For a Palm Sunday service, I am asked to play a drum for accompaniment. I only have 20 minutes, from 9-9:20am, to rehearse. I dunno whether I’ll be hitting a snare drum or a tom, or with my hands or with sticks. The concept is pretty hazy in Pastor’s mind, so it’s up to me to actualize it. It’s sorta like George Lucas handing vague cues to Ben Burtt for the sounds R2-D2 is to make. Lucas wrote, “Beeps,” then Burtt had to elaborate and crystallize from there. Okay, so my note says, “Bom.” What do I play? Just one stroke, or a short phrase in flourish? What style? Classical (most likely) or something jazzier (I hesitate)? I have almost nothing to go on, and only 20 minutes to hear what it’s going to sound like. But in the end, success will be measured in the assembly’s enjoyment – or not – of what is played. What I perceive as not-too-great may go over well. It all comes down to the moment, and when that comes, there are so many spontaneous variables that create the overall effect. We improvise by guess and by the powers that be, then take the moment home in memory.
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Thanks, Spy23. It’ll go okay even if I’m dissatisfied.
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What’s a palm Sunday service? Is this a band thing?
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Just googled. It’s a religious thing. Abort! Abort! Abort!
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