Instrumentalists: How to Be Intentional

You want to know what separates the cream of the crop when it comes to high-level worship teams?

It's intentionality.

The best musical groups meticulously craft their approach with the utmost care so that each note sung or played fits the moment and the song EXACTLY right.

For instrumentalists, it's easy to lose focus and get swept away by ego or self-doubt, and we lose the chance to bring intentionality to our performance. Here's how you bring the "focus" back in your own playing.

Rhythm Section: Supporting Melodies Well

I've said this many times, but I'll say it again: THE PRIMARY VOCAL MELODY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOCUS IN YOUR ARRANGEMENT. All of your chords, rhythms, and licks should present the vocal melody as the hero of the tune.

A solid rhythm section lays down a bedrock of harmony and groove that the vocalists, including the congregation, can easily follow as they sing. That means kick drum placement, bass runs, and chord voicings should err on the side of simplicity when a vocal line is being sung. You can beef things up in sections in between vocal phrases, like instrumentals, intros, outros, and the like. Even then the complexity of those parts needs to at least be palatable to your audience; after all, your goal is to inspire them and lead them in worship of the Creator of music and expression, not distract them.

This leads me to another factor to consider: the overall aesthetic preferences of your congregation. Using tritone substitutions and reharmonizations as you would do in a gospel-chops style may not go over well in a setting that is used to singing hymns straight from the Trinity Hymnal. It goes the other way too; congregations that expect more far-reaching creativity in reharm'd chord progressions and complex rhythms may balk at the simplicity of psalter-style arrangements.

The point is this: You need to read the room and develop an intimate understanding of which trends your congregation appreciate the most. For the congregants out there, you must bring an open mind to how music is presented in the worship service; the best experiences evolve over time as the congregation grows and changes.

Lead Players: Using Fills & Building Solos

For the lead players reading this, please let me remind you: DON'T NOODLE AROUND. There's a fine line in improvised lines that either compliment and accentuate the melody with thoughtful, creative construction, or they distract the listeners with aimless wanderings on the instrument (that also carries questionable tone quality, oddly enough).

The mark of a mature player is to know when to hold back AND when to let it rip. But even then, thoughtfulness shines through more than jam-packed shredding. Here's what I do to make the most of fills and solos:

• Borrow from the melody: This is especially effective in fills, where you utilize a call-and-response approach. After a melody is stated and there's a pause between phrases, echo the melody in a way that recalls what the congregation just sang. Or, you can preview another line that is coming up, giving the congregation a head start for what they're about to sing.

• Develop instrumental hooks: Many modern worship songs feature an instrumental hook of some kind, so if you take a solo, or even during the dedicated space for that hook to be played, don't be afraid to develop it a bit with some additional pithches and rhythms. The key is to not get too carried away so much that the original line is obscured and loses the effect of tying the arrangement together.

TL;DR

It really just comes back to being intentional with your approach to the song, supporting the melody and the rest of the band by fitting your part within the greater whole without undue attention. It's a chance to showcase humility without being afraid to demonstrate your abilities—it's really all about balance at that point.

New Music: Shane & Shane, The Worship Initiative Modern Hymns

Shane & Shane along with the Worship Initiative have dropped a brand-new record entirely dedicated to modern hymns!

You’ll see familiar titles in the track listing, but there are sure to be some new ones you’ve yet to enjoy!

Click the button below to check out the full album on YouTube.

Be blessed 👊✌️