This post is a part of a series on Providing Seamless Transitions Between Songs in Your Worship Set, Please begin with the first article as these build upon one another.
In past lessons, we have looked at connecting songs in the same key, a half or whole step apart or a fourth or fifth apart. Today we look at moving to other keys as well as some summary to the musical transitions we have been discussing.
Take a look at this short explainer video about moving to a non-simple key:
Sometimes you may have to use two songs in succession that don’t have simple key transitions. It is often best in these situations to have a brief break between songs for a prayer, scripture reading, or other worship element. It would be appropriate for one or more musicians to begin playing some incidental music quietly in the new key following a pause to “clear the air” of the first key.
Chart of Major Key Relationships for Simple Transitions
Use this chart to easily determine the five keys a second song may be in to form a seamless transition between two songs. Remember that one song may go to another song in the same key, a half-step or whole step above, or up a fourth or fifth.
Examples of Three Songs with Two to Three Ways to Connect
As I mentioned earlier, you can use your imagination to create numerous ways to connect two songs together. To spur your thinking, I have taken three songs and will demonstrate three different ways to connect those two songs.
How Great Is Our God (in B-flat) – Great I Am (B-flat)
We will look at two ways these songs can be transitioned for a smooth flow in worship.
Example 1:
In the first example, we will begin the introduction of Great I Am on the last word of How Great Is Our God. (Intro Overlap)
Long Version
Short Version
Example 2:
In this example, we segue directly into the chorus of Great I Am with an added measure between. (No Break)
Long Version
Short Version
10,000 Reasons (in E-flat) – How Great Is Our God (B-flat)
We will look at three ways these songs can be transitioned for a smooth flow in worship.
Example 1:
We end the first song, then the piano begins to play Bb chords in quarter notes, leading to the bridge of How Great Is Our God. The song is pretty laid back at first to match the ending feel of 10,000 Reasons, then builds. (No Break).
Long Version
Short Version
Example 2:
In this example, the transition is pretty identical to the first example, but we let it really build in the transition. (No Break)
Long Version
Short Version
Example 3:
In this example, we end 10,000 Reasons and segue directly into the introduction of How Great Is Our God. (No Break)
Long Version
Short Version
Your Name (in A) – How Great Is Our God (A)
We will look at three ways these songs can be transitioned for a smooth flow in worship.
Example 1:
The first song, Your Name, comes to an end, then after a brief pause, as the worship leader begins singing the chorus of How Great Is Our God. It should seem very spontaneous, as if the worship leader just thought of the second song and begins to sing it. (Short Gap)
Long Version
Short Version
Example 2:
In this example, we begin the introduction of How Great Is Our God on top of the last chord of Your Name‘s outro, then we sing the verse of How Great Is Our God. This could also begin on the last sung word rather than the last chord of the intro. (Intro Overlap)
Long Version
Short Version
Example 3:
In this example, the band inserts two measures between the two songs moving from the chorus of Your Name to the chorus of How Great Is Our God. (No Break)
Long Version
Short Version
Next week, we will look at connecting songs for smooth transitions textually and thematically in addition to the musical connections just presented in these seven lessons.
