How to Become a Better Musician, Part 7: Humility

The words "performer" and "humility" don't seem to go together. 

When I see or hear the word "performer," I often think of a frontman for a rock band, hyping up the crowd with antics and garish appearance, all for the goal of elevating the image of himself and the band, leading to more adoring fans and cash pouring into coffers. In other words, it evokes the word "pride."

In contrast, when I see or hear the word "humility," I picture a monk, indistinct from his fellow brothers, content to live out the same routine day after day, without any care for profit or fame. In other words, it evokes the word "meekness."

Both "pride" and "meekness" carry stark definitions that stand in great contrast to each other. Pride is boastful, demanding, and haughty, while meekness is demure, submissive, and—to be candid—weak.

But humility, when understood and practiced rightly, straddles the disparate definitions of pride and meekness. Although it may seem that the work of a musician stands opposed to the virtue of humility, it's actually 100% possible to fully operate within your talents and also present Christ-like humility. 

Let's examine this by taking a slight turn into the secular world with one of the greatest drummers of all time, and then we'll tie it all back to how we exercise humility while leading music in worship.

The Greatest Drummer of All Time (In My Opinion)

My favorite example of humility in practice within music comes from the story of the late Jeff Porcaro. You may not have heard his name before, but I guarantee you've heard his drumming before:

• "Rosanna" by Toto

• "Beat It" by Michael Jackson

• "I Keep Forgettin'" by Michael McDonald

This but a taste of Jeff's massive discography, starting from his teen years with Boz Scaggs and Sonny & Cher to his A-list studio days in the 1970s and 1980s until his untimely passing in 1992. Indeed, much of the popular music from those decades has often been called "the sound of Jeff Porcaro," and there's a singular reason why this is the case:

Jeff served the song, not himself. 

When you listen to the songs above, it may seem like the drum tracks are simpler than others, but this is exactly what makes Jeff stand out from the rest. His playing didn't showcase his chops extravagantly, but man—it takes some chops to play his grooves! From the "Rosanna shuffle" to his one-handed 16th-note funk grooves, along with superb accents in mainstream rock anthems, his musicality was woven into an otherwise unassuming package that producers and artists craved. 

You can hear Jeff's story from himself in this masterclass filmed in 1986 at Musicians Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ6tzbKsKKk

So what can we learn from him?

Like I said above, Jeff's playing was all about taking what he studied and using it to serve the song. His energy and creativity was focused on making the song better, instead turning the spotlight on himself. We can apply this posture to our own attitude when comes to leading music in worship that balances excellence and humility. 

Humility in Worship Music

I've talked about this before, but just to reiterate: You should never be a braggart or show-off when it comes to your abilities in leading/singing/playing music in a worship service, but neither should you shy away from utilizing your excellence to its fullest, most appropriate extent. 

This is just one example of humility in worship music, where let our abilities speak for themselves and shine without the need to hype them up. But humility, when touching on its "meek" aspect in worship music, serves and supports how the team is presenting the Gospel, through the teaching and singing. 

Remember what I said earlier? Jeff served the song, not himself. This is a case where Jeff was more concerned about the artist's and producer's vision for the song—he used his abilities and experience to elevate the track, even offering innovation when it was appropriate. In your own worship team, you can set a humble example by doing the same thing—and you start by submitting to the vision of the bandleader, pastor, or whomever is in charge. At points, you can offer your perspective if there's a persistent problem, but by and large, your job is to do what has been assigned to you. This is because your part has been calculated into a greater assembly that has to be done a certain way to work effectively. 

For leaders, your showcasing of humility comes from being willing to listen to the perspectives, concerns, and advice from your team. It can come in the form of needing to work out a solution for persistent problems that you struggle to address, or it could be suggestions for taking an arrangement in a different route if the band is struggling to get through a tune. 

Be aware of this though: When there is tension in a group, especially between leaders and team members, it becomes very apparent that humility has taken a back seat to ego. Balancing how we exercise authority vs. how we submit to it brings about the greatest chances of showing a humble spirit, with the primary goal of creating the most glorifying, gratifying, and satisfying worship experience through music. 

Be blessed 👊✌️