next song.
might be familiar with the suggestion that you tracks gives 4 beats of click then drops out for
play a dominant 7 chord of the key you’re 4 bears. During those 4 beats without click lots
I doubt I’m unique in having things that headed toward. Let me make one comment of us (including me) might tend to rush or drag a
somehow continue to be issues week after about that: Don’t do it! Unless you’re a rather bit. Another of the tracks presents 2 measures
week. Does anything come to mind in your traditional church, the dominant 7 chord will of click and then the click stops for 2 full bars.
typical worship service or rehearsal that needs be a stylistic distraction from the other modern Very challenging!
to improve? songs you’re likely playing. Find a way to use
th
th
the more standard triads and minor 7 th chords I dare you, seriously, to honestly evaluate your
How about the ‘T’ word? Transitioning from modern worship songs contain these days. commitment to practicing at your instrument.
song to song. Are you, as the keyboard player, In the key of D, for example, those standard This might mean growing in your understanding
the one the worship team looks to for making chords would be D, G, A and Bm7. of the technology you’re using. It might mean
smooth musical transitions from song to song
experimenting with some chord voicings
and, often, into a new key? Do you sometimes Do some other practice routines come to beyond your “go to” ones. It might even
freeze up in those moments, sometimes draw mind from your experience? I’ll mention mean working on scales and arpeggios or a
a blank as to a chord progression that could another routine that Carl talked about when I challenging piece.
achieve the needed key change? interviewed him. He said that he spends lots of time practicing with a metronome. Regardless Eugene Peterson is right. Hard work always
I can imagine some practice routines that might of your virtuosity as a player, working with a pays off. Test those words. Give yourself a
help. Put a list of familiar songs in front of you. metronome is essential. When you consider that week, two weeks, a month taking some action
Play the end of a song a certain key as you more and more worship teams are playing with to do more than just maintain your skills.
consider what song to play next and what key enhancement tracks that include a click track, Develop them from focused practice.
to play that song in. Extend the end of the being able to play in time with a metronome is current song with some sort of progression and absolutely relevant. And challenging!
then see how seamlessly you can achieve the
key change.
I have some click tracks I’ve set up that will
quickly expose how steady or not steady your
If you’ve played keyboard or piano for long you
sense of tempo is. For example, one of the
June 2019
Ed Kerr
Ed Kerr lives in Seattle with his family. He serves as
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. He also manages the Yamaha Worship
Facebook group and invites you to join the group.
www.KerrTunes.com
Subscribe for Free...
185