How do you get the correct chord voicing?

[bullet1]

Me personally I like CCM but it's not becsaue of the style of play or the phatness of chords.  I like it because it's more worship and it leaves the attention on GOD.  it may sound corny but hey thats why I like it.  I do play in service and when you play that stuff you can;t get all neo-soulish and crazy phat with it.  More melodic and it does bring in a presence whenever I play it.  My organist is rijdiculous and can play anything.  He is hands down nasty.  He has played with Tye and all the big time cats.  He loves to play but when you play that CCM stuff you can just tell he is sooooo bored with it.  He literally just lets me play it on the keyboard and solo's on the organ.  And when he does play and adds those diminished chords and all that crayz stuff it just doesn;t sound right.  It takes away from the song.

[T-Block]

My organist is rijdiculous and can play anything.  He is hands down nasty.  He has played with Tye and all the big time cats.  He loves to play but when you play that CCM stuff you can just tell he is sooooo bored with it.  He literally just lets me play it on the keyboard and solo's on the organ.  And when he does play and adds those diminished chords and all that crayz stuff it just doesn;t sound right.  It takes away from the song.

There are a lot of musicians like that.  They aren't cool unless they can play some wicked runs or phat chords.  People are gonna understand that for the most part when it comes to music, less truly is more.  And just like u said, the focus should be on God anyway so it shouldn't matter.

[under13]

There are a lot of musicians like that.  They aren't cool unless they can play some wicked runs or phat chords.  People are gonna understand that for the most part when it comes to music, less truly is more.  And just like u said, the focus should be on God anyway so it shouldn't matter.

That may be part of it, but I think it comes down to preference. To some people CCM style just sounds wack. Me personaly, I like Some ccm songs, but I dont really care for that guitar driven rock style. And I really cant blame someone for not liking a paticular style of music

[Fenix]

That may be part of it, but I think it comes down to preference. To some people CCM style just sounds wack. Me personaly, I like Some ccm songs, but I dont really care for that guitar driven rock style. And I really cant blame someone for not liking a paticular style of music

Ironically we are really starting to get bored with CCM. Last Wednesday when the P&W leader gave us the song selection it was all CCM. Our bassist was upset but he is so cool you wouldn't even tell. He was like "Do ya'll have ANY other songs but this", the P&W leader was like "No".


RANT

Honestly i like CCM but we as musicians are not being stretched at all as this is all we play. There is barely any incentive to learn harder songs on my part. I started off learning songs from Kirk's Fight of My Life but then stopped cuz i was like "We aren't even going to sing this so why bother." The only time we will play gospel songs is when we have a concert...and then the church hires "professionals" so i don't play in any concerts we do. I just wish someone would take the time out to ask if we can attempt the songs at all. Instead they just go ahead and hire other musicians without thinking how the in-house people feel.

[T-Block]

That may be part of it, but I think it comes down to preference. To some people CCM style just sounds wack. Me personaly, I like Some ccm songs, but I dont really care for that guitar driven rock style. And I really cant blame someone for not liking a paticular style of music

That's also true.

[under13]

Ironically we are really starting to get bored with CCM. Last Wednesday when the P&W leader gave us the song selection it was all CCM. Our bassist was upset but he is so cool you wouldn't even tell. He was like "Do ya'll have ANY other songs but this", the P&W leader was like "No".


RANT

Honestly i like CCM but we as musicians are not being stretched at all as this is all we play. There is barely any incentive to learn harder songs on my part. I started off learning songs from Kirk's Fight of My Life but then stopped cuz i was like "We aren't even going to sing this so why bother." The only time we will play gospel songs is when we have a concert...and then the church hires "professionals" so i don't play in any concerts we do. I just wish someone would take the time out to ask if we can attempt the songs at all. Instead they just go ahead and hire other musicians without thinking how the in-house people feel.

I kinda feel the same way, but my church tries to mix it up, but 2 of our PnW leaders left, and those were the ones that were more into gospel.

ButI just got the list of songs for sunday, and they are all in C and D. I wish we would have more variety in that aspect. I dont think they have ever done a PnW song in Ab or C#. Makes me sick..... D

Thats so disrespectful.

[Fenix]

I kinda feel the same way, but my church tries to mix it up, but 2 of our PnW leaders left, and those were the ones that were more into gospel.

ButI just got the list of songs for sunday, and they are all in C and D. I wish we would have more variety in that aspect. I dont think they have ever done a PnW song in Ab or C#. Makes me sick..... D

Thats so disrespectful.

You know you could always change the key on them. They'd never notice. I've done it once or twice. 

Its not so much the key we play it in as the songs though. I would just love to surprise our congregation with a Kurt Carr or something you know?

[sjonathan02]

This conversation is really, really weird to me. 

[under13]

You know you could always change the key on them. They'd never notice. I've done it once or twice. 

Its not so much the key we play it in as the songs though. I would just love to surprise our congregation with a Kurt Carr or something you know?

Well I'm the 2nd board player, The Pastor plays piano, and he  chooses the keys. Sometimes the singers will choose the key, but he usually pusuades them into D or somethng like that. But whatever........

And thats just wrong, for them to hire other keyboard players for special event. If you are good enough for sunday, you are good enough for whatever other event.

