Transcript included below…

When was the last time you saw a movie where there was an underdog who, against all odds, prevailed in the face of difficulty, and overcame incredible obstacles?

Maybe the underdog was a single person, or perhaps it was a small group of warriors, athletes, or even a high school debate team.

I’ll bet you’ve seen several movies like that…perhaps even recently.

Part of what makes a good movie good is the point in the plot when the victory happens – especially when we weren’t sure if the hero could pull it off.

We cheer for underdogs, and we enjoy stories about them, because we watch them get refined, strengthened, and transformed as they face their challenges head on.

Imagine if there was a movie about a person (or a team) who won their battles without even having to try. What would that look like if that was the whole point of the movie?

The battalion of warriors goes out to battle and their opponents surrender even before the fight.

The football team walks into the stadium for the first game of the season, all geared up, and the referee calls the game off, declaring them the state champions even before the season begins.

The debate team shows up at their first tournament and they are automatically awarded the national first place trophy even without competing.

Roll the credits.

Huh?

I don’t think so. A challenge needs to be thrown down. The hero or heroes must overcome that challenge.

I think a noble victory takes effort. It takes sweat, focus, and dedication. It’s a worthy endeavor. And it brings great satisfaction.

Anyone who promises an easy victory is probably not being fully transparent, and at the very least, they are not allowing the opportunity for good, hard work.

When it comes to music, I’ve seen a lot of examples where there have been opportunities for growth…through challenges, especially when interfacing with other, more talented musicians. Here are some of my thoughts and stories about this.

Worship Team Standards

When auditioning people for worship team, I’ve always held the standards pretty high, because I want skilled players – not just warm bodies – leading God’s people in praise.

Notice that I didn’t say “perfect players.” Some of the people I have brought onto the team have played rather simply, but they’ve played well.

I’d rather have a simple drummer who can keep a solid beat, than someone who adds all sorts of creative rhythmic flourishes but loses track of the tempo and confuses the band. The ideal balance is when someone is an intuitive and tasteful musician.

In the process of auditioning and recruiting people, I’ve come across some who are more skilled than I am. And do you know what I do when that happens?I rejoice. I do a little “happy dance.” Because I can learn from them.

We can always learn from other musicians at whatever level of skill they are, of course (more on that in a future episode). But I find that I can learn even more from musicians who are more skilled than I am. Some of these musicians are more skilled guitarists. Others are more skilled vocalists. Some are involved in production.

Others play instruments I don’t even know how to play (exempli gratia: bass guitar). But they may have additional musical chops beyond their instrument, like intuitive listening skills, a strong sense of the groove, phrasing, or dynamics.

Some worship leaders out there are no doubt intimidated by musicians who are more skilled than they are, and though these worship leaders may bring these highly skilled musicians on board, there can be a level of jealousy simmering just below the surface.

I say that the more skilled musicians in my life, the better – this will enhance everything I do when I play alongside them.

I’m the better for it. I’m “called up” to a higher standard of musicianship, and I am thankful. Let me introduce you to some of the musicians I feel “called up” to serve alongside.

The Golden Sax

A good friend of mine named Jeff is a multi-instrumentalist, with the alto saxophone as his principal instrument. He’s also a performer, worship leader, and a band instructor.

Jeff has a solid background in music and has a deep understanding of jazz and other styles, and has been a regular contributor to the worship leadership and culture at his church.

Whenever I come through his city on tour, I always invite him to play in my shows, and he is always eager to join me. He’s a world-class musician, and his incredible musicianship is matched only by his humility.

Side note – it’s always refreshing to jam with someone who is more humble than they are skilled. The opposite is true – I’ve met people who are quite arrogant who aren’t actually that talented…including people who have a fraction of Jeff’s ability.

Jeff could be arrogant and it could still be understandable, because he’s that good – but he has always proven himself to be super chill and humble.

Jeff is a true gentleman and a scholar.

Most recently, when coming through his town on my way to see my extended family, Jeff and I put together a rather impromptu hangout time in his music class.

He had his instrumentalists play for a bit, working on woodwind rudiments and sight reading.

Then he invited me to play. I jammed some technical guitar songs for the class and spoke from my musical background and love of music.

Then came the magic. Jeff and I collaborated, with me on acoustic guitar, and him on sax, with my eldest daughter singing harmonies.

