Humor will not be tolerated!! -Portia

I can't hit low G consistently on days when my allergies are acting up (80% of the time), but my throat hurts when I try to sing middle C or above, so I'm not really a good singer. Ignoring range, I'd give myself 4/5.

Piano: 2/5. I'm sure if I practiced I could do more than just the top hand on a dozen hymns, but I never practice anymore.

French horn: 3/5. I used to be pretty good, but I haven't practiced consistently in 6 years.

Organists, I have two more questions

1. Do you ever have a hard time getting a song up to the written tempo (also: sometimes no one notices?)?

2. I am working on a hymn with one-beat rests at the end of each phrase. I probably shouldn't be silent that whole rest because it would sound wrong, so I'm guessing I should take an extended "breath"?

Whistler wrote:Organists, I have two more questions

1. Do you ever have a hard time getting a song up to the written tempo (also: sometimes no one notices?)?

2. I am working on a hymn with one-beat rests at the end of each phrase. I probably shouldn't be silent that whole rest because it would sound wrong, so I'm guessing I should take an extended "breath"?

1. I always ignore the recommended tempo and just play whatever I'm used to hearing in my ward, so I have no idea. In general, though, I don't have too much problems with tempo. I don't think anyone's going to care if it's 5 bpm under though.
2. I pretty much ignore the one-beat rests and just make a more defined break than I usually do. Leaving the entire beat empty sounds weird.

1) Yes. Every ward organist ever has this problem, I think. Plus, it doesn't help that in our ward, there's one loud voice that consistently sings WAY under tempo and drags the organist. Grrr frustrating. But... most of the time no one notices. Unless it's "I Believe in Christ."

2) I (in my lack of experience) would recommend different things depending on the hymn, speed of the hymn, and message. Personally, I'm a fan of rests in hymns--I feel they make a nice contrast to the same constant drone of the organ. However, if it's a SUPER slow hymn, I'd maybe modify it down to an eighth rest at least.

I was once director in sacrament meeting. I would chat with the organist every Sunday to let her know how fast I wanted the songs to be. Between her following me, me singing loudly, and the congregation being fairly small, we were usually able to get the song up to speed. *sigh* Those were the days...

Usually the tempo is okay, even if I would prefer it to be faster, but there are some songs (see: I Believe in Christ) where for the sanity of everyone involved the organist and director should coordinate to keep from dragging. It's a beautiful song, but I can't stand singing it in sacrament meeting - it actually makes me anxious.

Whistler wrote:1. Do you ever have a hard time getting a song up to the written tempo (also: sometimes no one notices?)?

I once read somewhere (how's that for an authoritative source?), that most human beings are very good at remembering the tempo of popular songs that they've heard many times. (I.e., the average human doesn't have perfect pitch and might not be able to start the song on the exact right note, but they'll do a pretty good job of singing the song at the appropriate tempo.) In fact, CPR instructors will sometimes give people songs to hum in order to keep the right tempo for doing chest compressions. (Ironically, two of the best 100 bpm songs are "Stayin' Alive" and "Another One Bites the Dust.")

What all this means for congregational singing, alas, is that when people grow up hearing the hymns at a pace that's too slow, that's the pace that will stick in their minds as being the correct one for that song. Which doesn't necessarily help you keep the song at the right tempo, but at least it's a clue as to why it's a problem. (Also, large congregations sing slower than small congregations and older people sing slower than younger people.)

One thing you can do, if you have a good relationship with your chorister, is to have him or her wait for a few seconds before the beginning of the hymn and not start until he or she has the attention of a good amount of the congregation. (I.e., you play the intro, he waits for a few seconds until he's got enough eyes on him, then he gives the pickup note for you and the congregation starts to sing the first verse.) This gives them practice in paying attention to the chorister and not just singing at the tempo they're used to.

I have a strong enough internal metronome, and my ward choristers are bad enough, that I just pick a good pace and then the rest of the ward can deal with it.

Some people dislike it, but I know a lot of people wish I would play every week.

thanks for the advice guys! it's very helpful to feel like I'm not alone in playing organ ('cuz I'm not!).

Whistler wrote:thanks for the advice guys! it's very helpful to feel like I'm not alone in playing organ ('cuz I'm not!).

On the contrary, I'm amazed at the number of organists on this forum.

Well, if you're a pianist in a small LDS ward, you can often be coerced into learning how to play the organ...that's what happened to me...

Same here.

Yep. My mom informed me the summer before sixth grade that I was taking organ lessons. Several years later, all organists were out of town but me, and boom! Eternal calling was born.

I think that's how most ward organists are born.

I went to Summerfest here at BYU a couple of years ago, and they required all of the kids that went for piano to take organ classes for the week.

Well, now I'm going to allow myself to feel blessed instead of lazy about never going through with piano lessons... : )

(Actually a bishop has tried to call me to be ward organist despite the fact that I can't play.)

Tally M. wrote:I think that's how most ward organists are born.

I went to Summerfest here at BYU a couple of years ago, and they required all of the kids that went for piano to take organ classes for the week.

That's how I started. I'm still not any good, but at least I know basic technique (which helps a lot).

Well, may none of you be in my next ward, because I want to be the ward organist again!

Huh. After a several month hiatus, I find it interesting that this was the first forum that caught my eye. A bunch of musically inclined people around here! I play the flute at a 4, piano at a 2.5, and sing definitely at a 5. I've taken private lessons for many years (Speech Level Singing is one of the best things that has ever happened to me). Also, since moving to Salt Lake, I've joined a well-known choir that has me singing in a group a couple times a week. So I'd give choral as well as solo singing a 5. Sometimes I feel like all I do is sing- unless I'm running around in a lab coat at work

Wisteria wrote: Also, since moving to Salt Lake, I've joined a well-known choir that has me singing in a group a couple times a week.

"Huh. I think I remember seeing you around"

-Craig Jessop

any other organists want to join me for the BYU organ 4-day workshop in August? http://ce.byu.edu/cw/organ/index.php

Whistler wrote:any other organists want to join me for the BYU organ 4-day workshop in August? http://ce.byu.edu/cw/organ/index.php

Ooh! That sounds like it would be fun...and I shouldn't be teaching then. It depends on how my summer schedule goes; I may be going to an week-long professional development this summer. I would have to schedule that first to make sure it doesn't conflict.

p.s. I didn't contribute to this discussion before, but I'd say I play flute at a 4/5, Piano 3.5/5 (but getting better - I'm choir pianist now), organ 2/5, and sing 3/5