I’ll often hear the question “Should my praise band copy the professional recording we hear on the radio and on worship CDs?” Sure you should, and here’s why:
Amateur praise band musicians tend to overplay, and copying professional recordings teaches good habits. You’ve probably experienced a praise band rehearsal where everyone is chaotically playing every chord on every beat with all their heart, soul and might. Inexperienced musicians want to be active every moment or they feel they’re not participating.
A close examination of any professionally recorded worship CD will reveal that every instrument does >not< play continually throughout the song!
Good music has dynamics. An electric guitar lick might not appear until the second verse. Strumming might not start until the final chorus. Or everyone will jam from the start, dropping to a light, sparse bridge, then come together again for a big, final chorus. Every song is different, and every song must be played appropriately.
Asking your musicians to copy a CD will separate the sheep from the goats. From my experience, good players enjoy the process of replicating a professionally recorded CD because good players like to find out what the pros are doing. They want to hear if there are any new tricks they can add to their own bag (and get better in the process.)
Read an interview with any famous musician and you’ll likely hear something to the effect of “as a kid I locked myself in my bedroom and studied [insert rock music icon]‘s record over and over until I could play it note for note.” Top musicians become top musicians by studying top musicians.
Players with amateur thinking tend to be uninterested in copying a CD, if not downright opposed. They also tend to have endless rabbit-trail ideas that eat up rehearsal time (experienced musicians go through the rabbit-trail phase during their junior-high garage band years. Now they just want to get the job done efficiently.)
Help those players who are less experienced realize that it’s only in everyone’s best interest to copy a CD. They’ll grow as musicians and as an added bonus, the music will get better!
9 Responses to “Sound Like the Pros”
March 19, 2012
KevinEVERY Youth group musician/team needs to read this article!!!
March 20, 2012
JoeI’ve heard a lot of different people say this. I’ve also heard congregants say they don’t like this because it sounds too canned. I personally, as a worship leader, say use this as a means to an end. We should teach people in the way it was originally done (if we have the instrumentation to do it) then use those skills to make it our own.
I heard one person say “we choose to play the song as it was originally written because we liked the song the way we first heard it.” I definitely agree. After we’ve mastered this, we should start exercising our creativity and make a version for our congregation otherwise we all just sound like somebody else.
That’s my two cents anyway
March 20, 2012
Don ChapmanI agree – after you’ve learned and played the song the way it was originally written, change it up after a few months and add your own spin to it.
March 20, 2012
AllanI think we have so much to learn from the guys who play on these CDs. Just like you said, Don, most worship bands overplay… to the extreme! If we CAN play it like the CD, we’ll likely not overplay when we do our own take on it.
The more I’ve had the teams I lead “cover” the CD arrangements, the better they’ve learned to “think like an arranger” (instead of like a garage band) when we approach a new song, or an original, that we get to arrange ourselves..
March 22, 2012
SarahCouldnt find a blog related to my question…so just figured I would ask here.
We have “favorites” on our team. There are about 10 of us vocalist. But our worship leader schedules the same 2 for every
special and most female led songs. He only uses me for solos when one of them isn’t available. Or he gives me a male lead song. Which I can’t worship like I want/need because I am worried about the song. I have asked him to change the key of song ( this would help a girl sing a guy lead) and he says no. This is not just about me however. The rest of the vocalist feel the same way. We have had several leave the team because of it. I am so tired of the discontent brewing on our team. We are all there because it is out passion and calling. I have been singing in church since I was a little girl. Now in my 30s I am feeling insecure. I want to worship when I’m there, and not wrestle with these feeling. I have prayed and prayed for my “pride” to go away.. I’m coming to the conclusion though, that it’s not my pride. This is a real issue. For many of us. What do I do??!
