Qualities of A Gospel Musician

Music is undoubtedly one of the most effective channels for the expression of people's feelings and beliefs, as well as the propagation of ideologies all over the world. Depending on how it is produced, music can send one to sleep and get another geared up for war. A gospel musician will do well to fully understand the potency of the weapon he has been armed with. With this knowledge and certain qualities in place, he will be better equipped for optimum performance. We will endeavor to highlight some of the qualities here.

Excellence

Excellence speaks of top grade quality. This quality should be evident in lyrics, delivery, production, etc. Our Lord once remarked that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light; but beloved, this statement was not a commendation. Have you noticed that the music that is used to advertise cigarette and alcoholic beverages (which are destructive agents as proven by the caveat that follows such ads) are so well produced that they almost always get your attention? Why would individuals and corporations invest so much time and resources to produce such music while some musicians with life-giving and soul-refreshing messages churn out mediocrity in the name of the Lord? Have we forgotten that the Lord whose name we proclaim is excellent? ( O Lord our God, how EXCELLENT is your name! - Psalms 8:1). Are we offering mediocrity in the name of the Lord? I shudder to even think of it! Strive to be skillful, because for God, only the best is good enough. Welcome criticism because it makes you improve.

Humility

Humility is another quality that the gospel musician should possess. Music brings you to limelight and gets you admired and appreciated by numerous fans. One needs to be very careful not to allow the accolades, honors and awards get into his/her head. In the midst of that deafening applause, you should learn to keep your cool and acknowledge that it is by His grace that you are excelling. I've always reminded every gospel musician who cares to listen, to remember that none of us is as gifted as Lucifer was! The scripture records that Lucifer was formatted with music in his innermost system. As he opened his mouth what hit you was the melody, the harmony, the instrumentation all from one being. Ezekiel 28: 13 records, “ The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes were prepared in thee in the day thou wast created” . Unfortunately, it got into Lucifer's head and the rest is history. The lesson I always seek to teach is that if God could do without Lucifer, a once-upon-a-time son of the morning, no one, no matter how skillful, gifted, charismatic (you name it…) he/she is, is indispensable. Need I say more?

Appreciation of Others

Humility will help you to appreciate what others have to offer. Music ministry itself is in streams. Some are ‘praisers', others are worshippers and countless many are prophetic singers, instrumentalists, etc. I have, however, observed the tendency of many musicians to behave like the proverbial six blind men of Indostain who went to see an elephant. Each one came back claiming that the elephant was the part he touched. But we know the fact. Many people tend to believe that their own area of call is the best and everyone else is just wasting time. This makes them not to appreciate what others have to offer.

Have you observed that many Gospel artistes, when they are invited to perform at concerts or programs get up and leave the scene immediately they finish their beat? They, unfortunately, must be believing that they are the only thing happening, so why waste time to listen to others? What an awful error! We should never forget that God is a God of variety. If everyone were to sing and play like you do, the world will be a very boring and lack-luster place. So even if your CDs have hit the Top Ten chart severally and your concerts leave no standing room, please be humble enough to appreciate what others have to offer.

Originality
No matter how good a copied piece of work is, an original is still preferable and unbeatable. I once listened to a remix of a Kirk Franklin's song by one of our sisters and I am yet to recover! I can bet Kirk Franklin himself won't recognize the song if he hears it! By being original, you carve a niche for yourself. You are daring to be unique and different. Someone rightly said that God has created you an original, so you shouldn't die a copy. How true! There is only one you. If you keep trying to be others, who on earth will be you? This is why in all my albums I decide to do my own songs. That doesn't mean I don't record other songs. I do. But the bulk of the songs in my CDs are original. There is always the temptation for you to want to ride on the waves of already popular songs. But I have proved with my CDs that it is just a question of time and your own songs will join the league of popular songs too. It is however, a harder road to travel.

Ministry Consciousness

A gospel musician should see music first of all as a ministry. Much as music possesses a very high entertainment and commercial value, ministry consciousness will inform the musician's attitude. By musician here I mean the singer and the instrumentalist. Remember David was only playing an instrument when Saul, his master, got delivered. Seeing music as a ministry will help you to use it to glorify God, the giver of the gift. You will use it to praise and worship Him as well as reach out to others and bring them into the kingdom. We should not be ignorant of the fact that we are in a warfare.

The devil is using music now more than ever to draw so many souls to hell. Just take a look at the pornographic and occultic music videos that abound and you will understand what I mean. Regarding music as a ministry means that you must have a message that you want to pass across and have a good idea of your target audience. This is because your target audience most times will influence the genre you need to use to reach them. Which brings us to the need to strive for excellence.

When I started producing my first album in 2000, I came under intense pressure to record already popular songs. “That will sell faster”, I was told, as they tried to convince me. But I refused and insisted on recording my own songs. I have currently written over 20 very good praise, worship and prophetic songs in English, Hausa and Mwaghavul. I keep asking myself, “If I abandon my songs, who will sing my own songs? And what will I tell God when I reach the golden shores?” That I jettisoned what He gave me and opted for the easier route? Big time marketers initially refused to market my music. I took up the challenge and marketed them myself. The summary is that now (I am currently working on my fifth album), my songs have joined the league of popular songs and I now have many offers; not to talk of the numerous awards I have received so far. So, what would have happened if I chickened out at the start? Which brings me to commitment and dogged determination.

