music

good music, good cause.

Carolina HopeFest
Carolina HopeFest is scheduled for Saturday, August 30th at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. HopeFest is a music festival that benefits Beacon of Hope, an organization outside of Nairobi, Kenya providing assistance to women and children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Performers this year include Colbie Caillat, Edwin McCain, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, Thad Cockrell and David Spencer. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, or at Bean Traders Coffee in Durham and Chapel Hill with no service charges. For more information, go to www.carolinahopefest.org . To volunteer, send an e-mail to Jenny Nicholson: jenny@emmausway.net.

me and two friends, august 9.
got the tickets!
i’d have a hard time naming many bands that i’d rather see live right now.
IMHO, best lineup they’ve ever had.
what concerts have you/will you see this year?

it’s no secret that i have a blogging crush on los. he’s destined for the blog hall of fame, assuming it’s ever created. he’ll probably create it, actually.

anyway, los has a great no-holds-barred discussion about worship going on over at his blog. check it out.

I hate it when my worship leader….

click on the link below for a board mix of my latest worship song, written for crosspointe. enjoy!

Knowing You
by Stephen Claybrook

We are Your body
We’re bruised and we’re broken
We need You, God
To heal our hearts

We are Your children
We’re plagued by our doubts and confusion
We need Your light

But more than this
Lord, we’re running after You

We want You
More than we want answers from You, God
More than anything our hearts desire
Lead us further on in our pursuit
Of knowing You
Knowing You

We are paralyzed
Gripped by our fear
We’re afraid to move
There’s too much to lose

This is our confession
We carry the weight of our questions
We’re searching for truth

But more than this
Teach us to follow after You

We want You
More than we want answers from You, God
More than anything our hearts desire
Lead us further on in our pursuit
Of knowing You
Knowing You

(c)2008 Camillian Music.

(this post is part of creative chaos at ragamuffin soul.)

for just about every song i’ve written, the process has been the same.
i usually write the entire song on either my acoustic guitar or piano.
by entire song, i mean: lyrics, melody, key, chord progression(s), tempo.
then i give some thought to the full band arrangement and record a demo - programmed drums, live bass, keys, etc…

for this song, i decided to change the process up a bit.
i took it to the band much earlier in the process.

my thinking was that the input of other musicians would naturally produce a different outcome for each individual part and therefore the whole arrangement of the song.
then, as a result, the melody and lyrics would end up different as well.

so, here’s what i had going in….

**one line of the lyric: “we’ve caught a glimpse of your kingdom and we want more”
**a tempo: 144 bpm
**the rhythm for that one line: where each syllable falls in time with the music.

that’s it.

here’s what i didn’t have:
**key
**melody for the one line
**chord progression

joe, dan and chris did a great job of just jamming for awhile until we came up with a “riff” that seemed to work for a musical hook at that tempo.
we chose the key of E just for starters.
we played with that riff for awhile.
to me it started sounding like a verse.
so, we then decided to try to come up with a chorus progression and feel that would drive a little harder.

at that point, i decided to try to come up with a melody for the one line of lyric.
turns out we were in a bad key.
we couldn’t pitch the melody in the right range to match the intensity of the lyric and the music.
so we found a new key - key of B.
found a workable melody for that line and just sang blah blah blah for the rest of the chorus.

we worked on transitions between the verse and chorus.
decided that we needed a two-line ramp up to the chorus.
chose a chord progression that felt like it set up the chorus well.

transition back from chorus to verse, we decided to use the riff again.

we all agreed that it was coming together. felt good.
but we needed a bridge.
dan and joe threw out the idea of holding on each chord longer for the bridge - to help the dynamics change.
great idea.
they batted a few ideas back and forth.
meanwhile, i stumbled on a counter melody line that changed twice for each chord underneath (if that makes sense).
chris picked up on it on electric guitar.
we ended up with a nice bridge that starts out “down” and builds nicely over three repeats, leading back to a big final chorus.

now, i just have to write the parts that actually make it a corporate worship song - the lyrics and the melody.
but i have much more of a direction for that now, having experienced how the song feels with a full band already.

don’t read any further if you want to be surprised about the special father’s day song for this sunday at crosspointe……

….for the 5 of you that read this, here’s a sneak peak….

lots of happenings to report on during my forced blogging hiatus.
help me prioritize by telling me which you want more detail on….

