Ask the Expert: Can we keep everyone happy by putting a contemporary keyboard in a wooden cabinet?

By Marie@Musicademy | January 22, 2016

We received a fascinating email from Liz from South Ruislip, UK who had been to one of our training days and had asked for advice on what keyboard to purchase for her church. We’d suggested the Roland RD800 which their Leadership Team agreed to. However, the proposed move to a more contemporary instrument has not pleased everyone. […]

Turn it up to 11 (and down to 1)

By Tim Martin | February 6, 2015

  Yesterday I was flicking around radio stations in the car as I do from time to time. I’d stick with each station just long enough to hear what was going on and decide whether I was in the mood for what I heard. As I was scanning through I came to a station which […]

How music theory can create a worship moment. Guest post by Jon Nicol.

By Guest Blogger | January 15, 2015

Have you ever gotten to that place in a worship song where you just wanted to linger for a moment? It might be as a song ends, or during an interlude within the song, but the arrangement you’re using doesn’t seem to give you that.  That’s because many of the worship songs we use in our service […]

5 tips for keyboard players leading worship as a solo musician

By Tim Martin | January 14, 2015

Flying solo – keys players Previously we began to consider what differences there are in leading worship either on your own or with one instrument. As well as considering the importance of rehearsal and real practice (even if only one person is involved), we considered some of the techniques that guitarists might want to use […]

Learn how to play by ear

By Marie@Musicademy | October 16, 2014

Ear training for song writers (and any other worship musician) For many people, the thought of playing “by ear” or being able to anticipate the chords, notes and musical charges in a song you’ve never heard before seems like an impossible task. It’s often considered a gift rather than a skill that can be learned […]

Not the first generation to be addicted to bass

By admin | May 29, 2014

Does organ music ‘instil religious feelings’? According to an experiment people who experience a sense of spirituality in church may be reacting to the extreme bass sound produced by some organ pipes. Many churches and cathedrals have organ pipes that are so long they emit infrasound which at a frequency lower than 20 Hertz is […]

Top ten do’s and don’ts – Playing Keyboard in Church

By Andy@Musicademy | March 5, 2014

How to play keyboard in church I feel for some keyboard players, many are the most well trained musicians in the band, most learned their instrument through the school system, were introduced to sight reading at an early age and they understand the principles of music. They know the musical terms and the fundamentals of […]