Commitment and Dogged Determination
You must be committed to your cause, and, like God, learn to see the end from the beginning. This is what will keep you focused when you encounter the many roadblocks which line up the pathway of any visionary. I love reading biographies because they put success stories in their correct perspective. I've just finished that of Kirk Franklin and I have more than ever been convinced that all the stars we see today have had one or two scars to show for it. So, stay determined and committed, knowing that faithful is the One who has called you and He will do it.

Be Prayerful
Two people could perform the same song while one makes a great impact and the other doesn't. You have to ask yourself from the outset whether you want to be a mere entertainer or minister in music. I prefer the later. Much as I endeavor to entertain too (because you cannot run away from the fact that music is an entertaining medium), I have never lost sight of the fact that I am called to minister the word in songs, which explains why my songs are scripture-based. God confirms His word, not necessarily the rhythm. So, if His word is absent in my songs, I would have simply wasted precious time. Anointing is what makes the difference. You must learn to abide in His presence for it.

Stage Act
I do not think I need to belabor the fact that to pass across your message you need a certain amount of confidence and stage presence. Whenever I am asked by young musicians how to combat stage fright, one answer has always come in handy. Supposing you had a very well packaged precious gift, or a huge amount of money to deliver to someone who is badly in need of it, would you approach the person fidgeting or with confidence, knowing that you are in possession of what he or she badly needs? Of course, you will go to deliver the parcel happily and confidently. It is the same with delivering a song on stage. You have what that audience needs. Please believe it, unless you don't have.

Go up, deliver it confidently and come down. Before you go up stage, your mindset is of utmost importance. Visualize what you want to see happen. And it will be so unto you. Do you want a standing ovation? Do you want souls saved? Do you desire to see people healed and broken hearts mended? Do you desire to see people set free to praise jubilantly or worship the Father reverently as you minister? What you believe God for and the picture you carry on your mind is what you will see. I learnt this from Les Brown and I know it works. Try it.

Handling Pressure
We are, of course, in a world that constantly pressurizes us to be someone else. If you have ever performed alongside very popular and renowned musicians, you will understand what I mean. There is, most times, the tendency to do it the way they have done to feel or give the audience the impression that you, too, have “arrived”. How erroneous we can be! You went on that stage to add your unique and particular flavor which may be different from what others before or ahead of you have to offer. I have learnt over the years from my mentors that you don't have to do everything to succeed. Just do what you have the grace for and do it excellently. You can only excel in the grace that has been given to you.

I find the story of the Prophet Micaiah in 1Kings 22 very instructive when it comes to handling pressure. King Jehoshaphat and Ahab were about going to war and all the prophets prophesied victory at Ramoth Gilead for them. As the kings sent for Micaiah, the messenger hinted Micaiah on what everyone else had prophesied so he could do like wise. Of course, Micaiah was under pressure to say what the others had said to get off the hook and be in the king's good books. But thank God, he later spoke the truth; even though not without it earning him a slap from his “colleague” Zedekiah. In the long run, Micaiah's word, though very different, was confirmed by God Himself. Go ahead friend, stand in your place, be yourself and deliver the goods. The One who has sent you and placed the gift on your inside is right by your side to help you. Faithful is His name.

Sing Gospel Songs with Power

If you've enjoyed any of the legends of gospel music, you've likely been inspired by the power with which they deliver their vocals. If you've viewed them in concert, you may also be impressed by the way they communicate their feelings as they sing gospel songs.

You might wonder why choirs often struggle when they try to sing gospel songs. The truth is that you have to employ some unique vocal techniques when you sing gospel songs, which are much different than the techniques you use when you're performing typical choir songs.

Gospel music is often thought of as a descendant of the slave songs of the Americas. The slaves in the Americas kept their spirits up as they worked by singing songs of deliverance, often with a double meaning.

A common gospel variation is the call-and-response gospel song. Typically this is a two part song, with one part calling out a question or challenge and the other group calling out a re-phrasal or answer. Then the main chorus is sung by both groups. The lyrics will tend to repeat several times. The song is always sung with emotional tones.

Gospel music is not similar to hymns. Gospel music consists of repetitive lyric about the personal deliverance received or hoped for in the future. Hymns are typically multi-verse praises of the attributes of God. Being so personalized, gospel music is delivered in the emotion of the personal experience of the individual singing, while hymns, being praises, are sung in the reverence to the greatness of God. So it is just as inappropriate to sing gospel songs without emotion as it is to sing hymns without awe and reverence. When someone used to singing with reverence tries to sing gospel songs, it often comes off as an uninspiring personal testimony.

When you sing gospel songs, you have to reach into your own past personal delivery experience or your own hope for the future. While you must stay true to proper singing form and technique, you do so with the concept of giving a joyful personal testimony. If you're used to singing with reverence, it can be very difficult to learn to sing gospel songs appropriately.

Technically, singing gospel songs requires well developed supporting muscles for voice and breath. You don't just have to feel it emotionally, but you have to have the power to deliver it physically. You must have total control over your breath.

The Fontanelli is a form of posture and breath control practice that may be helpful for those who want to sing gospel songs. You simply stand well postured in front of a tall mirror as you take in air for 4 seconds and then exhale for 4 more seconds until your lungs are empty. If you're doing it correctly, your midsection will fully expand as you inhale and remain expanded as you exhale. As you become more advanced, you can increase your breath time by one second. Over time you should be able to get up to 8 seconds on each inhale and exhale. Once you're there, insert an 8 second hold on your air after inhaling before exhaling whenever you do this exercise.

