Clickable Contents Product Disclaimer 3 Preface 4 Tip 1 - The importance of Contrast 5 Dynamics Chart 6 Dynamic Levels of a Typical 7 Worship Song Dynamics (Loudness) 8 Movement (Activity Level) 9 Texture (Chord Thickness) 10 Pitch Range 11 Tip 2 - The Everlasting 1 and 5 12 Everlasting 1 and 5 Contrast Tips 13 Tip 3 - Develop Your Own Style 15 BONUS: Practice Tips 16 Final Tips from Sandra 17 2
Product Disclaimer The content in this book is written by Sandra Chen. The information is designed to help worship keyboardists toward playing more effectively when worshipping God. It does not guarantee immediate or eventual success. If you are an individual who would like to achieve your keyboard-playing and musicianship goals even more quickly, please seek out a worship keyboard teacher. The information and other material available from this guide come from the personal experiences of Sandra Chen Lau. Accordingly the information and material in this guide is copyright, 2015 Sandra Chen Lau, with all rights reserved. Therefore, no part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted, or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author. Users of this guide are advised to do their own due diligence when it comes to making keyboard-playing decisions. By reading this guide, you agree that I am not responsible for the success or failure of your keyboard-playing decisions relating to any information presented in this guide. 3
Preface Hello there! Thanks for reading this quick guide! I wrote it for the sole purpose of empowering fellow musicians through sharing specific aspects of worship keyboard playing. My ideas are birthed from the amalgamation of all that I ve learned through numerous fantastic piano and keyboard teachers, 24 years of playing Classical piano, and 14 years of playing worship keyboard (at the time of writing). The greatest glory belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ who saved me and nurtured me to be the keyboardist I am today. This quick guide serves as my opportunity to bless Him and others just as I ve been blessed - Luke 12:48 says it best: much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater. As such, I really hope you ll find the ideas in this quick guide helpful to your development as a worship keyboardist. If at any point of reading this guide you have any questions, please don t hesitate to contact me through any of the links below. Even if you don t have any questions, I d love to hear from you too! Here s to an even more inspired worship-keyboard experience ahead of all of us. God bless you richly! Sandra Chen PS: If you found this guide helpful and would like to share it with your friends, please don t share this PDF directly with them. Rather, tell them to subscribe to my email newsletter - they not only get this awesome guide for free, they ll also be in the know when I have news and updates! Thanks! 4
TIP 1: The Secret to Playing Well - to play with ENOUGH CONTRAST Ever heard music that makes you want to fall asleep? It s because the music sounds the same for too long a time. Our ears register the music we hear and it sounds alright at first because it started out fresh, but after too much repetition, the sound becomes dull and we start losing attention and interest. An effective way to keep our playing fresh is to introduce enough contrast for each musical phrase (usually 4, 8, or 16 bars, depending on the song tempo). Never play 2 musical phrases the same way. So, what exactly should we change in the music? Music is made up of many aspects, or elements, such as: pitch range (low, mid, high registers) dynamics (loud, moderately soft, soft, very soft) articulation (short and jumpy, or connected and smooth) movement (busy with lots of running notes, or still with a long sustained note) texture (thick texture = lots of notes are played at one time, thin texture = just 1 or 2 notes played at one time) rhythm patterns melody (harmonized or not harmonized) When playing one musical phrase differently from another, try varying 1 or more musical elements mentioned above. The Dynamics Chart next page shows how I would play various sections of a song differently. 5
Dynamics Chart When I play a worship song, I consciously plan the way I play according to Dynamic Levels - there s about 4 distinct levels (and 2 which I find are sort of in between). Dynamic Level Dynamics/ Loudness Movement/ Activity Texture (Chord thickness) LH=Left hand RH=Right hand Pitch Range 1 Soft / Very soft Sparse, sustained LH: 1 note chords RH: 1 or 2 notes Low to Middle 2 Moderately soft Chords on the beat LH: 1 note RH: 2 or 3-note chords Low to Middle 2.5 Moderately loud Chords on the beat with fills LH: 1 note RH: 3-notes chords Low to Upper Middle 3 Loud Chords on the beat with fills LH: Octave doubling RH: 3 or 4-notes chords Very Low to High 3.5 Very loud Chords on the beat, or with relentless running notes LH: Octave doubling RH: 3 or 4-note chords, or running notes Very Low to Very High 4 Very loud Relentless running notes LH: Octave doubling RH: 3 or 4-note chords, or running notes with octave doubling Super Low to Super High A note about the chart: It shows what is usually observed, but its contents are definitely not set in stone! The next chart shows how I would apply this to a typical worship song. 6
