Dan Wilt introduces the phrase that will revolutionize your rehearsals.
It’s Sunday morning, and rehearsal was supposed to begin at 8:00 am. Your electric guitar player shows up, as requested, at 8 on the dot – but then takes 20 minutes to set up his gear. Is there a better way to start rehearsal on time?
You bet there is, and strangely enough, I didn’t discover it until I had already been leading worship for 15 years. It’s called Downbeat Time, and the phrase is revolutionizing worship rehearsals everywhere.
The Phrase “Downbeat Time” In Context
I still meet many worship leaders and musicians who have never heard of this phrase, and it is such a helpful solution to how your bands think about start times.
Downbeat Time means “the time we’ll begin to play music together.”
Here is the phrase used in a sentence:
“See you Wednesday night for rehearsal. Remember, downbeat time on rehearsal is 7:00 pm, so if you have gear to set up, you’ll need to be there earlier.”
In short form, once your band learns the term, you’d just say:
“Downbeat is at 7 pm. See you there.”
What can this simple change in language about rehearsal do?