Tied Notes
Psalms 37:24
“Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
One of the first concepts a beginning piano student learn is the lesson on tied notes. Tied notes are sometimes the most overlooked of notations. Often, students will play the note that precedes the original note. Tied notes are supposed to be held for their full duration, but not played again.
Many years ago, as an undergraduate student, another student asked me what I was studying. When I said that I was studying music, he said: “That’s amazing! Musicians are some of the most patient people in the world.”
Over the years, I have reflected on that observation. Surely, music has been teaching me patience— patience with myself, my students, and sometimes, patience with God. Tied notes are like that. You are supposed to be patient, sometimes staying still and just holding on. You are not supposed to play the second of the tied notes, but keep your fingers standing tall in its place. There are a lot of moments when I ask God: “Can you please just let me do something now? Why do I have to wait?” But sometimes, the wisest thing is to keep still and keep holding on.
Another beautiful thing about tied notes is the beautiful melody that happens elsewhere. When my beginner piano students play tied notes on the left hand, I tell them to listen to the melody that their other hand is playing.
Similarly, when God tells us that "His grace is sufficient for us," (2 Cor. 12:9) it means that sometimes, we may be the tied notes, just holding on, while He weaves a beautiful melody in the process. When Paul admonishes us in Philippians 2:12,13 to "work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling," he doesn't mean that we are left on our own. In the preceding chapter, he said that "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:5,6) God, in His mercy, does not leave us on our own.
Unlike the organ, flute, or violin, a tied note in the piano does not produce a long sustained sound. Even though the long tied notes’ sound eventually dies out and faints, God wants us to keep still. The verse today is a beautiful promise that the Lord is going to uphold us with His hand. We may faint as we hold on, but His hand is there.