| Using a Concert Artist Digital in a Worship Service
I was honored to be a Music Minister at a church in Worcester, Massachusetts, for three years. The church community was very supportive of my ministry and invested in a Kawai CA51 digital piano. We held a small “coffee house” style concert on a Friday night and raised nearly all the money we needed! A yard sale and bake sale later, we were 100% ready to take delivery.
The Concert Artist digital piano offers a worship leader so much:
- 88 Wooden Keys (the closest ANY digital piano comes to playing an Acoustic piano!)
- A Great Piano Sound (and a variety of other sounds)
- Ability to Fully Control Volume (Loud for congregation singing or very soft for guided meditation and prayer)
- Layering (combining) of Sounds
- Easy Adjustment of Volume of Layered or Split Sounds in Real Time!
- Drum Patterns for Up-tempo Hymns or Contemporary Worship Songs
- Tuning is Unaffected by Climactic Changes (i.e. No Tuning Necessary!)
- Handsome and Rugged Cabinet that Blends Nicely into the Sanctuary!
During the first service with the CA51, I began a prelude with a Michael W. Smith song. I had the Concert Grand piano sound layered with slow, Orchestral Strings layered, but I turned down the Strings volume the with the slider on the front panel. As the song progressed, I moved the slider and allowed the orchestral strings to swell up behind the grand piano. The results were amazing with most congregants wiping away tears and all congregants leaping to their feet upon the last note. Wow -- what an inspiration for all of us!
Another opportunity to show off the versatility of the CA51 came during a quiet time with the minister leading us in prayer. I began playing the guitar sound, which is a nylon string (Spanish-style) sound – then layered in the sound of a choir gently behind to support the message.
Finally, when the kids were brought in from Sunday school at the end, we did “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”. I found the perfect rhythm accompaniment and put a bass sound on my left hand and a drawbar organ on my right. I kicked the rotary speaker effect on and off with the left pedal and I felt like I had a whole musical praise team… but it was just me and the CA51! It was hugely motivating and fun.
There wasn’t one member of the congregation who wasn’t thrilled with our investment. I know I was!
— Sean O’Shea
Editor’s notes – Do you have story about how you use a Kawai digital piano to enhance your worship experience? Or, would you like to share some fundraising ideas so your church might acquire the ideal Kawai instrument to inspire your congregation? Write to us at kawaiinsider@kawaius.com. |
