equal importance, but with only one keys player something has to give.
This is exactly the kind of scenario where having an aux keys player can make an immediate and direct impact. One player focuses on piano, and the other is free to play with techniques that more directly highlight the impact and strengths of an organ in the mix.
MANY NOTES
An aux keys player is also free to explore outside of the closed or open hand position limitations any person with only two hands and ten fingers is bound to. The freedom to let your piano player stay in closed position, bolstering the mid-range, while an aux keys player jumps up an octave to add bright synth pads or a lead sound becomes a much more natural decision when you can actually discuss these choices, rather than relying on what can be complex MIDI programming to try and simulate a similar effect as the sole keys player.
The key here is clear, upfront communication, perhaps even before rehearsal, to chat with your counterpart about who wants to or should do what in the mix and then during rehearsal or soundcheck make sure you’ re actively listening to what they’ re contributing to verify you’ re complementing each other well.
MANY SPACES
Lastly, in my recent adventures as an aux keys player the biggest thing I remind myself of regularly is that while in modern worship music it is very rare for there to be no piano or pad sounds at all for more than a brief moment of a song, it should be common for me to have my hands off the keyboard entirely for entire sections when I’ m serving in the aux role.
Again, this isn’ t because my role is less important, but because the role should lean towards more surgical, purposeful elevation of the mix. If you follow my work, you know I often use the phrase‘ producer polish’ when I talk about the role of a modern worship keys player in general, and that’ s doubly the case for a good aux keys player.
If your church currently has more willing keys players than you do Sundays in a month, I hope you’ ll consider opening up the aux keys role at your church. It’ s also an incredible opportunity to broaden your volunteer pool. Youth group kids, or musicians still growing in confidence, can often thrive in the aux role if you simply take the time to help them understand the ground rules.
If you’ re able to invest some effort into this position, I think it’ s likely to bear fruit for your team.
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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