::darby reads to daddy
::13th wedding anniversary recap (subtitle: feeling old)
::new kitten who pooped in my pants
::latest song/band challenging my brain
::surprising song coming up this sunday in honor of father’s day
::back on the bike
::recent challenging reads
::mentoring fellow and upcoming worship leaders
::thoughts on the creative process (alternate title: win some, lose some)

darby’s obsession with john mayer continues.

i keep saying that it’s impossible for me to love this little person any more, and then i do.

Robbie Seay Band led us in worship today for all three services. as a worship pastor, it was a gift to be led by such a talented group of guys. i’m currently sitting in the auditorium as they’re finishing the setup for the concert tonight. if you’re local and still haven’t decided, let me extend the invite again…..it will be a good show tonight at 7pm. $10 at the door.

“rise” by RSB (cd “give yourself away”)
—introduction—
“here is our king” by david crowder band (cd “a collision”)
“song of hope” by RSB (cd “give yourself away”)
“you never let go” by matt redman (cd “beautiful news”)
—prayer—
“shine your light on us” by RSB (cd “give yourself away”)
—prayer, announcements—-
—video: cinematic wisdom, part 4: barney and friends”—
—-message—- doc

our friends sent this video to us today. their daughter thought that this was our little girl when she saw it. super cute!

gravity…
…is working against me
…wants to bring me down
…has taken better men than me 

i’ll never know what makes a man
with all the love that his heart can stand
dream of ways to throw it all away

keep me where the light is
keep me where the light is

–john mayer, “gravity”

i suspect that these days God chooses whoever he wants to be his modern day prophet. and i suspect that a lot of times the prophet is unaware, and would probably be unwilling if he/she knew….

this past sunday morning was a rough time on the job for me. have you ever felt like you’re not up for the task? in general i feel as though my job lines up pretty dead on with my passions, gifts, and experience. but sunday morning, i was tempted to fake a heart attack rather than step out under the lights. i might be overstating this a little.

here’s the deal. i’m a fairly low key individual. several people at different times in my life, independent of each other, have given me the nickname “even stephen”.

the truth is that i’m a melancholy personality.

the upside is that i can provide balance in tense interpersonal situations. i can keep a calm exterior even if the interior is experiencing turbulence.

the downside is that i am prone to too much introspection. sometimes i speak hope, but stuff doubt. i’ve seen a therapist to explore whether i suffer from depression.

as it relates to my job - sometimes i want to be stephen the almost invisible anonymous worshipper, rather than stephen the public big church worship leader.

this past sunday i was feeling as though the particular worship set that i had planned - one song in particular - required a type of leadership and an energy level from me that doesn’t come naturally to me. i’m growing, but i have always felt more comfortable in a low key style of worship leading. this is not a debate about which style - chill or hype - is a better worship leading style. i think both have their place at different times.

the question for me was the tension between rising to the occasion, risking as a leader for the sake of serving people……versus……trying to be someone i’m not, or trying to fake something that i’m not feeling in the moment.

fortunately, i followed my gut (or was it God’s spirit) and fessed up to the worship band before the service. we prayed together for peace, confidence, and a resolve to serve faithfully.

it’s not the size or the amount of the gift that you bring, but that you are willing to give it all. holding nothing back.

i didn’t hold back. it was good. i didn’t feel fake. i felt faithful.

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

———————————————-

for the rare individual, music theory is fun. but for a lot of people, it serves as the nail in the coffin in their formal music training. the standard story is that the theory stuff gets boring….”i just wanna play music!”….so you give up on it, and just learn songs by ear from the radio. which is not a bad thing - very valuable actually - just incomplete.

i’m very much a proponent of learning and using practical music theory, regardless of the style of music you play. it gives you freedom to improvise and make smart choices, musically speaking.

this won’t be complete by any means, but here are the most important tidbits (according to me)….

