I can remember the days when I used to be in choir and band. I started early. Our church growing up was fanatical about traditional music, and I cut my musical teeth singing in kids choirs and playing trumpet in bands when I was just 6 years old. Now you have to understand that my church’s denomination had a bunch of different congregations that are strangely interconnected. The bands I played in often were a coalescing of many different kids from multiple congregations. Often, when we got together to play in these early groups the goal was for the conductor to get through to us and keep his or her sanity in the process. Not the most ideal place to instruct on the fine art of being a musician.
By the time I was 12 I had gotten pretty good at my trumpet, had on ok voice that I knew how to use in a choral setting, and most importantly I moved across the state of Pennsylvania to a place where the band and choir leader was extraordinarily passionate about good music in our little group of churches. It was in this context that I began to learn the intricacies of what it meant to create, not just great music, but captivating music. His passion was to create musical experiences that left people in awe of the glory of God. To this effect he was one of the first to fervently demand the use of dynamics. He had all sorts of mannerisms and techniques to get us to sing or play with the most delicate softness or to play or sing our lungs out. The result was music that was, even if not always technically perfect, extremely impactful.
Two decades of these lessons and experiences have shown me that this is something that every musician needs to learn. Dynamics are, in my humblest of opinions, the most important part of music expression, especially in worship. Dynamics, more than lyrics, tell the congregation where to go emotionally and thematically. Dynamics add intrigue and vibrancy to music. Dynamics provide extra layers within a song that take it from simply a formulaic construction of chords and notes into an experience. They are, as already expressed, extraordinarily important.
Modern worship music inherently has some dynamics built into the songs. For the guitarists, this most easily seen in construction the guitar parts. For example: the opening of a song often has a single repetitive lead line that is catchy, recognizable, and not too heavy. Then said lead line disappears as the first verse is sung. Then the lead line returns leading into the all-important big chorus distorted guitar rakes. Eventually, these big chords will be accompanied by an even bigger lead line in the bridge to lead up to the final and biggest chorus where are guitarists are going to town (within the worship genre that is). This is the standard dynamic build of nearly every song ever written. So if it built into the song (at least how they are recorded) then why am I bothering to write about it? Because it is too often not enough. To be impactful, to really create the best impact, dynamics are what will take a great song and connect it even more to the worshipper, who will then engage in worship all the more.
I was recently reminded of this effect when someone brought to my attention the song “Here Now (Madness)” by Hillsong United. It is a slow burn to start, and the swell into the bigger ending is so subtle and continuous that it sucks you in without realizing it. We did this song at church a few months ago with the idea that people were mostly supposed to listen and be in the moment while the band played before the countdown to service was over. Being one of the few times I am able to play and worship with little regard to whether the congregation was coming with me, I closed my eyes often, turned to the band more, and genuinely was having a moment playing the song. When I opened my eyes at the end, I was shocked to see the entire congregation on their feet, hands in the air. I was shocked enough to stumble over my welcome to them. People were sucked in.
Now I am not saying this was only because of dynamics, because the Holy Spirit was moving to be sure. But the Holy Spirit is always moving. When we gather, He is always there. What was different was how people were engaging in the presence of the Spirit. They were, I am convinced, drawn in by the atmosphere created by the music. This is fundamentally the role of worship leader and worship musicians. We exist to enhance peoples worship, and actively help or lead them into the act of worshipping God. In a world that is increasingly filled with noise and stimuli, the art of getting people to acknowledge and engage in the presence of God is an increasingly difficult task. The trump card we posses is dynamics.
So to every musician out there I say practice dynamics. Practice listening to the tracks for the week and understanding how the quiet opening can be huge in setting the mood. Practice the art of gradually getting louder. Practice learning how to stop playing when it is not necessary. The results can be…well, dynamic.