We broke into some covers, and we played stuff that we had never collaborated on before. I literally told Jeff the key we would be in, and then I played the song.

I didn’t even tell him the name of the song – I just strummed, smiled and sang as he listened, then entered the musical conversation, seamlessly contributing melodic lines with artistry I have rarely observed in any other musician. Jeff’s musical ear allowed him to present some tremendously tasteful, improvised solo lines, and our informal jam session for the class came off like a polished, well-rehearsed performance.

When the class realized that Jeff and I had had zero prep, and everything we offered was presented in the moment, they grinned with delight.

I am much less of an improviser than Jeff is. His musicianship is on a whole new level above mine. So, every collaboration experience is a chance for me to be sharpened. I have a front row seat to his musical choices, and those choices inspire me to make even better ones.

And it’s also just plain serious fun.

I will say that once I’ve spent time collaborating with Jeff, I’m much more open to making spontaneous musically creative choices. It’s really good medicine to jam with him, because he’s so much more talented than I am, especially in the areas of artistry and improvisation.

With Jeff, I am “called up” to a new level of musicianship.

Aux in a Box

I first met Jeremy when he volunteered for our worship team at church, and I soon discovered that this young twenty-something of a percussionist was so much more than he appeared to be.

He was a wunderkind.

He played the cajon – the percussion “box” in a way that rivaled some drum kit grooves, and he did it with such confidence and such a solid pocket that any temptation I had to rush the tempo got checked right away.

Sure, I can play enough of a groove on the cajon to keep a beat, but he made the percussion groove an experience.

Jeremy eventually became one of our guest experts at GuitarSuccess4U where we put together a series of grooves, as he responded to a variety of strumming patterns I had crafted on the guitar.

And strumming patterns can evoke totally different responses from the rhythm section, based on their accents, textures, and tempos. Jeremy’s solid approach to the box makes my guitar playing better.

He’s also a guitarist, plays the ukulele, and has taken up the hammered dulcimer with tremendous grace and style. So, his knowledge of these other instruments has really informed how he accompanies me as a percussionist.

In addition to playing multiple instruments, Jeremy is an avid music listener who loves to attend live concerts and observe other musicians. He has a vast playlist, and has frequently shared with me his experiences as an audience member at shows.

The fact that he spends a lot of time listening is a really good indicator of his musicianship. Listening is an essential part of our work, and I talk a lot about this in GuitarSuccess4U as well.

Jeremy’s skill set is worthy of respect, and he, too, is very humble, even when he gently reminds me from time to time that my tempos have unintentionally increased.Any time I collaborate with Jeremy, my rhythmic awareness is heightened, and when people watch us onstage, they sense a real synergy between us.The visual communication Jeremy and I share onstage is second to none. I can look at him with a certain look, and he knows just what I’ll be doing next, and certain songs have certain looks as well. Our verbal communication onstage is almost unnecessary because he is so aware with his eyes and ears of what I’m doing, and as we jam, I become more aware of what he’s doing…all to the improvement of the collective offering.

I’ve had people thank me for bringing Jeremy into the mix, and I, too, am thankful, because I am “called up” to raise my game when we play.

Sweet Songbird

My eldest daughter, Madeline, whom I call Maddy, has a lovely voice, with tremendous intuition for vocal harmonies. I’ve recently been taking her on the road with me for some shows, and any time I do, I don’t regret it.

In fact, people give me the impression that they’re even gladder that she’s there – and if it were just me, they’d be (slightly) less glad.

On a ministry weekend recently, a pastor introduced us at the worship service by saying, “We’re so grateful this morning to welcome guest musician Maddy Harsh…and she brought her dad.” This was followed by lots of chuckles from the congregation, and I laughed out loud as well.

When it comes to vocal harmonies, I’m not well-versed in how to artistically make them happen.

I can listen to a harmony and tell you when it’s not working, but when asked to sing a vocal harmony, I really have to work at it, so much so that if I have the luxury of time, I’ll notate my harmonies and practice them.

One time, as a contributor to a morning of worship where we took turns leading, I was asked on the spot by the worship leader to sing some harmonies below a female vocalist on a song that had some non-diatonic chords.

I felt a bit like a deer in headlights, because the worship leader basically said, “Hey, can you just add some vocal harmonies on this?” To me, it felt like he just trusted me to go for it, but I was not in my deep water at all. It was a good exercise for me, because I had to just “lean in.”