theory:
*major scales - chords are made from scales, everything relates to the scales
*scale degrees - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. the notes of the major scale.
*diatonic chords - there is a triad (three notes) built on every scale degree. 1 (Major), 2 (minor), 3 (minor), 4 (Major), 5 (Major), 6 (minor), 7 (diminished - in modern music this is more often 5 major, inverted….don’t worry about it)
*circle of fifths - fascinating, both in “theory” and in practical use…

ear-training:
*learn to hear where “one” is. this is home base. it’s the C in the key of C. it always comes back to the one.
*from there, learn what “four” and “five” sound like. and how they tend to function.
*when you start to hear the numbers, it makes transposing to different keys much easier.
*as a singer, especially in writing/singing background parts, it’s much easier to remember your part if you think of it in numbers (or scale degrees). you can see the shape and intervals in your mind. doesn’t matter what key you’re in. (i tend to “see” music in the key of C regardless of what key i’m actually playing/singing in.)

there’s so much here that i can’t possibly even touch it in this post. for some, this info is very basic. for others, you have no idea where to start. my challenge is just to take a step forward from wherever you are now.

i’m suddenly aware that i really just geeked out on everyone. if so, i’m sorry. but, if anyone wants to know more, i love talking about this stuff. leave a comment or email me for more info.

the geek is signing off…

p.s. at least i’m not as geeky as the music majors in college who would team up in the cafeteria and play classical music by rubbing the rims of drinking glasses filled with various amounts of water.

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

———————————————-

this one’s really pretty simple.

being late is rude.

being late de-values everyone else on the team.

being late sometimes can’t be avoided, but shouldn’t become a habit.

i was commenting in staff meeting today about how i’m growing in my understanding of the fallacy of a sacred/secular divide.

specifically in music, i find truth, beauty, and good in secular and sacred music. i also find a lack of those qualities in both secular and sacred music. sometimes in the same song.

just because something is labeled “christian music” doesn’t necessarily mean much…

anyway, i had an interesting thing happen this afternoon. after remembering a jackson browne song that was quoted in brian mclaren’s book, “everything must change,” i decided to download the song and check it out. challenging stuff. here’s an excerpt…

We guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus

after reading through the lyrics, i decided to check out some of jackson’s other music, since i’m not very familiar with his stuff.

i went to www.songmeanings.net and just started down the alphabetical listing of jackson browne songs. in each of the first three songs i looked at, i was struck by the spiritual overtones and the longing for transcendence. don’t know the music, but just reading the lyrics was an enriching spiritual experience for me.

here’s one song in particular that i think is lyrically beautiful….

I want to live in the world, not inside my head
I want to live in the world, I want to stand and be counted
With the hopeful and the willing
With the open and the strong
With the voices in the darkness
Fashioning daylight out of song
And the millions of lovers
Alive in the world

I want to live in the world, not behind some wall
I want to live in the world, where I will hear if another voice should call
To the prisoner inside me
To the captive of my doubt
Who among his fantasies harbors the dream of breaking out
And taking his chances
Alive in the world

To open my eyes and wake up alive in the world
To open my eyes and fully arrive in the world

With its beauty and its cruelty
With its heartbreak and its joy
With it constantly giving birth to life and to forces that destroy
And the infinite power of change
Alive in the world

To open my eyes and wake up alive in the world
To open my eyes and fully arrive in the world
To open my eyes and wake up alive in the world
To open my eyes and fully arrive in the world

Jackson Browne, “Alive In The World”

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

———————————————-

giving and receiving feedback is hard for a lot of churches. we allow it become complicated for fear that it will go unhealthy and cause divisions. and it can. but that’s not a good enough reason to avoid it. it can be very healthy, and is needed if we are to collectively give our best to God.

speaking as a worship pastor, it’s difficult for me to proactively give feedback to each individual player and singer. there are so many things going on. soundchecks, rehearsals, services. everything moves so fast, and there are many details that i have to have in my head at any given time.

so i find it very helpful when people seek me out for my feedback on their contribution to the worship band. i always have some feedback - usually both positive and constructive. when someone seeks out my feedback, it says to me that they are not just going through the motions, not just having fun with a low commitment level to the mission. it tells me that they are serious about serving the greater purpose of leading our church in worship. i will do backflips to help someone like that improve on their game!