The messa di voce is a form of dynamics practice that may be helpful for those who want to sing gospel songs. You simply take a deep breath and sing out a single note as an easy pitch as you slowly get louder and then quieter.

It may also be helpful to study how professionals express themselves while they sing gospel songs. But, don't become such a mimic that you lose your own testimonial expression. Sing gospel songs clearly and with everything you feel. If you're not sure how you feel, study the songs over for how they relate to your life before you sing the gospel songs.

Learning How to Sing and Play Guitar Simultaneously

For some people, it is only natural to sing and play guitar simultaneously. For most people, it can be a struggle in coordination. Learning how to sing and play guitar simultaneously  means not just making sound with your lips while plucking strings with your fingers, but giving the proper timing to each note sung and played. It is almost as if you're doing two different rhythmic tasks with only occasional rhythmic overlap. Take a look at all you have to be able to learn to coordinate as you learn how to sing and play guitar simultaneously:

·        Staying vocally on pitch

·        Picking the right guitar note while hitting a different vocal note

·        Staying on strum rhythm while singing notes of varying durations

·        Moving your mouth and both hands in different directions at the same time

·        Keeping a consistent timing throughout the music

Don't let all of these overwhelm you before you get started learning how to sing and play guitar simultaneously. While it is complicated when you break it down and think about it, the human mind is capable of doing more with the human body at one time than we can fathom, once it knows what it should be doing. So let's look at how you can learn how to sing and play guitar simultaneously.

Break Learning How to Sing and Play Guitar Down into Simple Steps

If you want a quick lesson in frustration, try practicing singing and playing at the same time. Better yet, choose a really complex song with sophisticated guitar accompaniment. You'll be doing well if after a week of practicing you can do either the vocal or guitar part well. Now you're humbled enough to learn how to sing and play guitar simultaneously by breaking the process down into simple steps.

Start with a simple song that you can already play or sing. Practice each on its own until you have it down. Then practice adding a few measures per day of simultaneous singing and guitar. If that is too challenging, try at first to simply hum along as you play guitar. Whatever you do, don't try to put the whole thing together before you've mastered the guitar part. If you can hum it through while playing the guitar part flawlessly, you're probably ready to add in the vocals.

You probably could get to the point where you're just making a few guitar and vocal errors if you try learning how to sing and play guitar simultaneously before you have mastered either, but it will be much harder to correct the errors later. More importantly, if you put it together when you have mastery of each it will make it easier to get it together perfectly and to learn future songs with less effort.

Be Creative, Within Your Imagination

Since your brain must be trained to do all of these at once, you should utilize your imagination. Imagine yourself singing and playing guitar simultaneously. But, always focus your imagination on yourself with proper posture and vocal support. Imagine your fingers being where they're supposed to be and on rhythm.

Now, start playing the guitar part, while imagining yourself singing along with it. When you have it going perfectly in your head, reverse it and sing while imagining yourself playing guitar. You should be able to visualize your fingers on the strings as you sing.

Once you think you know how to sing and play guitar simultaneously on this simple song, record yourself doing so. Play it back and correct any errors you notice before moving on to another song.

Tips for Improving Your Singing

There is a great deal of interest in music. You're not alone if you want to learn how to improve your singing. Your first step should be to consider taking voice lessons and music lessons. Regardless of your present singing proficiency, there is room to learn how to improve your singing. Even professional singers continually take voice lessons to improve their singing. Technique is one asset of good instruction that is hard to learn without help.

Learning the Physical Aspect of How to Improve Your Singing 

In most circumstances, your voice lessons will not actually begin with using your voice as much as learning how to posture your body to produce pleasant tones. Improper posture can make even a talented singer sound amateurish. Your posture needs to arrange your muscles so that they can support your breath control.

Breathing control should not be underestimated. Good breath control is a key to consistent, enduring vocal quality. Appoggiare, for example, is a breathing control practice that has you taking in a deep breath to raise up your diaphragm, which is a great exercise in breath support. You then exhale at a controlled rate, without letting the diaphragm fall at all. This is much how you will sing, especially when you are aiming at high notes.

In addiction to learning how to improve your singing through breath control, you'll study a variety of other important bodily components to quality tone production. You'll learn how to shape your lips, place your tongue, and position your palate.

Quick Vocal Tips

Your vocal lessons will include some simple concepts that will immediately teach you how to improve your singing. Every time you learn something about how your voice is produced, you'll gain a greater understanding of how you can control your voice. Take a look at some of these quick vocal tips that will teach you how to improve your singing as you study the craft.

·        Work on creating steady, complete sounds

·        Hold your tone throughout the duration of the note

·        Learn to recognize the proper pitch for each note

·        Hold your throat open as you sing to improve vocal cord vibration

·        Make sure you clearly pronounce both consonants and vowels

·        Do exercises to increase your vocal range

·        Learn to express yourself emotionally as you sing

As you go through your lessons and see each of the above concepts, take time to focus on them. These alone won't make you a professional quality singer, but they'll make you a far better singer than if you don't learn them well.

If you are going to sing on stage, you'll need to learn things beyond voice, such as how to use a microphone, how to present yourself, and how to walk across a stage. Some lessons on how to improve your singing may also cover the whole concept of performance. You'll also likely cover how to care for your body by eating right, exercising regularly, and avoiding harmful substances.

Final Word on How to Improve Your Singing

Always focus on the big picture, while practicing primarily the little things. Each little thing you learn will improve your big picture performance. You have to work at singing consistently if you truly are interested in how to improve your singing.

