PIANOKEYS
DRAB OR DRAMATIC? STATIC OR STALE?
Playing parts using a pad sound is one of the
by introducing moving notes from time to time?
most common contributions of a keyboard
I’m not suggesting you begin playing melodic
player on a worship team today. If you’ve
activity that could compete with the song’s
listened analytically to many modern worship
melody or melodic activity someone else in
recordings where pad sounds are heard,
the band might play. You must always factor
you’ve probably noted that you hear a lot of
these two things into any melodic activity you
static notes in the pads. I refer to these as
provide. But, using long note values like whole
droning notes. I’ve taught about how to create
and half notes, you may discover some melodic
pad parts in previous articles here, but want
possibilities that could enhance your musical
to give a quick review of the essential point I
presentations. Something like in Example 2.
ED KERR
Director of Worship Studies
at King’s University/Gateway
Church in Dallas, TX. Masters
in Piano performance,
songwriter, clinician with
Yamaha and Paul Baloche.
www.KerrTunes.com
make: Learn the 1 and 5 notes of the key
st
th
you’re in and use those notes to create a pad
Note that I’ve let the top note (soprano) continue
part. Stack the 1 and 5 with either the 1 or 5 on
as a droning note. Below that droning note (in
top and hold those notes as the chords of the
the alto) I made some stepwise movement
song go by. Something like in Example 1.
(to a neighboring note in the scale) and some
could introduce movement in your soprano
leaping movement (skipping one or more notes
voice of your pad part. Notice here that both
in the scale).
voices move together in bars 1 and 3 while
And that’s it for review. Seriously. Whatever key
only the alto voice moves in measures 2 and 4.
you’re in, play 1 and 5 as stacked notes and let
Note, too, that I tied the A out of measure 3
I’m transposing this example into the key of C,
into measure 4. Then I added a G below that A
where the chord progression is the one used in
Two notes. Held measure after measure. Okay.
to my voicing, creating the first 3 note voicing
the bridge of “Forever Reign”. Example 4.
Some of you may be wondering if your future
heard in the pad part.
them drone above changing chords.
All of my examples here have conformed
contribution from your keyboard will be limited
to these droning notes. That may be a decision
There’s a huge variety of pad sounds available
to a tendency I notice in pad parts I hear on
that your worship leader/music director will
to you. Some are warm with little percussive
recordings: all the notes of a stated chord
influence, but if you’re open to contributing
attack. Others have pulse and movement
are rarely used. For the Dsus chord in 2 of
more than droning notes, you’ll find some
programmed into them. Others emulate a string
my examples 3 notes are heard at once, but
options here.
ensemble. Let’s say you chose such a sound,
otherwise only 2 notes are played together.
something that has a strong attack allowing
American
you to imitate a cello section. You might choose
If this approach to pad part creation feels
composer and conductor, once said, “Variation
to play this alto activity that uses quarter notes,
like too much work, too clinical, no problem.
is a manifestation of the mighty dramatic
giving more movement to the part. Example 3.
As stated earlier, and as evidenced by many
principle known as the Violation of Expectation.
Bernstein’s “Violation of Expectation” could
wonderful recordings available today, droning
What is expected is repetition... When those
influence your pad part in a later section of
notes in pad parts work very well. My hope
expectations are violated, you’ve got variation.”
your song. Let’s say you’re playing a bridge
here, though, is that you’ll discover some
In our context, what is expected (and most
of a song and will repeat the section several
enhancements to your musical offerings by
often heard) from pad parts is static notes.
times. After playing a pad sound with only
incorporating some of these options you have
How might you depart from that expectation
static notes like my first example here, you
as a creative keyboard player.
Leonard
Bernstein,
the
great
Example 1
Example 3
Example 2
Example 4
52
May June 2016
WorshipMusician.com