THE FRIEND OF TRUTH
Greensboro Road church of Christ
2008 Old Greensboro Road
Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401
“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16)
ELDERS
Dan Nichols
Randy Oden
Jody Pickens
DEACONS
Scottie Blanchard
Brian Davis
Jerry Dodson
Mike Felts
Jason Garland
Marshall Lands
Mark Wooten
EVANGELISTS
Terry Joe Kee
MISSIONARIES
Michael Hughes
Arnold Kelley
Wil Sadler
SERVICES
SUNDAY
Classes
Worship
9:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
5:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Bible Study
7:00 p.m.
What Must I Do To Be
Saved?
Hear the Word of God
Romans 10:17
Believe the Word of God
John 8:24
Repent of your sins
Luke 13:3
Confess your faith in Jesus
as the Son of God
Romans 10:9,10
Be Baptized for the remission of your sins
Acts 2:38
Live faithfully
Revelation 2:10
Vol. XXIV, No. 36
September 4, 2016
KeeNotes
WORSHIPPING GOD IN SONG (2)
W. D. Jeffcoat
In this article I invite your attention to several characteristics involving the voice
and methods of the song director. No treatise on singing technique can suffice in itself.
A continual practice of error will multiply the problems involved in learning to sing correctly.
The voice must be brought under control. In order to control the voice, it is absolutely necessary to control the breath. The noise that is frequently heard in breathing
can be eliminated by breathing through the nose and mouth at the same time. By
breathing in such manner, one can not only breathe quicker, but can have better control
of the voice. Tonal quality in singing depends a great deal upon breath control. Pressure or undue stress on the throat indicates an improper singing technique.
Phrasing is an important matter in singing. What punctuation is to language, phrasing is to music. One can weaken or damage a beautiful musical idea by taking breath at
the wrong time or place. In other words, phrasing adds punctuation to music and brings
out the full meaning of a song. A failure in this area means that the thought that is to be
conveyed by the words that have been set to music will not be expressed correctly. One
must not only take breath correctly, but he must also breathe at the proper place in a
song in order to sing correctly. A phrase contains either two, three, or four measures. It
may begin or end with a fractional part of a measure. Phrases are usually four measures
long in two pulse and six pulse measure. Ordinarily one should breathe at the end of the
phrase or at rests. Sometimes the phrasing of the words is not in agreement with the
phrasing of the melody. One should not breathe at any place that will impair the meaning of the words, or while singing words with more than one syllable. A much greater
expression in the interpretation of gospel songs is gained by correct phrasing. The student may practice correct phrasing by reading the words over many times as a poem,
and then endeavoring, when singing, to keep the same phrasing. This is an area of music study that is largely overlooked and it shows up greatly in congregational singing.
Because of the fact that scriptural singing involves teaching and admonishing, articulation is extremely important. All syllables must be joined together distinctly in order
to convey the proper thoughts to fellow worshippers. Brethren, many of us are extremely careless in speaking our words when we sing.
(continued on pages 2 & 3)
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Page 2
The Friend of Truth
Pronunciation, which involves giving the correct vowel and consonant sounds to each word, is as tremendously
important in singing as it is in speech. In our daily or colloquial conversation we many times pronounce words incorrectly. Therefore, the same mispronunciation is revealed in our singing. Each person should give a great deal of attention to this area of thought. Notice several words frequently used in gospel songs that are commonly mispronounced. (1) Pilgrim is often pronounced “pil-grum.” (2) Crystal is referred to as “crys-chul.” (3) Heaven is spoken
of as “heav-un.” (4) Singing is referred to as “sing-in.” (5) Angel is commonly spoken of as “an-gul.” Many other
words are abused in singing, but these will serve to illustrate the point. Each syllable should be treated with due respect. A little effort occasionally will help us in many areas of church music.
