Worship Music  [top]

When I was 17, I prayed that God would give me a musical gift and anointing like he gave to J.S. Bach. I had always admired his music and he and I had something in common: we both wrote and performed music for the Church. I prayed that God would give me similar creativity so that I could help create and restore the music being played in His house. At one time, writing music for the Church had such a high standard that musicians tried their absolute best to make the music written and performed of the same caliber of the Deity. Needless to say, these ideas are not always shared, but I felt moved to work at my gift just like Bach did.

Working with Church musicians is difficult because many “musicians who are Christians” don’t see themselves as “Christians who are musicians”, and therefore have a more difficult time holding the balance of what it means to be a worship team member.

There are generally two sides: the technical side, and the passionate side.

The technical side is the side in which skills can be trained and developed. This is also the side that concentrates primarily on the adjudicated (judged) performance more than the aesthetic performance.

Anyone can learn something new. Too many times people wait for some divine word of knowledge from a prophet to tell them what things they can or will accomplish in their lives. These people are looking for titles, not something to do. They are focused more on the office than the role. I hadn’t received any “Word from a prophet” about music until I was about 15; almost two years after I began studying music. If I hadn’t applied myself first, it’s unlikely that I would have received that word, although sometimes that situation happens.

Anyone can do anything; some just are farther along than others. All people were created with a purpose; for most, it is to do one thing really well and many other things fairly well. Most people, however, do many things fairly well and never isolate one particular area where they feel they are called to excel. They become “jack of all trades and master of none”. This is where the passionate side comes in.

As a director of music, I soon became aware that I can never create passion in another person. At best: I can inspire it, but it is a spirit that impassions (possesses) an individual. The emotional aspect of music is most-often what draws the untrained ear’s attention. This passionate side is more concerned with the aesthetic nature of a performance than the adjudicated part. This side is clearly visible if you’ve ever been in a Church when the choir or lead vocalist gets so excited during a song that they begin to sing off key or miss the words or something technically lacking due to an over-excited passionate side or an under-developed technical side. Both sides are very valuable, but must be kept in good balance.

Many times, the best public speaker is considered for the role of preacher. Many times, the best musician is considered for the role of worship leader. Is it wrong to look for the most qualified person for the job? Of course not, but offices that require interaction with individuals on a social level require more than just technical ability. My teacher once told me, “If you want to be a musician, you have to suffer”. A Worship leader, or any leader, is not made up of one solo aspect of his life. It is not his instrument; that is his medium for worshipping. He can still worship without it. It is not his current experiences, but a collection of experiences that have brought him to an understanding his God, and the purpose and destiny that He has available for the individual’s life. For each aspect of life that we apply ourselves in, God gives certain grace to help us achieve success. This is why I have said that anyone can learn something new. My father once told me that “Guitar players are a dime-a-dozen, but anointed ones aren’t”. What he meant was that, anyone can practice really hard and play well, but don’t just stop there; develop the aesthetic and worshipful aspects of your gifts, so that you can better convey those aspects of life that have no words to describe them. You might be the best musician in your Church, but that isn't permanent.  That is a reality. At college, there are plenty of musicians who are more qualified technically than I am. There are guitarists who play better than me, but skill is not my only edge. My edge as a worship leader is that God shows up when I play. He shows up when I play on the big stage and in my room when I am alone. My public life is an overflow of my secret place. I practice technical playing, and I practice worshipping, and I worship.

The truth is that God’s grace can make a bad guitar player sound great, but let’s not really solely on this phenomenon. Instead, we should apply ourselves and be disciplined in all aspects of our gift, so that when the situation arises, we have developed a “bag of tricks” as a resource center for releasing the passion that is inside of us in a creative manner.

Church music is often the culmination of thousand of different musical styles. Some songs have a Gospel feel; some have a Baroque feel, while still some have a pop feel. The combinations are endless. It is the imitation of styles that keeps the sound fresh and interesting, instead of predictable and stagnant. These changes can be as large as change in instrumentation or as subtle as different tone colors. Musician’s who play for God in worship need to understand that it is not about them—at all. Though they may benefit from the experience emotionally; that is just a perk that God throws in so that we will worship Him. We can’t begin to start relying on a feeling as a measure of success. We must learn to listen to see if what we are doing is working.

It is too typical of worship teams to make everything plain vanilla. While vanilla is a good flavor, it doesn’t go with everything. Sometimes, a worship team will have a good Latin feel, and when a chance comes for the congregation to join in a spontaneous fashion, the worship team will default to what is comfortable for them to worship with or play. The result is vanilla. This is where the technical side comes back in to play.

