You were looking for how to impress her, then she told you she loves music and also love men that can play the piano.
 
Gbam! Iwochaluuuuu! “Baby,that one na small thing, I’m a piano wizard na!”, u said.
obviously she got impressed and Started catching feelings small small.

 
Another day, you wanted to see her, she told u she’s in the church for choir rehearsals, that you can come there and see her.
 
You came to the church, sitting at a corner waiting for her, she comes where u were sitting and the next thing u heard was “baby please come and help us play the piano,our keyboardist disappointed us”.
 
Suddenly your head started spinning, and sweat started gathering beneath your boxers.Unknown to u, before your arrival, she has already told her friends that you are a piano wizard (as you said), so everybody was eagerly waiting for the wizard to come and manifest.
 
She’s a girl that you are crushing on, so you wouldn’t want to mess with your chances of winning her over. You stood up, sauntered to the piano stand like a 4 year boy that was forced to drink alomo bitters mixed with weed. 

You Sat on the piano seat, for 5 minutes, you were mopping at the keys wondering why the white ones are longer than the black ones, and which ones are meant to be pressed.
 
By then, all your ancestors are already standing in a single file with their hands on their neighbours’ shoulders waiting to be disgraced one after the other by you.
 
You girlfriend’s friends are already pressurizing her to tell you to start playing ,and she goes like ” baby what are u doing na?”
 
You vigorously shake your head to get a clearer vision of the keyboards as if u ve not been seeing them before, you raise all your ten fingers like a lion that wants to pounce on an antelope.
 
“daaaaaaang!…..grrrrrrrrrrr! Daaaaaaang!!” “Daaaaaaang……ntuwaaaaaa! Daaaaaaang!!” “daaaaaaang”,
for ten minutes that was all they were hearing from the piano. 

As you raised your head to see their reactions, you saw nobody there, I guessed they deserted you to rehearse with your fellow wizards..
 
Next thing,Your phone beeped, it’s a message from your supposed girlfriend and it reads,
“Don’t ever in your life call my number again!, you are truly a wizard and what u need is a witch, and I am not one…

Ebenezer Obey

The success of man is not in never failing, but to rise up each time he falls.

Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi’s mother, Abigail had married her first
husband for 20 years without any child in Lagos.

The parents of the husband separated them after the long-year barrenness.

In order to hide from public shame, Abigail Oyindamola relocated to Idogo now in Yewa South Local government where she met Fabiyi, an Egba man who was a carpenter and cocoa trader.

Their marriage was unexpectedly blessed with a boy and later, a girl. This was the reason the name “Ebenezer” was arrived at in 1942. Meaning: “Nihin ni Oluwa ran mi l’owo de(Stone of help)”. Ebenezer Oluwaremilekun Olasupo.

Ebenezer Obey attended Methodist Primary school in Idogo where he was made as band leader in the school, this honed his music talents. He formed Ifelodun Mambo Orchestra in Idogo.

Struggle in life:

In 1957, Ebenezer Obey renamed his band as Royal Mambo Orchestra. He relocated to Lagos from Idogo with two men, Akinyomi Savage and Bamgbose Jumoda, also known as Abengo Mayana. Late Fatai Olagunju, Fatai Rolling Dollar was the band leader and Obey was with him for six years.
six years later, Obey formed another band called International Brothers. He was stranded with no music promoter. He decided to treck from his base in Mushin to Lagos Island, about 20 kilometres journey, to seek for assistance of a music company, DECCA.

Obey walked from Mushin to Yaba, from Yaba to Oyingbo, to Iddo, Carter Bridge (There was no Eko bridge and third mainland bridge then) and, from there, he reached Idumota and now proceeded to Abibu-Oki Street in Lagos Island where DECCA West Africa Limited was located.

The Igbo gateman who was at the entrance initially disallowed him from entering the company but Obey told him he came to record for the company. He escaped the first hurdle. The confidential Secretary explained to him that artiste manager he would see was on leave.

Obey prayed for a week and returned to DECCA, he had his way through the gate but the Secretary still blocked him. He told the secretary, “I am a star and I have come to record for your company. And my record will make your company a bigger one.”

The secratary said, “You cannot see him!” but the confident Ebenezer replied “I must see him!”

Obey who trekked from Mushin to Lagos Island was frustrated and he raised his voice louder as a musician when he noticed the white man, who was the Managing Director, Mr. C. K Cress was around. The noise did the magic, it attracted the attention of the M.D.

The white man phoned the secretary through Intercom and asked “What’s all the noise about?”

“it’s this man who said he is a star and will like to see you and I said he cannot.” the secretary replied. The MD asked, “A star?”

“yes.” the woman affirmed.

Mr. Cress asked Obey to come in.

“Sir, I am a star – a future star. I have come to record for you. Just record me and don’t pay me until when you have recorded me and you see the sales of the released record. My record is going to sell.” – Obey confidently told the white man.

