WMUS 525 Advanced Contemporary Arranging Techniques for Worship

This course is designed to teach and develop advanced skills as an arranger of vocal and instrumental ensembles. Chord chart writing and arranging techniques relevant to the rhythm section (keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, and percussion) and contemporary rhythm idioms will be explained and studied. Students will be expected to demonstrate skill in scoring for praise bands, orchestras, singers, and choirs. A major worship arranging project is required.

There is a growing need for worship leaders and pastors of worship to write and arrange songs strategically for the unique needs of their congregations. These worship arrangers need an understanding of the principles of arranging as well as significant “hands on” experience in contemporary worship music styles, including vocal, choral, and instrumental groups. These creative arrangers need to write for large and small ensemble groups.

Readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus, Student Expectations, and Introduction to Biblical Worldview training, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each initial thread must be at least 400 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge by referring to course materials. No formal citations are required. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 250 words and offer substantive, constructive ideas to the discussion.

How Great Thou Art Contemporary Assignment

The student may find he/she has an opportunity to do an original arrangement for his/her church. This assignment will give the student the beginnings of a great new take on a familiar hymn and help him/her begin to develop confidence in his/her arranging. This will begin introducing the student to writing correctly for the rhythm section. For this assignment, the student will create a contemporary version of “How Great Thou Art” in the Finale software.

Chord Analyzation Assignment

The Chord Analyzation Assignment allows the student to identify chords such as Neapolitan, secondary dominant, or minor 6th chords. This exercise helps the student learn to write alternative chords from those he/she might think of initially in his/her arranging. The examples the student will analyze use these chords and will teach him/her to identify them within the context. For this assignment, the student will use the Chord Analyzation Assignment Finale file provided as an assignment resource in Canvas. Within the file, the student will use the “Type into Score” to observe, identify, and name the example for each of the following: secondary dominants, circle of fifths, minor sixth chords, Neapolitan chords.

Amazing Grace Assignment

At the point in the course in which the student has reached this assignment, he/she will have been studying alternative chords, and this assignment will allow the student to show the level of his/her understanding and give him/her the opportunity to experiment with the use of these alternate chords in his/her original arrangement.  Instead of using the chords that are in the hymnal, the student will find by experimentation at the piano or guitar that there are more contemporary chords that can be used. In this assignment, the student will write a Brooklyn Tabernacle-style arrangement of “Amazing Grace” in Finale.

A Cappella Arrangement Assignment

The a cappella style of writing, as taught in the lesson from the module: week this assignment appears in, is filled with left hand (tenor/bass) arpeggiations of chords and other methods of accompaniment. This assignment allows the student to explore and demonstrate his/her understanding of this principle. The a cappella style of arranging continues to be popular as illustrated by the Pentatonix version of “Mary Did You Know.” This is an important genre of vocal writing and one the student will want to experiment with through this assignment. For this assignment, the student will write an a cappella arrangement in Finale of any song/hymn of his/her choosing.

Rescore You Are Good Assignment

In this assignment, the student will practice taking a worship song and adding orchestration to it. This may be useful for the student if he/she serves in a church or if he/she works with a school group, band, etc. and wants to add additional instruments. It is fun to add these additional colors to the song, and the student wants to be creative as he/she writes these parts. This assignment will help the student continue to gain confidence and think like an arranger. Using the provided Rescore You Are Good arrangement by Don Marsh as a model, the student will rescore the woodwinds, brass, and strings sections of measures 1-36 of the song “You Are Good” in the Finale software.

Rescore Blessed Assurance Assignment

By using the two elements of big band scoring, the rhythm part using jazz chords and brass and winds, the rescoring of a big band/jazz arrangement of a well-known hymn demonstrates the student’s understanding of the genre. Originating in the years after WW2, the big band style and jazz idioms are still very popular.  They are fun to write and even more fun to hear played back when the student is the one who came up with the ideas! The student should have fun with this assignment as he/she works to develop this great skill. Using the provided Rescore Blessed Assurance file, the student will rescore measures 1-37 of the song “Blessed Assurance” in the Finale software using the big band styles and scoring techniques learned in the module the assignment appears within. 

Hallelujah Chorus Assignment

Although this arranging course is primarily directed toward contemporary styles, we have determined that there is a consistent demand within the church or secular community to adapt classical iconic selections like Messiah. The assignment allows the student to demonstrate his/her understanding of the traditional/classical approach to scoring and allows him/her to practice developing this useful skill. Using the provided Whaley/Marsh excerpted orchestration of “Hallelujah Chorus” to complete the assignment, the student will delete the brass parts of the orchestration within Finale and write his/her own original parts to the piece. 

Halo Syle Composition Assignment

The musical genre of game music (and film music) involves the use of world drums and an eclectic use of a variety of genres. One of the most popular types of game music is Halo, and this assignment allows the student to demonstrate his/her understanding of the musical elements of the genre. The student should work hard to develop this skill. This may prepare the student for opportunities to make money in this commercial music market. Using Finale, the student will compose a 24-measure piece modeled after any moderate to fast Halo style segment. 

Final Project Assignment

Using Finale, the student will create a full-length arrangement of a worship song, hymn, or original song (with approval of the instructor). The song should include appropriate vocal, rhythm, and orchestral parts. The arrangement will be at least 36-40 measures in length with orchestral accompaniment. There will be a choice of style; the student can either choose a worship (or original) song with 3-part vocals and sweetening orchestration or a hymn (or original song) with 4-part vocals and symphonic orchestration.