Hand technique for keyboard and piano is definitely one of those aspects that can be overlooked. It’s easier to adapt to the correct hand positions early on in a pianist’s development. But if you haven’t even thought about hand technique as a musician — it’s never too late. Really, the purpose of technique is to make it easier for the player to learn and play faster. It’s foundation provides limitless opportunity and strength. Working on your own hand technique is never a bad idea.

Here is a picture of good hand technique — memorize it.

1. The knuckles are higher than the wrist — “snowy mountains”
2. The palm is round — “ball shaped hand”
3.  The finger tips are curved and relaxed — small “hammers”

It looks easy but here are multiple ways that people play the keyboard that can cause problems after years of bad habits. Check out the best hand position versus the ones that can hurt ya.

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Songwriting – an art, an expression of one’s heart, mind and soul. Is it difficult to do? “I think it varies from person to person,” said Kyle Cummings, the Artist Development Instructor at Ocean’s Edge School of Worship. “Some people are incredibly imaginative and are bursting with ideas, but they have a difficult time organizing their thoughts on paper. Others are great with organizing and crafting lyrics, but they sometimes tend to over-analyze their songs. And some people can write beautiful lyrics and melodies all day long, but struggle to find the music that fits it.”

Each songwriter needs to discover a healthy balance in finding the right lyrics that fits the right music. That’s why it’s good for songwriters to craft their music with other musicians in order to fill in the voids found in some of their songs. Kyle explained that having “the ability to take an artistic expression and craft it into a song that people are going to enjoy and want to listen to over and over again is a gift from God,” but sometimes in the midst of crafting the art, you can find yourself struggling to enjoy the process.

That’s one reason Kyle invited Jeremiah Jones, a professional songwriter, to share with the students in his class.

Jeremiah and Kyle met a few years ago at a church called Radius where Jeremiah was leading worship. Jeremiah has been a successful songwriter, recording three projects over the past six years. Laura Story recorded his song “What A Savior”, and it successfully made it into the rotation of songs in over thirty stations nationwide. He has faithfully served the church as a worship leader, songwriter and pastor, planting a number of churches in the past fifteen years.

On October 18, the college-age students at Ocean’s Edge School of Worship received the privilege of hearing Jeremiah Jones share wisdom and inspiration. He shared that you need to remain diligent to your God-given calling as a songwriter for the church.

It’s not about writing a great song everyday.  It’s about writing faithfully everyday. It is in the act of selflessly and faithfully investing in your gift that God receives glory.

Songwriting takes discipline, practice, and creativity. Jeremiah explained that out of those moments, you might encounter bad songs; however, somewhere in between, good songs are written, and out of those good songs, come great songs.

As a Christian songwriter, you need to remember that the art is not about creating good songs each day, but it’s about remaining faithful to writing songs each day. God will do the rest. He only asks us to write and sing a “new song” to Him.

Jeremiah really encouraged the Ocean’s Edge students by explaining that not every song has to be a “big hit”. He shared a contagious love and true devotion to the craft of songwriting, which inspired every student. He is more than a songwriter and worship leader, he is a guy who cares about people.

In the next few months, Jeremiah Jones will be recording his next project with Grammy nominated and Dove award-winning producer Ed Cash in Nashville, TN. For more information on Jeremiah Jones, visit www.jeremiahjonesmusic.com. For more information on Ocean’s Edge School of Worship, visit www.oceansedgeschool.com.

Mia Fieldes, Hillsong singer/songwriter, arrived at Ocean’s Edge School November 8, 2011. She spent three days with us to share her knowledge about songwriting, being an artist as well as being a worship leader.

Mia definitely doesn’t speak with a timid spirit! Authority and sincerity ring throughout her passionate words. If you hear her speak, you know what motivates her and what resonates in her heart. She is passionate about helping songwriters craft great songs and share them in confidence and authority.

Songwriting is more important than most people realize. Musicians are out of a job without good songs to play. She wants to help writers discover what parts of their songs are good and what parts they need to refine. She desires songwriters to win.

Here are a few ideas from Mia Fieldes that you can use as begin to write a new song…

1. Start with a theme. What is your song about? Songwriters want to connect with people by sharing a common idea in a new way. Listen and analyze the top 10 songs of each genre of music. What themes do they use? A song should evoke an emotion, motivating the listener to do something. There is nothing new under the sun, but there is certainly a new way of expressing what we know.

2. Pick out a good title. It should be instantly memorable. Work on an opening line that supports the idea behind the title but doesn’t give away the punch line. End with lyrics that will bring you back to the title, leaving your listeners with a thought they had never pondered.

3. Consider your audience. If it’s for children, write simple and repetitive lyrics. If it’s for youth, write songs that are similar to the songs they listen to. If it’s a worship song, write a melody within an octave; write in a range that a guy or girl can sing; write a form with a clear structure. Figure out what your audience wants to hear and what they can sing.

“God gave you more than a song. He gave you a gift,” Mia said, “God wants a handmade version, not the Hallmark.” He wants to hear and see our creativity. Be confident. Get thick skin. Stay disciplined and diligent for “you are good as you want to be.”