Time for a Guitar Check-Up!

It's time. I have managed to put it off, but I can put it off no longer.

My guitars' intonations have run out. It's getting harder to do demos, and worse yet - sound good on Sunday.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you probably have one of the following problems:

• Can't play your guitar in tune up and down the neck without retuning or bending strings
  
• Action is too high or low up on the neck
• Excessive fret buzz
• Just bad sound

These problems will happen on every, every guitar - even new ones! Here are a couple tips that will help you maintain your guitar and make it sound great. Please note, I am not a guitar expert, but these have helped me!

• Always bring a string's pitch UP from underneath while tuning. Don't tune down to a note; it will make it more likely to go flat while playing it.
  
• Change your strings more often
• Make sure to break in your strings every time. You can either play the guitar for 30 - 60 minutes after putting on new strings or tune it up a half-step for 6 - 12 hours before you need it to be in playable condition.
  
• Fix your intonation.
  
• If you've never done it, get your guitar "set-up" by a professional. I use http://www.mikelull.com.
  

Let's talk about intonation. It's the most likely cause of you hating or loving a guitar.

Intonation is the general term used to make your guitar's pitch be correct all the way up and down the neck. You can do it yourself, but it is tricky, time consuming and has several parameters. It will also make your guitar sing like a bird (assuming you have decent tone to begin with.) In the end, the goal is simple: make every note up and down the fretboard on any given string the correct pitch. The bad news is getting there isn't simple.

The components of the math are: string diameter, string to fretboard height (aka "action"), fret height, and string length. Since we can make string diameter, action, and fret height constant, the thing that usually doesn't stay constant over time is the string length(!). It is also the hardest component to correct.

The factors that cause string length to change are simple:

• Time causes the bridge and or neck under string tension to warp slightly (especially acoustics)
  
• The dimensions of your guitar change slightly under different temperatures and moistures
• The mechanics of your bridge do move over time. If you have a floating bridge, you're doomed to fight this until you tape it down after every string change.
  

So, now that you know why, here's the short of how you fix this:

• If you have an acoustic guitar - give up. Hire a professional to "cut you a new bone". They will fix your bone or put a new one in to match your strings and guitar as well as set your bridge to get the right pitch.
  
• For an electric, I recommend the same technique. But for the brave and bored, the the process is laborious, but worth it:
  
• Select your strings and get them on the guitar
  
• Set the desired playing hight using the bridge mechanics if you can. Avoid fret noise when playing heavy. If you get fret noise, your action may be set too low.
  
• Make sure your bridge is under string tension and locked down as thoroughly as possible - make sure the pitch will drift as little as possible. Tremblo systems are quite problematic.
  
• Using a strobe tuner (seriously), adjust the mechanics at the bridge to make each string's pitch correct open and at the 12th fret. This means the pitch at the 12th fret must be exactly twice the frequency of the open pitch. You will need to adjust the string length by making it shorter or longer to compensate if it's too low or high respectively. (Yes, it's backwards of what we're used to, but the math makes sense!) You will need to do this over and over again for each string since changing the tension on your neck will make the strings perform differently.
  
• The process should probably take an hour for the non-professional. The first time I did my bass, it took an hour, and I was still figuring out how to do it right.
  

When you're done, always play with the EXACT same strings you used when the guitar was intoned.

The problem is physics and the string's reaction to the dimensions they are put through. If you change the dimensions even slightly (like the width of the string versus where it gets clipped by the fret), your pitch will be off.

If you need to change the type of strings (even to a coated version of the same strings you've always loved), take the time and intone your guitar again.

The entire point of this article is GET YOUR GUITAR SET-UP. Most of the music minsters I've encountered don't know what that means. Now you do.

If you're in Seattle, you have got to go to Mike Lull. He really isn't expensive, but he is the #1 guy anywhere and a treasure to have in our backyard.

No one will thank you for it. They'll just dislike you if you don't.

This article is too long. Sorry.

God bless you in your ministry.

Art's Formula for Worship Guitar Sound #1

I am going to call this WGS1 - because it's cool to use acronymns, and I want to be cool - someday.

I personally really go for the Vox™ sound made popular by The Edge of U2 for this type of song. The guitar sits right on the edge of overdrive without always clipping. You lay into it, and there it is – that extra noise!

I actually use a POD (1.0), but the fundamentals are the same no matter what you're on.

Here's how it works for me:

• The Guitar - I use Gretsch Nashville 1962 reissue (FilterTron pickups, using the neck pickup only). Any hollow body or semi-hollow can get great sound. For solids, dial your guitar tone in on the warm side.
  
• Optional Delay - . There are two ways to do this:
  
  • In time with the music, usually an 8^th or quarter note in delay. Using a tap-delay will keep your drummer from killing you. (Read: don't force your drummer into a groove – adjust your equipment!) If you're shopping, make sure you can access the tap feature with your foot. Line6 makes a good model for this. It's green and can be seen on almost every band's pedal-board.
    