[betnich]

yeah I've got the same problem!    Gospel chords are so "strange" to me!

      Most contemp. Gospel chords seem to have other notes added - 7, 9, 11, 13, sus 2, 4, etc. Neo-soul esp. seems to be based on Jazz voicings...not a lot of triads (3-note chords) there...

[thomassan17]

I am by far the amateur in this conversation. But what works for me is to play what the voices are doing in sections of the song with the bass line. That will give you a wealth of information as far as the progressions go.
  Keep it simple. Sometimes the most awesome sounding stuff is just a Major 2nd away. Be Blessed!!!

[betnich]

Ironically we are really starting to get bored with CCM. Last Wednesday when the P&W leader gave us the song selection it was all CCM. Our bassist was upset but he is so cool you wouldn't even tell. He was like "Do ya'll have ANY other songs but this", the P&W leader was like "No".
RANT

Honestly i like CCM but we as musicians are not being stretched at all as this is all we play. There is barely any incentive to learn harder songs on my part. I started off learning songs from Kirk's Fight of My Life but then stopped cuz i was like "We aren't even going to sing this so why bother." The only time we will play gospel songs is when we have a concert...and then the church hires "professionals" so i don't play in any concerts we do. I just wish someone would take the time out to ask if we can attempt the songs at all. Instead they just go ahead and hire other musicians without thinking how the in-house people feel.

Could I borrow your RANT mode?

To me CCM is tolerable if it's fast and has a BEAT. But all too many are slow 'zone-out' navel-gazing type songs. Even Israel is guilty of this, with 'Alpha and Omega' (a good worship song, btw). If a song is well-made and done it can be repeated over and over in worship. But IMO all too much CCM is shoddily made, with shallow 'boyfriend' lyrics tacked on...

[T-Block]

But all too many are slow 'zone-out' navel-gazing type songs.

Those are the types I like the most. I love slow/worship music.  The fast stuff is great as well, but that worship is where it's at, even in gospel or whatever genre of music there is for me.

[sjonathan02]

Those are the types I like the most. I love slow/worship music.  The fast stuff is great as well, but that worship is where it's at, even in gospel or whatever genre of music there is for me.

Indeed.

[Fenix]

Could I borrow your RANT mode?

To me CCM is tolerable if it's fast and has a BEAT. But all too many are slow 'zone-out' navel-gazing type songs. Even Israel is guilty of this, with 'Alpha and Omega' (a good worship song, btw). If a song is well-made and done it can be repeated over and over in worship. But IMO all too much CCM is shoddily made, with shallow 'boyfriend' lyrics tacked on...

Actually its the other way around for me. I love the slow worship stuff. I mean, Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God" has got to be one the best sons i have ever heard. I don't ever want to try and "gospelize" that song.

The issue we are having in our church is that the Praise sons are CCM. I don't know that CCM is good for praise...i personally don't like praise CCM songs. What i would love us to do in church is to play gospel songs for praise and then switch up to CCm for worship.

OH and Alpha and Omega drives the congregation wild!! I mean people go IN when we start the song off. It is incredible!! I don't think Israel purposely made that song, it sounds like a song that came from deep within your spirit. maybe in a time of intense worship it just came forth. The song, when played in the right atmosphere, is incredibly powerful.

[sjonathan02]

Actually its the other way around for me. I love the slow worship stuff. I mean, Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God" has got to be one the best sons i have ever heard. I don't ever want to try and "gospelize" that song.

The issue we are having in our church is that the Praise sons are CCM. I don't know that CCM is good for praise...i personally don't like praise CCM songs. What i would love us to do in church is to play gospel songs for praise and then switch up to CCm for worship.

OH and Alpha and Omega drives the congregation wild!! I mean people go IN when we start the song off. It is incredible!! I don't think Israel purposely made that song, it sounds like a song that came from deep within your spirit. maybe in a time of intense worship it just came forth. The song, when played in the right atmosphere, is incredibly powerful.

a. You are SO right, when you speak about that song.

b. People have ALREADY 'gospelized' it.

c. Alpha & Omega is a South African song, originally.

[Fenix]

b. People have ALREADY 'gospelized' it.

 

I can imagine folks'll be throwin' in tri-tones and altered chords and all sortsa crazy runs and stuff.

[T-Block]

I can imagine folks'll be throwin' in tri-tones and altered chords and all sortsa crazy runs and stuff.

Sadly, I've done this.  I gotta throw in my 7-3-6 progression wit the dom7. (#5/#9) chord, LOL.

[betnich]

I guess my issue is not so much with the style as with the balance - Fenix's comment about all-CCM Praise set rings true. And I have been guilty of gospelizing chords/feel on some songs....

[bullet1]

I think when you get into music and certain songs you should never be stuck in a box.  The song should be chosen by the moment or atmosphere you are in.  Too many people get stuck on what they like and what they want to hear.  Why not listen to the spirit and what God is calling for at the moment.  Whether your pentecostal, baptist whatever.  Listen to God and a simple 1-4 progression when done at the right moment will sound like angels singing. 

I personally love songs like how great is our god, here i am to worship, you are my all and all.  I also like gospel stuff, but if you play some of the ccm stuff at the wrong moment you are going to put folk to sleep! 

It's all about the moment and what's going on at the moment not what you can play and how phat you can make the song!