{"id":6249,"date":"2011-07-28T09:47:30","date_gmt":"2011-07-28T09:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/?p=6249"},"modified":"2019-07-31T11:18:12","modified_gmt":"2019-07-31T11:18:12","slug":"practical-help-for-band-rehearsals-expectation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/practical-help-for-band-rehearsals-expectation\/","title":{"rendered":"Practical help for band rehearsals – part 4 – Expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"
I\u2019ll admit it. I have a worship team \u201cvalues document.\u201d You know the kind\u2013you throw it together after hearing a speaker at a worship conference talk about how important it is. And since she was nice enough to include a sample of it, you (read:me) were able to lift several of the values from that church\u2019s document. And of course, that document includes at two least bullet points pontificating the importance of personal preparation and team rehearsals.<\/div>\n
Currently this document gets seen as people are interviewing (that\u2019s the ecclesiastically-correct way to say \u201caudition\u201d). But beyond that, it\u2019s rarely seen or referenced. When it comes to values, we can state them all day long. But the values that stick are the ones that we live out loud.<\/div>\n
To make the value of preparation stick, we need to create a true expectation for personal practice. Here are some ideas to get us started:<\/div>\n
Reinforce the importance of personal preparation. I\u2019m trying to work in the mantra, \u201cPractice is personal, rehearsal is relational\u201d every time I\u2019m with the team. That in itself won\u2019t change habits, but it is a subtle reinforcement.<\/div>\n
Compliment a player who has obviously prepared. Do it at a time that everyone in the team hears it. But make sure you don\u2019t turn the pat-on-the-back into a backhanded-attack on the rest of the team\u2013\u201cIt\u2019s sure nice that SOMEONE takes time to prepare.\u201d It\u2019s what our fallen-self wants to say, but a sincere positive compliment will better reinforce the value.<\/div>\n
Limit listening in rehearsal. When I\u2019m introducing a brand new song, I\u2019ll play it at our first rehearsal. After that, I resist the urge to revisit the recording. It subtlety gets across that listening needs to happen as part of their own practice.<\/div>\n
Create healthy tension. If someone is obviously learning in the midst of rehearsal, do what you can to not let them slow you down. His feeling of not having his stuff together might push him to prepare a little more the next time.<\/div>\n
Enlist help. Take time to foster preparedness among your most influential players. As leaders, we hate to admit it, but their example will often carry more weight than ours.<\/div>\n
Regularly give your team practical tips on how to prepare. Here\u2019s supplemental post for with some tips you can use.<\/div>\n
Expectation will create motivation. Motivation will create action. And that repeated action will, in time, be churned into a real and true value.<\/div>\n

I\u2019ll admit it. I have a worship team \u201cvalues document.\u201d You know the kind\u2013you throw it together after hearing a speaker at a worship conference talk about how important it is. And since she was nice enough to include a sample of it, you (read:me) were able to lift several of the values from that church\u2019s document. And of course, that document includes at two least bullet points pontificating the importance of personal preparation and team rehearsals.<\/p>\n

Currently this document gets seen as people are interviewing (that\u2019s the ecclesiastically-correct way to say \u201caudition\u201d). But beyond that, it\u2019s rarely seen or referenced. When it comes to values, we can state them all day long. But the values that stick are the ones that we live out loud.<\/p>\n

To make the value of preparation stick, we need to create a true expectation for personal practice. Here are some ideas to get us started:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Reinforce the importance of personal preparation.<\/strong> I\u2019m trying to work in the mantra, \u201cPractice is personal, rehearsal is relational<\/strong>\u201d every time I\u2019m with the team. That in itself won\u2019t change habits, but it is a subtle reinforcement.<\/li>\n
  • Compliment a player who has obviously prepared<\/strong>. Do it at a time that everyone in the team hears it. But make sure you don\u2019t turn the pat-on-the-back into a backhanded-attack on the rest of the team\u2013\u201cIt\u2019s sure nice that SOMEONE takes time to prepare.\u201d It\u2019s what our fallen-self wants to say, but a sincere positive compliment will better reinforce the value.<\/li>\n
  • Limit listening in rehearsal.<\/strong> When I\u2019m introducing a brand new song, I\u2019ll play it at our first rehearsal. After that, I resist the urge to revisit the recording. It subtlety gets across that listening needs to happen as part of their own practice.<\/li>\n
  • Create healthy tension. <\/strong>If someone is obviously learning in the midst of rehearsal, do what you can to not let them slow you down. His feeling of not having his stuff together might push him to prepare a little more the next time.<\/li>\n
  • Enlist help.<\/strong> Take time to foster preparedness among your most influential players. As leaders, we hate to admit it, but their example will often carry more weight than ours.<\/li>\n
  • Regularly give your team practical tips on how to prepare.<\/strong> Here\u2019s a\u00a0supplemental post<\/a> with some tips you can use.<\/li>\n
  • Expectation will create motivation.<\/strong> Motivation will create action. And that repeated action will, in time, be churned into a real and true value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Guest post by Jon Nicol \u2013 a worship pastor, guitarist, songwriter and all-around-lover of helping people use their gifts and abilities to worship Jesus. This series first appeared at\u00a0WorshipMinistry.com<\/a><\/span><\/span> and Jon\u2019s site\u00a0worshipteamcoach.com. Thanks for permission to reproduce.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Other posts you might like:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Practical ideas to improve rehearsals (part 2)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n