I previously posted an article entitled “What Should I Play”? This covered the basics of playing a new song, particularly when you have no previous recording to guide you. This time we’ll look at another aspect of playing drums to a song – how should I play? How you play is more about the stylistic approach you might take to playing.
If you’ve ever heard a song on an album and then heard the same band play it live you may have noticed a distinct difference in the drummer’s approach to each situation. What you will find in many cases is that the drummer will play more aggressively and busier (i.e. more notes) in the live situation. The reason for this is usually that when the album was recorded the emphasis was purely on supporting the song and allowing it to be carried by its own melody, harmony and mood or spirit. When it comes to playing the same song live there are often other factors that prescribe a different approach to playing. For starters, at concerts, including many Christian gatherings, there is a need to ‘pump it up’ to suit the mood of the occasion. You only have to look at any of the Hillsong live DVD’s to see the high-energy approach that I’m talking about. However this is only one aspect to the question “How should I play”?
If you are prone to hanging out at drum shops, reading drum mags, attending drum clinics or listening to bands that have an emphasis on musical technicality then you will have been bombarded with a side to drumming that bears little resemblance to what you require in order to play simple choruses at church. The temptation as you increase your technique can be to look at a song wondering where you are going to fit in that inverted paradidle that you just developed. But have you noticed that there are many truly great drummers in the world who are quite prepared to leave their ‘chops’ (technique) alone and just play simply as is required for the song?
These players always put the song first; their technique is just a means to an end, to enable them to play exactly what their musical creativity inspires in them. It is true that some players like to play with a lot of technique and that is fine so long as it is appropriate to the situation. Some drummers are natural ‘side-men’ which means they are comfortable just supporting the rest of the band whereas others are natural technicians, soloists and front-line artists.
How does all of this relate to my playing in church? Firstly, you need to be aware of the tone or feel of your church and the particular meeting. Some churches have youth meetings where it may be appropriate to be more aggressive in your playing. What sort of mood is the writer or worship leader looking for in the song? I suggest you listen carefully to each person’s part, including the guitar, keyboards, bass, vocals and any horn lines or other parts. Match your playing to the desired mood, provide the rhythm and support the other musicians and singers. As an exercise, try playing the song with no fills at all. If the song has any particular figures or phrases, incorporate them into your beat rather than playing them as a drum fill so that the rhythm flows continuously. Accent where the song accents; phrase where the song phrases; let the song play you. In other words, let the song prescribe what should be played rather than approaching it with your bag of tricks that you’re determined to use. If you can master this you will be well on the way to playing purely for the song.
© Mick Hogan 2008
A drummer from South Africa, Jay Thomson, has made a presentation he did with the drummers at his church available for all to use. Many thanks, Jay!
I have created a Flash version (Screencast) of the presentation so you can view it online but you can also download the PowerPoint file as well.
The title of the presentation is called ‘We live in faith of rhythm’ and is really cool to watch. I wish we had Jay doing a voice-over or something for the slides as some slides might not make much sense without some explanation – but you can email Jay for any further clarifications.
Some drummers, and for that matter, some bands, thrive on having every detail of what they will play in a song worked out in advance so they can just repeat it every time. That’s OK, but I suggest that ideally we want to be creative and spontaneous at least to some degree. After all, this is how some of the most exciting playing happens, when musicians communicate, in the moment, within the framework of a song. This has been the essence of jazz and its derivatives for one hundred years. I have also noted that in church services where the Spirit of God is given room to have His way, that it is rarely the same thing twice. This also aligns with what we read in the gospels where in each instance that Jesus performs a miracle, led by the Holy Spirit, it is done in a unique way and is not repeated. God is creative (well duh! He did create everything!). Continue reading »
Some more thought-provoking stuff from Chris.
My favourite paragraph:
“I want to say that anything you do (within reason) in worship to God has as much value as anything else. So playing drums in a Drury Lane pit or in a function band at weddings is equally as valid an action as being in a worship team or playing in a Christian Band.”
Worship is anywhere and everywhere, all the time. I don’t get it right myself but the reality is I am not bound into thinking it’s just for church on Sunday!
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Posted with permission from Chris Beaumont.
Continuing my series on worship and culture, this week I wanted to look at the attitudes on what is sacred.
In the email that I mention in my first blog of the series the young man in question mentions that he wants to work in the Christian music industry or in a Christian band. My question is does God value this aspiration to work as “full-time Christian” more highly than he does working in the “secular” world?
An interesting article caught my eye and as I read it, a lot of it rang true. Although I see two sides to the story, it is an article that raises awareness of the ‘worship music industry’. There is no wrong or right but there are lines I believe… have those lines been crossed? Chris Beaumont, whose blog I read for interesting drumming stuff writes an article about the commercialisation of the worship music industry..this topic has always been on my heart so it’s refreshing to see someone else tackle it too!
Below is an excerpt from the beginning of the post and then a link to read the original post.
Posted with permission from Chris Beaumont.
Following on from my post last week, I have been mulling over the nature of worship as presented in contemporary Christian culture. A few months ago I saw an advertisement for well known worship leaders album saying something like this (see quote on right side)…
x presents their first studio album in x years. This album has ten of x’s most anointed songs plus two new songs.
Firstly what makes songs anointed? Does popularity make it anointed? Or is it a marketing moniker designed to make us want to buy a product? Secondly, why do you record a load of songs that people already know and love again? My thoughts are that the project is designed to make money, not resource the church, which is an excuse which is given to justify recording worship albums.
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