Not everyone can play by ear – make sure you have chord charts available for those who need them. Its best that band rehearsals are about arrangements and pulling a song together rather than learning a new song for the first time so get MP3s and music out to your team in advance so that everyone has developed their part before you get together. This will maximise what you achieve in your rehearsal time.
Get your rotas out well in advance and encourage people to get back to you early on if they can’t make any dates.
Have a plan for bringing on newer musicians. Include them in rehearsals. Mentor them. Without playing exposure and experience they are never going to progress. Don’t just work with your top team every week just because they sound great and its easier for everyone.
Train your team. Invest in DVDs (we would say that wouldn’t we!), run training sessions and bring in outside trainers. Go to worship conferences together.
Remember to thank people again and again. Musicians turn up early every week and invest a lot of their time and money in their instrument. Make them feel valued.
Give people feedback. If your bass player is over busy and your drummer keeps speeding up find a way to tell them. The rest of your band and your congregation will thank you for it.
Pray together, study together, eat together. Be a team.
4 Comments
Excellent information and advice. I would like to start implementing those suggestions!
Hello.
It was good to read this again. We have a new person who is starting to lead music … we actually did a set on Sunday as the other leader was ill and it went pretty well… He wants to learn guitar also.
Do you offer a course that would be helpful for him on learning to lead. He doesn’t read music, but has a good sense of rythm and can sing and isn’t shy about leading the music, etc.
Also, would the “acoustic worship guitar” course be good for learning his instrument?
I’m gathering info as an option for him.
Thanks a million.
Flo from Alaska :)
Hi Flo
Thanks for your comments.
If he is a complete beginner then the Beginners Worship Guitar Course is the place to start. Follow that with the Guitar Song Learner DVDs – they will really help extend his repertoire. And then progress to the Intermediate Acoustic DVDs.
They will all get him playing guitar. In terms of techniques for leading the worship vocals DVD course has a lot of input on leading vocally, and also about spiritual preparation so that should be helpful there.
I think I’ve recommended the equivalent of four box sets there so do take advantage of the bundle pack offers if he or the burch does want to buy all four at once.
Marie
Thank you Marie.
This will give us plenty of options! Our Worship service at church is more enjoyable now since we have tapped into your vast wealth of worship music resources!
God Bless you all richly!
Flo :)