Musical Manipulation

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Permalink Reply by Ian McEvansoneya on 4 August 2008 at 6:25pm

Music certainly can affect and influence peoples emotions, but if we take the view that God created music and emotions then he has allowed one to have a significant effect on the other. Consequently, I believe that this is something that God uses and can be a very valid aspect of leading people into worship and closer to the Father. Emotion is one part of us that is used to worship God. How many times have we felt something in the worship "lift" just a particular instrument joins in or a song hits a certain moment.

However, that is not to say that a worship leader should have this as a primary objective - it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to manipulate emotions, but I think we have to recognise the gifts that God has given us, always aim for excellence and understand the effect that music can have on the emotions.

The music under prayer and preaching is a difficult one. My experience shows that some people find it genuinely helpful and really does allow them to draw closer to the Father, others find it off-putting. Again, the only thing I can says is that God created music and emotions and it would seem reasonable that he would allow the two things to work together in drawing us to Him.

This does sound a bit rushed off - mainly because it is - but this is a gut reaction. I haven't had time to look at scriptures. Will do so though.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Kent on 5 August 2008 at 9:10am

I appreciate your thoughts Ian. When you have time to look at scriptures.. I'd love to hear more of them.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Clemo on 4 August 2008 at 11:26pm

To use music underneath a preach would be such a difficult thing to pull off. The musician would have to know the preacher's theme and interpret it as it unfolds. I can think of a million ways that it could go wrong. It has the potential of being either breathtakingly awesome or toe-cringeingly awful.
I'll edit my own sarcastic thought...
and move on to the observation that one hundred years ago musicians like us would play music for the silent films- without a written score and taking their cue from what they saw on the screen. We don't know how effective it was. Like most things, if it worked well nobody would notice. They'd only notice when it didn't work.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Kent on 5 August 2008 at 9:08am

Actually.. If you flip on the God channel, or go to many large churches for that matter, you'll often find someone holding down a slowly moving pad underneath the preach, or time of response at the end.

It's generally not for the purpose of leading back into a time of worship either... Just to make the preacher have more impact, and to give a 'feel' like the call of angels. (obviously that's only my interpretation).

It does do what it says on the tin.. It is effective and it can help the congregation to hold their focus for longer.. But isn't it just showmanship?

NB - "...one hundred years ago musicians like us would play...." - I didn't know you were that old Dave! :-p

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Permalink Reply by Mikey Powell on 5 August 2008 at 8:22am

Wow! Lots of stuff here! In terms of creating a "dependency on well recorded worship songs" it's difficult, because we want to be creating the best we can and make it as easy as possible for people to worship so we can't write a rubbish song just to check if people are really worshipping! However, we don't want them to be dependent on the music, the screen, the flashing lights etc. I guess then, we need to encourage and teach them to worship in their own time, without the added extras. As worship leaders is that our job?
I think it's true that music is emotionally powerful and is also a gift from God. This is shown in the Bible when Elisha is asked to prophesy so he sends for a musician to play for him. So there is an example of the use of music where it is not just to put a melody to our praise.
Is it then right to use songs which you know people respond to - songs that have those lines or builds in the music which always 'work' as it were? Of course it is, but if we are doing it just to illicit a response...
I'm not really sure I've answered anything here, but its too early. I'm going back to bed! Maybe when I wake up again I'll be more helpful...

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Permalink Reply by Marion Martin on 5 August 2008 at 11:08am

My initial gut reaction was "of course we don't want to manipulate people" and I still think that, but the scriptural reference that sprang to mind was of David playing for Saul to soothe him when the evil spirit was troubling him...maybe it depends what you mean by manipulation. If it's for our own ends or for some nefarious purpose then I'm positive it's wrong, but I don't have a problem with creating an atmosphere that's more conducive to people opening up to the Holy Spirit for ministry, for example.
Like Dave I think playing under the preach is probably very difficult to pull off...also what about the hard of hearing, who would struggle to cope with that type of distraction (my Dad was such a one and now so is my Mum, so I'm sensitive to this kind of issue.)
I do sometimes think we're in danger of being too dependent on excellence of "performance" by the band; then again, we want to be excellent for God's glory. Tough one to balance isn't it?
As you'll have guessed by now, I'm thinking as I type!! My twopence worth anyway.
Nice one Paul, you've got us thinking!

