I Think, Therefore I Sound Awesome

How do you begin a song? Perhaps like this: "Oh, this one again. I know this. Off we go!"

I have recently joined a local concert band as a drummer, and have had to dust of some rusty brain cells to try and remember how to sight-read drum notation. But I can't just launch into the song. I've got to look at the music first, recognise the patterns that the arranger has written so I know what to play, make sure I know where in the stave the snare is, or the bass, looking at any dynamic and tempo markers so I know how to approach the song, and of course, watching the conductor so I know when to start and how fast. All of this happens long before I whack a skin.

Whether you're rehearsing or leading worship in a Sunday, time spent just asking a few simple questions before putting hands to keys or mic to mouth can make the world of difference to how that song comes off.

• What are the lyrics of the song saying?
• How does that affect the mood of the song?
• How fast should the song be?
• What should the feel of the song be?
• Where does each instrument come in?
• How loud should we start?
• What key is the song in?
• Do I know all the chords/can I substitute other chords?
• Does everyone know the song?
• Is anyone playing the same part (e.g. guitars) and should perhaps try something different?
• Who are we following for this song?

Of course, many of these questions by nature should be asked together as a team. This ensures that everyone is on exactly the same page, and has the same point of departure for a song.

Many teams try and rely on 'how we did this last time'. Even if last time was great, the more time that goes by between your 'great performance' and your present one will have an increasingly negative effect on the quality. People forget things at different rates, but everyone forgets (or fools themselves into remembering the way they wanted it to be).

So think before you play. Let your brain take a mental breath every time you approach a song, no matter how long you've been doing it. It will make the difference between okay and excellent.

Beat it!

One of the biggest challenges in leading church worship is how to get the drummer to fit with the rest of the band in presenting songs.

Of course a rock-style or pop-style song is pretty easy, if it's in 4/4 or 3/4. A 6/8 folky number like Getty/Townend's You're the Word of God the Father is also pretty simple to land.

But what about hymns? Always a challenge to find the right way for the drummer to play along for the hymns. The songs have funny beats, the timing is never even, we keep stopping after each verse. How does the drummer make a meaningful contribution to songs like O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing, or There Is A Fountain?

I think there are 3 points to keep in mind

1. Don't feel that you have to play all the time, or that the beat depends on you. These songs tend to be more melody-driven than the rhythm-driven stuff we're used to playing.
2. Keep it authentic. These songs are written with beautiful music, but from a particular musical palette. Learn to play them like that, instead of trying to force them into the rock/pop mould (or worse, the Funk/Disco mould).
3. Learn to use your drums and cymbals to add colour and texture to songs. An almost 'orchestral' style of playing suits hymns much better. Think in little isolated phrases that place emphasis on certain words, or help to move the song between different levels of energy. If you want to get schooled in this style of playing, listen to Matt Sorum's expert touch on Guns N' Roses November Rain, especially the first few verses before the solo section.

Above all, play musically. Your drum kit is not a drum machine, it's a musical instrument, with limitless possibilities for musical expression. Learn what sounds it is capable of making, and use those for God's glory and to serve the community of God's people you find yourself in.