Simplifying Arrangement for Smaller Setting (Part 2)

At the previous part, I've posted the tips in order to simplify the arrangement of the song 'You Deserve'. Now, for the second example, I will post the tips for simplifying the arrangement of the song 'Run' by Hillsong. Same with the first song, I will then summarise the tips by the musicians. Enjoy!

First Video: Album Arrangement.

Second Video: Simplified Arrangement.

Tips from the musicians

Guitar

• Use delay to give more variation on the sound of the electric guitar and to simplify the note you are playing.
• Do some variation on the songs, e.g. straight rhythm on the verse and some riffs on the chorus.
• Play riffs instead of rhythm if you are sure that the other musicians can support the gap that you are going to leave by playing the riffs part.
• For acoustic guitar player, play simple open chords as it will sounds nicer together with other instruments.

Keyboard

• Avoid to play the keyboard with an 'old-school' approach by using piano sound and try to be the backbone of the song while you are not necessarily to be.
• Avoid to overplay and fill in everything so other musicians don't have anymore room to play.
• Use a constant simple sound (e.g. organ) to create a layer that can be a platform for other instruments to start.
• Add some tremolo on the organ sound to give some variation.

Bass

• Instead of playing some fancy lines, just play simple lines, especially on the verse.

Drums

• Simplify the parts of drums while keeping it strong to drive the song.
• Minimise the use of toms so you don't get confused of thinking which one to hit.

I hope this tips will help you. I found it really useful although in practice it is a bit difficult to apply it as many church musicians are album arrangement focused. Don't be to afraid to get out of the comfort zone and do some experiments. Last but not least, the most important tip of the day: DON'T FORGET TO TUNE your instruments. Tune as much as you can. A well-tuned instrument is a good start for a well-played song.

Good luck! :)

IF.
Let's Make a Joyful Noise.

Simplifying Arrangement for Smaller Setting (Part 1)

As I've written before, less is more. Sometimes when you arrange a song for your church setting, you need to simplify the arrangement compared to the original arrangement because of  various reasons. Major reasons including: smaller setting (less players), smaller building, or smaller number of congregations. Unless your church has thousands of people coming every week, I believe most of smaller churches need to simplify their music to fit the condition of the local church. However, I want to say that simplifying arrangement really doesn't mean we are compromising quality. With a simpler arrangement, we can still promote a strong and powerful music.

For the first example, I would like to show the song 'You Deserve' by Hillsong. They show us how to simplify the arrangement of their song for a smaller setting. I will then summarise the tips that the musicians give us in order to simplify the arrangement of a song.

First video: Album Arrangement.

Second video: Simplified Arrangement.

Tips from the musicians

Guitar

• If you can't really play 16th note really well on the electric part, 'cheat' a bit. Use delay instead, so you can play 8th note but sounds similar like 16th note.
• Sometimes, you need to let the acoustic guitar drive the song and the electric guitar player need to sit back a bit.
• Replace fancy lines and unnecessary riffs with more simpler lines or just play chords.

Keyboard

• Keep it simple and even unnoticeable. Play pad sounds to make the arrangement sounds fuller.

Bass

• Lower your volume in a smaller setting so the bass will not overpower other instruments.

Drums

• Simplify the notes (e.g. simplify kick to a simple fourth note) so you are not too busy with the note.
• Prevent to hit the crash cymbals for timing as it will sound a bit washy. You need something that have more definition on the sounds (e.g. if you hit the crash, you need to keep the hi-hat going so it will have more definition). Instead, you can hit the bell on the ride to keep the timing noticeable by other musicians in the team.
• Remember that a drummer is the one who holds the tempo for the whole team.
• Hit the drum kits softer and tune the kits, so even you play it softer, it will sound like you play it louder.

to be continued...

It Is Done

It's been a while that I haven't posted anything on this blog. Quite busy with some stuffs, especially during the Easter weekend. In the Easter moment, I just want to share this song with you guys. Written by Sidney Mohede and Mia Fieldes, this song has really blessed me a lot. Check this out. It is done.

IT IS DONE

Words and Music by 

Sidney Mohede and Mia Fieldes 

CCLI Song No. 5902143

VERSE 1

You took the Cross and carried it to Calvary 

When all was lost You made a way 

You prayed for us and took the weight of all we'd done 

And oh You are the reason we can say

CHORUS

It is done, It is done by Your blood 

It is done, You have overcome the world 

VERSE 2

Your word is true, It shall not come back void to You 

When all is lost You are the way 

Your light will shine, Your death has brought the dead to life 

And oh You are the reason we proclaim

BRIDGE 

Every sickness, Every weakness 

Every fear, and doubt and shame 

Every burden, Every hurt is 

Overcome in Jesus name

IF.

