So here’s something you will NEVER hear spoken in church, or anywhere, for that matter; ‘I just wish those cymbals were louder!!’ Cymbals are often thought of as the most offensive part of any drum kit, so let’s fix it!! I’ve played many cymbals that just make me cringe every time I go to hit …
Structuring Vocals // Part One: Oblique Harmony
Most capable singers who are at least familiar with harmony are quite capable of finding the 3rd (Major third off the melody line). The problem, however, arises when they stick TOO closely to the 3rd – or what’s called a “parallel (3rd) harmony”. Parallel harmonies (3rd’s) that never stray from the 3rd can REALLY mess …
Layering Vocals
Vocals are – in most respects – the most underestimated and undervalued instruments in your worship arsenal. The fact that many can regurgitate appropriate lyrics (mostly on pitch) with relative ease can lead most leaders and members to rubber-stamp any vocals offered as “good enough” for service. Buckle up; because the truth is far from …
Confident Musicianship
Do you remember the first time you heard a song and realized that it was more than a song to you? Something hidden in the music had suddenly become so obvious to you. You discovered that music, real music, isn’t always about the skill level of the musicians, but the execution of the message behind …
You Want Me To do What?! // Personal Monitor Training: Understanding the Volunteer
Have you noticed that the currency in our day is not money, but time? When you ask someone how they are, the answer is usually a huge intake of air followed by an exhalation with the word “busy” punctuating it. People are busy. We won’t get into the right or wrongness of that here, but …
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Better Together: Organizing a Community Night of Worship
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about building community with other worship leaders in your region and the impact those relationships can have on you as an individual and on your city or region. One of the ways these relationships have affected the city I live in has been the desire to bring …
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Integrating Uncommon Instruments
The world of instrumentation is vast and wide. Yet, our current church culture’s trend for worship, is a band set-up. It’s very common to see drums, a bass, keys, and a couple of guitars up on stage. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a place for some other fun instruments from time to time. Let’s …
Planning Center Live
This tutorial is designed to give you an in-depth overview of the “Services LIVE” feature from Planning Center Online. This tutorial assumes that you have a basic understanding of Planning Center Online (PCO), and does not cover typically-used functions of PCO, such as scheduling, adding people, creating services types and creating/editing templates. Planning Center Live …
It’s Not Your Ministry
Another weekend has passed and you are holding on to dear life after numerous challenges. You might be fried and frustrated with your team, pastor, church, or even all of them. You feel the burden of ministry and hear a nagging voice challenge even your place in life. Before you quit, just remember this profound …
Go Beyond: Three Things to Help Plan a Worship Event
When it comes to planning worship events the important things to do can come to mind pretty easily: i.e. the musicians you want to play, the set list you want to build, how you want to transition between songs. You can have meetings, and discuss stage lighting and directions for the congregation and band. All …
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How We Audition
I think one of the most important points I can make in starting this article is this: how we audition, and the audition processes are unique to the organization in which they take place and the people they serve. What may work for me and in my church may not be applicable in yours. So …
Recruiting Musicians
“Hey! Can you play guitar?… Yes?… Well, join the worship team!” If it were only that simple. Unlike recruiting and hiring musicians for most secular groups – where the allure may be a record deal, exposure to large audiences, or a good source of income, recruiting musicians for a Worship team involves many important – …
Electric Guitar Tutorial // For All Seasons – The Rebel
Gosh I love this song. It is so packed with honesty, confession, truth, and praise. Even though I go against what God has for ME, He still loves me and extends mercy and grace to us, the undeserving. “Yet still You love me, though I stood and mocked the Lamb above me.” This is a …
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5 Things Every Worship Drummer Should Know
Over many years of playing drums in various churches, I’ve come across many different drummers, varying from beginners to seasoned players. And yet I’m shocked at how many of them have totally missed the boat on what we’re trying to accomplish! So I’ve come up with 5 things that every drummer, from start to finish, should be …
Tuning a Drum Kit for Modern Worship
One of the things I am frequently asked about when I’m playing a show, doing a clinic, or just filling in at someone’s church is, “How should we tune our drums?” The more churches and drummers that I’m around, the more I realize that very few people feel confident in tuning drums. In most worship …