It is beneficial for a musician to learn different styles and to be efficient in his instrument so that he can adequately be effective at any time in the imitation of different styles. Does this imitation result in the lost of creativity? It can if you let it.

For a long time, I searched for a new sound, not knowing what it was, but knowing that I’d know when I found it. I’ve found that music is—period. If I compose something new, there is always going to be an aspect of the music that may remind someone of another piece of music. What makes what I write different is that the piece may sound like a little Brahms with a “VJ Manzo” twist to it. This is the imitation I’m referring to. Play the Gospel or funk style if it is what is effective, play it with your own twist, but make sure your twist is effective in the context of the music. If playing with your twist cannot function idiomatically in the given style, than rethink what it is that you are doing. As I said before: God can do anything he wants whenever he wants in any style he sees fit. This is the exception to all rules. The Holy Spirit can give grace to overcome our shortcomings.

~VJ Manzo 11/15/2002

Prototypes [top]

It’s crucial that we realize that each one of us has our own creative gifts. No one is without this. Might I propose that imitation should not be the only basis of our creativity—although it is often imitation that inspires new creativity. Instead, be a prototype.

For example, before Jimi Hendrix was popular, there weren’t any electric guitar players that sounded like Jimi Hendrix. After everyone had heard him play, there were millions of Jimi Hendrix carbon copies imitating his style.

There are prototypes in every area of life that demands creativity. If you believe that you are unique, then I suggest this statement: people are “a-dime-a-dozen, anointed ones are not”.

People who are anointed had best not jeopardize their gift by settling for being a carbon copy, lest they lose their anointing. Instead, seek out to the fullest the source of your anointing and be the prototype for many to follow.

~VJ Manzo 6/15/2002

Biocinematism [top]

It is under debate and heavy scrutiny whether it is true or not that life imitates art or if art imitates life or if they both imitate eternity. Whether life is actually like art is a belief that many hold to be true.

Biocinematism is the word for the belief that life is like a movie, stating that if we were created for a purpose, then that Creator saw our actions as important enough to make record of. If our acts on this earth are being looked at and scrutinized, than somewhere, in the heavens, there is a library of recorded media containing the actual footage of our everyday lives.

          If one can learn that his actions are being viewed not only by those in the heavens, but by those around him, it is easier to deal with everyday issues with the knowledge that all movies need to have their moments of decline for the main character in order to make the plot more intriguing. Who would want to watch a film that had no chance for a climax or resolve?

          Instead of wallowing in the “down” scenes, learn to evaluate your position as the main character of your movie, and you will begin to see just how entertaining your film will be to watch in heaven.

~VJ Manzo 8/9/2001

Big Stage [top]

Many times, I will have these great playing times in which I feel like I’m operating in a musical gift beyond my normal sphere of thought and technical ability. Afterward, I often wish that I had an opportunity for those experiences to be caught some sort of recording. What I have found to be true, however, is that the thing that I referred to as “genius” and “Divine” may not function with the same results out of the context of that performance.

Often when we are worshipping congregationally, I am taken somewhere emotionally and the music unlocks areas of my understanding about life that I may not have understood before. The question is raised: if I were able to recreate the situation exactly at another time—not for note—word for word—would it have the same effect? Most likely: no. Trying to recreate an experience that seemed to stop time is often a disaster. The things that were shared then were ordained by God, and for me to speak out of my experience without God’s voice in my words would be an injustice to the listener. We can have similar experiences, but that particular experience comes once and is seldom repeated in the same fashion.

There are times when I lock the door to my room, shut the lights, light a candle and play my guitar. There are times that I shut the lights, and play other people’s music and pretend that I’m on a huge stage in front of millions of people. When the lights are out, the crowd has no face—it has no definite size—there could be five people or five million. What is the point? Those times when my worship and music-making seem to reach new levels in aesthetic performance exist for the whole world. There should be no reserve based on crowd size or audience. An opportunity to break ground as an opportunity to break ground—whether you sing in the car like I do, or you speak to the person at the counter next to you. We were made for the big stage; it is a shame to be kept in a cage. The Big Stage is the one you live on, and the words spoken and the songs sung and all of those experiences are saved forever and cannot be forgotten. The effects of those experiences are evident in people’s lives—there is no need for a physical recording, though it is nice. Glory will find you. The entire experience is viewable in the next life—a longer life.