The well-trained singer has an increased breathing storage capacity. It takes much breath to sing properly. A
well-expanded chest develops room for a storage of breath. Therein is the foundation of good singing. Those who
are adept in the teaching of the care and development of the human voice state that every muscle of the body will aid
somewhat in singing, if coordinated with the muscles of the vocal chords. Strain at the throat is not necessary when
the energy needed for breath pressure is distributed throughout the body. One should not sing with the nose closed,
because to do so will result in a whining sound. Sometimes this type of sound is improperly referred to as “singing
through the nose.” Words such as shrine, mine, or thine, cannot be sung without singing a nasal tone. Such words
must be sung in the nose as well as through the nose. It is a closing of the nostrils instead of an opening that results in
a whining sound. A tone is much better in quality when it is made above the throat or vocal chords. One can sing
longer without tiring, the more easily the tones are made. Likewise, there is a greater possibility for developing a
more powerful voice and a wider tone range with better quality.
The human voice, which is perhaps the greatest means of expression, should be carefully developed and protected. The singing range of the voice is about four octaves. Some of this range is common to both male and female
voices. The usual range difference in the male and female voice is one octave. The soprano, or highest female voice,
is usually an octave higher than the tenor, or highest male voice. The alto, or lowest female voice, is usually an octave higher than the bass, or lowest male voice. Men and women should sing the part that is best suited to their voice
range in order to alleviate voice strain and to have better tonal quality. There are those, however, who have a range
wide enough to sing more than one part without strain. Also, the voice range can be broadened somewhat by diligent
practice of the musical scale. The male voice usually changes or skips an octave between the ages of ten and fourteen. There is little or no control of the voice during this stage. Consequently, in order to prevent voice damage one
should be extremely careful in singing during this period. Some voices, however, do not make this change and, thus,
there is less danger of voice abuse. The human voice is a great and complex machine. One can sing easily and surely
only when he permit’s the voice to place itself instead of forcing it to be placed. We should use our God-given voices
for the edification of mankind and the glory and honor of Almighty God. May we re-evaluate our duty along this line
and take those steps that are essential to improvement.
Each individual has his own God-given talent. Each talent must be recognized and coordinated with others in
order to excel musically. One must have a good ear as well as a good voice to become a successful singer. Without a
good ear, one cannot have a proper perception of pitch. Thus, the ear serves to guide in making the organs of voice
function up to the limit of the singer’s ability. A keen perception of pitch is developed by mental concentration.
Therefore, one must think the tones in order to sing them correctly. Thought control is a great factor in the mechanics
of singing. Pitch is an exacting quality in music. Every tone bears a certain fixed relationship to every other tone.
Therefore, all tones must be attacked directly. The singer’s voice must not fluctuate, but go directly to the tone. To
do otherwise will affect the harmony and may cause a discord. A pound of theory calls for ten pounds of practice.
As in any other field, if one desires to become a good singer, he must strive for self-improvement relative to the ear.
Up to this point I have dealt with qualities that pertain to the human voice and singing in general. Now, let us
notice the song director. No congregation can surpass the ability of its song director. First and foremost, his public
and private conduct should be worthy of the gospel of Christ. His personal habits should be absolutely above reproach. One may possess a great amount of ability, but without this very important quality he will be a complete failure as a song director. One should not be used in this capacity to encourage him to be faithful but should already be
of proved quality. Unpreparedness in heart and life will Biblically disqualify one from public participation of any
kind.
Music is a science, and like any other science, its technical aspects are many. In order to be thoroughly prepared
musically one must have a knowledge of the fundamentals, harmonic progression, music appreciation, and the general makeup of songs, including their teachings, their authors, and their application.
There are several basic elements of directing technique that are important. The director should stand erect, and if
right-handed, with the right foot slightly in front of the left. His arms should be somewhat up and extended, well toward the center of the body. The right arm, or directing arm should be somewhat higher and further extended than
the left arm. Though the director should stand erectly, he should not stand in a stiff or awkward position. One may
practice posture, as well as directing techniques, before a full-length mirror in order to be more effective. He should
Greensboro Road church of Christ
Page 3
see himself as others see him and eliminate any mannerism or habit that would destroy his effectiveness. One that is not
familiar with the conducting movements should strive to learn the movements privately that he might keep time correctly.
