Jan. 6th Chapel Debrief and New Songs

Well done in chapel today, everyone!  You all really rose to the occasion.  Our vocals sounded really strong and instrumentally it sounded quite good as well.  All things considered (like we hadn't practiced in 3 weeks minus a day), we did great!

Those of you who sang solos did great.  Mr. D. said the vocals sounded really good and Mr. S thought the drums sounded fantastic.  You didn't miss a beat (literally and figuratively) from my perspective - Well done!  K.S. nice work on the keyboard - it sounded super and solid.  M.W., like I said after chapel the patch you used sounded great and that guitar in 'I Surrender' and your dynamics were very good as well.

Please come prepared to practice tomorrow with your thoughts on how the set went.  :-)

Here's some songs for us to work on going forward:

Majestic   Key of C   Chord Chart

The Happy Song   Key of D   Chord Chart

Everlasting God   Key of G   Chord Chart

Came to My Rescue   Key of G   Chord Chart

Cornerstone   Key of A   Chord Chart

Jan. 6th Chapel Song Agenda

Hi everyone,

I'm going to cancel the practice at my house tomorrow as only 3 of you can make it (as far as I know).  No worries.  I strongly feel that God is still going to use us in a big way on Wednesday in the Encounter.  The words we sing, our worship, and how we worship will have a positive impact.

Looking at the words of the songs we're doing, I believe God is saying two major things to us and the student body - particularly on this first Encounter of the year:

1. He wants to breathe new life into us.  God doesn't have morning breath.  When He breathes on us, we aren't going to keel over and faint.  :-)  It was God's breath that made Adam come alive.  It was God's breath that turned the field of dry bones into the living, breathing army that Ezekiel saw.  Its the breath of his Holy Spirit that draws us and gives us inspiration, encouragement, and power today.   
2. Surrender.  We all need to 'let go and let God' into our lives.  He's knocking at the door of our hearts.  Going to church doesn't make us Christians any more than going to MacDonald's makes us hamburgers.  Going to a Christian School isn't going to make us true Christians any more than singing in a band is going to turn us into Justin Bieber or Selena Gomez.  We won't get to heaven on our parents connection with God.  We won't get to heaven on our BFF's or our teacher's relationship with God.  He wants a connection, an encounter with YOU an ME directly.   We need to surrender to Him and let him breathe and speak to us.

Here's our song agenda.  Its abbreviated because of our lack of practices and because of what I believe God can do with just these songs.  Please let me know if I forgot something or got something mixed up.  The soloists are as I want them below....

Awake My Soul   Key of Am (C)   Keys - organ patch is probably best.

• Intro - All instruments in and playing big.
• Verse 1 - A.V. please sing this solo.  Everyone else sings, but without a mic.  Guitars, we're all muted chugging the chords.  Keys, single note on the organ patch (c)
• Chorus - All singers in singing in unison (no harmony)  Band is big.  Guitars playing full chords not muted anymore.   Hold the G chord coming out of the chorus.
• Verse 2 - C.M. please sing this solo - don't worry about playing the acoustic when you sing this verse.  Guitars, we're all muted chugging chords again.  Keys, play full organ chords.  Don't forget about the joystick and vibrato.  :-)
• Chorus 2 times - All singers in singing harmonies.  Band is big.  Guitars playing full chords.
• Speaking with chorus chords - I'll do the speaking part.  Band plays chorus chords.  Guitars are muted to begin with, but become less muted and more full towards the end of the monologue.  Everyone stops DEAD when I say 'BREATHE' on this line:  'Come from the four winds, oh breath, and BREATHE!'
• Long Pause..........  longer than 4 beats.  Just let it hang with nothing.
• I'll talk about those two things above I believe God is saying to us (God wanting to breathe new life into us, and surrender)
• A.V. sings verse 1 again at my signal.  Instrumentally we'll build this from almost nothing back into a full chorus.
• Chorus - Everyone singing big - band is full.   End on 'awake my SOUL!'   G...   A

I Surrender   Key of Bm  (D)    Chord chard in D   Keys - piano/pad layered.  I will play keys on this one as well as we did in the last practice (doing that intro guitar part and the big instrumental in the middle)

• Intro - me on keys
• Verse 1 - J.L. sings solo.  Everyone else sings but without a mic.  Drums - cymbal work to keep us in time.  No guitars here.
• Intro instrumental for 4 bars
• Verse 2 - J.L. sings solo.  Everyone else sings but without a mic.  Drums - light tom work (like you did in practice - it sounded great) with bass drum.  
• Chorus - Everyone sings in unison.  Light guitars chugging on chords.
• Instrumental with Bridge chords.  E. Guitar soloing.  
• Bridge 2x.  First time quiet, but building.  J.L. sings first time through with T.Z. doing harmony.  Second time everyone in singing full.  Band is big and getting bigger.
• Instrumental - CONTINUE WITH BRIDGE CHORDS.   I'll let on keys like in practice.  I'll let the last note hang to back down into a....
• Quiet Chorus
• J.L. lead us from there, chorus or bridge - your call.