~VJ Manzo 11/16/2002

Acoustical Preservation [top]

The conception of sound is directly related to acoustic vibrations. From receiving sound to emitting it, sound is humanity’s original creation every time a word is spoken. But where does sound go after it has been sent around the atmosphere? Does it diffuse into the world around us, or is it channeled into a dimension where all sound generated is cataloged chronologically.

          The dimension is what we refer to as auternia , and, if it is possible to reach, contains an audio soundtrack since creation categorized by geographical location and order. Those who have found it have noted that there is a way to retrieve sound waves after they have been released and then received into the atmosphere, and this place is the “hall of records” containing these sounds as they are recovered from the world around us.

~VJ 9/30/2001

Crossover Music [top]

When Pythagoras and his contemporaries found that there were numerical relationships between musical pitches, the Greeks thought they had discovered the language of God. Plato and Aristotle agreed that music had the power to speak to the soul. Whether or not music is the language of God is disputable. However, there is music, which is defined as “crossover” music, which has the ability to change spirit, soul, and even the perception of the scenery around you.

          Such music is most coveted amongst some musicians because it unlocks doors to a new dimension in music that crosses over from our physical world into a supernatural world where the listener and/or musician can sense feelings including change in perception, and perspective.

          One person described it like a wave of water rushing horizontally over your head. It’s like a sense that this moment is the one moment for which you were created to live; a sense of unity with a world others cannot see.

          The crossover’s immediate effects can vary from physical behavior to no visual expression.

          The crossover’s long term effects include a change perspective including everyday struggles, life around you, the life you live, the future, your destiny, your purpose, and more.

          The crossover, as it is accomplished by its creator(s), can be achieved for both positive and negative reactions, and can cause different reactions or none at all, in different people. A person less open to supernatural experiences or a change in their life may regard a piece such as the third movement from Faure’s Requiem {Sanctus} as “nice music” while others may experience a sense of peace regarding the fears they mentioned before encountering what they agreed, for themselves, was crossover music.

          Crossover music is directly related to the creator’s intention as well as the performer’s intention. It is not limited to a time period, style, form, or any other technical variable. It is a phenomenon that is rarely achieved and often sought after by musicians, and non-musicians alike who seek to gain new realizations of the life they live.

          Crossover music is directly related to the source [creator] from where the creation came.

~VJ Manzo 9/23/2001

Behind The Scenes [top]

Seldom do we think of ourselves as the featured performer in our own. However, the thought process that often follows this revelation is an understanding of what goes on in what is known as the “Behind the Scenes” realm.

Perception of the behind the scenes realm allows an individual to better understand his current movie in the making or, sometimes, other people’s movies by embracing an emotion, or thought, or character trait (something unique to the individual being enveloped) that will provide the individual with an alternative perception and perspective regarding that movie. Once the movie is seen objectively in the new light of the behind the scenes realm, the individual can more adequately adjust his thoughts and behavior concerning his understanding of his own movie or the other person’s movie of which he was enlightened.

~VJ Manzo 2/1/2002

Accounts [top]

Many things ordained by God function similarly to our current bank account system. A person may find himself investing much of his time in a particular area or service: selflessly or often with some other motivation. These deposits are recorded in the “behind the scenes” realm of life and are evaluated by certain factors including length, quality [technical and aesthetic], and the conditions concerning the deposit. Should a situation arise where the individual falls short or feels/is inadequate in preparation or merit, the account is checked and the appropriate adjustments are made in the behind the scenes realm. Deposits can be made into the account regardless of the situation, complications, and past history. Since deposits are not categorized by vocation, withdrawals can be made in areas different than that of the deposit.  In most cases, although the account is not maintained in this realm, it can be monitored and evaluated by individuals in this realm.

~VJ Manzo 2/1/2002

The Meaning of Music [top]

Seldom do we understand the meaning of music. Often, we acknowledge the meaning of the text as the meaning behind the music, but that is not the meaning of music. I propose that music has a meaning regardless of the thoughts or ambitions that it’s composer or performer may have attributed to it.

The words in music are a byproduct of our tangible interface, but the behind the scenes realm operates with a meaning deeper than words. These words can only attempt to reflect the meaning of the music, but the meaning behind the music has been established in a realm where the text associated with the meaning is irrelevant. The words combined with the music are only effective if they unlock areas of understanding to the listener, so that he can better grasp the unspoken meaning that exists in the music. When the words cease to cause this psychological reaction, the music itself is left to cause the reaction. This is fine, too; however, most people rely on the words for a general understanding before they consider that the music has a separate meaning.