Ideas to Improve Your Singing Voice

The odds are that you're reading this because you want to know how you can improve your singing voice. If you're sincere in your efforts, you can really improve your singing voice by taking regular voice lessons from a professional voice coach.

Second, you can improve your singing voice by deciding to be objective in your own self-assessments. This is very important. You have to be able to take criticism from yourself and others in order to maximize your talent. Record your practices and performances regularly and breakdown, even diagram, your mistakes. Come up with a plan to improve your sound. For some people, this is difficult, especially for those with self-esteem. For other people, this is a natural process for anything at which they seek improvement.

It may help you to improve your singing voice if you decide what songs appeal the most to you. You should perform songs that have personal meaning. At the same time, think about songs you don't like and why you don't like them. Avoid songs and styles with those elements you don't like. If you regularly listen to music this exercise should be pretty simple, but you may still want to expand your listening range further and develop a more eclectic feel for music. If you haven't listened to operas before, take some time to listen. The purity of tone and the use of vibrato and phrasing in opera is an important vocal study to improve your singing voice, even if you have no personal inclination in that direction. Finally, focus in on singers with similar voices and vocal ranges to your own.

Now you're ready to find your inspiration for singing. What is it that makes you want to sing? Your answer to this is important as you make decisions about your music education. If you just need to help out the church choir, your goals and education will be very different than if you have ambitions of amateur or even professional vocal solo performances. Maybe you just want to enrich your cultural experience, or maybe you want to teach music to others. You're not really ready to move on to the next step to improve your singing voice until you are sure what really makes you want to sing.

Regardless of how high your goals are, you should aim to achieve them to the fullest. But, be real with yourself. Few people become great singing sensations without a thorough education, and far fewer maximize their singing technique without putting in a lot of hard work. Plan how you'll achieve your goals over time, then stick to your plan. Again, be willing to listen to and consider criticism, especially from experts.

Getting professional instruction is an important step. However, local voice teachers are not always affordable options. There are some singing courses online. You won't get the personal coaching you'd get from an offline voice teacher, but you can significantly improve your singing voice using these online courses. Since you won't have a professional instructor providing you with feedback while you take these courses, you'll need to learn how to record your voice sessions and analyze them for yourself. Learning to provide yourself with objective self-analysis is an important step toward improvement in any life pursuit.

Above all, you must create a consistent practice habit. This is where the majority of would-be singers fail. There are few excuses that justify skipping a practice for the serious singer. If you're willing to put in the necessary time, you can significantly improve your singing voice.

Music: The Convenient Anxiety Relief

Dating back to the ancient times, it can be said that music already had an impact on human history. With the presence of “nature”-ly sounds – the chirping of the birds, the swishing sound of the leaves, and other sounds of same sort – prove that music has been with man since his earliest days. With the advent of contemporary and alternative music genres, music just says, “I am here to stay”. And with the concoction of new music types, we can see that music is constantly evolving and changing.

With music's antiquity comes its long list of uses for man. For expression's sake, entertainment, and recreation – just to name a few – are the apparent benefits enjoyed by man since time immemorial. Though it varies in accordance to the time period of the music's origin. Music is also used in propaganda movements, as a medium for expressing grievances and calling for immediate action. Though music has uses as diversified as the menagerie of human cultures, there is but one ever familiar use of it - “soothing the savage beast.” This is one of music's greatest benefits. As we know, anxiety-related problems bring out the animal in us. So what better way overcome anxiety than to something soothing?

Music and health-related studies have provided a wide array of benefits. But what's noteworthy is the use of music as anxiety medication. Recent studies pointed out the very strength of music as anxiety relief – its incomparable calming effect on one's mind. Exposure to certain relaxing pieces music prevents the build-up of harmful anxiety that could lead to nausea, heart palpitations, chest pains, difficulty in breathing, and chronic headaches. An anxiety medication, even in this alternative form, is crucial to one's health to avoid other possible lethal complications.

In this view, let's examine the benefits of using music and its advantages as anxiety relief.
 While medical prescriptions are necessary for some anxiety medications, music in DVDs and CDs are “prescription-less” commodities. Just compare the convenience. Less travel. Less fees. You can enjoy the relief classical music and instrumental tracks can offer in the comfort of your home. All you need is to attach the necessary hardware, and you're good to go.        

Using music is also advantageous to people who are always “chasing after time.” Yuppies, business owners, and other professionals who have difficulty in balancing their time can make full use of this. Work-related hassles, as studies prove, can induce stress and anxiety. These are frequently encountered by the people mentioned above. And with the work's toll, how in the world can they afford the time for a lengthy chat with a doctor? To avoid being misconstrued, this is not an advocacy to boycott doctors' prescriptions, but in reality, many professionals really don't have the luxury of time to visit their doctor for anything short of a major medical emergency. However, the use of these relaxing musical compositions catapults the mind of the person from a stressful state of chronic worry to a serene, calm Nirvana. Music therapy, as such, requires less medical supervision but produces smilar results.

Lastly, not everybody likes the idea of hospital therapy. As indicated in medical studies, there are people who opt not to undergo hospital therapy to avoid embarrassment. Others, though they consult the doctor regularly, request for a certain level of anonymity because they wouldn't like to be ridiculed for having anxiety. 

Life is full of stress but not everybody has the luxury of time and money to afford tedious therapy sessions. It's just good that we have music as anxiety medication alternative – a practical way to avert anxiety's lethal repercussions without the hassles.