My harmonies came together, but it was a bit bumpy as I worked them out.Maddy has done so much singing – and listening – that she’s quite aware of what’s needed in terms of the vocal line. Sometimes it’s parallel motion, sometimes it’s oblique motion, and sometimes it’s just a pedal tone that lingers until it needs to resolve.Each situation demands a different approach, and Maddy is very aware of which approach tends to work better. She also has excellent intonation. And when our vocals line up in a song, it can be quite powerful.

Most recently, on a tour, I played a ballad for which she offered harmonies, and people didn’t even want to clap after the song was over. They wanted the moment to linger. Eventually they did clap, but the appreciation of what we did together was very evident.

Maddy loves to sing. She also loves to listen to music.

She listens when we’re driving, or when she’s working around the house, or folding laundry. She never misses an opportunity to just listen to music. It is a heart language, especially for her, and there’s a wide variety of artists she enjoys listening to.

We are influenced by the types of music we take in, so Maddy’s vocal styles can range from pop, to jazz, to medieval and renaissance music. My stuff is more along the lines of folk/pop and contemporary worship, so she comes alongside my style beautifully.

When I sing with Maddy, I feel empowered to bring my best vocal delivery, because I know she’ll be right on point with her singing. And as we sing together, I feel “called up.”

Productive Artistry

In terms of musicianship, there is perhaps no greater venue for the intentional capturing of music than the recording studio.

And having released four albums to date, I’ve become aware of a variety of approaches from producers I’ve worked with. But one producer came across my path several years ago who broke the mold for me.

Brian is a multi-instrumentalist with a degree in jazz composition, and in his words, he has “an absolute blasty” capturing music in the recording studio.

So, when I had him over to my house for dinner and shared a few of my songs with him, he agreed to produce my album This Side of Heaven.

Little did I know I was embarking on a tour de force of musical artistry, the likes of which I had never heard.

We captured 11 songs, most of which were guitar-driven, and I watched and listened as my musical ideas took on a whole new level of production with Brian’s incredible accents and undercurrents.

I’m a live performer. That’s mostly what I do. But to hear what Brian did in the studio with my songs was astounding.

I captured a full-length expert interview with Brian in GuitarSuccess4U for my members to enjoy, and one of the many things we talked about was his desire in production to “re-engage the ear of the listener.”In Brian’s words, after the listener has heard the verse, pre-chorus and chorus, they’ve pretty much experienced all the material for the song (with the exception of the bridge).

So, the next time the verse, or even the chorus comes around, there’s often a musical accent or audio “brush stroke” that Brian adds to help bring something new and fresh to the ears of the listener.

This reengages their ears. They hear things in a fresh way. Even on multiple listens.I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this, whether consciously or subconsciously.

I could go back and focus on the songs for just this simple aspect, saying “Ooh – there’s an electric guitar riff that noodles during the second verse that wasn’t there for the first verse,” etc., but I’d rather just put it in “receive” mode and let my ears enjoy what Brian has put together.Did I mention that with the exception of me playing the guitar and a little piano and providing the lead vocal, Brian played absolutely everything else on the record? I’m talking drums, bass, electric guitars, keys, Fender Rhodes, world music percussion, horns, backup vocal harmonies, and more.

This takes a level of musical competence that I haven’t seen anywhere else. Usually, the producer will bring in other musicians to play these instruments. Not Brian. He plays them all, and he plays them very, very well.

Embarking on a professional album with Brian was a labor of love that took several months and lots of focused effort, as well as expense. But it was worth it – it’s my best album to date.

When they present a copy of their album to someone, some musicians offer an apology with their album – see Guitar Serious Fun Episode 14 - “From Paying to Play to Playing for Pay.”

I do not apologize. Because I’m completely thrilled with the product.

Recording This Side of Heaven was not just a positive experience – it was a learning experience on multiple fronts: my tempos got better, my guitar articulations became cleaner, my performance into the mic increased in its authenticity, and more.

I came out on the other side with a collection of songs that had truly been enhanced by the process.

Brian’s production approach was super chill and put me at ease, while at the same time allowing me to be “called up” to a much higher standard than I realized I was even capable of.Common DenominatorsAs I look back at these four musicians – Jeff the saxophonist, Jeremy the aux percussionist, Maddy the vocalist and Brian the producer, I see several things about each of them that they have in common.First, they all love the Lord, which affects how and why they do what they do.