The white man ordered the artiste manager, Mr. Ogunsanya to give Ebenezer Obey a trial. DECCA West Africa Limited recorded the songs of Ebenezer Obey, instead of 8 tracks he prepared for, 5 of the songs were recorded. Despite the fact that Ebenezer Obey moved round to canvass the distributors to buy his record, 500 copies of the Album were not sold for the selector’s mark, the basic requirements for the qualification.
It required just 19 copies to meet up 500 copies. May you be favoured and may help from above locate and sustained you. Amen.

The future star failed, the staff were making jest of Ebenezer Obey. “Sir, your future star did not make it”, the artist manager told the white man.

The white man had imbued with confidence on Obey’ optimistic style to succeed. He ordered for 25 copies to rescue the future star from disqualification.

Obey’s first Album ” Ewo ohun oju ri” sold 506 copies in 1964.

Ebenezer Obey’ second Album changed his life. “Olomi Gbo Temi (My Dearest Wife Listen to Me)…Baby mi, jọwọ jeka Jo ma gbadun, Aya to mo Yayi lo nsefe Oko re, telegan ba ntan e, ko ma ma se gba.”

Ebenezer Obey was brought into limelight with his second Album in 1965 but ‘Palongo’ which he released the same year gave him breakthrough.

Since then Ebenezer Obey has never come down in his profession. He had travelled worldwide.

Surprisingly, the Military Decree of 1972 and 1976 (Nigeria indigenization decree) brought in new owners for DECCA West Africa Limited. Both Chief Moshood Olawale Abiola and Chief Ebenezer Obey controlled the 100% ownership of the company which later changed to Afrodisia Limited.

Obey became the employer of the white man, his former Managing Director and other staff of the music company. He later established his own music company.

“Labe igi orombo, Ibe lagbe nsere wa, inu wa dun, ara wa ya.. ”
Ebenezer Obey is an evergreen great juju musician, now an Evangelist and a Shepherd of His flock.

“A i ma siko lo ndaamu, Ẹda o, Ọrọ
mi lọwọ Oluwa lowa. Ire temi ko ma ni kọja mi.” Amin o.

Photo Credit: Virtue Music Community

Dear Choir director,
 
        That song was played by 3 keyboardists, an organist, 2 guitar players, a bass player, a drummer and with stems running. You have just a keyboardist(that has to split f
or bass) and a drummer and you want them to reproduce everything you heard on the track? Do you fear God?
 
Your keyboardist needs at least two weeks for him to prepare to be able to play that song but you gave him just two days and you’re shouting at him during rehearsal, no be so o.shey una go make heaven like these lolz. Na joke ooooo
 
                                                                                                                                           Yours truly,
                                                                                                                                          Instrumentalist.

Photo Credit: Virtue Music Community

My fellow choristers. I don’t know what they need for them to fall in love with Music, and not just love for Music, but also desire to know music as it ought to be.
I struggled to get to this point and I’m struggling still to get out. I started
putting interest in music in 2012, I had someone who was to put me through. After a few weeks of training, after I had learnt drmfsltd, doh fah soh chord, lesson stopped. I stayed for about a year without music, I almost forgot I was learning Music.

Until sometime in 2014 I got hooked up with someone who helped me with progression. How to apply those doh fah soh chord while a singer is active( Learn progressions and their applications with videos). He introduced me to a new Chord, lah(A minor). Lol.

That was what we called it then… Doh Fah Soh…
Lol.
The new teacher didn’t last too..

Ever since I reconciled. The love grew. My passion for it grew. As at 2015 or so, I was in several groups. I don’t study much as I used too. I didn’t have a teacher, my choir was managing me.

They would hire instrumentalists for Major programs in church such as festivals, general thanksgiving, even concerts, but I decided not to give up. I went into theory. My pastor wanted me to write a music exam. He wanted me to take a professional course in music. I couldn’t enroll in MUSON(Musical Society of Nigeria) as I planned because of the cost. The more I looked into Music the more I loved it and wanted to know more.

Do you know I’ve prayed and I’m still praying, that God should help me watch my hunger for music? So it doesn’t outgrow my desire/hunger for Him. My people also thought Music has nothing to offer.
You just become something else. They believe you can’t survive on Music. Only if someone saw the light and believed in God in me, and supported me earlier in my music career.

I finished school few years ago. 2013. That’s Secondary School, I never wrote JAMB until last year. I wrote Music and I did well. I have never attended a Music School. Thanks to WhatsApp groups. All glory to God Almighty.

I found out what I can offer with Music right now. And I am building on it. As much as I know Theory is good, practical is also necessary if you want to be a good player, but for a person like me who has no visible teacher other than the ones I met online. Someone who has no one to show him the theories he learnt, where and how to use them. Sometimes, it seems like I made the wrong choice venturing into Music at first, but, I know I have a purpose with Music. I know I’m not a very good player, and I may not be able to teach practically. I know I can help someone understand the basic knowledge of Music rightly.
And that’s what I have decided to offer. I think I can lay good foundation for Music

You’ve read it now right? Yeah. So what excuse do you still have?
Sssh you don’t have an excuse to fail in life. We would always enjoy your success stories but, stories of how and why you failed, We don’t want to hear!!!

Get Up and Find Your Way to The Top Even If You Have To Crawl!

