What To Do When the Music Stops

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Have you ever been accompanying and had the singer or instrumentalist stop in the middle of the song? Maybe they forgot the words, maybe they started to cry, or maybe they turned too many pages at once, etc.

We all hope these scenarios never happen, but they probably will sometime. Here are a couple examples that happened to me:

·         Instrumentalist – forgot to take a repeat, realized the mistake, stopped and started again. (This is particularly tough because instrumentalists do not have words that you can follow!)

·         Small vocal ensemble – Half the group paused for the interlude while the other half started right into the next verse. I kept playing (something) and waited to see what the majority would do.

·         Soloist – started the song on the wrong note, stopped and asked me to start the song over again.

·         Soloist – overcome with the emotion of the song, stopped and asked me to start over at the second verse of the song.

It is the least distracting if the music continues playing while the musicians get their composure or find their place. Since this does not always happen, we just have to make the best of it. It is always a good idea to discuss this possibility in practice and have a plan in case one of these scenarios happens in performance.

Introducing New Music

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Last night, we introduced a theme chorus for our Missions Conference to the congregation. The song leader sang through the chorus once to let the congregation hear the tune. Then the congregation joined as he sang the chorus again twice through.

I knew that no one in the congregation had heard the song before (because I knew the song had only been written a few weeks before the conference)! Since the congregation unconsciously follows the piano, it was important for me to bring out the melody while they sang. Once they become more familiar with the song, I will branch out and add more “accompaniment.” For now, I need to remember that they still need the support of the melody on the piano.

Keep the following in mind when introducing a new song in church:

1.       Keep the tempo at a moderate speed. The congregation is trying to learn a new melody and new words at the same time – make it as easy as possible for them.

 

2.       Emphasize the melody. This is always important, but even more so if the congregation only has the words of the song. Their ears are relying on the piano to give them the tune.

 

3.       Listen to the congregation. Get a feel of how quickly they pick up the song. Adjust your playing (tempo, style, etc.) accordingly.

Musicians enjoy learning new music, and I am sure the congregation feels the same way. Do your part as the accompanist and make the learning process as smooth as possible. Follow the steps listed above and you will be able to add your own accompaniment in no time!

Transposing “In the Moment”

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Transposition is a basic fundamental for all church accompanists. I am often asked to transpose a song to better fit a singer’s range. Usually, though, I have time to practice the chords or even write the chords on the music. Every now and then I have to transpose on the spot, which is what happened in this morning’s service.

During the invitation, I started playing the song using the key in the hymnbook. My song leader started to sing the first verse. The song was “Great is Thy Faithfulness” which does get somewhat high for a solo. Coming to the end of the verse, he motioned for me to transpose the song to a lower key. My mind frantically scrambled to think of what key I would go to and what chords I would need to use to get there. Thankfully, the pastor said a few words in between verses which allowed me to transition the song to the lower key.

I will confess that I did not play the song perfect in the new key. But I kept the bass notes correct, played the melody in the right hand, and just kept going. At least my song leader did not have to strain to sing the rest of the song!

Have you had any “in the moment” experiences? I would love to hear them!

Music Endurance

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Depending on your church’s order of service, you (the church accompanist) might play for about twenty minutes, or at least sit at the piano for that long. When you leave the piano for the message, you might only have to play again for the invitation.

In our church, the offering occurs at the end of the service. This week is my turn to play the offertory, and I have been requested to play a “big” song. Last night, I went to our church auditorium and practiced on the grand piano. I wanted to get a realistic feel of the sound quality, so I turned on the sound system. Wow, it was loud (which was good)! My overall practice lasted about an hour and fifteen minutes. During that time, I practiced my offertory at least ten times (sorry, I did not keep count). The first several times were horrible! My hands were cold, my reactions were slow and my head was pounding.

I took a break from that song and played some other songs for fun. Then I came back to the offertory and played it again. Finally, it sounded decent! Some spots were still shaky, so I singled out those areas and worked out the kinks. I played the song a couple more times until I felt very confident with the results.

As church accompanists, we play for many elements in the service – preludes, choir, hymns, special music, and offertories. All elements have importance to the service. With the offering at the end of the service, this is the last music the congregation will hear before leaving. My responsibility is to leave them with a positive reflection of the service. Therefore, I need to have the endurance to give it my best for every element – especially the offertory!

Of course, I cannot accomplish this on my own. The Lord gives me the strength and ability to play every Sunday. Everything I do is for His glory. I am prepared as much as possible; now I just have to rely on Him and enjoy the song!

Platform Logistics

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How is your church platform set up? How well can you see the pulpit? Do you have enough room to sit comfortably on the bench?

These seemingly little details make a big difference. I played in one church where the piano faced an outside wall. My back was to the choir director – not the best situation!

My preference is to watch the faces or mouths of the people for whom I am accompanying. This way I can be sensitive to any catch breaths, tempo changes, etc. We have a digital piano in our church that sits farther back of the stage, making the angle difficult for accompanying. I have to be even more attentive when playing on the digital piano for this reason. It is important to be able to follow the performer.