Great are you Lord  Key of E   Keys - piano/pad layered.

• Intro - keys
• Verse 1 - T.Z. sings first verse solo.  Have only the girls sing with you.  "girls, sing with me"  Keys, bass and drums only.
• Verse 1 - J.L.  sings first verse again, solo.  Have only the guys sing with your "guys, sing with me"   Guitars join playing muted chords
• Chorus - Everyone singing in unison - no harmonies.  Band is all in, but not 'all on full' yet.  
• Verse 1 - everyone sings in unison.  Repeat 'Great are you Lord'  Big build into Chorus
• Chorus 2x - everyone singing, harmonies too.   End on E chord to go into bridge....
• Bridge - many times.  Big build.  Keys - you give us the foundation to start here.  Big long build for the instruments.  Finally go back into the chorus.
• Chorus

Practice at My House Sunday, Jan. 3rd 2pm to 4pm?

Please check your email...  I'd like to have a practice at my house from 2:00 to 4:00 on Jan. 3rd.  Please let me know ASAP if you can make it or not - either way.  Thanks everyone.

Dec. 2nd Chapel Debrief and new songs

Great job in chapel today everyone.  Set up was fantastic.  You guys were Pros!  Amazing job with that.  I think probably the biggest hiccup was with me talking  :-)  That should give you all more impetus to find something to talk about instead of having me talk.  

I can hear us listening to the music as we go, and adjusting our singing/playing - that's great.  I thought our dynamics were fantastic.  Our transitions were really good (other than my talking).

Deep Cries Out was a lot of fun with everyone doing the actions.  I thought our vocals sounded really good in that song as well. 

I felt that we finished Good, Good Father at nice peak - it felt right in every way (at least from my perspective).  Well done everyone.

Our next chapel isn't until January (2nd week I think?).  Here's some song we'll be working on as we prepare for that.  

Awake My Soul   Key of C
(Chord Chart)

Let Your Glory Fall    Key of C
(Chord Chart)

I surrender    Key of Am (C major)
(Chord Chart)

Rooftops    Key of G
(Chord Chart)

Great are you Lord   Key of E   
(Chord Chart)

Dec. 2 Chapel Agenda

Hi Everyone,
Here's what I'm thinking for the Dec. 2nd chapel.  If you have any thoughts, or if I forgot who was singing what and when, let me know.  (because more than likely I really did forget)  :-)
Solos mean everyone still sings (please!!), only solo person sings with a mic.

Deep Cries Out      Key of E     (keys - organ patch)
(chord chart)

• Instrumental Intro - E. Guitar has solo.  
• Verse 1 - Was someone singing a solo here?  Drums, remember bass solid on every beat throughout the entire song.  First two lines just bass and bass drum.  Next two lines, keys and hihat join us.
• Prechorus - Drums - work on toms but be organized and stay in control  :-)  E.Guitar, help us build here
• Chorus - 1 time, everyone all in.
• Verse 1 (again) - Someone else was solo singing?  Drums, remember bass solid on every beat throughout the entire song.  First two lines just bass and bass drum.  Next two lines, keys and hihat join us.
• Prechorus - Drums - work on toms but be organized and stay in control  :-)  E.Guitar, help us build here
• Chorus - 2 times, everyone all in.
• Bridge 1 - Falling into deeper waters.  Drums, I like the way you've been doing this, just stay in control  :-)  
• Bridge 2 (breakdown) - 2 times all through.  Just bass drum first time through.  A.J. does a great job of singing this.  I think she should solo it first time.  We'll join her after that.  Building through 'Dance, dance' and 'shout, shout'
• Chorus - 2 times.  First acapella with bass drum and bass.  Second time all in going hard.
• Outro (same as intro with E. Guitar lead).  Drums, stay on the bass drum as discussed.