Music and Worship In The Bible

Music has a powerful effect on human experience. Students of religious phenomena have long recognized that music transcends our understanding and appeals to our intuitive nature. It is not surprising, then, that music played an important part in the worship of biblical communities, as a way of approaching the mystery of God and of expressing the joy of his presence. This article discusses the role of music in the worship of Israel and of the early church, by way of establishing a biblical foundation for music in the Christian worship of today.

Music in Israelite Worship

Israelite prophets were musicians. During the exodus Miriam the prophetess, taking her tambourine, led the women in song and dance, celebrating the Lord's triumph over the Egyptians (Exod. 15:20-21). Saul encountered a band of sanctuary prophets who prophesied accompanied by instruments (1 Sam. 10:5). Isaiah composed songs, including one celebrating the Lord's deliverance of those who trust in him (Isa. 26:1-6). The public regarded Ezekiel as "one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument" (33:32).

David, a musician as well as a warrior, established the place of music in the worship of the Lord. Even before the sacrifices had been moved to Jerusalem, he instructed the Levitical musicians to celebrate the ark's journey to Zion (1 Chron. 15:16-24), and appointed Asaph as chief musician in charge of continual thanksgiving and praise (1 Chron. 16:1-7). The description of this activity (1 Chron. 25:1-7) suggests that these musicians led in a spontaneous and overwhelming outpouring of worship, especially at high moments like the dedication of Solomon's temple (2 Chron 5:11-14). This may be the "new song" to which the Psalms refer (33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 144:9, 149:1). Many Psalms perhaps originated in this pre-temple Davidic worship centering around the ark of the covenant.

In the temple, music functioned as a "sacrifice of praise," an offering of song to accompany the offering of sacrifice. Under the Judean rulers, the performance of music became regulated and standardized. The titles of 55 Psalms refer to the music director, with instructions for performance on various instruments or using certain tunes. This psalmody remained a feature of Israelite and Jewish worship. After the exile, Ezra recruited more than 200 Levites for service in the sanctuary (Ezra 8:18-20). First-century Jewish sources indicate that the choir of Herod's temple consisted of at least twelve adult male singers, with no upper limit. Singers served between the ages of thirty and fifty, after a five-year training period. The sources also describe the instruments in use at that time.

After the Babylonian exile, most Jews lived in the Dispersion (areas outside of Palestine) and could not participate in temple worship. Therefore the synagogue arose for prayer and the study of the Scriptures. The Psalms continued to be sung, and other portions of the Scriptures as well as prayers were chanted according to a developing system of "modes." Such Jewish music influenced the worship of the early church.

Israelite worship music was both vocal and instrumental; the sanctuary orchestra contributed to the celebration of Israel's covenant with the Lord. Its instruments fall into the same general classes with which we are familiar — percussion, winds (pipes) and strings. Horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps and lyres were used when the ark was brought to Mount Zion, and their continued use is reflected in their mention in the Psalms. The sanctuary instruments were not solo instruments, but sounded simultaneously to call the assembly to worship (Psa. 98:6). Strings and pipes, if used, probably played the modalities (tune elements) in the psalm being sung, with perhaps distinctive patterns of ornamentation. Horns, trumpets and cymbals added to the festive joy by creating a larger sound. The selah of the Psalms may have been an instrumental interlude, or a "lifting up" of sound by both singers and instrumentalists. Tambourines, usually played by women, are mentioned in connection with dancing at Israelite festivals (Psa. 68:25), but were not used in the sanctuary where only men served as priests and musicians.
What did the music of Israel's worship sound like? While we cannot know today exactly how it sounded, recent research has confirmed the similarity between Hebraic music and ancient forms of Christian chant. Biblical music incorporated several characteristic features:

• Monophony, the use of an unharmonized melodic line — although ornamentation and instrumental accompaniment could create a primitive form of harmony.
• Modality refers to the use of various musical motifs within a certain scale, each with its own function.
• Ornamentation, the use of enhancements suited to the skill of the performer.
• Rhythm — Semitic music does not use the regular beat of modern Western music but has a more complex pattern of time structuring.
• Scale — Semitic music follows a generally diatonic melody, but with some use of quarter-tone intervals as well as whole or half tones.
• Improvisation, the practice of composing the music in the process of performing it using skills acquired through a long period of training.
• Antiphony — In antiphonal music, groups of performers answer one another in statement and response. Examples in biblical worship may be found in the Psalms (Pss. 24, 118) and the "Holy, holy, holy" of Isaiah's seraphim (Isa. 6:3), in a vision no doubt influenced in its expression by the chanting of priestly choirs. This last feature suggests that the congregation, as well as trained musicians, may have been involved in the musical responses of the service.

Worship Music in the New Testament

The worship of the emerging Christian movement did not produce new forms of music, but shared the characteristics described above, many of which are still found in the music of historic liturgies. Clearly, the worship life of the early church included psalms and other forms of song.

The New Testament mentions worship music in several places. The gospel story begins with a hymn of praise on the lips of the heavenly host, "Glory to God in the highest" (Luke 2:14). Reading the lesson from Isaiah in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-20), Jesus probably intoned it according to the custom of the time. The Gospels record that Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn after the Last Supper (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26), probably the "Great Hallel" (Psalms 113-118) of the Passover tradition. Luke records that Paul and Silas were singing hymns in prison at Philippi when an earthquake occurred (Acts 16:25). Paul urges the Christians of Ephesus and Colossae to give thanks to God in "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Describing the assembly of the church of Corinth, he remarks that "everyone has a psalm" (1 Cor. 14:26) which must blend with the contributions of other worshipers in an orderly service. Perhaps "psalms" were the biblical psalms, while "hymns" could have been Christian music in praise of Christ and "spiritual songs" more spontaneous worship expressions.