Dynamic Levels of a Typical Worship Song Here s how I would use the Dynamics Chart in a typical worship song. Section of song Dynamics Level Intro 1 Verse 1 1 Pre-chorus 1 1, with a little more movement Chorus 1 2 Interlude 2.5 Verse 2 2.5 Pre-Chorus 2 2.5, with a little more movement Chorus 2 (might repeat) 3 Bridge (might include interlude before Bridge) 3.5 Chorus 3 (sharp drop) 1 Chorus 3 (super high) 3.5 or 4 Ending / Outro 4 Again, this chart shows what s observed in a typical worship song. Dynamics levels can vary from song to song. The point here is this: Notice how there are many different dynamic levels within a song. For the next worship song you play, (1) try to identify which dynamic level you should play during which section, and (2) try to make each dynamic level distinct. By introducing contrast to sections, you help to sustain listeners interest and attention, which also helps them to better connect with God when worshipping in song. Next Page: I delve deeper into each musical element - dynamics (loudness), movement (activity), texture (chord thickness), and pitch range. 7
Dynamics (Loudness) This simply refers to how loud or soft you play. Try to be able to achieve at least 5 distinct levels soft, moderately soft, moderately loud, loud, and very loud. Tip: Imagine you have a volume knob in your head. As you jump to the next loudness level, turn the imaginary knob. Your ears should be able to pick up the difference between each loudness level! Level 5: Very Loud Level 4: Loud Level 3: Moderately loud Level 2: Moderately soft Level 1: Soft MIN MAX VOLUME
Movement (Activity) Level The less movement, the calmer the music, and the less notes you play throughout the bar. E.g. Long notes held throughout the bar. The more movement, the busier the music, and the more notes you play throughout the bar. E.g. semiquavers or triplets throughout the whole bar. Here s my choice of movement level based on dynamic levels. Note: All music examples in this guide are based in the key of C Major (since it s the easiest major key with no need for sharps or flats). Dynamic Level 1: Sparse, long sustained notes Dynamic Level 2: Chords on the beat Dynamic Level 3: Chords on the beat mixed with some running notes Dynamic Level 4: Relentless running notes
Texture (Chord Thickness) Think of a note as a layer, which makes a thin texture. Many notes will mean many layers, which creates a thick texture. Below are examples of textures I will use from dynamic levels 1 to 4. Dynamic Level 1: LH 1 note, RH 1 or 2 notes, Dynamic Level 2: LH 1 note, RH 2 or 3-notechords Dynamic Level 3: LH octave doubling, RH 3 or 4-note chords Dynamic Level 4: LHL octave doubling, RH 3 or 4-note chords or running notes with octave doubling 10
Pitch Range These range brackets are an approximate estimation only. You can certainly exceed the range by a few notes! Dynamic Level 1: Low to Middle Dynamic Level 2: Low to Middle / Upper Middle Dynamic Level 3: Very Low to High / Very High Dynamic Level 4: Super Low to Super High 11
TIP 2: Everlasting 1 and 5 This is my favourite secret weapon, especially when I m playing in an unfamiliar key. It seriously simplifies contemporary worship playing! What is 1 and 5? 1 and 5 refer to notes based on the scale degree of the key. For example, if the song is in C Major, 1 and 5 refer to C and G. If the song is in A Major, 1 and 5 refer to A and E. Why is it everlasting? Because the song sounds surprisingly good when the 1 and 5 notes are played throughout the entire song (with some tiny tweaks when using certain chords, which I ll explain below). Normal Example: Everlasting 1 and 5 Example: You can see this really simplifies the right hand part! However, playing the everlasting 1 and 5 throughout in the same way directly contradicts my earlier pages about introducing enough contrast to create musical interest and sustain attention! As such, I have the following tips to share at the next page on how we can vary the everlasting 1 and 5 application to create subtle but refreshing contrasts. 12