The music acquires its meaning in the behind the scenes realm, and is often only interpreted accurately by those in touch with the realm from where its meaning came.

~VJ Manzo 2/3/2002

Positive Production [top]

It is believed that in order for successful production to result from a task, its laborers must be wholeheartedly inspired, and in positive mindset. This is, however, not always the case. Example: If in a collection of eight individuals, two are positive in attitude about their involvement in the given task, five are neither negative nor positive, and only one individual feels truly negative in attitude concerning the task, if all eight contribute equally to the task, its production will be successful.

The most dominant active state of mind, either positive or negative, will be the most prevalent one. If an orchestra is hired to perform a piece, and 75% are neutral in concern, feeling that the performance is strictly a technical performance (as opposed to the other type of performance: aesthetic) and that his involvement in the task has no weigh of emotion, whatever the most populous attitude is will be the one that is conveyed to the listener. If only but a few of the members of the orchestra can recognize and contact the meaning behind the music, and their contribution outweighs the feelings of those members who are “negatively charged”, the outcome will result in an audience that would be more likely to recognize the meaning behind the music. This is why performers study interpretation of music; so that they can imitate those feelings even if they are not 100% genuine.

~VJ Manzo 2/3/2002

Pure Expression [top]

Often, it is a pure expression that attracts an individual to what it is that you are doing. There is something inside of us that is naturally satisfied when we observe people operating with genuine passion or motivation.

This natural desire to see a pure expression of any emotion in an aesthetic arena can lead those who would not often listen to certain styles of music or dialogues of speakers to seek give them an ear based solely on one important credential: they are operating with a pure expression. Whether the speaker or musical group expresses love or hate or anything, the attraction that we have to see something real is met to some degree.

In the case of music, this desire in the listener has been one reason why so much technically effortless music, and also technically challenging music, has impacted so many people’s lives. Most popular music that excels in the aesthetic arena more than the technical one and, yet, still receives some acclaim does so because the expression of some element of the music (perhaps either the performer or the meaning behind the music ) is genuine. Commonly repeated chord patterns and stale progressions (even four bar phrases) that seem to have been played out can still create a unique and genuine expression regardless of the technically lacking musical medium in which the expression lives. When one reaches a certain age, he has probably heard almost every word in his native tongue. It is not the words themselves that have the power in them, but the pattern of those words is what contains the expression and enables those words to have a powerful impact in a person’s life. The words that are used are not words that one has never heard before, but the combination of those words expresses what is genuine.

~VJ Manzo 5/2/2002

Christian Music [top]

What does that mean anyway? Does a musical genre have a soul? There is no such thing as Christian music—only Christians making music. Christian music, as some define it, is just a category of music. This creates some ease of reference when categorizing bands and musicians. This categorization is fine on a surface level, however, music has a meaning [see ‘The Meaning of Music”] apart from what is easily perceptible through lyrics and a performer or composer’s lifestyle. In other words: music speaks for itself, and ultimately, the listener has the final decision concerning what he will allow into his life.

          When I was in high school, people would ask me if I would be attending a ‘Christian College’. I would answer,” There’s no such thing as a Christian College—only Christians in college”. Why cheapen what we believe by attributing our values to inanimate objects and to the behaviors of people?

          Is secular music the opposite of Christian music? Absolutely not! Secular only means non-scriptural—that is: not the Bible. So does that mean that we should only listen to sacred—that is: scriptural music? Perhaps, if you believe that God does not or will speak to people apart from the written word of God.     So when you hear a “Christian band” playing music—does that make it sacred? No, not unless they are quoting the scripture, but that doesn’t make it unholy, nor does it invalidate it’s authenticity as a vessel of God’s spoken word. In most cases, “Christian Music” is not music different from other sources of music in that its lyrics are Psalm-like prayers or conversation with God. For that matter, just because the Biblical book ‘Psalms’ is completed, does not mean that we are not free to express ourselves in song, poetry, or music to our creator as the psalmists did a long time ago.

          Some record labels and some people will look only at the lyrics of a band in order to determine if the band is “Christian” or not. How foolish—even an atheist could write a song in the same manner as a Christian. And why not—it’s an excellent market. Does that make all of his music “Christian”? Does it make it sincere? No, but there are bands labeled as “Christian” bands that know nothing about God nor are they pursuing after him. The same is true of bands that are not labeled as Christian bands, and probably for good reason, but have a sincere desire to find out the truth and hope in a relationship with God.

