Playing styles

While playing for church, i was once asked what my playing style was, to which i had no reply. Not because I am secretive or mysterious, but due to the fact that i feel my playing evolves and changes over time, depending on the songs I am playing.

When playing for church, my own feel is to use the notes where possible, otherwise just use chords and link them up. However the latter form requires some knowledge of what constitutes a particular chord, especially when the chords listed are no longer root or basic chords, and invariably involve a 7th, a suspended 4th, diminished, etc. This method ensures that the sound provided is full and complete in backing up the choir, and by sticking to the written chords, also helps the choir when they are singing their parts.

The next part of my playing is then filling in the gaps. For short pauses or long notes, these are places to just play the notes that are in between the transitioning chords, while long pauses (2-4 bars) require a little more thought but can be done. These are also opportunities to show off some musicality, by repeating the same rhythm pattern as the theme, or by repeating the theme an interval (3rd is popular) lower, or heading opposite direction from the theme (which ascends, then the fill decends). Having a variety of fills also builds your musical vocabulary, allowing you to tell the musical story using better terms. Keep practicing and keep trying! =)

Moving Mother's Day

I was once told that the music ministry is one of the greatest and most powerful ways of worship in the church, which I set aside as hot air even though i kept it in mind. Sometimes as musicians, we forget that we are part of the community that gets together to praise and celebrate the Eucharist, as opposed to the role (and stress) of leading the community in song. We also forget that music has the power to move people, but I was reminded of that at mass recently.

It was Mother's day, and as usual we had the blessing of all mothers after communion. We did not prepare any hymn to sing, but I had already set aside a hymn for this, intending to play this after mass as a postlude. Then the celebrant indicated to us to play something while he was blessing the mothers, so off i went and played a favourite of Novena services "Mother Dearest, Mother Fairest". 

Granted it was not the most fancy of hymns, but it was elegant and people could sing along without having to refer to the hymn book. What I did not expect was the reaction from some of the mothers being blessed as they were moved to tears with the church singing for them, and leant on each other for support. It was a beautiful sight and not for the first time in this church, i felt emo yet serene while playing. The first time was on Palm Sunday before holy week, when we sang Were you there with the third verse in acapella and we exited the church in silence without any recessional hymn. Powerful stuff this.