just this past week, i had a volunteer musician ask me for criticism in order to improve the quality of his contribution to the mission. i LOVE that! he came to me in the office during the week, which helped a lot. i’m way too distracted on a sunday. we were able to sit in front of my computer and studio monitors and watch/listen to some musical examples that are closer in line with what i’m going for on his particular instrument.

besides the good of the mission, it’s important in our individual development. it may feel safe to never hear constructive criticism, but it doesn’t help me to be the best i can be. other people’s encouragement can serve to help stretch me out of my comfort zones. it can alert me to some blind spots.

here’s an example from my own experience. my lead pastor and i have what i would call a very healthy relationship. we respect each other, and beyond that, we genuinely like each other. this helps us to have the trust level necessary to give and receive feedback.

jonathan has mentioned a few quirks in my worship leading over time that i always knew were there but no one had ever addressed. for me, specifically, i need to be very intentional on preparing the content of any speaking that i do. the musical part of leading comes fairly naturally. but when i launch out to speak underprepared, my thoughts tend to get jumbled and i ramble while saying “uh…” about 58,000 times.

the fact that jonathan cared enough about our mission to point out a weakness and to help me work on it meant a lot to me. i know that jonathan wants me to be the best i can be - for God, for our church, and for myself.

thoughts?

p.s. now’s a good time for me to ask for some feedback from you readers.
*who are you?
*do you find this 10 commandments series helpful?
*why do you read this blog?
*what kind of content is the most helpful/enriching/intriguing to you?

let me hear you!

belief is a beautiful armor
but makes for the heaviest sword
like punching under water
you never can hit who you’re trying for

john mayer, “belief”

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

———————————————-

this is another downfall for beginning players and bands. playing too many notes. getting too greedy with the pie. this idea is certainly not original with me, but i’ve found it very helpful…

think of it like this - the song, including all of it’s instrumental and vocal parts, is a pie. every instrument and voice, then, is a slice of the pie. the lead vocal gets a pretty healthy slice of the pie. in rock music, the bass and drums take up a good portion of the pie. you’ve got to know your role. part of that is knowing, in any given song, what slice of the pie you’re filling.

the key is listening to each other and deferring to each other.

for the sake of example, i’m going to stick in the popular music genres - rock, pop, R&B. these styles tend to be driven rhythmically by drums and bass, and harmonically driven by either keys or guitar.

okay, say i’m the keyboard player. i notice that the drummer is playing a 1/16th-note groove on the high hat, and the bass player is matching with a dotted 1/8th and 16th pattern. maybe there’s even a rhythmic guitar riff. at this point i’d say the rhythm texture is about as full as it needs to be. i’m likely to play something sustaining, like either a transparent synth pad or a hammond B3 part. my role is now more tonal than rhythmic.

in another example, we’re playing a laid back ballad. the tempo is slower, bass is playing more whole notes. drums are leaving more space. guitar is in more melodic, lead mode. maybe now there’s a bit more room for keys to provide some rhythm. i’ll probably go with a piano or vintage rhodes or wurlitzer and play more arpeggiated chords.

the basic rule of thumb is that my part is always determined by what’s happening around me.

the more that we all play with deference to each other, the more cohesive, professional, and enjoyable our sound will be.

now that i think about it, it occurs to me that you might say there are two pies. one rhythmic and one tonal. drums and bass get at least half of the rhythmic pie, while keys, guitar and voices take the better portion of the tonal pie.

thoughts?

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

———————————————-

there are gearheads and non-gearheads, but i think this applies to both.

at a minimum, you need to be familiar enough with your gear to make basic adjustments on the fly - whether it be quickly tuning between songs, figuring out how to layer two patches on your keyboard and/or quickly switching between two patches on the same song, tuning your drums to get the best tone, etc..

here are some of my practical thoughts on applying this commandment to specific instruments:

::keyboards:
*do you know right where your best acoustic piano sound is?
*can you pull up a vintage wurlitzer patch?
*do you know how to transpose keys in case it’s necessary to change the key of a song last minute?
*do you know how to adjust down the “attack” on synth pads to make them more transparent?
*have you experimented with arpeggiators? (not during rehearsal please)

::guitars (the ultimate gear-heads):
*do you have good basic sounds for clean rhythm, chunky rhythm, and lead?
*are you set-up to “tap” your delay time in real-time?
*have you asked your sound engineer about how your tone/EQ is translating into the house?
*is your guitar set-up properly for good intonation all the way up the fretboard?
*are you developing your ability to listen critically to the original recording and deconstruct the guitar part, including the tone/effects that you hear?
*(related to above) - have you searched the internet for clues? (youtube.com is your friend)
*how many options for different levels of gain do you have? (clean headroom, mild breakup, warm blues, british “brown tone”, modern hi-gain, etc.)