Let's Make a Joyful Noise.

There Are Two Of Us In The Team

When we are playing in a more complete setup, such as with two electric guitars, acoustic guitar, two keyboards, bass and drums, sometimes we can see that the keyboardists are a bit confused because they don't know what to play for the song. It is common to hear people say, "There are two of us in the team and I am not sure what to play as it's possibly overlapping with what the other player will play." Sometimes it is true, but I want to say that it is possible to fill the remaining space available without having to overlap what other player will play.

1. Listen Well
The band for most recent Christian music are actually consisted of more than a keyboardist in the team for live recordings. Listen well to the song and try to filter every single instrument in the song, so you can recognise which one is the keyboard parts. Many songs are using synth sounds that are quite similar with the sound of electric guitar. However, if you listen really carefully to the song and get use to that kind of sound, you will easily recognise the difference between guitar and keyboard sounds.

2. Imitate the Orchestra
Many Christian recordings recently are using orchestra to add extra layers to their music. The most dominant instruments in the orchestra usually are the stringed instruments, although for some songs the brass sections are more dominant compared to the string sections. When the songs are heavily orchestrated, try to imitate the orchestra by using the keyboard. When you are playing the string or brass sections part, please keep in mind that you are imitating them. You need to understand how the orchestra players play their instrument, so the way you are playing the orchestra parts will sound real. 

3. Pad
Pad sounds are really useful when you are really have no idea what else to play. Pad sounds will fill the space remaining in the song nicely and it won't overlap with most parts that are played by other players in the team.

4. Play Nothing
As I have written before, "less is more." Many signature parts of songs are written for keyboards and sometimes that signature parts (e.g. intro or interludes) are the only parts that the keyboardist can play in a song. That's the fact. Then, what do they do in the verse or chorus of the song? Play nothing. Yes, I've listen to many songs where the keyboardist only play on the signature parts and then play nothing on the rest of the songs. The song sounds really nice even when the keyboardist play nothing on the verse or chorus of the songs. Really, less is more.



IF.
Let's Make a Joyful Noise.

Keyboard In A Worship Band

As a keyboard player, I always love to encourage people to start their musical journey with this instrument. Although I do play bass and guitar as well nowadays, but I still love keyboard as I was falling in love with music because of this instrument! Moreover, I found it easy for me to learn other instrument (in my case bass and guitar) when I was already good enough in playing keyboard. Although I'm not an expert that master this instrument really well (I'm still struggling with some kind of music), but I love to share some tips in relation with playing keyboard in a worship band.

1. What is needed from me?

The way you play in a smaller setting (e.g. keyboard, bass, and drums), acoustic setting (e.g. keyboard, two acoustic guitars, and bass), or full band (e.g two keyboards, two electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, and drums) will be different. You need to ask yourself, what is needed from yourself for the song, with the band? You may not need to play non-stop in all the songs if you are playing in a full band setup. Don't try to cover every single space left in the songs as other instruments may cover that part. I love a keyboardist related statement that says: "less is more." Keyboard is a flexible instrument, and pretty much it can do every single thing that other instruments can do (e.g. rhythm, harmony, melody, bass, etc). Sometimes, we need to stop for a while and think, what is needed from me? Which part that hasn't been covered yet? If you keep playing without thinking what is needed, there is a big possibility that you are actually playing something that has been covered by other instruments. This overlapping sometimes will  produce something that is not really good.

If you are playing in a smaller setting, let say with two acoustic guitars, bass, and keyboard; you may need to think from other point of view. First of all, you need to distinguish which part is the signature part of the song and which one is not. Leave the unnecessary things behind and just play the signature part of the song to keep the identity of the song. Other than that, just keep it simple as a complicated arrangement with a smaller setting can be a distraction and ruin your worship moment. Let say you have two acoustic guitars in the team, then just cover the signature part (e.g. melody of the intro or interlude), leave all the rhythm to the guitars and just use pad or organ sound to make the sound fuller. 

2. Keyboard is not the same as piano!

Many keyboardists think that playing keyboard is just the same with playing piano. Piano is one of the sound that a keyboard has in it. However, there are a lot more in there. Synth, pad, rhodes, electric piano, organs, strings or brass are just some example of sounds that a keyboard has. Many keyboardists are sticking to piano sound for every songs that they play during a worship session (some even for their lifetime!), although a piano sound is not necessarily nice for that song. When you are playing with a smaller setting consisted of keyboard, bass, and drums, maybe you can stick to piano voice as you need to cover the melody part and rhythm part of every instruments that are not present in your team (e.g. electric guitar or acoustic guitar). However, if you have two electric guitars and acoustic guitar in your team, you have lot of spaces for exploration. Leave your piano sound if necessary and try some other sounds available on your keyboard.

