keyboard
Ideas

Finding the Right Keyboard Part 1

Purchasing the right keyboard for your worship ministry is a complicated task. With so many types available you need to analyze your needs before you visit the music store.

A keyboard performs three main roles in today’s worship:

1. Underscoring – playing softly under prayers and readings as well as connecting songs using a pad (string-type sounds) or keyboard patch. Keyboard sounds are usually acoustic piano patches or electric (Wurlitzers (Wurlys) or Rhodes.)

2. Sonic sweetening – strings, B3 organ, gurgling pads and lead synth sounds in guitar driven songs.

3. Driving – a balanced musical worship diet will include both guitar driven and keyboard driven songs. A realistic acoustic piano patch is a must for when the keyboard takes the lead.

Your worship style will dictate which keyboard you should buy. If your worship style is blended you’ll want a keyboard with a great piano sound and touch (Roland/Yamaha.) If you do modern worship you’ll want a keyboard that specializes in synthy sounds and B3 (Nord/Korg.)

Next week: I’ll tell you what to look for in a keyboard and reveal my favorite brand.

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Don Chapman Worshipideas
Don Chapman

A prolific arranger and songwriter, Don has had songs published by Word, Integrity Music, G3worship and Worship Today, and has orchestrated music for several Christian artists. He serves as the arranger for Hymncharts.com and Worshiphymns.com. He’s been featured on the 700 Club, has been quoted in USAToday and has been a guest lecturer at Liberty University.

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