What makes music powerful? Take a minute and ponder that question.
What are the qualities that make for engaging, powerful musicians?
Because it’s obvious that some have it and others don’t.
When certain musicians take hold of their instrument, magic happens. Still others who may have more experience or taken lessons longer, don’t have it.
Think about it – how many times have you heard someone who’s taken lessons for many years only to find out they weren’t very good?
So if lessons aren’t the key, experience isn’t the answer, and time isn’t the x factor – what is it?
Why I Want to Be the Best I Can Be
I’m not discounting the value of lessons, experience, and practice time – all of these contribute to what makes a good musician.
But I do want to talk about some more obscure things that make a unique, memorable, powerful, engaging musician. I’m assuming that’s what you want to be, right?
I want to be the best musician I can be so that when the Holy Spirit decides to use me, I am ready for anything He wants to do.
I want to be the best musician I can be so that when I preach the Gospel on my instrument, it is a worthy accompaniment.
I want to be the best musician I can be so that the music I make moves people, inspires others, and draws them closer to Jesus.
Are you with me?
5 Qualities of Powerful Music Performance
Let’s get started. Powerful musicians…
1. Are Thoughtful – I’m not talking about “thoughtful” in the sense of getting roses for their spouse (although that is super great). I’m talking about being thoughtful of their lives. Powerful musicians think deeply. They are reflective about what they believe in and what moves them to their core. This is then reflected in their playing.
It’s never just mechanics or rapid finger movement on their instrument. It’s an expression from deep within. They think, they believe, they feel, they express. Obviously, this would apply to a Jesus-loving musician as well as a “secular” musician. They express their deep beliefs in their playing. It’s an expression of who they are.
2. Are Aware – You would think that the best musicians zone in and get lost in their own world to create great music. But the truth is, the best musicians are aware of what is going on in the room. They notice who is there, what is happening, and “speak” into the situation, in a sense. For the Christian musician, that is noticing what God is up to in the room and interpreting that through their instrument.
3. Are Immersed – Have you ever watched a great musician? It’s not just what comes out of their fingers or their voice that is entertaining. It’s watching their entire body become immersed in the experience. Matter of fact, that is what makes their music even more powerful. They are fully present, feeling the music flow through their entire body.
Sure – this can look weird. But you must understand that music performance is hardly just about your fingers or your voice. It’s about immersing yourself in the music. You have to forget about what you look like, lose the self-consciousness, and be expressive. Trust me, it will make a difference.
4. Are Intentional About Practice – Practice for a great musician is very intentional. Over time, they develop a sense about what needs practicing and how to practice it most effectively. It’s not just about “putting in the time” and playing through songs. It’s about distilling difficult passages down to their core and repeating them until it becomes second nature. It’s about showing up even though you don’t feel like it.
5. Are Intentional About Joy – Whenever music becomes boring, or a chore, or anything other than a gift of joy, it loses its meaning. Great musicians keep this front and center because they know their best music will come from a place of joy.
The moment you stop loving the creation of music is the moment you lose your effectiveness.
Let’s talk. What are some of your favorite musicians? What do you admire about them? What about their music moves you?
Let us know in the comments. It’s always better that way.
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
Great article.. I totally agree!
Thanks Mark! What musicians have influenced you the most?
Thanks for your thoughts on this David. I recently attended the National Worship Leader’s Conference in Dallas and this was more apparent then I have seen in a long time. Another worship leader and I were there together and excited about the night of worship with All Sons & Daughters (in my opinion some of the most authentic, engaging, talented, and thoughtful musicians out there). I won’t mentioned who else played that night but there was a huge discrepancy between AS&D and almost everyone else that walked on the platform.
Right now I think my favorite band to watch for this exact thing is a band called The Lone Bellow. If you watch them here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJyf5NqiMNE you will see what I am talking about.
In the description below the editor wrote this, “The Lone Bellow features three brilliant players, with Zach Williams singing every word as if it’s the last time he’ll ever get the chance.” Oh if we could only lead worship each time and pour ourselves out to the point that someone could say this about us.
JB
Josh – I love that description of Zach’s voice. So powerful. I look forward to checking out the band! Thanks.
I strongly agree with the great musicians are aware. It is so frustrating to me to play with a group of people who are isolated in their own little sonic world. I was taught from an early age to listen and make music with those who are around me and have a musical discussion through the medium of rhythm, texture, and melody. I also agree that you have to be clued into what is going on in the room and I try to be aware of what is going on with my face while I play. If the room is my local church, then I look up at the crowd and sing with gusto because I know that there might just be one person there that I can encourage and minister to that no one else can reach. On the other hand, if the room is a local bar, then I will smile or grimace in the appropriate “rock star” fashion to engage the crowd and put on a good “show”. In short, tell my face that I am having fun.
Regarding influences; I have not thought of this in years except when someone inadvertently bleeds through in my playing. Because my first teacher told me to bury your influences deep and I added that I should then go and bury the shovel. Also, I remember Pete Townsend said, “Musicians are all thieves and magpies.” (To which I say, “yep”.)
I can only claim one guitar player influence (my second but primary instrument) and he is Pat Metheny. But I heard his playing in my playing as a young musician and then I went and buried his influence very deep. In fact, back in the day a local magazine interviewed the band I played for and they could not tell them who I listened to, so they just made up a list for me using the current “hip” players.
To combat identifiable influences bleeding through in my playing, I have found that I listen a lot more to bass players and drummers and then derive my influences from them with respect to rhythm and feel. I have gone so far as to try to play my guitar like a drummer by creating a kick/high hat/snare pattern when I comp chords and then when I solo, I try to put tension into the musical system by playing against what the drummer and bass player are laying down and try to engage them and create a new sonic space.
But my primary influences come from folks who are arrangers and song writers. I want to see and then understand why they did a specific thing as they wrote or arranged a song. And then take that to the bands I play with when we have the luxury or the freedom to re-arrange a tune or worship set because I really enjoy the arranging part of things. I love having unique instruments in a pop type setting or playing with folks who are profoundly courageous when it comes to stretching their boundries in common forms.
I feel like that if you only listen to people who play your instrument then you will tend to only play in their style and you stifle your own creativity (For example, I don’t listen to Stevie Ray Vaughn because he will slip into my playing and being from Dallas, that is a huge no no :)). However, I have learned how to be a chameleon and to play in many different musical styles. For example, in my country gig I have learned how to play in the style of the Nashville studio cats that folks hear on the radio each day by copping their solos pretty much note for note. But at church, I put the chicken-pickin’/rock stuff on the shelf and do my best Edge or who ever I am asked to be on a specific day imitation and serve the song and the WL as he will have prepared and be listening and looking for specific fills or heads through out the song.
In sum, have big ears and then bury the influences deep so folks can’t tell who you listen to. But also, in a group listen to what is going on in the moment and be prepared to engage in the conversation.
Best,
Lod
May I add that those musicians who are set apart from the rest are those who are open to change and the changing genre of music. As an “aging” musician myself, I need to stay current and not get set in my ways. It’s easy to look down on some of the stuff the youth are doing, dig our heels in and miss an opportunity to grow and embrace what is good in it. The last thing I want to do is be old fashioned and irrelevant.
Yes, Yes, and Yes.
Lod