important. Remember, if you’ re already playing a single bass note then you’ ve only got two notes left to equal three.
When it comes to the approach for layering pads, then, I’ m a big proponent of trying to keep one note as static as possible, either below the moving note( useful for more subtle moments) or above the moving note( useful when you need to fill / hold space a bit more prominently).
An example: if I’ m playing a C chord in the key of C at the start of a progression, my three note choices would often look like a low C note( C1 or C2, depending on how you figure) with two notes in my right hand. If the moment is down, I’ d keep a static C around middle C and then float a G, A, or F note above it that moves to match chord changes, and of course I’ d let the bass move as well.
As the song lifts, I might shift that right hand C up an octave and the moving note would now be under that constant.
This level of restraint doesn’ t come naturally to most, definitely not to me, but when it’ s applied properly you’ re delivering consistency and glue to the band that can be invaluable.
DOUBLE TRIPLE
There are other times where I’ m not just gluing and instead want to use one or two notes in my right hand to directly accent or strengthen what someone else in my band is doing. In modern worship music the most common case for this is doubling up a lead line, typically being supplied by an electric guitar.
The theory here around how I use two right hand notes is similar to how I approach pads. But instead of just settling on a constant note and following the chords otherwise instead I’ ll either double or triple a lead line. When I’ m doubling, I’ ll use one note to exactly or nearly match the riff and let my third note be a constant or infrequently moving note that is below the lead. So if I’ m playing a riff in C I might hold a midrange C and above that play the lead riff.
If I need something stronger, that’ s when I’ ll shift from doubling to tripling. In that case I’ m abandoning any constant note and instead just playing right hand octaves to follow the guitar riff. This pops up all over the place in modern worship music and can be useful with pianos, pads, or both.
IT’ S WORTH IT
These techniques are not meant to be laws or rules that can’ t be broken. Instead, they should serve as simple foundations to build on, work within, or at times to push / break the boundaries of. It’ s a framework that you’ ll often find helpful, but not always.
At the end of the day, every song deserves its own unique decision making. Getting comfortable with restraint isn’ t intended to lessen your musicianship, but it can clarify your contributions and make sure your efforts to serve are effective and impactful. God bless you for taking the time to work on improving what you bring to your church from the keyboard.
David Pfaltzgraff Founder and Lead Sound Designer at SundaySounds. com, a site that resources worship keys players and guitarists around the world. David currently resides in Des Moines, IA with his wife and two boys. He enjoys volunteering in his church’ s worship ministry, old synthesizers, and a good super-hero movie.
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