PIANOKEYS
THREE QUESTIONS
Astounding. Astounding how many choices
obvious point here, but you and I have lots of
part confidently and accurately?
choices about where on our instrument to play.
we have these days. Hundreds of streaming
channels on our laptops, smart phones, and
WHEN?
If I’m playing an acoustic piano sound, one of
tablets. Millions of results from any Google
When will you play? You should ask yourself if
my favorite registers is around middle C. Warm.
search we do. More new worship songs every
your instrument is needed in the intro. Really.
Rich. Expressive. But it’s also the area where
week. More keyboard sounds available to us.
When the verse arrives will you drop out?
the vocal melodies often lie. This means I have
More technological marvels to increase our
An important element in an effective song
to accompany well, always letting the vocal be
productivity. More. More. More.
arrangement is the way instruments are added
the focus. Stay out of its way. No one enjoys
and taken out. You don’t have to play all the
hearing two people talk at once. Be a good
time. Neither does any other instrument on the
listener.
Squirrel.
team. Really.
Where would a change of register be effective?
A voice inside me says "Simplify". I'm asking
myself what's essential. Maybe you are too. In
When does a hook played by keyboard in
The piano hook in “Cornerstone” is played in
relation to the music that you and I make, I've
the intro recur? As that section approaches,
a high register. When the verse begins, chords
arrived at a simple list of three questions that
think ahead. We keyboard players often make
are played by the piano in the middle register.
seem to be enough. Enough to influence what
mistakes when we don’t prepare ourselves
Contrasts created between sections. Contrasts
I bring to each song I might play in a worship
physically for a new section. If you’re heading
created between melodic activity and chordal
time. Enough to keep me engaged rather than
to a different register of the keyboard to play a
comping.
falling into the “Here’s what I always play on this
hook, let your elbow lead. This will help you be
song” trance. Three questions: What? When?
ready for the new hand position needed.
By now you get the idea. Stay engaged as
you’re playing. Encourage the rest of your team
Where?
When the chorus comes, will I change my
to as well. This goes for your vocalists, too.
WHAT?
activity? Great arrangements feature changes
Question what vocals should be. Lead vocal
What sound will you choose? Your keyboard or
of musical momentum between sections.
only? 2 part harmony? Prime unison? 3 part
computer probably has many options. Consider
Changing your activity to quarter notes after
harmony? Inverted harmonies? Keep exploring
a different pad sound, a piano sound with more
playing half notes in the verse can give the
new technology. Keep adding to your palette
reverb, a slightly distorted electric piano sound.
chorus significance.
of available sounds. But as you incorporate
any new element to your toolkit, don’t forget
What note values will you play? Are guitars and
the drummer playing lots of activity? Create a
When do you build dynamically? Sometimes
that asking yourself these three questions is
part that doesn’t compete with them.
arrangements build into a chorus and then
essential to using your musical tools effectively.
suddenly drop to a much softer dynamic. Be
What melodic significance will your part have?
ready for that moment. Consider creating one
You must support the song's melody and stay
of those moments. Just be sure your whole
out of the way of appropriate melodic activity
team is thinking the same way. Winking emoji.
other team members might be playing. If a
guitarist is adding a melodic fragment between
When does your part evolve? Staying in the
vocal phrases, you shouldn’t. Too many
same register of the keyboard, playing the
melodies make a mess.
same rhythmic activity or the same droning
notes with a pad sound is not helping propel the
What essential parts must you present? There
arrangement of the song. Listen to the vocals,
may be a melodic hook in the intro of the song
listen to the rest of the team and consider if
covered by keyboard, a particular piano pattern
your part is making an essential contribution or
that anchors the verse well, or a bell sound
if it’s becoming tedious.
added in the bridge.
WHERE?
What preparation do you need to do to play the
14
Where on the keyboard will you play? Pretty
Jul Aug 2016
WorshipMusician.com
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