arranging essesntials class - worship workshop

BUILD PATH

Arranging Essentials For Worship Musicians

Lesson 3: Understanding Your Rhythmic Space

Arranging Inside the Rhythmic Space

If the arranging on the sonic spectrum is about what notes and chords are being played or sung, the rhythmic spectrum is about when and how often they’re occurring.

Seeing The Sonic Space - Musical Notation

whole note


whole note 1 (2 3 4)


half note


half note 1 (2) 3 (4)


quarter note


quarter note 1 32 4


eighth note


eighth notes 1 & 3 &2 & 4 &

single two beamed together


sixteenth note


eighth notes 1 e & a

single beamed together

2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a


dotted quarter notedotted half note1 (2 3) 1 (& 2)

dotted eighth note1 (e &)


quarter note 1 32 4

Our goal in arranging on the sonic spectrum is to create complementary rhythms.

Filling the Sonic Space - Getting Practical

In most modern worship songs, the rhythm of the verses are often complex and syncopated to fit the lyrical phrases.


The instruments need to create space for the melody by either playing complementary rhythms or by laying out.



REST

REST


whole half quarter eighth sixteenth


REST“Music is the space between the notes.” ~Debussy

“It’s not the notes you play, it’s the notes you don’t play.” ~Miles Davis

One of the biggest mistakes worship team members make is trying to fill every moment.


One of the biggest mistakes worship team members make is trying to fill every moment. As a result, we end up with a blob of sound and constant wall of noise.


When there’s a section of the song that calls for less, all of us just playing quieter won’t achieve what we need.


When there’s a section of the song that calls for less, all of us just playing quieter won’t achieve what we need. Some of us have to stop playing and singing.


We need to learn to that the “art of laying out” actually serves the music and the congregation more fully than any note we could sing or chord we could play.


You’ll learn how to create intentional space.


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As you and your team members learn these simple arranging hacks in this class, your songs will serve your church’s gathered worship time so much more effectively.


We have to learn to trust in the power of a simple arrangement to serve the song and the congregation.


arranging essesntials class - worship workshop

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