is that I don’t want to just learn the notes. If it’s a requirement if you want to be on a worship it’s a constant connection your whole life. Bill,
John Mayer song, for example, when I play that team at Bethel. We need you to know and our Senior Pastor, has a message where he
song I want it to sound like John Mayer makes understand the Nashville Number system, just says, “If you had a bird sitting on your shoulder,
it sound. That’s the point of learning the song, because it’s so much easier to call out numbers you would be conscious of it and aware of
right? But I can’t just learn the notes; I need as opposed to chords. Especially in our world the movements you made with your body.
to learn the way he plays the notes, and the where we’ll play a song in any given key, at any You wouldn’t walk too fast because it would
thought process behind it, and the slight vibrato given moment, depending on the singer. scare the bird and it would fly away.” When I
that he puts on a note, or the way he bends a
first heard that message, it really struck me. It’s
note. All of those little idiosyncratic things that [WM] In her interview, Steffany Gretzinger about going after a constant awareness of what
make up those parts. That’s what we should said that the reason the parts you play are so the Lord is doing, just in my life in general, not
be training our people to listen for. Yes, learn iconic is that you are ‘speaking prophetically’ even thinking about being on stage or about
the notes, but don’t just settle there. Go for the with your instrument, just as the worship playing music. I want to constantly ask, “Lord,
ideology behind it. As long as we’re steering leaders do with their voices. As much as that what are You doing right now? I’m standing
our people in that way, it sets them up to learn comment really floored me, there really is in line getting coffee, going about my day. Is
even more. Obviously, it takes time, years for something very special that comes through in there something You want me to do? Is there a
some people. It’s something you never master, the signature lines you play in songs like “Ever person You want me to say hello to?”
you just get better and better at it. So, it really is Be” and “Spirit Move”. Like you were saying all about practice. about John Mayer, it’s not just the notes. Tell us Musically, the way that translates on stage is to
about the connection between you, God, and just have open ears. There’s a great musician,
your instrument. his name is Leonard Jones, from North
[WM] Does the Bethel team use the Nashville
Number system?
[Michael] Yes, we do. It’s actually a
30
Carolina. The dude has been a monster guitar
[Michael] I think that anyone’s connection player, and I heard this story about him that
with the Lord is not just a thing that’s on stage, sums up this question perfectly. He was staying
June 2018
WorshipMusician.com