I Lay Me Down   Key of E  (keys - organ patch)
(chord chart)

• Drums start right from the end of the last song - just bass drum a tad slower but still every beat.
• We'll start right where this video starts below (its actually the bridge)  'It will be my joy to say....'
• Bridge first time - Bass drum and bass  I'll lead this
• Bridge second time - Organ and E.guitars chugging.  Vocals join us all melody
• Bridge third time - Everyone full on and singing harmonies
• Chorus - acapella 'I lay me down...'  bass drum and bass guitar
• Chorus - everyone all in
• Outro - E.Guitars going for it.  Tempo speeding up towards the end (if we can do that)

I Will Exalt   Key of D   (keys - piano layered with soft pad patches)
(chord chart)

• Intro - Keys, acoustic guitar, & Bass
• Verse 1 - T.Z. solos   Piano, acoustic guitar & Bass accompany with light cymbal work on drums
• Intro again - Keys, acoustic guitar, & bass
• Verse 2 - A.J. solos  J.L. harmonizes.  Piano, acoustic guitar & Bass accompany.  Drums, bass drum and hihat - no snare yet.  Building into chorus
• Chorus - Vocals all on melody.  Drums in with snare.  E. guitar in with chords.
• Verse 1 - O.F. Solos  J.L. harmonizes.  Drums full playing.  E.guitar full chords.  
• Chorus - 2 times  Singers harmonize on second time.  We're big.
• Instrumental into bridge - Keys and bass play bridge chords
• Bridge - This is it everyone.  This is where we shift into another gear and really worship.  Nno matter what has happened in our set to this point, this is where the rubber really hits the road.  We start lifting our hearts to God HERE.  T.Z. starts us off with the first time through.  
• Bridge 2nd time - J.L. joins T.Z. here with harmony.  Make no mistake, the rest of us aren't just watching - we need to be all in with our hearts, just not with mics yet.
• Bridge 3rd time - We're all in, all on melody.  Instruments all in.
• Bridge 4th time - Big build on drums - snare, floor tom, and bass all together.  Vocals harmonizing.... giving our all....
• Chorus - acapalla - no instruments.  All voices. 
• Chorus - instruments back in on 'exalt'
• Outro - Keys, acoustic guitar, and bass play intro chords.
• Resolve to E chord.   Stay on E for a while, we'll see what happens.

Good, Good Father.   Key of E  (keys, same patches as previous song)
(chord chart)

• Intro - acoustic guitar, keys, and bass 
• Verse 1 - J.L. solos.  acoustic guitar, keys, bass, and light drums.
• Chorus - J.L. accompanied by T.Z. on harmony.
• Verse 2 - A.J. solos.  Drums, do a full beat (you do this 6/8 so nicely)  E.guitar play full chords
• Chorus 2 times - Every one in vocally singing melody first time.  Harmonies second time.
• Bridge 1 - 'You're perfect...'  We're all in big.  Sing this bridge twice.
• Bridge 2 - 'It's love so undeniable...'  T.Z. sings first time through.  J.L. joins here's on harmony 2nd time through.   We're all in 3rd time through.  Build up to chorus for CUT.
• Chorus - instruments cut out.  Instruments come back in on 'Father'
• Chorus
• Bridge 1 - 'You're perfect...'
• Quiet out.

Oct 28 Chapel Debrief & new songs

Well done in chapel today everyone.  I'll post more of my thoughts on my perspective on how things went later this evening.  However, I wanted to get these new songs out to you.  I'll post chord sheets for them hopefully this evening as well.  Our next chapel is Dec. 2 (or around there somewhere) and its our last one before Christmas, so I thought we'd have to include a Christmas song!

Chapel Thoughts:

• I thought our transitions between songs were fantastic.  Everything flowed nicely.    Good job K.S. for being on top of all the patch changes on the keyboard.
• Everyone who sang solos - you did great!  They all sounded good to me.
• There were certain parts where we had a couple of duets happening - T.Z. was singing harmony a couple of times, and then J.L. was singing harmony with T.Z. on 'You Are My King'.  All those sounded fantastic (even though not all of them were formally planned).
• I thought 'No Longer Slaves' went quite well.  We managed to keep the tempo from speeding up too much which was good, and we had a great build in the bridge.
• J.L. Nice work wrapping things up.  It was real.

All in all, while there were a couple of blips, our hearts were there and I think it went very well.

:-)  See you all tomorrow!

