Drums in Mass, YIKES!!!

[Saint wannabe]

I grew up in a church where the music that accompanied the Mass was pretty much traditional organ with a choir present every one in a while. I was then away from the church for many years, living up to my neck in sin like a selfish schmuck, never really realizing what a gift I had been given by God in the Catholic Church. When I found my way back to the church, I was now living in a different town with a different Parish, and I had never really experienced a guitar Mass before. It was different at first, but it has grown on me with time. We now have drums being played at our Mass and I can't stand it. First of all, I feel like I'm at a nightclub and not at Mass when I here them, and secondly, we have a drummer that can't keep a beat to save his/her life. It is all very confusing to me, and in a way, it seems very disrespectful. I mentioned something to one of the music directors before, but they seem to like it and think that it will keep the youth of the church more interested. Has anyone else had this incorporated into their Mass? Has anyone else here grown up with this in their church? What are the feelings of everyone else here? Are we trying to compete with the mega churches out there by doing this, and if so, why? I don't come to Mass so I can be entertained, I come so I can spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist and give thanks & praise to God. Are drums really necessary?

[MatthewBerkeley]

Hi,
I'm in a similar boat to you, except I'm actually the drummer!
I started playing with my brother on keyboard when I was about 14 (I'm 19 now) but since then I've learned more about the official Vatican guidelines for music, that give first place to the organ, and rule out pre recorded music. Drums are not encouraged, I'm not sure if they're strictly disallowed, but I have been less willing to play them at Mass recently. I've managed to pretty much phase them out, even though I had been asked by others in the music ministry to bring them.
In the few years I have been doing it, that line about bringing young people to church hasn't proven to have any substance - I really don't think anyone came to the Church to hear the drums! And I think that customizing the Mass with contemporary music in a bid to entice young people to Mass is being a bit deceitful; almost like saying 'Listen, we've got drums, our Church is cool!' instead of 'Look! Jesus died on a cross for You, because He loved you so much! That's how cool our Church is!'
I'm part of Youth 2000, where contemporary music is used quite a lot, but I've always felt the focus is on Jesus, and the music helps to lift my soul to Him, so I have really enjoyed it.
I don't mind playing drums or any kind of beat-driven music for a praise and worship service or an outdoor carol service at Christmas, but I think the Mass has to be preserved as the most sacred prayer. I honestly think the traditional chants and sung prayers are more attractive to young people than an imitation of what they hear every day on the radio anyway.

God bless

[Saint wannabe]

Originally Posted by MatthewBerkeley

Hi,
I'm in a similar boat to you, except I'm actually the drummer!
I started playing with my brother on keyboard when I was about 14 (I'm 19 now) but since then I've learned more about the official Vatican guidelines for music, that give first place to the organ, and rule out pre recorded music. Drums are not encouraged, I'm not sure if they're strictly disallowed, but I have been less willing to play them at Mass recently. I've managed to pretty much phase them out, even though I had been asked by others in the music ministry to bring them.
In the few years I have been doing it, that line about bringing young people to church hasn't proven to have any substance - I really don't think anyone came to the Church to hear the drums! And I think that customizing the Mass with contemporary music in a bid to entice young people to Mass is being a bit deceitful; almost like saying 'Listen, we've got drums, our Church is cool!' instead of 'Look! Jesus died on a cross for You, because He loved you so much! That's how cool our Church is!'
I'm part of Youth 2000, where contemporary music is used quite a lot, but I've always felt the focus is on Jesus, and the music helps to lift my soul to Him, so I have really enjoyed it.
I don't mind playing drums or any kind of beat-driven music for a praise and worship service or an outdoor carol service at Christmas, but I think the Mass has to be preserved as the most sacred prayer. I honestly think the traditional chants and sung prayers are more attractive to young people than an imitation of what they hear every day on the radio anyway.

God bless

Thanks, I'm glad that I'm not the only one who feels this way. At first I thought that maybe I was being selfish, but something about drums at Mass just makes me cringe every time I hear them. I have grown accustomed to the guitar Mass, but I don't think thats ever gonna happen with the drums. I think that drums play an important part in music and there is definitely a need for them, but I just don't see that need extending to the Mass.

[donsnow]

When I was in the Cathedral choir here, there's a many piped organ and we had timpani drums to play with a few of the classical Masses. Other than that, it was your regular cathedral choir, except for Easter and Christmas, when some members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra sat in, with us.
I had my coronet, then, and was asked one Easter to play with those Orchestra members as second trumpet in a two trumpet section. The choir conductor's wife did the same thing with her French horn. Just the four brass wind instruments (I can't remember whether or not their were wood winds) and then the stringed instruments. There were about eight of us, altogether.

Later, in the parish church, which had the best choir in Tarrant County among small churches at the time I was there (brag), one family had three boys who each played a drum. These are like Congo drums, a little one for the little boy, a medium one for the middle boy and a large one for the oldest boy. It was highly unusual, energetic and impressive. I didn't mind, at the time.

I've yet to hear your regular set of drums, at any Mass. I tend to agree with ya'll, on that.

[Tele295]

I don't mind a little conga or hand percussion - sparingly! - but an "American kit" really does rub me the wrong way. The problem I hear with most drummers and most (not all, but most) guitar players in Mass is that they can't play in any other time signatures except 4/4. I call it the "Campfire Syndrome." Quarters or 8ths, on the beat only. It's like a train.

We have been doing Mass parts (Holy through Amen) in 6/8 time. It's a little too slow for them to play in 2, so they play it in 4, which fouls up all but the 1st beat of the measure and that usually gets lost by the third bar in. I have been insisting that they play this as a "double waltz" (3/8+3/8) to keep them on the beat, with varying degrees of opposition. I think they have trouble with it. I wouldn't dare suggest that they play a strict bolero rhythm, or samba, or tango, or any of the other interesting formal beats, even when they are in 4

I think the problem with guitars and drums is that they don't really think about the rest of the group, and they lack the training to play in other time signatures. Campfire training vs. classical training? I don't want to come across as a classical snob, but there's a line between playing along and actually playing the song. Mass isn't a jam session.

Sorry if I've digressed into a rant.

[TheMc]

Originally Posted by MatthewBerkeley

Hi,
I'm in a similar boat to you, except I'm actually the drummer!
I started playing with my brother on keyboard when I was about 14 (I'm 19 now) but since then I've learned more about the official Vatican guidelines for music, that give first place to the organ, and rule out pre recorded music. Drums are not encouraged, I'm not sure if they're strictly disallowed, but I have been less willing to play them at Mass recently. I've managed to pretty much phase them out, even though I had been asked by others in the music ministry to bring them.
In the few years I have been doing it, that line about bringing young people to church hasn't proven to have any substance - I really don't think anyone came to the Church to hear the drums! And I think that customizing the Mass with contemporary music in a bid to entice young people to Mass is being a bit deceitful; almost like saying 'Listen, we've got drums, our Church is cool!' instead of 'Look! Jesus died on a cross for You, because He loved you so much! That's how cool our Church is!'
I'm part of Youth 2000, where contemporary music is used quite a lot, but I've always felt the focus is on Jesus, and the music helps to lift my soul to Him, so I have really enjoyed it.
I don't mind playing drums or any kind of beat-driven music for a praise and worship service or an outdoor carol service at Christmas, but I think the Mass has to be preserved as the most sacred prayer. I honestly think the traditional chants and sung prayers are more attractive to young people than an imitation of what they hear every day on the radio anyway.

God bless

You hit the nail on the head. The one exception I'll make for drums is timpani, which are heavenly with a brass quartet/quintet for Easter/Christmas/Pentecost/etc.