3. Know your part in a song.

Once again I want to say that keyboard is not only consisted of piano sound. From this foundation, then we can move to distinguish which part that is actually belong to us. Learn to distinguish which signature part of the songs that is belong to a keyboard, so you don't miss the part and let the song lose its identity. For example, the song 'Freedom is Here' by Hillsong has a signature synth line that goes from the beginning to the ending of the song; synth part in the "silent" part of 'Running' by Hillsong; the piano riffs in the song 'Cornerstone' by Hillsong; the hit sounds in the song 'You Are Good' by Israel Houghton; or the synth line in the song 'Your Name High' by Hillsong.

If you want to improvise, make sure that you won't overlap what the other players in the team will play. Let say the song already has a great guitar riffs originally, don't add too much piano riffs when you are playing, as it will distract the line that the guitar already has originally. As I have said before, less is more. Beside it is safer for you to keep your playing simple, many songs are also sweeter and nicer in a simpler arrangement.

4. Use some effects.

Technology is something that musicians need to implement to their performance. If you think the  delay, overdrive, tremolo, or modulator pedals are only for guitarist, you are totally wrong! Those effects that are popular with guitarist are actually can be maximised by keyboardist as well. Many songs are actually have their signature parts recorded with effect-processed keyboard sounds. Many Hillsong's songs are actually driven by this effect-processed keyboard sound. For example, the synth intro with tremolo in the song 'Our God Is Love' by Hillsong; delayed piano sound in the chorus of 'Unending Love' by Hillsong; or the synth intro with arpeggiator in the song 'You' by Hillsong. 

Once again, try to explore different things with your keyboard, as that machine is actually have plenty of fascinating sounds that maybe you have never discovered before. Experiment with different sounds and effects on a song. Don't limit your mindset and say that keyboard is all about piano. That's totally wrong!

IF.
Let's Make a Joyful Noise.

Share and Add Value

Writing about worship band has been in my to-do list for 2013. When one of the leaders in the church asked me to plan for the worship team in 2013 (it was actually back in November 2012), one of the things that appeared in my mind was actually preparing some materials that will help members of the worship team (especially the new members) to understand more about what they need to do as part of the team, although I did not officially mention this to the leader that approached me at that time.

Short story about my "career" in a worship team, I started as a keyboardist in my church back in Indonesia around 2005. I remember at that time I was only able to play on the keys of C and G, so I need to transpose all the way around to another key when the worship leader asked for a particular key beside C and G. We only used a small setup at that time, a keyboard, bass, and drums. Nothing fancy with the arrangement, no complicated intro and ending, and no interlude. However, my "debut" was a nightmare for me. After the service, I decided to stop playing keyboard as I felt that I was incompetent and I was really nervous playing in front of many people. The senior keyboardist asked me to stay, but I refused. 

I did not remember like how long exactly I stopped playing keyboard at that time, but finally I returned to the team and started to play in the church again. I would say that it was around 3-6 months before I was back in the team. Because I was very nervous playing in front of many people, I started again by playing in the youth service (which has less crowds) and even the Sunday school. It helped a lot to regain my confidence to play in front of many people. I also learned about faithfulness in doing small things before being trusted with a bigger responsibility.

During that time, I regularly played at the church (let say around twice a month). With a smaller setup with only one keyboard, I found it hard at the beginning to lead the bassist and drummer, especially when all of the players were new! However, as time goes by, I learned to be a better keyboardist in a worship team. I also learned how to play as a filler keyboardist, whose duty is basically play the other sounds beside piano in a song. I'll write more about how to play as a filler keyboardist for praise and worship purpose.

To cut the story short, in late 2008 I relocated to Perth to study for my bachelor degree. I joined the worship team of my current church like a month after I moved to Perth, became the head of musicians in the church since early 2010, and became the head of praise and worship in the youth service since 2012. Now, beside playing keyboard, I also play bass and guitar, and worship lead occasionally. I do believe, the higher position that I hold, the more responsibility that I have to bear.

Once, a pastor said that as a leader, part of our responsibility is to add value to people that are part of the team that we lead. I really believe that this statement is true. I really keen to see that people under my leadership will be influenced positively through my experiences that I have shared with them.

One of the media that I can use to share and add value to them is this blog. I am not an expert in this particular area and I am still learning until today. However, I don't want to keep everything that I have learned only for myself. I want to share what I have experienced and learned throughout my 8 years ministry since 2005. I really hope that this blog can be a blessing to everyone of you that read my writing, add value to your life, and let God be glorified.


IF.
Let's Make a Joyful Noise.