  • You can also work on off beats. This is the way The Edge does it, and Christian artists everywhere copy it! You want the delayed sound closer to a 16^th note, but only feedback ONCE. Then when you play, play 8^th notes – you get twice as many notes! Timing is critical. You can also try triplets! Count 1-2-3 per HALF note and tap away! This is even closer to that classic sound – but harder to program on the fly.
    
• The Amp - The idea is to get the sound close to overdriven but not quite there when playing lightly. This will let you arpegiate cleanly without overdriving. Then, you can use a BOOST or just start playing harder to get a crunchier sound! It's very versatile and very "in".
  
  • If I had my way, my amp would be an Orange AD30 TC
    
  • My second choice would be a real-tube Vox AC30. This is the basic amp of George Harrison of The Beatles and U2 and is the originator of the sound in question.
    
  • Lastly, you can get a good emulation from the Line6 POD effects units.
    

Line6 also makes amp versions of the POD with the tones already built in, and in worship can be much more effective than having an amp that does all the work. (Loud backline amps should someday be a Cardinal Sin. J ) Keep your FOH engineer in mind when you're shopping!

If someone wants, I can post my actual POD settings here! Just leave a comment!

Arranging for Guitarists

We've all seen it. Worse yet, some of us may have been in or created one:

A "GUITAR CHOIR"!

For the uninitiated, this is a bastion of the 70's where, like the Doobie Brothers, Alabama, or Lynard Skynard, everyone with six strings and an aptitude for making noise signs up for the church music group. Then, without clear priories, parts or prerogatives, they end up either strumming the same pattern (bad), or just all going their own ways and create an acoustic cacophony.

One way to avoid this is to limit the number of guitarists. As a director, sometimes it's okay to help people find other venues for service. (It's not easy, though.) My suggestion for that limit is three and a half. This does not include the bass player.

Now, some of you might think: that's still too many! Well, you are right – it can be. But with this number it's quite manageable. Here's how you can do it:

1. Everyone plays less. The more people, the fewer things people can do before it gets "too busy". This can be an interesting problem – especially if you have a band of strong "leaders", but to make a joyful noise as a group, not everyone can lay the foundation. (That's the bassist's and drummer's job anyway.)
   
2. Avoid the "rhythm" and "lead" paradigm. It's very 80's and that was (gasp) 20 years ago! (I'm so old.)
   
3. Be explicit about who is doing what so there is no overlap. I'll discuss this further.
   
4. Be creative and avoid just strumming open chords.
   

Arranging With Three Guitarists

So, let's assume you've got three reasonably gifted guitarists. Let's just break down some songs and what we can do with them:

Blessed Be Your Name (Redman)

1. Acoustic Guitar – strumming, leading through most of the song. If you've got a strong bass player, rely on them for driving the song. You might even lay out the first verse! (Gasp!)
   
2. Electric Guitar – Broad chords only on the refrain and the second half of the bridge. Can use reverb or delay to make the sound bigger. Use overdrive. On the second verse, I like to add emphasis
   
3. Electric Guitar – Starting with the second verse, use light arpeggios during the verse – "noodling". Can use some delay, but don't overdo it. See Art's Formula for Worship Guitar Sound #1 (herein WGS1). You might want to start this on the second verse. On the refrains, use a single note with more force to add rhythm.
   

Your Grace Is Enough (Maher)

1. Acoustic Guitar – foundation.
   
2. Electric Guitar – Lead / arpeggios on transitional bridges, WGS1 sound, but with more overdrive.
   
3. Electric Guitar – Broad chords with distortion. If you play keys too, add those little keyboard parts during the verse, or be patient! J
   

Holy Is The Lord (Tomlin)

We do this song in an open "G" so our congregation can sing along. (This affects our capo settings.)

• Acoustic Guitar – Foundation, lead, Open chords
  
• Acoustic Guitar – Capo 5 – play open "D" chords and arpeggiate.
  
• Electric Guitar – Noodling lead parts, similar to recording, using WGS1.
  

Hmm… these examples are fun. Maybe I'll take the opportunity to do my first "audio" podcast!

God bless you in your ministry!

Sing a new Psalm

The Liturgical norms for Psalm settings changed a couple years ago when the USCCB and the Vatican required Psalms to stay more stringent to the Lectionary text and should not be paraphrased. This means there are lots of Psalm settings that are no longer considered correct to use for Mass, even those that came from Catholic publishers. In addition, the Lectionary was revised in 1998.

Therefore we've all hit it – there are now plenty of Psalms in the Lectionary that don't have an adequate* setting.

If you're adventurous, diligent and able to write music to a rigid set of guidelines: go write your own setting!

Now for the tricky part - there are rules. These have changed in recent years, but keep in mind, it's all for the glory of God, so offer up some of that creative freedom and deliver His Word.

1. All text should be taken from the Lectionary. You can find the text for a given week for Masses in the United States at http://www.usccb.org/nab.
   
2. If you absolutely must paraphrase, stay true to the true meaning of the text. You may need to cross-reference the Bible (NAB) to get the words in the proper context.
   
