worship band skills from musicademy

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Musicademy

• DVDs for Guitar, Bass,Keys, Vocals, Drums & Orchestral instruments

• Learn to play by ear

• Vocals warm up and workout CDs

• Worship Backing Band

• Blog and newsletter


Band Skills Seminars

Two worship band scenarios

• The ‘produced’ model

• The ‘community campfire’ model


Mechanics of playing together

Stage placements

• Where is your band?

• Why do we do what we do?


Mechanics of playing together

Tuning

Doesn’t matter what you play…

If it’s out of tune it’s horrid…


Tuning

Acoustic instruments

• Humidity and temperature

• 440 tuning

• Drums – rehearsal not the time to tune!


Tuning

Number 1 culprit - Capos– Pulling sharp– Big Frets– Intonation – set up – Pressing too hard – thicker strings (wound G)

• Tune from string 1 (top E) • Always tune up not down • Change strings • Graphite lubricant • Humidity and temperature • Tune often and often


Tuning

Pitching songs

Minor 3rd


Timing

• Better to play simple and in time

• Timing game with metronome – practice with your worship team – Are you on, ahead or behind?

• Using a click – your thoughts?


Communication

• Listening skills

• Practice dynamics – leading and following – Practice following each other – What did we do?


Playing together - Groove

• Keyboard and guitar fighting against each other • Random added pushes• Strumming patterns

– Think like a drummer – two guitarists – combine strumming patterns

• Songs to try – Your love is amazing – Blessed be Your name– Lord reign in me – In Christ alone – Our God – Open the eyes of my heart


Dismantling and Rebuilding a Groove

• Start with drums – add in layers • Bass • Acoustic (rhythm section complete) • Keys• Electric • Vocals • Lead instruments

75% listening 25% playing


The next stage

The Art of playing together

• Play as a band – not as five individuals

• One more time, but with emotion please

• Take a song and read through the lyrics

• Make your music matches the theme & lyrics


Instrument roles


Rhythm section

• Why does it work – or not?

• What if you haven’t got one?


Rehearsal and practice tips

• Whats the difference between a rehearsal and a practice?

• Practice starts, stops and transitions • Practice looping a section • Recording services• Instrument mic’ing • Sound checks

Qualities of a worship leader1. Fear God

2. Fashion sense (no!) It’s OK not to be beautiful

3. Creativity

4. Humility (will submit to others in the band, open to hearing from the congregation, more concerned with God being glorified than themselves, don’t need to be at the front. An “enabler”, a team player)

5. Decisive

6. Sensitive – to the Holy Spirit, to the mood of the congregation, to the band (listening in different directions)

7. Visionary? Depends on the church, your role in the church/on the worship team

8. Discerning – what is right or wrong?

9. Rhythm – always helpful

10. Organised – a certain level is essential (but they don’t have to be great administrators). Allow others to help where you are not that able.


Qualities of a worship leader1. Passionate

2. Worshiping more than performance – giving glory to God. Get better connected to those in your congregation too

3. Encouraging

4. Spirit filled

5. Good communicator – preferable? perhaps depends on how you lead? Maybe not good at communicating outside of worship leading

6. A Christian

7. Diplomatic – yes and no

8. A good singer? Depends on your model…

None of us are all these things. All these things are within your church though


What should worship leaders not do when leading worship?

1. Give up

2. Preach at the congregation/band

3. Have a diva moment

4. Open arguments

5. Forget to take the capo off

6. Chew gum

7. Be autocratic

8. Be unprepared

9. Be late

10. Be absent

11. Talk about mistakes (just get on with it)

12. Perform

13. Do all new songs

14. Ad lib – some is OK though

15. Eyes permanently shut – at least start with your eyes open


1. Inconsiderate

2. Act all spiritual

3. Choose their favourite songs

4. Only sing their own songs

5. Lack of eye contact

6. Not inconsiderate of the congregation

It’s a great idea to work through these lists of “not doing” with your team. This could be anonymous

What should worship leaders not do when leading worship?

1. Give up

2. Preach at the congregation/band

3. Have a diva moment

4. Open arguments

5. Forget to take the capo off

6. Chew gum

7. Be autocratic

8. Be unprepared

9. Be late

10. Be absent

11. Talk about mistakes (just get on with it)

12. Perform

13. Do all new songs

14. Ad lib

15. Eyes permanently shut

16. Inconsiderate© www.musicademy.co.uk

1. Act all spiritual

2. Choose their favourite songs

3. Only sing their own songs

4. Lack of eye contact

5. Not inconsiderate of the congregation

How do we pick songs?1. Pray

2. Related to the sermon/reading/calendar

3. Theme

4. Key flow

5. What we can play!

6. Talk to preacher

7. Don’t forget old favourites

8. Singable

9. Facilitate congregational worship

10. Variety

11. Be prepared to change (long list to short list – pick more songs than you need)


Danger of song picking

1. “Themitis” – by theme only or obsure songs (due to following theme)What does this theme/song say about God’s character?Journey throughout the service – confession, devotion, praise etc

2. Key is not primary

worship band skills from musicademy

Documents

worship team

leading worship

worship leader1

worship leading6

eyes open

metronome practice

transitions practice

temperature tune