::drums:
*how well do your tones match the music your playing?
*what’s the middle ground, meat-n-potatoes tone/tunings that sounds best across the range of songs and styles you’re playing?
*have you asked your sound engineer how the drum tones/EQs are translating in the house?
*have you had another player sit behind the kit so you can hear the drums in the house yourself and dialogue with the sound engineer?
*are you playing the highest quality cymbals you (or your church) can afford? i’m learning that this makes a big difference….

::bass:
*regardless of how your tone sounds to you on stage, have you talked with your sound engineer about how it sounds in the house?
*do you have parametric EQ and do you know how to use it? how not to use it? (i don’t, i’m just asking…)

::vocals:
*do you know your range?
*do you know where your “break” is between chest voice and head voice?
*do you know how to sing through your break smoothly?
*do you do warm-up exercises?

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

———————————————-

no matter what you’re “thing” is, it’s easy to plateau. it takes concerted effort to continue to grow and improve your skills. this is true with musicians as well. we learn patterns and habits along the way. it’s easy to get stuck in familiar patterns. you have to be proactive about stretching.

one of the best ways to keep improving is to sit at the feet of a master. and a master is anyone that is further along than you in any particular area. in fact, i’ve learned that most other musicians have at least something to teach me if i pay attention and ask for it.

this may mean formal lessons. i’ve taken guitar, vocal and keyboard lessons on and off for my entire life. lessons are not just for beginners. in fact, going into a teacher with something very specific that you want to learn or work on adds so much value to the lessons.

i’ve found that branching out to “masters” in a different style than you’re used to is helpful. even though i don’t play much jazz, i’ve found my jazz guitar and jazz piano lessons extremely beneficial in the “pop” music world. and if nothing else, i’m giving myself something else to reach for. a reason to approach the instrument in a different way. it forces me out of my predictable patterns.

aside from formal lessons, a ton can be learned “by the way” just by asking questions. “how did you play that?” is a good one. “can you watch me sing and see if you see any weird tension in my neck?” is another good one (albeit a bit awkward). “what’s your signal chain?” can charm just about any guitar player. “who do you listen to?” is another good one. most players channel other players by repeated exposure.

as i’m writing this, i’m realizing that it’s been too long for me since i’ve proactively sought out a coach. i’m going to start the search…..

what else can you add?

there are times, like anyone else, that i feel sort of stagnant in my job.

but then there are moments like at worship band rehearsal last night, where i felt squarely in my sweet spot. gave some musical direction that helped take a song from a C- to a solid A.

this is in no way to toot my own horn. honestly, i felt as though God was working through me and reminding me that He has me where He wants me.

those are good days.

now that i think about it, i’m reminded of the quote from eric liddell in chariots of fire…

“i believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. and when i run i feel his pleasure.”

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

—————————

solid rhythm continues to be one of the most important aspects of music that gets overlooked by developing players. it’s much more captivating and fun to figure out the cool guitar riffs, drum fills, keyboard patches, etc that we love on our musical heroes’ tracks. but solid time (and not just for drummers) is a MUST to graduate from garage band to viable musician.

if you’ve ever done any recording, you know it’s true….your rhythm is not as good as you think. i remember the first time i ever recorded myself playing a simple acoustic guitar strumming pattern. easy enough. but when i played it back, i couldn’t believe how “out of the pocket” my strumming was.

in fact, over time, the process of recording music has really helped me clean up my rhythmic approach to music.

a very high percentage of commercial music is recorded to a click track. it’s much easier to track, overdub, and edit songs this way. the result is that the general public (whether we are aware of it or not) has been trained to “feel” music in solid time. a steady bpm (beats-per-minute) just feels right to us.