The basic and frequent conducting movements involve measures of two, three, four, and six beats. One should acquire a
good rudiment book and study diligently the various movements. Beginners should use a variety of songs, and practice
each conducting movement until it becomes free and natural. There are three types of songs that need to be studied for
attacks; namely, those which begin on the first beat of the measure, those which begin on a pick-up note that is a full
beat, and those which begin on a pick-up note that is not a full beat. One should sing the first few words of each type of
song, practicing these attacks many times. The releases, or cut-offs at the end of songs are important also. The same
movement for all cut-offs should be used. They should be practiced many times by using different types of songs. The
only symbol in music that stops the movement of a song is the fermata, or pause. It is best to indicate all fermatas with
the directing arm extended in front of the body. It is a good practice to hold the note that the fermata is over or under for
twice its ordinary length. Fermatas are important to the coloring or expression of music.
It is not necessary to employ the precise technique of a professional conductor to be a successful director, but one
should be able to use the gestures that are necessary to convey musical meaning to the worshippers. One can over conduct; therefore, he should use only those movements that are necessary to get the desired result. Even though a certain
amount of attention is necessary in order to direct properly, the song service is not the place to put on a show. Provided
the director has a pulpit on which to place the songbook, the opposite hand may be used to indicate the degrees of power,
that is, softer or louder places in various compositions. Lowering the hand with the palm down indicates softer, while
raising the hand with palm up indicates louder. One may also use the hand to clue the singers, or indicate when the various parts are to come in on certain songs.
A great deal of attention needs to be given to the study of song interpretation. I believe that one must “feel” that
which he is directing in order to direct a song properly. One needs to interpret the song and be able to convey its rhythm
and sentiment to the other worshippers by his methods of directing. His entire attitude and facial expression should reflect the sentiment of the song. Tempo and dynamics are important factors that must be considered in any study of interpretation. Tempo is the term used to refer to the speed of a song. I believe the best standard of judgment for tempo is
indicated by the sentiment suggested by the words. Various lengths should be practiced, determining which tempo is best
for each song. One can sing too fast or too slow and severely hinder the meaning in a song. A common fault is the habit
of starting a song with a certain tempo and slowing to a drag before reaching the end. The director should keep the song
moving at a smooth tempo, slowing only at ritardando (rit.) signs, or rallentando) (rall.) signs. One may occasionally use
songs that have terms at the beginning of the song to indicate the tempo. Some of these terms are “adagio,” meaning
slow; “andante,” meaning moderately slow, “moderato,” meaning moderately fast, and “allegro,” meaning fast. However, these are relative terms, and still require thought on the director’s part to select the proper tempo.
The term dynamics is used to refer to the power of a song, or loudness, softness, or the gradual changes from one
degree of power to another. The most frequently used symbols are: “pp,” for very soft; “p,” for soft; “mf,” for moderately loud; “f,” for loud; and “ff,” for very loud. Crescendo (cres.) means to gradually increase in power; diminuendo (dim.)
means to gradually decrease in power. The dynamics, or degrees of power, are very important because they help express
the sentiment of songs. Frequently because of timidity, or a lack of vocal assurance congregations sing at about an “mp,”
or moderately soft level of dynamics. They never experience the feeling of a powerful fortissimo (ff) or the beauty of a
pianissimo (pp). Thus, they miss the proper expression and sentiment of songs. The director can promote confidence
and induce the congregation to sing vigorously by singing in a strong manner himself. One can practice loud and soft
dynamics by singing from forte (f) down, and from piano (p) up. In order to be successful one must continually strive to
increase his proficiency. I hope these lessons will help us to improve the song service in the church of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God. May God bless our laudable efforts toward this end.
