You all have stated quite a bit of truths about us organists/keyboardists.
I've run across some that would share, wouldn't share, shared in part, and shared all they had. I think for those who are beginners or just those who are looking to broaden their scope, should uderstain an important key that one of our fellow musician stated which is: there is more to palying phat chords than seeing it and playing it. Your comprehension must develop as well. When i speak of comprehension I not just speaking mentally but your hearing as well must develop it must become more alert and aware of musical posibilities. For example before kim burell surfaced on the market, alot of musicians weren't playing that kind of flava. fred hammond and etc. was more of the advanced style then. but we added her style to our music library our hearing opened up in a different way. It was as if we couldn't hear but then she opend a door that unlocked our hearing. now musicians are flooding there shedd time atmosphere with kim, doobie, j.Moss, tonex,etc. and over time that which we have been listening to as gradually overtaken our outlook and aproach to playing. Have you ever been around a musician that sound just like he plays for kim and every song he plays whether it be christian worship, gospel woship, urban praise and worship, gospel choir,etc. they lack in versatility, everything sounds the same, same chords, same progressions, same modulations, same licks? and if you ask them they couldn't even recognize it. That's what i mean when i say it takes you over and changes your outlook and approach. and this is because it's all you hear even when you're not listening to music.
Finally, all of us who are seeking to grow musically must remember, we are not what we do If we look to God for our identity and significance since we are made in His image and likeness and have His HolySpirit within us, instead of asking our gift to define who we are and determine our worth, I know we will be able to share what has been given to us as a privilege by God with out feeling lesser of a person as we did before we shared our musical understanding with our brother or sister. If we don't start walking in this light we will never accomplish purpose and destiny; as well as cause other's to become victims of our hurricane-like attitudes because of our insecurites and frustations. let me pose this question: what happens if our hands get's damaged? does the will of God cease to be performed in our life? i think not. our gift is one of many vehicles God uses to perform His will through and for us. David went from being the worshipping shepherd, to the ministering minstrel, to the warrior - King, to the Administor - King.
One thing i have learned is to be faithful and fruitful to my assignments/ titles while wearing them loosley so that when God changes my assignments He will find that my devotion is to the goal and not the method, Him and not my signficance. if we don't grasp this we can easily slip into idolatry. God wants to take us from glory to glory just like abram became abraham, moses the murderer to moses the deliverer, Jesus with us - His earthly ministry to Jesus in us His heavenly ministry. Some of may be saying where did this spring up from? See, while some of us may sympathize with the musician who seeking more musical understanding, I sympathize with both he and the musicians we all have encountered with that are searching for significance and victimizing people with their selfishness and so forth. Love you guys...