i’m convinced that one of the best ways for a worship band to take a leap forward is to lock in the tempos of songs and find the groove. in fact, we now play to a metronome just about every song in our worship services. takes a bit of finesse and cooperation in the transitions, but it’s well worth it. we use in-ear monitors so that we can hear the click without inflicting it upon the crowd…

metronomes:
:: Boss DB-88
:: Tama Rhythm Watch RW-105

now, just a few thoughts and tips for different instruments….

piano/keyboard:
:: hanon excercises. practice these excercises with a metronome. this will help you lock in rhythmic control of all 10 fingers. start really slow, and touch the tempo up just a bit each time. don’t go any faster until the subdivisions are right on.

guitar:
:: practice 16th-note strums (down, up, down, up, or DUDU) starting at a slow tempo (less than 50 bpm)
:: concentrate on making each one even
:: on each different strumming pattern, practice keeping your right hand DUDU pattern going, just hit the strings only when you want them to sound. for example, see if this makes sense….capital letters indicate strumming the strings, lowercase indicate “missing” the strings. strum pattern: D u d u D u d U d U D u d U D U

bass players:
:: again, starting slowish (60 bpm) and gradually faster, practice the following…
:: 8th-notes with index finger
:: 8th-notes alternating between index and middle finger
:: 16th-notes alternating (start slower, 40 to 50 bpm)

drummers:
:: my friend john hogan was the first person that i heard of practicing to a metronome in headphones.
:: he sets the click, starts playing a basic groove, concentrating on playing on or just behind the beat.
:: after settling into the pocket, he starts adding in simple fills, or moving the groove to different hand and foot patterns
:: after 10-15 minutes of this, gradually dial up the tempo a few clicks at a time, every 16 bars
:: pay special attention to fills. it’s very common to speed up during a fill. teach yourself what it feels like to play a fill in time.

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

—————————

the ability to read chord charts and sheet music is a very valuable tool, especially in situations where there’s new music thrown your way that you haven’t had a bunch of time to do private woodshedding.

but…especially in a worship context….you don’t want to get buried in the chart. and you don’t want to get attached to a particular arrangement or “scan”. by this i mean the order of verses, choruses, bridges, etc. it’s much more beneficial to learn the sections of the song in chunks. this way, the worship leader has some freedom to repeat or skip sections without the fear of the band getting lost.

also, the more you can “get off the page” the easier it will be to listen to the other musicians and pick up on cues for where the song is headed next. if i’m following the chord chart too closely, i can become disconnected with what’s going on around me. look away for a second, come back to the wrong place. next chord says G. oops. it’s not a G. where am i? what song is this again?

guitars/keys - here’s a trick. if you’re ever in doubt about “where we’re going next”, you can always play the root and the 5th of whatever key you’re in and be safe, as long as you play it in the mid- to upper-register. you can hold those notes over just about any chord in the key. this doesn’t work so well for bass guitar….

drummers - watch the leaders non-verbal cues. typically bouncing up and down or stomping feet on the beat towards the end of a section/beginning of a new one indicates a build in dynamics. you’re pretty safe to build into the next section. however, if you start hearing footballs (whole notes) from the leader’s instrument, it’s pretty safe to break it down. bass drum on 2 and 4, eighths or quarters on hi-hat is a pretty versatile breakdown pattern.

i feel as though i have not fully explained this. what can you add?

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

————————–

playing in tune might seem like a no-brainer, but in my experience it remains a big one. musicians playing/singing out of tune is one of the quickest indicators of an amateur, uncaring, or lazy band.

especially for bands given the privilege and responsibility to lead people into worship of God, this is inexcusable.

