[Kid Inspiration]

Here are some notes from a message I presented at the 2004 Hillsong conference for Children’s Pastors and Leaders in a workshop for song writing.

Two current theories of song writing

[Engagement]
Parents are looking for education, entertainment that will engage their kids, think how much you covet that game or method of doing your children’s program that REALLY engages your kids. Whenever I play a game that works with the kids I run it into the ground! Every second week the game comes out until it ends it usefulness. Think of how much parents are looking for that for their children.

==> High Five, Wiggles, Jump 5, Muppets… All engage children.

==> Children this week staring at the stage not knowing the songs but moving almost unconsciously to the actions happening on stage.

==> Sydney entertainment centre full of adults not their for themselves but they have found something that engages their children.

==> Actions! That is engagement in one word.

==> Current education system is not accomplishing this at all. It is preparing children for a world that no longer exists. The church can take this opportunity and because it is a small ship turn it around fast! Children asked if they are artists, decreases year by year where by year 6-7 it is almost embarrassing to put up your hand and admit it. EVERY CHILD IS AN ARTIST!

==> Thoughts on education: Imagine a learning experience so vastly different from school that fosters creativity and harnesses a child’s learning power so they come out know much more about Christ that algebra.

[Break through theory]

I had always wanted to write songs growing up and playing instruments and being in bands. All the songs I wrote were okay, but I never thought WOW that’s a great song.

They were all influenced by my past and preference of music. I am a big Jazz head and never liked pop music. So I had to consciously get past that barrier and instead of writing for my personal preference, write instead for the target market. I looked at the kids and targeted everything I wrote at them

That guided every song I wrote, it took a lot of time to get over that, possibly three years of being immersed in a culture and style of music.
The breakthrough song for us was I’m Really Happy. It came together quite easily and at last I felt that we had written a song that the kids would respond to.

I never finished songs, I would always just have ideas on paper that never seemed to get finished. So I got over that

The Demo
The quality of the song will shine through. 10 Year old Britney who wrote two songs on Superhero…
we saw the potential in Brittany’s songs from her demo singing into a tape machine with no backing.

Collaborate
I will often get a guitarist to take the chords I have written and play them on the guitar to see if there is a better way. Example of I’m Really Happy, I went to a guitarist and he suggested a change to the chorus. Because I am a pianist there are often subtle chord changes that will make the song sound a lot better with a guitar.

Backing Tracks
Tracks are a great way to do Praise and Worship with kids, they may even respond better to it than a live band. I wouldn’t way it out loud, but again responding to the culture, it can have as much impact on the kids that a live band has.

Don’t be hamstrung by…

Building your repertoire:
1. Listening to different genres.
2. Learning styles - what makes country music, country music? Likewise Jazz or Rock.
3. Start with the culture.
4. Increase your vocabulary, if you know three chords, learn four.