Hand-Held Percussion in Worship

The history of percussion instruments is traceable to the Old Testament. These instruments, used on only a limited basis throughout the history of the church, have re-emerged in contemporary worship. This article describes various hand-held percussion instruments and their usage in Christian worship.

Rhythm is an essential element in all music. Be it plainsong or jazz, pulse is present. Percussion instruments, identified by the way in which they are struck when played, can enhance the inherent rhythms found in music. From the subtle strike of a triangle or clicking of claves to the flashing roll of a tambourine, percussion instruments have added flavor and excitement to worship since biblical times.

Hand-Held Percussion Instruments

Hand-held percussion instruments are those that are small enough to be held in the hand when played. Some common instruments include tambourine, claves (wood sticks), triangle, finger cymbals, maracas, castanets, cabasa shaker, guido, and all manner of small drums. It is also important not to overlook the instruments we all carry with us—our hands that can clap, and our fingers that can snap. For purposes here, we will discuss three of the most common instruments: tambourine, claves, and triangle.

Tambourine. The tambourine, most often referred to as the timbrel in Scripture, is an ancient instrument, popular in many cultures throughout the world. It is a round, shallow drum with jingling metal disks fitted into the rim that is shaken with one hand and struck with the other, producing a shimmering ring. It may or may not have a drum head. In more recent years a “half-moon” shape variation has evolved offering a bolder, more aggressive sound. The tambourine’s primary use is for colorful rhythmic accentuation. There are various ways to play the tambourine: by tapping the rim; by swinging back and forth with a measured pulse: or by shaking continuously with strikes on accented beats.

Claves. Claves consist of two round hardwood sticks that are struck together. One is cradled in the hand, forming a resonating chamber, while the other is used to strike against it. Hardwood (rosewood, ebony, walnut) is the material of choice. It produces the characteristic chirp, sounding very similar to a cricket. Claves should be played lightly, not banged together, as the sound of good quality wood carries easily. They are usually played on the off-beat.

Triangle. The triangle is a length of steel tubing bent to form a triangular shape open at one corner. It is usually suspended from a cord of leather or string and played with a metal striker. Triangles are of indeterminate pitch, and the size and gauge of tubing affect the tone. Too large a gauge will give a “dinner bell” sound, while too small a gauge will give a thin, weak sound. The triangle can be played effectively with a single strike as musical punctuation; it can be played by rapidly striking two adjacent sides, creating a “roll”; or it can be played with a specific rhythmic pattern.

Reinforcing the Rhythm of an Ensemble

Physical proximity to the primary music ensemble is crucial when using these percussion instruments. This is particularly true with respect to the tambourine, which has a critical effect on rhythmic stability. It is important with any of these instruments to play a pattern that is sympathetic to the music and that reinforces the rhythmic thrust of the rest of the ensemble.

Consistency with the pattern is desirable. A rhythmic motif should not change every other measure but should repeat a pattern that will increase rhythmic stability. It is good to begin with a simple rhythmic motif and develop the pattern further as the song continues. In a song or hymn with a verse-refrain form, it is sometimes effective to play only on the refrain. In a strophic song or hymn, it is best to wait until the piece is firmly established before adding the ornamentation of percussion. Care must be taken to remain faithful to the idiom, to the rhythm inherent in the music, and to the rhythmic patterns played by the whole ensemble.

Enhancing the Worship Experience

In psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, hand-held percussion can add a joyful presence, a spark of new interest, and excitement. One recalls Miriam playing her timbrel in jubilation after the Hebrews’ safe crossing of the Red Sea, or the priests of Levi sounding cymbals in temple worship at the time of King David. Tambourine and drum can give the feel of a Renaissance dance to an old familiar hymn that has its origins in folk song. The influence of percussion in popular music can be utilized in contemporary sacred songs, as well as the snapping of fingers to a swinging “blues” tune or the clapping of hands to a rhythmically compelling song.

The Lord gives many instruments to praise his name, all of which can add to the worship of the people of God. As the psalmist exhorts, “Praise him with tambourine and dancing, … praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” (Ps. 150).

The Guitar in Worship

The use of stringed instruments in worship goes back into the Old Testament and has a history of its own in the Christian church. In recent years, the guitar has been frequently used to lead music for worship. This article explains where and how to use the guitar.

The use of the guitar in praise of God is founded solidly on biblical precedent. The Psalms come immediately to mind with their frequent mention of instrumental praise (e.g., Ps. 33:2; 71:22–23; 92:3; 144:9), and even a cursory reading of the history of Israel reveals the regular use of stringed instruments in worship.