Joy Unspeakable Joy   Key of A    (Chord Chart)

Deep Cries Out     Key of E  (Chord Chart)

Wholly Yours   Key of E  (Chord Chart)

Good Good Father   Key of E  (Chord Chart)

I Will Exalt  Key of D  (Chord Chart)

Oct 28 Chapel Song Plan

In case you weren't aware, we have this week's practice and next week's practice to prepare for our chapel on Oct. 28th.  I believe Thursday Oct 22nd is a holiday at school....!!!   I may potentially arrange for a practice at my house that day.  We'll have to see how things go.

So... given that, I thought I'd go over some notes, thoughts and mappings for the songs to help you all get ready  :-)  Again, everything here is open for discussion and should be used as a guideline - its not set in stone by any means.  Also, a reminder for singers to memorize the words and instruments to memorize their chords.  As you work on the songs (singers AND musicians) think and meditate on the words.  They are really powerful!  Internalize them.  Let them live inside you.

Happy Day  in Key of G

• Intro - E.guitar to start  then all other instruments join in.  Keys - organ sound
• Verse 1  O.F solo?  E.guitar muted.  Organ whole notes following chords with right hand, joystick with left hand.  A.guitar strum like E.guitar.
• Chorus  Everyone sing, everyone play.  Singers should all have mic stands so they can clap and move and 'be happy'  :-)
• Verse 2  A.J. solo?  Instruments same as first verse.  
• Chorus 2 times  Everyone sing, everyone play.  Singers should all have mic stands so they can clap and move and 'be happy'  :-)
• Bridge  Drums you know what to do.  Instruments follow the drums.
• Chorus  Long held notes on G for whole chorus for instruments.  Singers belting it out and clapping.
• Chorus   This is where we get REALLY happy.  Everyone sing, everyone play.  
• Instrumental outro.  Everyone playing E.guitar solos out.

Don't Ever Stop  in Key of D

• Intro  Keys once through the 'solo' theme (like the video)    Synth sounds (Sweep Lead 260, and Oct Unison 252)
• Chorus  All instruments on D.  Drums just bass drum on every beat.  Singers should be clapping on every beat.
• Instrumental  Keys and E.guitar on 'solo' theme.  Drums - bass and cymbal crashes on every beat.  A.guitar and bass play D all the way through.
• Verse 1  C.M. solo?  Drums straight rock beat.  Guitars chugging.  Keys play D-A-D with right hand and follow the chord notes with left hand (I'll show you what I mean)
• Chorus  Keys - right hand plays D-D-A-A-G-F#-G-A, while left hand follows chord notes (again, I'll you what I mean)  Guitars follow chords.
• Verse 2   Everyone singing.  Same as verse 1 instrumentally
• Chorus 2 times.  Instruments same as first chorus
• Instrumental  Keys and E.guitar on 'solo' theme.  Drums - bass and cymbal crashes on every beat.  A.guitar and bass play D all the way through.  Singers clapping!!
• Bridge  3 times  All singers.  
• Chorus Instruments same as first chorus  Stop like video?

No Longer Slaves  in Key of  D

• Verse 1  J.L sings  Keys simple  D-A chord in right hand.  Follow chord notes with left using layered piano and soft pad sounds.  Guitars chugging on the beat.  Drums - cymbal work.
• Chorus  J.L. sings  T.Z  harmony.  Keys and guitars same as verse.  Drums - add bass drum on the off beat.
• Verse 2  Another singer?  Keys and guitars continue but slowly building.  Drums - keep bass on off beat, with high hat.
• Chorus 2 times  All singers.  Instruments continue strumming, but bigger and building.
• Instrumental  Keys only with the bridge chords.   Free worship until everyone is ready
• Bridge instrumental  all instruments strumming.  Singers doing ohh's
• Bridge singing at least 2 times.  Everyone singing and going for it.  Instruments continue building.  Everyone be ready to repeat the line 'I am a child of God' several times before coming out of the bridge
• Chorus  Everyone Big!!!
• Instrumental  Keys only with the bridge chords.   Free worship

Amazing Love  in key of D

• Chorus in D   T.Z. solo?   Keys, same sounds as previous song.  Guitars are holding back.
• Chorus  everyone singing.   Instrument all in, but restrained.
• Bridge  T.Z. solo?
• Bridge  again...   All singers  and instruments building to  key change to E!!!!
• Chorus in E  Everyone Big!!