Keep your area around the piano neat and organized! Music books stacked on the piano are distracting to the audience. Take your music with you when you leave the piano or set it down out of sight. Our pianos have shelves next to them for storing the hymnbooks and other music. These are relatively new additions and I love them already!

Do you have any tips for improving visualization at the piano? What methods do you use to keep your music organized?

Are You Feeling Intimidated?

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If you are just getting started with accompanying, do not be intimidated by the music! Be encouraged and motivated to learn a new skill – a much-desired skill in churches!

I have tried to list a few practical steps for those of you just getting your feet wet.

1.   Know the song. You might get music for a song you have never heard – see if you can find a recording of the song to help you become familiar with it.

2.   Practice on your own. Go through the song on your own practice time before you schedule a practice time with the individual. You will play more comfortably and your singer will feel more confident, too.

3.   Make notes on the music. Mark up the music if you are able. I have learned that relying on my memory does not always work. If an interlude is needed between verses, I will make a notation of that on the music. Use pencil, though, especially if the music is not yours.

4.   Rehearse as you will perform. Practice with the sound equipment on in the auditorium. Pretend as if you are in the service. Play with the same intensity and emotion that you would in the moment. Watch the performer and follow his lead.

5.   Learn from mistakes. Use mistakes in practice as a learning tool. Often, someone will come in at the wrong time (in practice). I might point it out and rehearse that part again. In my mind, though, I know that they might come in wrong during the service. So, I’ll watch them even closer during that section and follow them, even if it means skipping a measure to keep up with them.

Accompanying is a challenge, but it is also very rewarding! Do not be discouraged if not every song goes as planned. Remember that we are ultimately playing for the Lord and giving our best is what He desires. Practice, prepare, and then leave the outcome up to Him!

Accompanist’s Analogy from the Olympics

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(NOTE: This article was first published during the 2010 Winter Olympics.)

Last night, Olympic history was set in the pairs figure skating competition. I watched as gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded to the best figure skaters in the world. During the competition, however, something else caught my attention.

The couples had four minutes or so to combine technical skills with artistic grace and make it look easy in the process. Of course, they all had music to help them accomplish this task. One couple fell on a jump; another lost hold of a lift; even another just slipped on the ice. But the music kept going. Just because a mishap occurred on the ice did not mean that the music paused while they regained their composure. All of the skaters had to catch up or keep up with the music. However, every couple finished their routine strong.

The same is true with accompanying. How many of us have made mistakes during a song? We all have to some degree. But the song continues on. We do not pause in the middle of the song or go back and play a section again. Our job is to keep up with the singer, even if we have to skip measures or catch back up.

Don’t let a mistake fluster you during a song. Keep going, support the singer, and finish strong!

Several Styles – One Accompanist

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In life, no one is the same.  Different personalities, looks, and speech all contribute to a person’s individuality. The same is true in music. Singers and instrumentalists have their own styles.

Get to know the styles of the people you accompany. As you practice with a soloist, be observant to different needs. You might need to emphasize the melody as you play to give a soloist more confidence. If timing is an issue, accent the downbeat of each measure to keep a group’s timing together.

Whenever I practice for special music, I always ask the soloist or ensemble the following questions:

1.       Are you comfortable with the tempo of the song?

2.       Do you need to rehearse a specific part for rhythm, notes, etc.?

3.       Do you need an interlude to catch your breath?

4.       Will you repeat anything at the end of the song?

These elements will make them feel more comfortable with the song and more comfortable with their accompanist. Plus, you will feel better prepared and more capable to do your job.

Cater to the needs of your people and they will appreciate you more for it.

Accompanist vs. Pianist

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What is the big deal about accompanying? You are just playing the piano, right? Actually, accompanying is playing the piano with a slight twist.

An accompanist is a pianist, but not just a pianist. The job of an accompanist is to support – whether that be a soloist, vocal ensemble, choir, orchestra, instrumentalist, etc. Making the other person look good is my goal when I accompany. The people should be able to relax and enjoy the music they are presenting, not worry that the speed will be right or the notes played incorrectly.

In the church setting, our job is even more important. We are to support the special music in such a way that all the attention and glory goes to the Lord, not to the person or group. We are the foundation that steadies the special music presentation. If we fall or waver, we risk crumbling the influence that one song might have to bring someone closer to Christ.

I will explore more thoughts on this topic as we go along, but remember that accompanying is a team effort!

Weirdest Experience by Far

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I promise – this really did happen! I was accompanying a special music group and had my music spread out across the piano. During the song, the air conditioning blew one of the pages, the last page, off the piano onto the floor. Thankfully, it landed with the music facing up. My mind started racing. What was I going to do when I needed that page?

Picture this: I was on the stage, about two steps up from the main floor. The page fell on the right side of the piano – the side that faced the congregation. Remember, I was playing the pedal with my right foot. So, I switched my left foot to the (right) pedal, leaving my right foot free to move. My right foot stretched to the music and turned it around so that it faced me. When I reached that point of the song, I just looked at the page on the floor and read the music from there! Whew – what a scary moment! I’m not sure what I would have done if the page have flipped over or flew farther away from me. Now I always check for air drafts, plus I use page protectors to secure the sheet music.

Has something like this ever happened to you?