It's not just playing,but.........
BRINGING BACK THE BEAT - Drums and percussion
by Andrew Ironside
In the next seven issues of Outreach Magazine, we will look at various aspects of the worship team - both from the perspective of a music director and the involved singer/musician. This will include topics such as: working with the music directors, bass players, keyboard players, guitarists, brass players and sections, the psalmists role and song leaders. Part one of this series will be the music director's/song leader's role in working with the drummer.
For too long the drummer in church music teams has been shunned into being seen and not heard, or sometimes not being seen at all. We've padded his kit with blankets and gaffer tape so it sounds like he is playing on his mother's Tupperware, or we take his kit away completely and give him a set of electronic pads so that he can't really be heard.
Music directors, song leaders and pastors are be-ginning to realise the necessity for strong, anointed, powerful drumming in worship services. Notice that I didn't say loud, but strong. There is a new sound that God is releasing into our worship which carries "strength"!
Drummers need to play with sensitivity and a worshipful expression, but also with "attitude". They must know when to play strongly, when to play loud and when to play as gently as a dove.
There are three areas that I want to encourage drummers in:
Groove - Timing and groove are everything for drummers. Getting the right tempo, the right feel to the song is their prime responsibility. So many drummers place more emphasis on tills, spills and trills, but cannot keep good timing and "feel" in the songs. Every drummer must spend several hours a week practicing with headphones to a drum machine, metronome or CDs, developing unstoppable groove and impeccable timing, keeping their playing simple and solid rather than busy and messy.
Intimacy with God -The drummer's walk with God is evident in their playing. A drummer needs to be a worshipper, not just a musician. When he/she plays out of their spirit rather than their soul, it takes the worship to a much higher level. If they play out of a negative attitude it pulls the song back into a negative attitude, even though the song may be a positive one. If the drummer plays on the back beat or slightly lagging in the feel or the groove, the same scenario will apply.
Relationship - It is essential that the music director/song leader build a good relationship with the drummer. If there are misunderstandings the music team will be weakened and your effectiveness in a worship service will be hindered. If you don't get along with your drummer, take time to get to know them a little more. Take your drummer out for coffee or Hungry Jacks once in a while -build a friendship.
I thank God for Scott Trembath and the relationship God has given us. We have worked on being friends and keeping the communication channels open. It makes it much easier to flow together in a meeting. Scott doesn't require 15 different hand signals during a song service; he knows and feels where I am going as a leader in a service because he knows me; his faith and attitude are with me 100%. It is fun to lead worship when you have a team who are your friends working and ministering with you!
The drummer's perspective - Scott Trembath
The drummer has an important role to play in a worship team because the drums are so prominent. He/she can make or break a song service. In my early years of drumming I was told that the drums were of the devil, or "you're just playing loud", or "you're just an entertainer". The best one I ever heard was, "You are just a drummer"! Not so! Drummers are able ministers of the Gospel, for God has anointed us to preach the Good News. Your playing is not just a series of rhythms, but a message, a sharp definite sound which pierces the spirit realm and releases the anointing of God. At times, it's hard enough waging war against the powers and principalities of the air. We shouldn't be warring against each other. There needs to be a friendship between you and the song leader. As you get to know the song leader on a personal level, you get to know where the song leader is taking the worship services.
God is a God of order, and we need to get behind our song leaders and serve them with all the enthusiasm and support that we can. "Where there is unity God commands a blessing" (Psalm 133: 1). As drummers, we must learn to be full on worshippers. How can we expect to lead people in worship if we don't worship God ourselves? Endeavour to make sure your heart is right before you play, that you haven't got a bad attitude with the song leader or anyone else in the band. Some practical hints on working with song leaders are:
Arrive early -allow enough time to set up, tune up and become familiar with what songs the song leader has chosen.
Watch for signals - there may not be many hand signals, they might use voice prompts or movement with the head or eyes. The greater relationship you have with your song leader, the greater the understanding and flowing together you will have in a meeting.
Stay in time - practice with some kind of metronome (every member of the team should practice with one).
No more gaps - it's a term I learnt while ministering with Andrew Ironside in Singapore. Keep the momentum going! Too many breaks in the song service YOU take the energy and life out of it. Run the songs together in medleys, or back to back.
Let God be God - we need each other as well as God - that is why we are called a worship team. Each member plays a role equally as important as the leader, guiding God's people into the fullness of His presence.
lol.. i picked up drums since 13, and started playing for church around 14 i think, up until now.. and i havent have drum lessons nor drumsets to practice on except for 1 or 2 days b4 the main service, i go for the worship practice.. mainly i think, its to think how the congregation wld feel when singing the songs.. the lyrics of the songs play a part also.. depending on the words and the meaning of the song u can play different styles.. i just got a 2nd hand Tama Swingstar at home.. =D so now i can practice more and improve on my skills.. but mainly its all abt feel and mood.. how the holy spirit makes u feel at that point of time, u play it out with expression.. thats wad i do.. and listening to the songs on9 or what, gives u a rough idea of the fills and rolls u can do.. well what i've been doing for the past years, since i grow up in church i roughly noe most of the songs that are sung, so i noe how the song goes.. so i just play em in my head and think and imagine how i'll play, den on the practice i try it out, if it works, it works! if not, adapt. lol.. im not a good drummer, quite noob despite these many years of playing, but im de so called 'most pro' drummer at my church. =/ lol.. so i'll keep on improving for God! =D 