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Permalink Reply by Dave Clemo on 5 August 2008 at 1:21pm

Paul wrote this "Are our churches creating a dependency on well recorded masterful worship songs? Such that members 'need' them to enter in to worship, and that a lesser standard becomes unacceptable?"

I think that badly played, badly sung and badly led worship is a distraction that prevents people from worshipping. That's not the same as what Paul is saying though. Surely the test is whether we are an obstacle or an enabler?

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Permalink Reply by Peter Debney on 8 August 2008 at 7:15pm

I agree. I know one church musician who does not bother to tune his guitar or play in time, and I know several who believe that when leading a heart for worship far outweighs the necessity to sing in tune. Alas, they are devastating to the worship for anyone in the congregation who has a musical ear.

That's why I don't sing but rather stand at the back and play the bass.

At our church worship group we try to balance a heart for worship with musicianship a close second.

On the other hand, in my discipleship group, where I do lead the singing, some sing much worse than me. But in that situation, we go with it (though singing through clenched teeth can be tricky)

Likewise for youth services we try to encourage the youth to play, even though they may not be up to our standard.

"There is a time for everything"

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Permalink Reply by Paul Childs on 5 August 2008 at 2:15pm

It all depends on how you approach the word manipulation.

People have given it a negative connotation, but it is actually a fairly neutral word.

The dictionary definition of 'Manipulate' is "to manage or influence skilfully"

Nothing negative there, but most people when they hear the word will add 'to their own ends' on to the end of that description.

A sculptor manipulates marble, a potter manipulates clay, an artist manipulates colour, a choreographer manipulates movement, a chef manipulates ingredients and so on - all to stimulate our emotions.

Following that logic, surely God is the master manipulator (in the purest sense of the word') and we want to be like him don't we?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Kent on 5 August 2008 at 6:16pm

Paul.

I agree. And not just because we have the same first name...

Manipulation is not a bad word... In fact, we can't help but influence people around us and good leadership is being aware of that and being an effective and controlled "influencer".

However.. Where's the line.. I think Matts answer below starts to go down that road..

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Permalink Reply by Matt Osgood on 5 August 2008 at 5:15pm

I think the negative connotation in Paul's original question is when 'manipulate' is used in the sense of 'cause people to feel an emotional rush that they confuse with a sense of God's presence'.

Musical manipulation is very easily done - people weep at stadium rock concerts, people are moved by Rachmaninoff's piano concerto no. 2 as the soundtrack to 'Brief Encounter', music is played in stores because it is a fact that it makes people stay longer and spend more etc etc

I think for worship leaders the key is a ruthless honesty (and get someone else involved if you can't be self-analytical enough) where you're constantly asking the question 'am I leading this song or playing in this way because it will cause people to focus more on the wonder of who God is and enabling them to respond, or am I leading this song this way because I know it's going to get a lot of hands in the air?'
I was talking with another worship leader last week at New Wine and had mentioned a certain well-known refrain from a song by Hillsong - she dismissed it with 'oh, that's such a lever song' - her point being it's one of those songs you drop in when the corporate worship time seems to have died down, so you pull the lever and everyone's hands get back in the air...

altogether now...

'I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned...'

I think she was being slightly cynical, but at the same time what a great point to make. If music ever becomes a lever to make people respond in a certain way, then we've lost the plot. It's the Spirit who inspires true worship, not our musical trickery.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Kent on 5 August 2008 at 6:30pm

Matt.. You're starting to go explore the line of thought I've been mulling over for a while..

We all know that hands in the air is not a true indicator of "success" in worship time. We can't tell what's happening in someones heart. Just as we cannot truly know if some is saved. Though, we know the requirements for salvation.

Here's the reiteration of the original question though.. If the truth is, that God is real and If, by using every means necessary, I can provoke an increase in ones 'faith' am I doing a good thing? or a bad thing?

Are we experiencing the reality of Gods blessing when we enter powerful times of worship, or are we sometimes substituting genuine visitation, with some cool chords and incredible sounds..

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