Luke quotes several hymns in the beginning chapters of his Gospel. In addition to the Gloria in Excelsis mentioned above, he includes the Magnificat or Song of Mary (1:46-55), the Benedictus or Song of Zechariah (1:67-79) and the Nunc Dimittis or Song of Simeon (2:29-32). Although spoken by several figures in the story of Jesus' birth, these hymns came to be used in Christian worship at an early period. Paul quotes what may have been another song, "Awake, O sleeper," in Eph. 5:14. Scholars have suggested that other passages in Paul's letters are based on primitive Christian hymns in praise of Christ, such as Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20 and 1 Timothy 3:16. Such hymns may have been composed to reinforce Christian teaching about the nature of Jesus' Messiahship. The Hosanna hymn of the crowds at Jesus' entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:9, based on Psa. 118:26) became part of the historic Christian eucharistic celebration.

Musical expression of Christian worship reaches its New Testament climax in the hymns of the Revelation to John. In John's vision, acts of praise before God's throne accompany the dramatic unfolding of events on earth. These hymns glorify the Creator (4:11), proclaim the worth of the Lamb (5:9-10; 5:12), extol both the Father and the Son (5:13; 7:10; 7:12), celebrate God's triumph over the enemies of his people (11:16; 11:17-18; 12:10-12; 19:1-3; 19:6-8), and proclaim his justice (15:3-4; 16:5-7). Additional songs celebrate the defeat of the unfaithful city, persecutor of the saints (chapter 18). This pageant of praise is initiated by four living creatures drawn from the vision of Ezekiel, singing words derived from Isaiah's vision in the temple (Rev. 4:8). It expands to include the elders of the covenant people, the hosts of heaven, and eventually every creature. Perhaps these hymns reflect the actual worship practice of the church near the end of the first century. If so, the Revelation offers a window not only into the judgments of God in the earth but also into the development of Christian liturgy and hymnody.

The New Testament does not supply enough detail to reconstruct the exact musical content of developing Christian worship. We should avoid the temptation to project the practices of later centuries back into Bible times. One question is the degree to which Israelite musical practices, including the use of instruments, offer a clue to what was thought appropriate in the New Testament church. Since the Hebrew Scriptures were still the authority for teaching and practice (1 Tim. 3:16-17), their broad principles regarding music must have remained the norm. The young church was a community under persecution, and could not apply the full resources of biblical celebration to its worship assemblies. Nevertheless, the evidence shows that music played a vital role in the worship of the emerging Christian community.

Music and the Brain

"Music is so naturally united with us that we cannot be free from it even if we so desired" (Boethius cited by Storr).

Music's interconnection with society can be seen throughout history. Every known culture on the earth has music. Music seems to be one of the basic actions of humans. However, early music was not handed down from generation to generation or recorded. Hence, there is no official record of "prehistoric" music. Even so, there is evidence of prehistoric music from the findings of flutes carved from bones.
 
The influence of music on society can be clearly seen from modern history. Music helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. When he could not figure out the right wording for a certain part, he would play his violin to help him. The music helped him get the words from his brain onto the paper.

Albert Einstein is recognized as one of the smartest men who has ever lived. A little known fact about Einstein is that when he was young he did extremely poor in school. His grade school teachers told his parents to take him out of school because he was "too stupid to learn" and it would be a waste of resources for the school to invest time and energy in his education. The school suggested that his parents get Albert an easy, manual labor job as soon as they could. His mother did not think that Albert was "stupid". Instead of following the school's advice, Albert's parents bought him a violin. Albert became good at the violin. Music was the key that helped Albert Einstein become one of the smartest men who has ever lived. Einstein himself says that the reason he was so smart is because he played the violin. He loved the music of Mozart and Bach the most. A friend of Einstein, G.J. Withrow, said that the way Einstein figured out his problems and equations was by improvising on the violin.

Bodily Responses to Music

In general, responses to music are able to be observed. It has been proven that music influences humans both in good and bad ways. These effects are instant and long lasting. Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe. Music can also be used to change a person's mood, and has been found to cause like physical responses in many people simultaneously. Music also has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions from a particular event such as a funeral.
 
People perceive and respond to music in different ways. The level of musicianship of the performer and the listener as well as the manner in which a piece is performed affects the "experience" of music. An experienced and accomplished musician might hear and feel a piece of music in a totally different way than a non-musician or beginner. This is why two accounts of the same piece of music can contradict themselves.
 
Rhythm is also an important aspect of music to study when looking at responses to music. There are two responses to rhythm. These responses are hard to separate because they are related, and one of these responses cannot exist without the other. These responses are (1) the actual hearing of the rhythm and (2) the physical response to the rhythm. Rhythm organizes physical movements and is very much related to the human body. For example, the body contains rhythms in the heartbeat, while walking, during breathing, etc. Another example of how rhythm orders movement is an autistic boy who could not tie his shoes. He learned how on the second try when the task of tying his shoes was put to a song. The rhythm helped organize his physical movements in time.
 
It cannot be proven that two people can feel the exact same thing from hearing a piece of music. For example, early missionaries to Africa thought that the nationals had bad rhythm. The missionaries said that when the nationals played on their drums it sounded like they were not beating in time. However, it was later discovered that the nationals were beating out complex polyrhythmic beats such as 2 against 3, 3 against 4, and 2 against 3 and 5, etc. These beats were too advanced for the missionaries to follow.
 
