Ambient pads are the easiest way to enhance the sound of your worship ministry. They fill the sound of your band. They make it easy to create smooth transitions. They free you up as a worship leader to speak or pray between songs without needing to play your instrument.
My friend Boomer Bate created a bundle of 10 ambient pads for worship. In this article, you can demo the pads, and you’ll learn about Boomer’s creative process behind making them. You’ll learn how he achieves these unique sounds and you’ll gain insight on how to apply them to your worship ministry.
#1 - Organ
This sound is a modern remake of a classic church instrument. Organs have been used in worship for hundreds of years! While you may think the organ sound is appropriate for only old churches with stained glass and steeples, this sound will debunk that myth.
Boomer used a low-pass filter on this organ pad to create a warm sound great for any acoustic setting. I think this pad would sound awesome set to hymns. It has that old-school sound but sounds modern at the same time.
#2 - Bells
To create this pad, Boomer used one of his favorite synths called, “Dusty Mirror.” He usually uses this sound during speaking points or quieter songs in worship. The bulk of this sound consists of droning bells, but there are also some subtle reverb bells throughout.
#3-4 Airy Low and Airy High
These pads both have a distinctive “hiss” that cuts through the mix. Boomer wanted to make a low and high version of this pad for greater use flexibility depending on the situation. These pads would work great for high-energy songs or sections of songs where you want to increase the energy.
#5 - Shimmer
Shimmer is a warm synth like Organ, but it has “shimmer” in the higher frequencies. It’s almost like blending Organ with Bells. This pad is another favorite for using in an acoustic set.
#6 - Foundation
Foundation emphasizes the low and mid frequencies. This pad is ideal for droning under transitions or speaking parts during the service. The goal of this pad was to establish the tone or foundation of the song. Since it is so bass heavy, you may want to fade this pad out as your full band kicks in. I like how this pad gives a cinematic feel and will help the congregation focus in on what is said or prayed.
#7 - Valley
Valley is low but not as bass-heavy as Foundation. There’s some nice brassy and string-like texture to this pad, almost as if you had a cello or French horn droning in the background. This pad is ideal for transitions and speaking parts.
#8 - Ice Particles
Ice Particles has a very distinctive sound. It emphasizes the higher frequencies with subtle movement. It’s a mix of shimmer, music box, and a toy piano. It has a lighter and more playful tone.
#9 - Full
We almost called this the “beefy” pad. It encompasses the entire spectrum of frequencies. This pad would be great for times when you want a full sound and strong support from pads.
#10 - Movement
In my opinion, this pad helps build anticipation. It uses an arpeggiator that pulses the notes in the chords. It emphasizes the higher frequencies so it would work great droning through the entirety of a song.
I have already begun implementing these pads in my church, and I love them. I love their distinctive sound while at the same time maintaining simplicity.
You can start using these pads in your worship ministry this Sunday! Click the button below to learn more and purchase.