLICK
let’s take a moment to unpack some of the Rather than chastising singers for not liking the
big takeaways from Steffany’s comments. click, I’d rather talk about why. Many singers
don’t like it, but I feel like everyone should have
learn to sing standing next to an accompaniment
it in their ears. It changes everything and keeps COMMUNICATION instrument… like the piano. While every sound
you so connected to the band. I want to feel Despite Bethel’s impact and reach, Steffany’s the piano makes starts with the attack of the
that connection. You’ll see me turn around, use of the word family is insightful. Every strings being hit, most people tend to focus on
or make eye contact with various singers and worship team I’ve served on, be it big the pitch and duration of the notes and chords
musicians on stage, and that’s because we’re or small, had a family dimension to the that follow that initial transient. The emotional
going somewhere together. relationships. Like a family, a lot of our response that some vocalists have to the click
communication is done with a nod or a look. is that it sounds, and hence feels unmusical,
As a proponent of the click I was thrilled to hear
which is totally understandable. However,
Steffany’s comments. While I must admit that THE CLICK DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON when you start to unpack the benefits of the
I am tempted to use them to ‘make my case’ While I love the musical unity that the click click many, if not most singers, can appreciate
about the click, knowing how many of us serve provides, you don’t always have to keep it using the click like a rhythmic accompaniment
at smaller churches, I believe we’d all be better on. As Steffany pointed out, your team can instrument. Unlike the piano, the sound a lot of
served by unpacking the click conversation communicate cues for when to keep it on, and teams use for the click sits in the vocal register
a bit. So, before we get to addressing some when to turn it off. and can be a distraction. We’ll come back to
Doug Doppler, John Mills, Kent Morris
photo by Roger Zimish
44
July 2018
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