Responses to music are easy to be detected in the human body. Classical music from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music. As the body becomes relaxed and alert, the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Furthermore, baroque music decreases blood pressure and enhances the ability to learn. Music affects the amplitude and frequency of brain waves, which can be measured by an electro-encephalogram. Music also affects breathing rate and electrical resistance of the skin. It has been observed to cause the pupils to dilate, increase blood pressure, and increase the heart rate.

The Power of Music on Memory and Learning

The power of music to affect memory is quite intriguing. Mozart's music and baroque music, with a 60 beats per minute beat pattern, activate the left and right brain. The simultaneous left and right brain action maximizes learning and retention of information. The information being studied activates the left brain while the music activates the right brain. Also, activities which engage both sides of the brain at the same time, such as playing an instrument or singing, causes the brain to be more capable of processing information.
According to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, learning potential can be increased a minimum of five times by using this 60 beats per minute music. For example, the ancient Greeks sang their dramas because they understood how music could help them remember more easily ). A renowned Bulgarian psychologist, Dr. George Lozanov, designed a way to teach foreign languages in a fraction of the normal learning time. Using his system, students could learn up to one half of the vocabulary and phrases for the whole school term (which amounts to almost 1,000 words or phrases) in one day. Along with this, the average retention rate of his students was 92%. Dr. Lozanov's system involved using certain classical music pieces from the baroque period which have around a 60 beats per minute pattern. He has proven that foreign languages can be learned with 85-100% efficiency in only thirty days by using these baroque pieces. His students had a recall accuracy rate of almost 100% even after not reviewing the material for four years.

In 1982, researchers from the University of North Texas performed a three-way test on postgraduate students to see if music could help in memorizing vocabulary words. The students were divided into three groups. Each group was given three tests - a pretest, a posttest, and a test a week after the first two tests. All of the tests were identical. Group 1 was read the words with Handel's Water Music in the background. They were also asked to imagine the words. Group 2 was read the same words also with Handel's Water Music in the background. Group 2 was not asked to imagine the words. Group 3 was only read the words, was not given any background music, and was also not asked to imagine the words. The results from the first two tests showed that groups 1 and 2 had much better scores than group 3. The results from the third test, a week later, showed that group 1 performed much better than groups 2 or 3. However, simply using music while learning does not absolutely guarantee recall but can possibly improve it. Background music in itself is not a part of the learning process, but it does enter into memory along with the information learned. Recall is better when the same music used for learning is used during recall. Also, tempo appears to be a key of music's effect on memory.

 
Tne simple way students can improve test scores is by listening to certain types of music such as Mozart's Sonata for Two Piano's in D Major before taking a test. This type of music releases neurons in the brain which help the body to relax. The effectiveness of Mozart's sonatas can be seen by the results from an IQ test performed on three groups of college students. The first group listened to a Mozart sonata before taking the test. The second group listened to a relaxation tape before their test. The third group did not listen to anything before the test. The first group had the highest score with an average of 119. The second group ended up with an average of 111, and the third group had the lowest score with an average of 110.

William Balach, Kelly Bowman, and Lauri Mohler, all from Pennsylvania State University, studied the effects of music genre and tempo on memory retention. They had four groups learn vocabulary words using one of four instrumental pieces - slow classical, slow jazz, fast classical, and fast jazz. Each of the four groups was divided into smaller groups for the recall test. These sub groups used either the same (i.e. slow classical, slow classical) or different (i.e. slow jazz, fast classical) pieces when taking the recall test. The results did show a dependency on the music. Recall was better when the music was the same during learning and testing. These same researchers did another test which restricted the changes in the music to just tempo (i.e. slow to fast jazz) or just genre (i.e. slow jazz to slow classical). Surprisingly, the results showed that changing the genre had no effect on recall but changing the tempo decreased recall.

Conclusions

One cannot deny the power of music. High school students who study music have higher grade point averages that those who don't. These students also develop faster physically. Student listening skills are also improved through music education. The top three schools in America all place a great emphasis on music and the arts. Hungary, Japan, and the Netherlands, the top three academic countries in the world, all place a great emphasis on music education and participation in music. The top engineers from Silicon Valley are all musicians. Napoleon understood the enormous power of music. He summed it up by saying, "Give me control over he who shapes the music of a nation, and I care not who makes the laws" .

Singing in the Spirit

What does God's Word teach us on this subject? Should we sing? Why? Further, what songs are appropriate to the worship of our God?
 
Our Lord told the Samaritan woman, "God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24, NIV). What is the meaning of the phrase "in the Spirit?" Without the motivation and aid of the Spirit of God, there can be no true worship. Those who would worship God in the manner that pleases him must be born of the Spirit and filled with the Spirit.
 
The new birth is a miracle of the grace of God. It is nothing less than the Holy Spirit's coming to the rescue of a soul that is dead in trespasses and sins and imparting to that soul the life of God. Without regeneration no one can do anything in the Spirit. The unconverted man does not have the Spirit of God. He is devoid of any legitimate impulse to adore our God. He may sing with the congregation of the redeemed but he does not sing "in the Spirit." His "worship" is not acceptable to the Lord.
 
But what of the converted? Is his worship always acceptable? Is it not possible for the regenerate man to fail in the practice of acceptable worship? Indeed it is. He must be filled with the Spirit of God; i.e., his worship must be the product of his faith in the Lord (Eph. 5:18).