Today, the re-emergence of stringed instruments (specifically the acoustic guitar) can be traced back to the 1960s, an era now famous for its proliferation of folk music, the vox populi. Popular singers like Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Joan Baez (to name a few) captured the public imagination with their simple, immediate, troubadour style, reflecting the concerns of the day in song. The drug culture, the sexual revolution, and protest against the war in Vietnam were all critical elements in the formation of a new counterculture.

The nearly simultaneous appearance of the Jesus Movement, so prevalent among youth of the day (a counter-counterculture) and the beginning of the charismatic renewal converted much of this dynamic energy and brought it, often through the popular Christian coffeehouse venue, into the more formal church environment.

The Guitar in Corporate Worship

The reintroduction of the guitar into corporate worship has not been without difficulty, but this has not negated its usefulness to the people of God in the offering of praise. As the church finds its life expressed in settings other than the traditional church building (e.g., house churches, prayer groups, cell groups), many will find the guitar, portable in a way that the organ and piano are not, to be the instrument of choice.

Two different approaches are possible when using the guitar in worship: as an accompanying instrument in an ensemble to support corporate song, or as a principal leading instrument in the hands of a worship leader. As an accompanying instrument, rhythm and harmony are the primary contributions the strummed (or folk) guitar gives to instrumental texture.

Classical Style. The classical style of guitar playing is suitable for a wide range of music; repertoire is limited only by the player’s ability. Its inclusion in an ensemble can provide a pleasing textural element. As a lead instrument, the classical guitar is less effective, except in the most intimate settings, because of its lack of natural aural presence.

Leading Corporate Song. Using the guitar to lead corporate song requires an understanding of the ethos of folk-worship leadership. The roots of this type of leadership are found in the tradition of the troubadour (the storyteller) and the accompanying characteristics of interaction and spontaneity. The guitar is eminently well-suited to be a vehicle for allowing the worship leader to relate back and forth with the people who are gathered, to manifest that ingredient unique to folk-worship leadership: interaction. In Judeo-Christian worship, the use of responsorial psalmody reflects this tradition: a cantor/soloist/storyteller sings the verses of a psalm, and the people respond with a simple memorable refrain or antiphon. This verse/refrain structure remains an effective song form in sacred and popular music alike.

Visible presence makes interaction easier. However, in circumstances where this is not possible, folk leadership can be affected through audibility alone. This technique, common in African music and discernible in American spirituals, employs the call-and-response form, a variation of verse/refrain. Either visible or audible presence alone can be effective, but clearly both are desirable.

The guitar’s usefulness can be increased by the development of a variety of strums to interpret different musical moods. The use of a pick (or plectrum) will not only make playing more audible but will add rhythmic clarity as well. (See Leading Worship with the Guitar, a teaching video produced by Celebration, P.O. Box 309, Aliquippa, PA 15001.)

It should be noted that the folk guitar is not suited to all idioms found in today’s corporate worship. This is especially true with traditional four-part hymnody. However, since many enduring and endearing hymn tunes find their origins in folk melody, a unison rendition of the tune, accompanied by harmonies idiomatic to the guitar, can add a new dimension to one’s experience of familiar hymns.

Choosing a Guitar for Worship. The choice of an instrument will depend on the player, the circumstance in which it will be used, and the musical material to be played. The most commonly used steel string guitars are the six-string and twelve-string. Either is suitable for leading corporate song.

The six-string guitar provides a well-defined sound for crisp, articulate playing. The twelve-string guitar provides a cushion of sound, rich in harmonic texture, with octave strings creating its characteristic “ring.” Those same octave strings, however, increase the challenge of maintaining a well-tuned instrument.

A nylon string guitar is meant to be plucked or strummed with the fingertips. The use of a pick produces a muffled tone, and as was noted above in the discussion of the classical style, its usefulness is limited to very intimate settings of worship.

The electric bass guitar, while itself, not an acoustic instrument, can be extremely useful in an acoustic ensemble, providing both rhythmic stability and harmonic foundation.

Amplification. Finally, mention should be made of sound reinforcement, an ingredient that is often critical to the success of the acoustic guitar in corporate worship. There are various ways to amplify the guitar other than a factory-installed design. The most successful method is with either a flexible strip microphone, which is attached directly to the body of the instrument or with an internal pick-up placed in the soundhole. The player thus has freedom of movement which is not possible when playing before a stationary microphone, and the actual resonance of the wood body is transmitted with less “air noise.”

The acoustic guitar can be quite versatile in the hands of a sensitive worship leader and continues, as it has for centuries, to be a fitting instrument to make music in praise of the Most High God.