Generations Are Awaiting You. Don’t Fail Them, Don’t Fail Yourself, Don’t Fail God.

Anonymous

Photo Credit: Pastor John Olatunji

I was invited to minister at a program years ago and as we walked in the worship was on, the moderator took over after a while and cracked our ribs for 20 mins..

I was called up and I wasn’t even up to 10 mins and the moderator came pacing around me like someone who forgot something, I knew it was time..I handed him the mic.
They came to me, “Sir, we will call you up again” so I relaxed and had another 15 mins of AY Live from the moderator.

Another fellow goes to minister, the moderator comes up and gives us another 15 mins of Jokes.
One of my guys tapped me,

“Sir, is this a comedy or worship meeting”

I was baffled myself, plus I was angry! It wen’t on till 3AM I couldn’t take it I walked out straight to the guest house and when it was dawn they came to give me honorarium.
You see my anger, some folks think when we travel to minister that we are on a business trip, so once they can foot your bills they think it’s all fine, my friend it’s not fine!

How can it be fine when you are doing the body of Christ such great disservice, how can it be fine?
Do I have anything against comedy I’d be lying if I said YES, I truthfully do not. One of my closest pal is into comedy but I have great respect for him because he knows that his gift in that area has it’s place not in church meetings except out door events hosted by church.

Listen my friends, all this break and quench in the name of moderation please watch it! Have I said you will drive the Holy Spirit away? NO! But order is key! And order is not just about having great line ups it is also about taking out what shouldn’t be.

If you must have a moderator let it be one who knows how not to cut the flow, this is important. Don’t tell me you are trying to keep people awake in the name of such joke then I know you never prayed for that meeting, and you obviously have no agenda to create convenient room for the things of the spirit to be practiced.
You can’t have the meeting YOUR WAY, let that sink!

Mind you, the greatest fulfillment of any true minister is to see lives blessed by their ministry not to come all the way to be entertained by some joker and then some sandwich of hallelujah and then he goes home with envelop , THAT IS NOT IT–let it sink!
I hope this meets you well.

Pstor Clarkson Ikwunze

What does it mean to score a song?

Scoring a song means to listen to the song and perform it exactly the way it was done by the musician.

When a bass guitarist wants to score a song, He listens carefully to what the bass guitarist played in the song and replicates it in the exact same way to perform it. The same thing applies to a pianist, he replicates the part of the piano in the exact same way as it was done in the song.

The same thing applies to all the other musical instrumentalist.

How do you score a song?

To score a song, you are going to do what we call “Active Listening”.

What is active listening?

Active listening means to give your total attention unto something in an attempt to discover the hidden treasures embedded in it

Tips that can help us in active listening

1. Avoid confusing a music video with an audio music:

To train ur listening abilities in music, an audio music is most advisable to listen to mostly, but there is also vital importance to the music video which should guide ur growth in music excellence, these are:

-It heps in learning some musical and emotional expressions of a song, which should actually be peculiar to how you feel the music relate to you.

– It helps to learn and understand more about stage management, stage arrangement, choir settings, stage lightings, instrument arrangement, etc.

Other than these strong reasons, I suggest music audio is better for active listening.

2 .Closing your eyes when listening to music: 

It helps you relate better with the music and also help you view the sounds you are hearing distinctively: you can pick those musical sounds just like u can separate a red colour from a blue in a multicolored patterned cloth. Closing your eyes also makes you relate the music with your current life settings

3. Use your emotional interpretations:

Try to feel what exactly the composer want to express to his listeners and try also to connect with the composer’s reality.

4. Listen to the music with so much positive emotion: 

Allow your feelings and mood to change as the sound you hear changes. Let your feelings be positive.

This is very amazing…. While listening allow the vibes in the music excite u: this part of music is healthy to your body..: involves more secretion of Serotonin, Dopamine (excitatory neurotransmitters).It keeps ur soul and mood beautiful.

5. Remember to use headphones, headsets or earpiece: 

When you are with people you do not want to disturb by playing your music, or in the night to avoid disturbances. Try not to use headphones while driving.
Make sure your headphone is of good quality as headphones with less quality can reduce the quality of the music, and even hinder you from hearing some beneficial spices in the music. Using a quality ear piece and head set greatly helps ur listening

6. Remember that all music – with very few exceptions – are based on repetition, variation and new lines of melody. 

Even when you do not enjoy or like the music, try to pay attention to these three elements as it can eventually help the music click with your heart and emotion.

7. In order to train your ear excellently try listening to microtonal music.

Micro-tonality is the use of tones spaced less apart than our 12-tones toning music. Micro-tonality gives more room for unique emotional feels than some normally toned music can express. Micro-tonality simply does not use intervals found in the 12 equal intervals to an octave. The space or tone of a micro-tonality is less than a conventional space of semitone.

8.Fix yourself in the scenario of what the music is trying to put out: 

Every music piece conveys messages. Check out what the message is about. Is it a story, a word of encouragement, words of hope, for healing? Etc. whatever the message is, you can fix yourself in as though the message is directed to you.