Why Should We Sing?

We serve a master who is King of kings and Lord of lords. When he commands us we must obey.
God's word is filled with commands that call for his worship and many of these instruct his servants to sing his praises, "Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious" (Psalm 66:1-2, NIV). It is true that the Lord graciously invites us to sing his praises, but we must not err in thinking that singing the glory of the name of God is optional. God's gracious invitations are also commandments to be obeyed.
 
We also find a rationale for singing in that our God deserves such adoration. Psalm 66 calls us to "Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf" (Psalm 66:5, NIV). The psalmist recounts the great salvific acts of God and rightly calls us to worship. What greater motive for praise than the character and works of God? We are to sing because the Lord is praiseworthy.
 
A third reason for singing is that it is good for us. Singing is a useful means of edification. Paul taught the Ephesians to "speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" (Eph. 5:19, NIV). We sing to the Lord but in doing so we speak to each other. By singing the great doctrines of the faith we build each other up in truth.
 
And, we sing because it is the most appropriate way of expressing the joy we find in our Lord Jesus Christ. James taught that a heart filled with delight should find a voice. "Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise" (James 5:13, NIV).

What Should We Sing?

Psalms
Our God has given us a hymnal which was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the Old Testament collection of songs that we know as the book of Psalms. The word "psalmos" used by Paul in Ephesians 5:19 always denoted a song sung to musical accompaniment and was understood to refer specifically to the psalms found in the collection that constituted the prayer book and hymnal of ancient Israel.
 
It was inevitable that the church should also sing the praise of God using the Psalter and that she should model original hymns on the inspired hymns of the book of Psalms.
Baptists and other Christians have at times debated whether the church should sing anything other than biblical psalms.
 
Today, singing from the Psalter is virtually a thing of the past in most evangelical churches, but some of the great metrical versions of the psalms still survive. Perhaps the best known is the adaptation of Psalm 23 from the Scottish Psalter of 1650:

1. The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want;
   He makes me down to lie
   In pastures green
   He leadeth me the quiet waters by.
2. My soul He doth restore again,
   And me to walk doth make
   Within the paths of righteousness,
   E'en for His own name's sake.
3. Yea, tho I walk through death's dark vale,
   Yet will I fear no ill,
   For thou art with me, and thy rod
   And staff me comfort still.
4. My table thou hast furnished
   In presence of my foes;
   My head thou dost with oil anoint,
   And my cup overflows.
5. Goodness and mercy all my life
   Shall surely follow me,
   And in God's house forevermore
   My dwelling place shall be.

It is important to observe that the psalms give us examples of both hymns of praise to God and songs that describe the experience of God's people. The book of Psalms is very much a complete hymn book for the people of God. Had no other hymn or spiritual song ever been written, we could hardly complain of hymnodic impoverishment.
 
Hymns
In classical Greek this word was used of a festive lyric written in praise of a god or hero. Therefore we understand a hymn to be a song that is of extra-biblical origin and employs us in the direct praise of the Most High. Such hymns are sometimes overtly "Christian," that is, Christ is the subject. One such example is "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name."

All Hail the power of Jesus name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown him Lord of all!

In a day when subjectivism and individualism threaten the cause of truth and genuine Christian experience, the singing of hymns provides a much needed corrective.
 
Spiritual Songs
There does exist a need for musical vehicles that express the many concerns of spiritual experience. The nineteenth century provided us with thousands of spiritual songs that have served the church well for many years. Many are exhortative in character. George Duffield wrote one of the best known.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict,
In this his glorious day.
Ye that are men now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.

Practical Warnings

The church is ever in need of reformation, and it is our responsibility to examine contemporary practice to see if it conforms to biblical precept. We have already alluded to the sad absence of psalm singing in the churches today. A revival of psalmody in the churches would be very welcome indeed. Can we go on pretending that our worship is "biblical" if we do not sing psalms?
But what of innovations that detract from the worship of God "in Spirit and in truth?" Can we have reformation in these areas?
 
The Show Business Syndrome
When I was a teenager I attended a youth camp where young people were encouraged to "give their testimony." Camper after camper paraded to the "altar" where a microphone was available. Most of the "testimonies" were primarily subjective in character but were sprinkled with pious sounding sentiments. One little girl got caught up in the spirit of the thing and told us her life story minus the "piety." She saw people performing and she jumped at the opportunity to take center stage for herself.
 
Today there is little embarrassment about such behavior. Religion is show business. The sacred desk, symbolic of the primacy of preaching, has been all but obscured by something that looks increasingly like a theatrical stage. In many churches the "audience" sits and is entertained by choirs and soloists. The "audience" often expresses its appreciation by applause. If hymns are sung few verses are used.
"Choruses" (which are not always to be despised) are preferred because they are short. The church that emphasizes hymn singing is a precious commodity in our day.
 
Balance
Little thought seems to attend the choice of songs in Christian worship today. Well-intentioned people often lead the congregation in several good songs, but they may all be hymns or they may all be songs of Christian experience. A mixture of the two would be far better. Best of all would be the inclusion of a psalm in every service as well as appropriate hymns and spiritual songs.
 
Musical Integrity
Finally, let us show care in the choice of musical settings. A "catchy" tune may be popular but inappropriate. Our God is a Sovereign of matchless dignity and therefore is worthy of our best offering. We may pander to popular taste and please man, but the worship--including music--that pleases the Lord God is that which reflects his glory.