Worship Band Skills from Musicademy

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© www.musicademy.co.uk

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 leader
1. 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 leader
1. 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 1. Inconsiderate
2. Preach at the congregation/band 2. Act all spiritual
3. Have a diva moment 3. Choose their favourite songs
4. Open arguments 4. Only sing their own songs
5. Forget to take the capo off 5. Lack of eye contact
6. Chew gum 6. Not inconsiderate of the
7. Be autocratic congregation
8. Be unprepared
9. Be late
It’s a great idea to work through
10. Be absent
these lists of “not doing” with your
11. Talk about mistakes (just get on team. This could be anonymous
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

What should worship leaders
not do when leading worship?
1. Give up 1. Act all spiritual
2. Preach at the congregation/band 2. Choose their favourite songs
3. Have a diva moment 3. Only sing their own songs
4. Open arguments 4. Lack of eye contact
5. Forget to take the capo off 5. Not inconsiderate of the
6. Chew gum congregation
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

How do we pick songs?
1. Pray Danger of song picking
2. Related to the 1. “Themitis” – by theme only or
sermon/reading/calendar obsure songs (due to following
3. Theme theme)
4. Key flow What does this theme/song say
5. What we can play! about God’s character?
Journey throughout the service –
6. Talk to preacher
confession, devotion, praise etc
7. Don’t forget old favourites
2. Key is not primary
8. Singable
9. Facilitate congregational worship
10. Variety
11. Be prepared to change (long list to
short list – pick more songs than
you need)


Worship Band Skills from Musicademy

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