          If a band or musician labels himself as a “Christian musician” or “Christian band” he is deceiving himself. What they are saying is that they are a sanctified artist, there are only sanctified souls. “He expresses the message of God through a particular medium, but his gift is not what he presents to God, it is only himself.”—Oswald Chambers. When I chose my faith, I had to die to my identity in other areas. I had to be what I believed first. There could not be another word following that title in the same sentence…just a Christian—one who follows Christ.

          Furthermore, if a band or musician labels himself “Christian”, he is often setting a trap for himself in the public eye. He must always be aware of people trying to entangle his words and actions, relating them to the lives of other Christians who probably have different non-damnable beliefs and doctrines typical of their denomination. As soon as the he does something that is contrary to one person’s belief, the market that he once represented may reject him and his title.

          Throughout history, some people who have made beautiful music have done some really detestable things. Sometimes we admire people for some accomplishment, and then find out years down the line that he had some awful practices or beliefs. Does that make the meaning in the music less than what it is? Would that make it’s impact on you any less real than what you felt the first time you heard something that spoke to your soul? Isn’t it just as powerful if it came from an angel’s mouth than if it came from a donkey’s? Should we throw it all away? No, we all have errors. It’s not if I mess up, but when I mess up. Music speaks for itself. We must have discernment concerning what we will allow into our world, and we must listen to the counsel of those who have authority in our lives, so that we may better discern what we take it.

VJ Manzo 8/3/2002

Taking Responsibility [top]

One day, I realized that I wasn’t planning on leaving the Church I was in, and so I wasn’t planning on quitting the worship team I was in, so I understood that I could make some good investments now that would really pay off down the road.

            Practicing alone will benefit me. That is taking responsibility for your own position on the team. I would tease people sometimes and say “You know, if I played in God’s band I would practice more”. You need to work at it everyday—vocalists too. You are either getting better or you’re getting worse.

            For some reason, people think that they can only write music when they are inspired. Well, perhaps inspiration will get you started, but what happens when you get stuck? People think: oh…David, he was so creative—oh Solomon…what a wise man. Well, what about the balance Solomon had—I mean he had a creative side too—he wrote a lot of psalms. All it means is that art can be disciplined. You don’t need to be “feeling like it” to be creative and it doesn’t have to produce garbage when you put a demand on your gifts. It’s not like your “cranking out” creativity, but you need to put demands on your gift instead of saying “this is where I am—this is how I write”, and then your music sounds the same as it did ten years ago. I don’t want to just play other people’s music for the rest of my life. I’d like to contribute some of my own, or at least take a feeling of ownership in what it is that I’m playing. Sharpening our skills is a wise investment.

But what about the songs we play? The chances are that when whoever wrote that Church song that you like wrote that song, he wasn’t considering your musical ensemble. Ideally, a composer will already have a good arrangement written and worked out for an ensemble, but this is often not the case. He probably wrote it on an acoustic guitar and assumed that Church’s would have a similar ensemble and that everyone would play a version of what he was playing on their own instrument. This often results in bland, monotonous music.

            A wise investment would be to take a dozen of those songs you feel are worth the effort, and spend a few hours as a team coming up with a good arrangement that works for your ensemble. If you feel that your team is not capable of working on that type of assignment, then you should write an arrangement for your ensemble and then propose it to them. They will let you know if it won’t work. For instance, your clarinet part might work out easier on an A clarinet instead of a Bb because of fingerings. Sometimes, the bass player might find his part uninteresting and might add some suggestions. If you are open to hearing the ensemble’s suggestions, listen. Otherwise, let them play what you have written for them. Musicians will always appreciate good idiomatic writing.

            If we are consistent with our ideas to imitate the styles, then we must consider this when writing our arrangements. Unless your arrangement hopes to completely change the sound and feel and style of the piece, than we should assume that you are going to be writing in a particular format. You should read lots of scores and listen to lots of music that exemplify what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Not so that you can copy, but so that your creative energy gets directed. If you are planning on changing the piece completely (new melody, new music, and same text, etc.) you are better of composing your own piece and coming up with your own arrangement than passing off a new version a working piece. Often, a good arrangement will be just what you’re looking for to make a piece more interesting.

            Putting the effort in to make your team more cohesive will pay off tremendously. If you have the greatest musicians around, but they can’t play together, and they don’t rely on each other, then you’re missing out. String quartets practically and sometimes live together. It’s how you know each other’s playing and how you can more cohesively produce quality music.

~VJ Manzo 01/0503