March 22, 2012
KevinI’ve been in your situation, Sarah, and with all due respect, as you already know, it’s not about you — neither is it about your team leader. We are ALL simply on worship teams as a “guide” for the congregation to give our all to THE Audience of One… and nothing more. When it comes down to it, yes, we want to do and sound our best for Him but I often have to ask myself — MANY times on any given Sunday — “Why am I doing this?? Am I trying to not ruin the song for the team leader’s approval or get a smile from someone in the congregation or an I truly trying to give God my VERY BEST??”
Honestly, it sounds like you want to give The Lord your best but you’re being stifled lest you “offend” someone who’s striving for near-perfection from his team. While you each probably have pure motives, it’s STILL not a good thing because you’re taking your focus off the Lord, whom we’re called to worship, and putting it on yourself and another “man” in an attempt to “keep the peace”. If that is indeed the case, the advice I’d give you is difficult. I know because I’ve been there and done it!!
If in your situation, I would suggest you go to your team leader and tell him you need to step down from the team for a season because you feel like you’re losing your focus and not fulfilling your calling/reason for being in front. Remind him that you’re not looking to offend him but this is something you need to do. As a man of God, he’ll respect that and not be offended.
In this time away from the team, seek the Lord diligently every Sunday and ask Him to help you re-discover the reason you sing. Honestly, while it can probably be one of the most difficult things we do as musician, you’ll be AMAZED at what will happen in your worship and how rewarding it will be because you’ll have the opportunity to TRULY WORSHIP our God and not simply perform and attempt to get through a song service unscathed with no bickering.
Obviously, the entire team can’t step down but this will at the very least give you the opportunity to refocus on Christ on Sunday morning instead of whether or not a song was done properly. It’s amazing what happens when a true worshiper truly and freely worships the Lord.
Oh… and one more thing. When people ask, “Hey, Sarah, why aren’t you ‘up there’ anymore??” — and trust me; they will — you can just tell them you’re taking a break. They don’t need to know the details.
I hope this helps your situation. I know there’s not one “fix-all” for discontentment among a group of people but the best place to start is ALWAYS at home.
One Final Thing:
Jesus called us to be Peacemakers; not Peace “Keepers”. Make peace for His sake, even if it means making war in the interim.
Blessings…
March 23, 2012
ChrisHey Sarah. I play guitar for our worship team, but have heard similar comments from some of our vocalists. My suggestion to them was this: Having talent and a passion and calling to praise/worship doesn’t necessarily mean that you are called to be on the team. If you’re finding yourself struggling with the particulars of the leader, then it might be time to step down – even if just for a season – and worship with the rest of the congregation. Otherwise, the answer is very simple… submit to what the leader is doing. It’s not always what we want or think is right, but if you’ve talked with that person and nothing has changed, then you just have to decide to submit or step down (without bitterness). It sounds like you have a good heart, and I pray that God would show you how to handle this situation. I know it can be very frustrating
May 15, 2012
Dave Helmuth (@adlib247)Very well said, Don! Go ahead and ring this bell more
I wish worship bands would see this as a two step process:
1. Learn it just like the CD (build great habits)
2. Make it your own (don’t be a cover band!)
I love the way you talk about “amateur thinking.” Seems like they often confuse the term amateur with artist. Ha!
I echo your thoughts on my similar blog post: http://bit.ly/J9062l
May 7, 2013
glenn sharpAs a Worship Leader, I rarely pass out charts or listen to a recording “ad nauseum” to try and sound “just like” they do on the radio. We are not those people in that studio, or in that worship experience (if it is a live recording), we are not those musicians or singers, and most of the time we do not have access to the exact charts they were playing from, and if we did the keys they were singing/playing in may not be what is best for our team or our congregation, etc. Many times trying imitate a vocal sound that is not one’s own is less than appealing to listen to. All of those factors influence the decisions a worship leader makes when choosing songs and how to make them a “fit” for the particular situation and unique group of people they will be leading. I also enjoy adding my own chordings and styles to what we do. I would think most leaders and musicians would, as well.
That being said, I can certainly agree that if competent enough musical leadership is not in place, then imitation of something already good is a good course of action to insure the best outcome possible.
My two cents…soli deo gloria!