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Steve E Weeks asked a question in our recent live Ask the Expert session:<\/p>\n
“If we’re performing a modern worship song, is it permissible to use our own voice as if we had written it? The actual author may sing as if he is slightly in pain to emphasise the passionate lyrics, and the guitarist will use delay to create a grandiose scale (and conceal his timing) but if we were to dispense with those, would our rendition be “wrong” or is it OK to adopt the song as written, while ignoring it as originally performed? Mostly I’m wondering how the audience will feel about it.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Andy Chamberlain, Musicademy:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Great question and a massive issue Steve. Nailing my colours to the mast I have to say that embracing \u2018unique contribution\u2019 in all areas of church and especially how the band embraces the song is vital to growth, both as a musician and as a Christian. Everyone needs to do a certain level of \u2018copying\u2019 parts and arrangements to understand the craft of music but to me if we stop at just copying are we really giving our \u2018own\u2019 expression of worship as we play or is it just blindly resiting someone elses \u2018prayer\u2019?<\/p>\n
BUT \u2013 if we are to embrace uniqueness it requires skill and most importantly listening skills from the musicians, time invested in rehearsals, building teams and bands and most importantly a moving away from a leadership thinking that if we just have cool kicking music like Hilllsong or Chris Tomlin then people will come flooding through the church doors.<\/p>\n
Also if you are going to embrace uniqueness and your own approach to a song do make sure it blends with what the rest of the band are doing. I.e if someone’s jazz chords arrangement sounds amazing, but only they can play it, they have to fit to what the rest of the band are capable of rather than expecting the band to bend to them if they simply aren’t capable!<\/p>\n
Ultimately try to educate your whole team to play what the song ‘means’ to them. Does it make them happy, sad, reverent, ant to cry, want to laugh, bow down, shout, shut up? The hardest part is of course getting people to want to do that! It can be scary!<\/p>\n
Brad Schlievert:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Lolz (create a grandiose scale (and conceal his timing) kinda sorta true,heh heh heh!!! I personally say, make it your own!!! I change up some lead parts (guitar w\/delay) because it sounds better or is easier to make fit. I say go for it!!!<\/p>\n
What you said on Facebook:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nUnusually this question has created a lot of discussion on Facebook. For those of you who would prefer to read it here, I’ll copy out the thread (note – as this is a graphic copied from Facebook you won’t be able to “like” or interact with it here):<\/p>\n
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