This article and the one last week are to remind us what our singing should be and how we all can improve in this area of our worship. All of us need to think more seriously and soberly about our singing in worship. Singing is an important part of our worship as it is offered up to God. This should not and must not be
taken lightly. We worship in spirit and in truth. If our worship is in truth, but without the spirit, it is no more
acceptable than if we have the right spirit, but are not worshiping according to the truth.
This morning will conclude our sermon series on Authority and we will begin to see how this applies to
our worship in song. Tonight we will begin a study of our worship in song. Be praying and meditating on
these things and do not forget to be praying for brethren who are leaving these principles to form ungodly alliances with those who seek to restructure the churches of Christ and make them into nothing more than a denomination.
Terry Joe Kee
News and Notes:
Remember In Prayer:
Jane Holley is in ICU at NEA Baptist, Room 5 following sur ger y
Kathryn Williams, mother of Reba Dye and Kathy Williams, remains in Health South, room
228 for rehab on her knees.
Lori Fenner went to Little Rock on Wednesday to receive blood to hopefully strengthen her.
Darlene Felts had a biopsy done on Wednesday and should receive the results in about a week.
SYMPATHY is extended to Dene Bar nett and her family in the passing of Leo. His ser vice
was held on Friday.
Also keep in your prayers: Jan Anderson, Bill & Linda Baker, Dene Barnett, Helen Coleman,
Gerry Conley (Melinda Baldridge’s dad), David & Reba Dye, Robert Escue (Carolyn Harper’s
friend’s husband), Jim Felts, Ivone Gibbs (Stella Lancaster’s mother), Thelma Green (Sherrie Eddleman’s mother), Laura Harder, Virginia Kee (Terry Joe Kee’s mother), Tommy Lancaster, Mike
Lands (Marshall Lands’ brother) Clydene Nelson, Sheila Nix, Jae Renck, Gloria Thomas, Kevin
Trotter and Austin Workman (Terry Joe and Martha’s grandson). Please check the bulletin boards
for an update on the Prayer Request List.
September birthdays and anniversaries will be celebrated on September 11 following our evening
service with a Mexican fiesta.
The list of Van Drivers for September in on the table in the foyer.
Those
to Serve
ononSunday,
2016
Those
to Serve
Sunday,September
January 31, 4,
2016
Sunday
SundayMorning:
Morning:
Song
Noah
Flanrey
SongLeader:
Leader: Noah
Flanrey
Opening
Mark Brewer
OpeningPrayer:
Prayer: Scottie
Blanchard
Closing
David
Loggins
ClosingPrayer:
Prayer: Bill
Berry
Scripture
ScriptureReading:
Reading:Kevin
DavidRoush
Loggins
Lord’s
*Mike
Felts*
Lord’sTable
Table:
*Mike
Felts*
Mitch
Mosley
Dye
Hillard
Holcomb David
Hal Baugh
Brian
House
Johnson
Mickey
McDanielJim
Benny
Golden
Mickey
McDaniel Christian
Herrera
Brian House
Justin Loggins
Announcements:
Announcements:
Randy Oden
Dan Nichols
Sunday Evening:
Song Leader
Noah
Flanrey
Leader: Noah
Flanrey
BennyEddleman
Golden
Opening Prayer: Stacy
Closing Prayer: Jimmie
Marshall
Lands
Powell
Wednesday,
September Feb.
7, 2016
Devotional:
Wednesday,
3, 2016
SongLeader:
Leader:SINGING
SINGINGNIGHT
NIGHT
Song
OpeningPrayer:
Prayer Jordan
: Hillard
Holcomb
Opening
Pickens
ClosingPrayer:
Prayer:Carroll
Steve Stoker
Closing
Morris
Wednesday Devotional:
Wednesday
Dan NicholsDevotional:
Hal Baugh
Scripture of the Week
Eph. 5:19
“Speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord;
Week of August 28, 2016.
Sunday A.M. Worship 155
Sunday P.M. Worship 131
Wednesday Night
123
Contribution
$5515