3. Range should be as follows with only very rare exceptions: the "A" below Middle "C" to the "D" one octave above middle "C". (See my article on the subject.)
   
4. Other than that, good songwriting principles should always be applied.  (There many, many books on this subject, and I've read a few of them.)
   
   1. Start with a good hook. It's subjective, but you want to keep the Word in the congregation's head long after Mass.
      
   2. Keep it sing-able. If you can't hum it in your head without hearing the accompaniment, it's probably not a strong enough hook.  
      
5. Be crystal clear as far as which parts the assembly should sing. 
   
6. Keep it simple.
   

When it comes to teaching your new Psalm setting, make sure it works first. Have someone else sing it back to you. A good test of a good song is one that doesn't require you to sing it.

Also, if you have the ability, you might want to make the effort to notate at least the refrain / antiphon on staff paper or using some application like Finale or Sibelius.

God bless you in your ministry.

References

• Redeptionis Sacramentum
  

* Remember, "adequate" is completely subjective; what works for one group might not work for yours. Also, don't forget to check with your local publishers.

He Is Risen! Now make it known.

Lent is over. We’ve renewed, refreshed, and been revived!

Your music should reflect on the resurrection, moving the people to praise with fervor as in no other season!

At St. Vincent’s, we do some simple things to keep from lapsing back into “Ordinary Time Mode” (OTM):

• Sprinkling rite at each mass in the Easter Season (with accompaniment)
• Change the mass setting to something bright, simple and worshipful
• Use the word “Alleluia” as often as is possible

Find a new song and repeat it a few times during the season:

• On the Third Day (Maher) performed by Tim Hughes (reflection-type of hymn
• Resurrection Day (Maher)
• Let Your Love Come Down (Blakesley)
• So We Will Worship (Hart/Hipp)

A couple other things to try:

• Update some of the older hymns like “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”
• Add a brass section for a few weeks
• Make your warm-up more interactive, or just do something different
• Find a new song with hand motions
• Commit to find one new instrumentalist this Easter season
• If you’re a writer, write something new!
• If you’re a keyboardist, use a different preset, or even play a non-synthetic instrument

Me? I’m gonna praise Him just a little more this week on my old 1973 Wurlitzer 200.

Whatever you do, keep it out of the OTM!

God bless you in your ministry.

Rotten Apple®s

A word to the wise: backup your hard drive early and often.

I've been blessed with several years free of hard drive failure. In fact, I can't recall the last one I've had fail without some early warning signs.

All that ended last Monday.

I have been the proud owner of a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo since November. It rocks my little musical world. I run Logic Pro 7 and it's just killer – and it's portable! I was even mixing a recording of live show on the car ride back from Eastern Washington just to get a jump on things for a project I'm working on! Even Cubase 4 runs like it never did on my PC! Yes, even Windows® Vista™ ran great under BootCamp (with much tom foolery and hackery).

Then last Monday happened.

It always happens when you don't expect it.

If you expect it, you've got another problem – paranoia; but I digress.

I get up in the morning and open the Dashboard to check the weather – just as our Lord intended it. (Because opening Windows® is silly*.)

The whole thing locked - hard. Nothing moved. When the mouse stops moving, you know you are in trouble. Reboot? Nada. Just the click, click, clicking of a dazed and confused machine unable to get to the comforting grey on grey Apple® logo.

I took the MacBook Pro to the genius bar at Bellevue Square Mall. After much help from the guys at the counter, they figured the problem was the logic board (a.k.a. motherboard to PC users). No theoretical data loss.

Or so I thought.

I went back into pick up the machine on Thursday and to my horror the hard drive had been swapped! They went and did all they could to resuscitate the data from the damaged drive to no avail.

Here's what I lost on the drive:

• Almost all of the pictures I took since Christmas Day!
  
• The masters for Tom Curran's theme music for Sound Insight (on Sacred Heart Radio at 8 am)
  
• Preliminary mixes for Soul Food Books' CD project
  
• Experimental source code I was working on
  
• My Microsoft® Money™ files
  
• All my recent demos for the LIFE TEEN band at St. Vincent
  

Needless to say, I was upset – very upset. I could have taken the damaged drive and paid someone else to recover the data and replace the damaged drive in the Mac at another store. The problem would still remain – I would not have a reliable backup system for otherwise valuable data. I decided to learn a hard lesson and buy a backup drive instead.

Fortunately Tom's basic tracks are done, and I can record additional his additional needs separately. I was able to recreate the Money™ files from an older backup, and the Soul Food masters are all safe and sound.

How does this all relate to music ministry? Think of everything you have saved on your computer relating to your ministry. Here's my short list:

• Live recordings of the band
  
• All our sheet music
  
• Demo recordings
  
• Song sheet files
  
• Historical band photos
  
• A database of everything we've done since 1999
  
• Source code for generating song sheets and overheads
  
• Masters for my CD
  

So if you don't have a backup plan, get one. Do it at least ONCE A WEEK.

*Like you were going to get out of this post without a joke like that.