When I let people be amazing at what they do, things change.” – Brian Johnson

Today we welcome Brian Johnson back to the podcast. Brian & his wife Jenn lead the amazing ministry that is Bethel Music. The sheer number of great songs & amazing artists on the Bethel roster is quite remarkable.

I wanted to talk to Brian about the early days of Bethel Music and some of the values he built into the culture early on. We talk about leadership, how to lead leaders, songwriting, the new album, and more.

Enjoy!

Click to Listen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

[Read more…]

Good art invites the listener to have as big a part of the interpretation as the one saying it.” – David Gungor

No one would debate that 2016 was a polarizing year. But in the midst of such political unrest & cultural anxiety, The Brilliance created a record. And a beautiful one at that.

David Gungor & John Arndt have been creating beautiful music for the last few years that has challenged and inspired many. In this conversation we talk about the new record, songs in church, and living lives of love.

Don’t miss it!

Click to Listen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

[Read more…]

The writing process is always hard, but if you keep pushing through it you get more adjusted to the difficulty of writing songs.” – Ryan O’Neal

If there’s anyone who knows how to write lyrics and melodies, it’s Ryan O’Neal from Sleeping at Last. For years I’ve been inspired by how Ryan approaches his craft – with discipline, hard work, joy, and purity. If you’ve never heard his music, you’re welcome. Now is the time.

Ryan isn’t your typical musician – rather than releasing an album every 3 years, he releases new songs every month. He’s done this for years now and it has worked incredibly well for him. In addition to all his albums and projects, his music has been featured on TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Ellen, So You Think You Can Dance, and commercials for Mercedes Benz, Budweiser, and more.

Trust me, his music will help you savor life more, persevere through hard times more, and help you see the beauty in all things.

Today we talk about creative process, lyric writing, software instruments, recording, production, movies, and more. Let me know what you think!

Click to Listen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

[Read more…]

We find a sound and we’re like, ‘Wow, that’s nothing like what we want’ and we just screw it up until it sounds like something neat.” – Chris Greely

What happens on stage is only a fraction of what it takes to have great services at church. Without skilled, smart, and worshipful people running production, everything is a mess.

That’s why I wanted to bring Chris Greely on the podcast. Chris works for Bethel Music as a producer, live sound engineer, and mixer, working with a stellar team of guys like Gabriel Wilson, Bobby Strand, Garrett Viggers, Daniel Mackenzie, & Michael Pope. He has worked on the albums Without Words, We Will Not Be Shaken, You Make Me Brave, Have it All, the upcoming live album, and many others.

In this chat we talk about the ins and outs of church sound, producing albums, video games, how to get a great mix, gear, and more. Be sure to share this with your production team!

Enjoy!

Click to Listen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

[Read more…]

Draw your inspiration from the one who inspires, not from a secondhand revelation.” – Josh Silverberg

How would you like to sit down in the studio of a successful producer in Christian music and learn about music production? That’s what this conversation with Josh Silverberg feels like.

Josh is an incredible producer & songwriter in Nashville who has produced The Newsboys, Jordan Feliz, Urban Rescue, & Audio Adrenaline, to name a few. Some of his more recent songs are with Jesus Culture – “In the River” and “Miracles”, as well as the hit single by Jordan Feliz, “The River.”

In this interview we talk about Josh’s mindset as a producer, what gear you need to get started, what makes hit songs, and even some stories of healing and the power of God.

Enjoy!

Click to Listen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Show Sponsor

Today’s podcast is brought to you by Coresound. Coresound is an amazing new company that provides pad loops for your worship services.

What are pad loops, you may say? Essentially, it’s like the best keyboard sound or guitar swell you’ve ever heard, sitting underneath your live worship team. It’s helps to create a beautiful, patient atmosphere for your worship team and fill out the sound.

They’re a great investment if you have a smaller worship team or if you have a large team but want to create a bigger sound and improve your transitions. We’ve used them quite a bit at my church. We’ve actually done a two piece setup with me on a guitar, pad loops, and a drum pad and it sounds HUGE. And of all the pads I’ve tried, Coresound are the best sounding. By far.

I have the Deluxe bundle which comes with 6 different sounding pads in all 12 keys. It’s amazing because you literally have an arsenal of versatility for your worship team. Load them up on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop and you’re good to go. Whatever you play within the key of the pad loop sounds amazing, and each pad lasts for about 20 minutes.

So here’s the deal: head on over to coresoundpads.com and use the promo code “beyondsunday” and get yourself 20% off any purchase.

In this Episode You’ll Hear More About:

• How much has changed in the last three years.

• Why programming skills are essential to songwriters & producers.

• How to create the biggest sound using the least amount of tracks.

• Why you should stop worrying about writing “singable” songs and what to focus on instead.

• Production tips for a verse and chorus drop.

• What it’s like to write with Jesus Culture.

• Why you need to stop comparing and copying.

• Why you should write from a worshiper’s perspective.

• The secret to writing a hit song.

• The importance of wrestling with songs.

• How to be used by God in the miraculous.

Our job on earth is to love God and love people. God does the healing and we do the loving.” – Josh Silverberg

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Show Sponsor: Coresound Pads

• Software: Omnisphere 2

• Software: Logic Pro X

• Software: Komplete Bundle

• Software: UVI Synth Anthology 2

• Software: That Sound Drum samples

• Software: Vengeance Sample library

• Software: Superior Drummer

• Software: Battery

• Music: Blue Neighborhood by Troye Sivan

• Website: Brad & Rebekah Music

Subscription Links

• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via Stitcher
• Subscribe via RSS

Your Feedback

If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see, a special guest you’d like to hear from, or a question for an upcoming episode, please email me.

If you enjoyed the show, I would be so appreciative if you would rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That helps me so much! Thanks.

Question: What was your biggest takeaway from this interview with Josh? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]