JAM WORKSHOP HANDOUT

Worship Symposium 2022, July 22, 2022

Zoom and Face-to-face at JILPG Bocaue Bulacan

Youtube Video Links:

JAM Workshop - Part 1: Introduction to Music and Elements
JAM Workshop - Part 2: General Band Tips
JAM Workshop - Part 3: Band Transitions and Q&A

I. JAM Definition and Ministerial Functions

a. Definition (Jesus’ Army of Musicians)
1. JESUS
● He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30
● This was quoted by the greatest prophet ever lived according to Jesus - John The
Baptist. His ministry circled on just one goal - TO MAKE JESUS GREATER ABOVE
ALL ELSE!!!

2. ARMY
● a large organized body of armed personnel trained for war especially on land.
● Elite because even at the time when the FIRST BATCH of elite singers and
musicians were chosen by God in 1 Chronicles 25:1-7, there was already a
QUALIFICATION, a certain STANDARD that we must possess to be included in this
team.

3. MUSICIAN
● someone who is skilled in playing music (1 Chronicles 25:7)

b. Functions

A JAM minister should consider 2 technical/musical preparations in ministering on a Worship

Healing Service:

1) SONG LINE UP
● Joyful songs
● Solemn songs

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 2) MUSICAL FLOW
● Sequenced but free flow (not like the typical sequence in the original CD version)
● Free music and song flow (melody of praise)

Familiarize the SONG

● Song structure (the sequence parts of the song; intro, verse, chorus, etc.)
● Song lyrics (the theme, the general message of the song)

Familiarize the MUSIC

● musical element
● rhythm, tempo, groove
● chords and progressions
● music transition elements

II. Music Definition and Elements of Music

Music Communicates.
● Music, as a means of communication, is the musician’s language to communicate!
● As a worship musician, we communicate music to let the message of the songs dwell in the
hearts of those who will listen and sing them. (Col. 3:16)

Music Defined
MUSIC is an art-form in which the medium is sound organized in time.

Basic Elements of Music

a. Rhythm is the driving element of music which organizes a musical work in time.
Elements of Rhythm:
● PULSE/ BEAT: it is the steady & consistent element of rhythm.
● TEMPO: it determines the speed of the pulse or beat.
● METER: it is the grouping system of the pulse or beat.
● GROOVE: it is the human expression and response to the music rhythm.

b. Melody is the horizontal relationship between musical sound that gives a musical piece its own
identity.

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 Elements of Melody:
● PITCH: the highness or lowness of musical sound/note
● TONE: the quality of a musical pitch.
● SCALES: the ordered sequence of notes.
● ANTECEDENT: a melodic direction that represents a musical question.
● CONSEQUENT: a melodic direction that represents a musical answer.

c. Harmony is the vertical relationship between notes or the simultaneous sounding of different
notes or pitch.
Elements of Harmony:
● INTERVAL: it is the distance between 2 musical pitches sounded together or
individually.
● CHORD: it is the layering of 3 or more musical pitches sounded together or
individually.
● TONALITY: it is the systematic arrangement of harmonies that establishes its own
key centers or “home keys”
● CHORD PROGRESSION: the movement of the chord in a musical fashion.
● CHORD FUNCTION: it is the role of the individual chord in relation to the other
chord in the musical key.

d. Dynamics is the loudness or softness of a musical work. It adds interesting moods to the
composition to avoid monotonous sound.

Elements of Dynamics:
● VOLUME: the loudness or softness of musical sound (dynamic markings)
● VELOCITY: the force applied to make a musical sound (accents)

e. Orchestration is the act of writing, arranging, or dividing musical parts for different instruments
for a certain musical context.

Elements of Orchestration:
● TIMBRE: the quality of the tonal sound of an instrument.
● REGISTER: the frequency range of an instrument.
● TEXTURES: is how the tempo, melodic, and harmonic materials are combined in a
musical composition, determining the overall quality of the sound in a piece.
○ Monophony- playing one melodic line in UNISON
○ Homophony- playing HARMONY alongside the independent melody.

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 ● Polyphony- playing TWO OR MORE INDEPENDENT LINES that
complement each other.

III. General Band Tips and Tune-up

Audio Materials

General Band Tips

1. Timing
2. Record your playing
3. Show up to the rehearsals prepared
Here’s a quick guide on how to learn new material as quickly as possible:
● Listen to the song all the way through twice
● Split the song into sections and order them from least-complicated to
most-complicated
● Start learning each section, working your way up from least-complicated to
most-complicated.
● When dealing with complex sections, practice them at half-speed and slowly work
up to full-speed using a metronome.
4. Rehearse at low volume
5. Prioritize Group Sensitivity

Band Tune-up

1. Bass and Drums

a. Consistent pulse creates a groove (hypnotic)
It should affect the listeners
Examples: Arise (Don Moen Version) vs. Arise (Paul Baloche Version)
b. Locking in to the groove involves attention to details
Examples: Jesus Is Lord (Rom. 10:9), Itataas, Itatanghal, Isisigaw
c. Importance of keeping in time with the click/ metronome
Examples: Jesus Is Lord (Rom. 10:9), Itataas, Itatanghal, Isisigaw

2. Keys and Guitars

a. Choose Your Musical Space (Musical Registers)
Examples: Above All (Keys Driven Song)
From The Inside Out (Guitar Driven Song)
b. Chorus Response Using Chordal/ Melodic Textures

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 Examples:
Above All
From The Inside Out
c. Comping Variations Can Add Musical Interest To The Song
Example: It’s All About You

d. Counter-Melodies/ Call & Response Melodic Concepts (Motifs, Melodic Hooks)

Example: Throne Of Praise

IV. Band Music Transitions

Music Transitions
A transition is a passage of music composed to link one section of music to another. Transitions
often function as a moment of transformation and may, or may not in themselves, introduce new,
musical material.

VARIATIONS OF TRANSITIONS

1. MELODIC TRANSITIONS - Using a superimposed melodic line to have a subtle shift from
one tonal center to another.
Example: Bless The Lord to Blessing & Glory

2. RHYTHMIC TRANSITIONS - Adapting the rhythm/ groove of the next song to establish the
song transition
Example:
Jesus Is Alive to Jesus You Are Glorious
We’ve Been Chosen- Anchor & the Veil

3. CHORDAL TRANSITIONS - This is a chord progression based transitions that uses the
harmonic functions especially the connection between secondary dominants and the main
key to add harmonic richness and story to the song.
Example:
We Worship You
Let The Heavens Rejoice- We Praise You Jesus

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4. LINE TRANSITION- Playing series of melodic lines in tutti form to redirect the tonal center
to the next key center of the song.

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