Second, they’re humble and teachable.

Third, they’re totally committed to ongoing growth as musicians.

And fourth – and this is not really of consequence, but it’s worth mentioning – all of these musicians are younger than I am. A couple of them are much younger.

Age is not necessarily an indicator of ability, nor does someone have to be older than you to be a positive artistic influence on you.

All four of these musicians have super strong musical chops in certain areas where I don’t have as much strength. I know my areas of strength – and they include composition, creativity, onstage confidence, and a winsome way with an audience.

It’s important to know your areas of strength, but also areas where you know you can grow.

And then, you can collaborate or interface with musicians who can help you in those areas.

The Temptation to Compromise

Most of my discussion today has centered around being “called up,” because there’s something tremendously exhilarating about being sharpened.

And way back in Guitar Serious Fun Episode 3 - “Yeah Buddy,” we definitely focused on this.

But I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the temptation each of us may have to “settle down” into what’s super comfortable for us, and to avoid the risks that come with hard work and a challenge.

But I don’t think this is the best course of action, at least over the long term. Sure, we can play what we know at times, and rest in that. But to put ourselves in a passive posture does not lead to the musical growth that I believe leads to fulfillment as musicians and even worshipers.

If we’re being honest, we can just default to “phoning it in” and playing from the same collection of songs we’ve always played from. We can tread water. To me, it doesn’t demonstrate the level of stewardship that the Lord invites us to embark on.

Think of the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Two of the servants doubled the talents they were entrusted with.

But what did the third servant do? He buried his talent.

Basically, he kept it at the same value – and in some ways it lost value, because it didn’t gain any interest.

If I’m a songwriter, and I just keep playing the same chords and strumming patterns, never adding more to my palette of colors, I’m maintaining the status quo.

If I’m a worship leader and I don’t have any desire to develop my skills beyond a certain point, or to venture outside my community to be enhanced educationally, spiritually, or relationally by other worship leaders or guitarists, I can become stagnant. This is “settling down,” and becoming complacent.

It’s not something I believe pleases the Lord.

Heavenly Work

When our lives come to an end, if we have a saving knowledge of what Christ has done and have accepted this tremendous gift, we’ll enter into His eternal kingdom in Heaven.

Now some followers of Christ have a misguided perception that work will cease at that point, and that Heaven will be a place of, well, leisure.

But work was part of God’s design even before the fall of Adam and Eve. It’s my understanding that there will be good, worthy work in Heaven, and that we’ll be able to lean into it, for the glory of God.

What kind of work will it be? Only our Heavenly Father knows, but He has always been faithful to guide us through His Word and His will, towards what is best for us.

And my hope is that music will be a part of our work. The music of Heaven will exceed all our earthly comprehension. Even the best music here will pale in comparison.

Gratitude for a Challenge

I can think of several instances where someone on my worship team stepped on board, and after a couple years of playing with me, they had a much better grasp of music on multiple fronts.

The conversations I’ve had with them have gone something like this.

I’ve asked them how worship team is going, and they’ve said, “Man, I had no idea all these musical concepts existed. You’ve opened up an entire world of music to me and I’m a much better musician for it.”I’ve responded, “Has it been challenging at times?To which they have said something like, “Yes, but it’s been totally worth it. I love the results we’re getting on the other side of all this hard work. I’m not bored. I feel like I’m a part of something bigger than me, and it’s very fulfilling.”Serious fun, right? Man, I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to see someone raise their game for the glory of God and lean into it.

At the end of the day, I’d rather have my head hit the pillow with me being poured out from a good challenge, than to lie down bored, and inwardly knowing that I didn’t really pursue my potential.

Wouldn’t you?

Today, we talked about the opportunity to be “called up” and the temptation to “settle down” on our musical journey. Each of us has different levels of ability, and our skills can be developed for different seasons…but as long as our mindset is towards growth, we can claim those “wins” as we move forward.

And if you’re interested in opportunities to be “called up” and challenged with new insights, ideas, and approaches to better understanding the guitar and music for God’s glory, please seriously consider joining GuitarSuccess4U.

There’s more on our website, including an informative overview video, some testimonial videos, sample lessons, and a list of frequently asked questions. Just head on over to GuitarSuccess4U.com.

Thanks for enjoying today’s episode. I’ll see you next time.

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