TWLL #56: Technical Skill & Musical Feel

read time: 5 minutes

___________________

Over the years I’ve led worship sets with the support of some amazing people- gifted musicians who play with Brooke Ligertwood, Brandon Lake, United Pursuit, Upper Room, and others.  And as I’ve led worship with these musicians, I’ve observed that what makes them great musically isn’t primarily their technical skill.

Though they are skilled with their instruments no question, what sets them apart musically is how they play their instruments- the emotion, the sensitivity, and the feel they put into their playing.

I want to share a few thoughts about technical skill, musical sensitivity, and hopefully give some vision for ourselves and our worship teams.

Technical Skill 

I'm a believer in developing technical skill with our voices and instruments.  In my own musical journey I started classical piano at age 8, and studied all the way through college as a music major (piano major/vocal minor).

The technical tools and skills I gained through all the training was incredibly valuable and I don't regret what I did for those 14 years.  When I lead worship I use those skills- and they give me greater freedom to focus on Jesus, along with greater musical freedom.

But with that said, when it comes to music, technical skill is just part of the equation.

A Story

I was leading worship for a conference years ago, with maybe 15,000 in the room.  And in that context I did something I do not recommend- but just follow with me here for a minute.

I didn't have an electric guitarist on my team at the time, so I brought in a substitute guitarist who did not practice with us ahead of time!!! 

Also, the guitarist I selected was not the most technically advanced guitarist where I was serving.  There were other guitarists who knew their way around the fretboard better, and could shred all over the place.

But the reason I picked this guitarist, and felt confident to pull him in last minute was because of his musical sensitivity and feel.  When he played his guitar, he played with emotion.  The tone was right, the vibe was right, and the sensitivity was there.

I knew I could bring him into our band context and he would blend with and add to the overall musical sound, because of his sensitivity and feel.  And he did.

Musical Sensitivity, Emotion, And Feel

When you play an instrument or sing with your voice, it's not just about the notes you're playing or singing.  It's about the way you play or sing those notes.  

You could approach it more mechanically, colder, and more stoic.  Or you could play/sing in a way that's overflowing with life- with feeling, with emotion, with energy, and passion.

It's these dynamics that take the music further than a technically challenging and perfectly executed vocal run or guitar riff.

When someone can sense the joy, the grief, the peace, or the tension through what's being sung or played, the music has gone to another level.

Goals

As much as we want to grow in our musical skill from a practical/technical perspective (which is good), we also want to become students of musical expression and emotion.  

We want to able to recognize and identify the passion, the sensitivity, and the energy a song is being sung or played with, and then aim to do this ourselves when we sing or play our instruments.

Maybe it doesn't take the practice time that technical skill development needs, but it does take our awareness and our presence.  It means that when we sing or play, we're present and in the moment.  Which also addresses the question of performance vs. authenticity (keep reading).

Authenticity And Being Present

What about authenticity in all of this- specifically for us as worship leaders?  Are we supposed to just "turn on" the emotion?  Put on a show for the people?  Fake it?

No.  It means that we as worship leaders learn to become more present when we lead worship- more present to Jesus, more present to our own hearts, and more present to the room.  When we're living in the moment and are present, we're able to naturally and authentically access and express the emotion that's already there inside of us.

When we're present, the feeling and energy we're wanting to communicate naturally starts to flow out of us as we play, as we sing, and as we lead the room in worship to Jesus.

Conclusion

When you think about musical development- whether it's for yourself or for your worship team- yes, think about technical training.  Think about lessons and practice.  

But also think about musical sensitivity, energy, and feel.  Have a vision for musical expression and emotion, and put that vision in front of yourself and your team as you aim to grow together musically.

_________________

Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you: 

1. The Connection-Based Spontaneous Worship Course.  If spontaneous worship has been a struggle, you might want to check out Connection-Based Spontaneous Worship.  It's a self-guided, self-paced course that empowers you to lead spontaneous worship with confidence, enables your musicians to flow with you, and helps your room engage.  

2- Join A Zoom Group.  Every 3 months I host small zoom groups- one focused on worship leading and one on songwriting.  Each group meets once a week for an hour on Zoom over a 12-week period, as we walk through the process of learning to leading worship/write songs out of connection with Jesus.  For more details about the next upcoming zoom group, including schedule & cost, email me at [email protected]