Everlasting 1 and 5 Contrast Tips Contrast Tip 1: Chord V Chord V ( V being 5 in Roman Numerals) refers to the chord built on the 5th note of the scale degree. For example, chord V of C Major is G Chord - G B D. Chord V of A Major is E Chord - E G# B. Chord V is made up of the scale degrees 5, 7, and 2. The 1 in Everlasting 1 and 5 clashes against the 7 and 2 in chord V, which causes a minor dissonance. As such, when I play chord V, I ll tweak my 1 such that it goes down just one step to 7. This makes the chord sound much better. Example: The 1 (C Note) is lowered by one step to 7 (B Note) which harmonizes more nicely in Chord V (made up of GBD) Contrast Tip 2: Use a tiny suspension at Chord V In music, suspension refers to a quick moment of dissonance due to a clash of notes. After a suspension comes a resolution, a moment that feels good because the clash gets resolved. Here, I purpose use a suspension (C first then B) which I feel gives a richer sense of the harmony. Example: The C Note ( 1 ) is first played to create some clash and tension. This is the tiny suspension note. The suspension C note ( 1 ) is lowered by one step, which then becomes B note ( 7 ), which resolves nicely with chord V comprising notes GBD. 13
Everlasting 1 and 5 Contrast Tips Contrast Tip 3: Vary the range and texture of the 1 and 5 Examples: Contrast Tip 4: Vary the rhythm pattern (i.e. the movement/activity level) of the 1 and 5 Examples: Give this a try. I think you ll find worship keyboard super easy (and good sounding too!) by applying the Everlasting 1 and 5. 14
TIP 3: Develop Your Own Style If we are songwriters, we would each write songs that are different. If we are worship keyboardists, we would also each play in a unique way unto the Lord. It s OK to begin by copying a certain keyboardist s style of playing, but you can also eventually develop your own style a way of playing that delights you the most, that best fits your personality, that best expresses worship to Jesus. Here s how you can develop your own style: What are some of your favourite worship songs? (Songs which you can listen on repeat forever and still have this mysterious sense of euphoria rising within whenver you hear them!) Which are your favourite worship moments within those songs? What chords, riffs, chord progressions, and ideas were used during those awesome moments? (1) (2) (3) (4) Go listen to those moments as many times as you require. Try to reproduce it in your playing. Memorize it, then Try to apply it in similar context for other worship songs. These initially imitated ideas will eventually be applied in applied in your own uinque way. It s kind of like memorizing new vocabulary and then applying it in your speaking and writing. 15
BONUS: Practice Tips Practicing can be a pain, but not if you apply these tips. ( 1 ) Practice difficult parts in small chunks. Break what you need to practice into 2 or 3-note fragments instead of attempting a whole slew of notes in one go. ( 2 ) When practicing the difficult fragment, start slow. VERY slow. Then gradually get faster, and faster, until you can execute at actual speed. ( 3 ) Repetition works wonders when practicing difficult fragments. However, allow yourself only a certain number of repeats, say 10 repeats. With each repeat, make sure you are constantly improving (instead of repeating mindlessly). By the 10th time, you should be able to execute perfectly without looking at your fingers. The goal is to partially or fully memorize it, and to let muscle memory take over. 16
Final Tips from Sandra Let your ears be the judge! No matter what you ve picked up from this quick guide or from others, always ask if you like what you re hearing! Your ears can give you some fantastic information towards becoming an awesome worship keyboardist. No excuses: Serve in your worship team! There s no better way than to just start serving in your church. If you are feeling like you need to get better at your playing skills before serving, think again - the only way you re going to get better is to play on a regular basis for a real audience. So I d say Step 1 to improving as a worship keyboardist is to sign up with your church worship team if you haven t already! Don t forget that cell group worship contexts are also fantastic for learning how to play without a full band (which requires you to play even fuller on the keyboard). Like what you re learning in this free PDF? You re going to love the 31 Days to Better Worship Keyboard Playing e-book. Thank you so much! I really hope these quick tips have helped you in your worship keyboard playing! I also really appreciate you for taking the time to read. If you have any comments, feedback, or questions about the contents in this guide, or you might even like some online keyboard lessons from me, just send me an email at sandra@inspiredkeys.com, If you d like to supercharge your worship keys learning complete with mentoring, Q&A, unlimited access to worship keys video courses, community support, and feedback on your playing, be sure to learn more about the Inspired Keys Academy! Lastly, if you haven t already, you can) subscribe to my email newsletter, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, and add me on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks again, and I wish you more glorious days playing for the Lord! Sandra Chen www.inspiredkeys.com 17