Spreading out the Sound

Worship songs need to be clear and easy to follow. This doesn’t mean you need to have simple arrangements. Most teams will have instruments that play in similar registers. You need to be aware of the instruments in your group and how they are contributing to the overall sound. Spreading out the sound ensures that multiple instruments are not playing the same notes regularly.

 

To spread out the sound of your group, you need to try to work in different registers. The register refers to the specific octave you are playing in. Doing this can accomplish two things: 

      

1) Make a smaller ensemble sound fuller

     

2) Give clarity of sound to a larger group.

​

The chords used by piano and guitars, as well as the melody being sung, are usually in similar registers. This congestion can make a good arrangement sound muddy or undefined. If you can spread out the register (octave) that some of the chords are played in, or spread out the notes of a chord (playing arpeggios), there will be more definition to the sound. This clarity will help the congregation to easily identify the melody.

 

The more instruments you have playing the same notes, the greater the volume those notes will be. You need to be constantly aware of balancing the melody. The melody carries the lyrics which the congregation worships through. This, rather than the chords or rhythm of a song, is the most important part.