The Bible and Music

The last class (1/17) involved something extremely scary – singing solo for the whole class.  Technically we were chanting, but as class progressed the chanting began to feel more like signing.  I have never been shy about belting out a song in the car with my friends, but something about the class environment changes the game.  It’s no longer merely about the fun of signing with your friends – suddenly there is pressure to actually sound good.

While it wasn’t my favorite class activity, I will say that I was surprised it wasn’t as painful as I thought it’d be.  We all had to sing a line, so everybody was in the same boat.  That common denominator definitely lessened the tension in the room after the first run through of the chant.  At least if we all have to sound bad, we can sound bad together and have some fun with it.

The activity also gave me some insight on the process of chanting.  It is more than just reading off words, especially when multiple voices are involved.  You have to make a conscious effort to plan your pauses and harmonize with the rest of the group.  It gave me a better appreciation for people create and perform these chants.