guitar players:
:: use a tuner (A440) before every worship time and at every “break” in the service
:: invest in the best quality instruments you can. a cheap guitar is less likely to stay in tune.
:: find a good luthier in your area and have your guitar setup and maintained on a regular basis. even if you tune individual strings with an electronic tuner, the intonation at different spots on the neck can be off if not set-up properly.
:: new strings as often as you can afford. i know it’s not fair, but hey, you chose the guitar. as a worship pastor, i have included in my volunteer appreciation budget a small amount to occasionally buy a set of strings for my volunteer players. can’t foot the whole thing, but it’s a nice way to say thanks occasionally.
:: kapo as near the fret as you can. take good care in placing the kapo cleanly on the neck.
:: your touch on the fretboard can affect your tuning. if you press your fretting fingers too hard, you will push the string sharp. chords sound bad this way.
:: string bends take lots of practice to lock in the muscle memory for half-step and whole-step bends. some of my favorite guitar players rarely do string bends even in solos. i’m wondering if it’s because it’s not a strength of theirs.
:: record yourself every opportunity you get and listen back. in your individual practice at home if possible. definitely listen to recordings of the band in context. even a board mix can help you.

string players:
:: you must be able to hear yourself. don’t settle!
:: tasteful, stylistic vibrato is your friend, but shouldn’t become your crutch.
:: use the piano/keyboard or acoustic guitar as your pitch reference. tune each note or phrase to it.

singers:
:: you must be able to hear yourself. don’t settle! however don’t drown everyone else out either, you need the tonal context.
:: plenty of breath support.
:: when in doubt, it’s always better to cut a note off sooner than later.
:: record yourself and listen back. NO ONE likes to do this, but it’s so helpful. you have to learn what it feels like to sing in tune.

bass players:
:: it’s easy to get lazy with tuning. don’t do that.

acoustic piano:
:: if you use an acoustic piano at your church, please budget enough to have it professionally tuned at least once a month. more often if possible….

drums:
:: i don’t know anything about this, but i always see my favorite drummers tuning and retuning their drums in between “sets”. do some research about drum tuning or ask a drummer who sounds better than you.

finally, no one gets this perfect. there is plenty of grace. we just need to always strive for excellence.

any other thoughts?

i’m going to expound on these in more detail, one each for the next 10 tuesdays. i’ll be drawing from my experiences both as a musician and as a worship leader. i’ll do my best to give some application ideas to different instruments as well as singers. my goal is to give some tidbits that help us all to improve the quality of our individual contributions to our worship ministries. please feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments. i certainly don’t profess to have the corner on the market.

ladies and gentlemen, i give you…

10 commandments for worship bands

1. thou shalt play in tune
2. thou shalt learn the song, not just the arrangement
3. thou shalt practice with a metronome or drum machine
4. thou shalt seek out a mentor or coach on your instrument
5. thou shalt know thy gear
6. thou shalt play less for more
7. thou shalt seek out feedback
8. thou shalt be on time
9. thou shalt learn basic practical music theory and ear training
10. thou shalt continue thy education

one of my favorite christmas cd’s is “behold the lamb of god” by andrew peterson (and friends).

this is a concept album. you know the way they used to make them, where it wasn’t just random songs, but the whole thing tells a story. this story is about the birth of jesus, but it starts WAY back when the Israelites are enslaved in Egypt and sets the stage for the coming messiah.

powerful stuff.

being a music kind of guy, this cd helps me understand the “big picture” of the bible more effectively than any sermon or book i’ve ever read. it’s more a reflection on me than on the sermons and books, i’m sure, but i guess god speaks to different people in different ways - which is cool.

if you buy one christmas CD this year it should be my friend don’s sister’s cd.

but if you buy two CD’s - the second one should be “behold the lamb of god”.

::: i’m about to leave for lunch with my wife & daughter. we’re meeting up with several families in our China adoption travel group. we make every effort to take these opportunities that come up. we’re not as good at initiating, but…..

::: our .mac site is not publishing properly. i’ve spent a lot of hours on it and i’m very frustrated. our comments aren’t publishing. if you’re reading this and you’re a iWeb genious, please help a brother out….

::: lots of work-related things on my plate right now that are causing some stress, but i love what i do. it’s going to be worth it. we’re gearing up for our next “the approach” event. we’re repackaging advent and translating it to our church culture/community. also, trying to find some inspiration for christmas series and christmas eve services. the pressures on!!

::: jars of clay’s new christmas cd is GOOD.

::: going to hear rob bell speak tonight on his “the gods aren’t angry” tour. i’ve really been challenged and inspired by rob’s messages from his church via podcasting.

i’ve been familiar with david crowder band’s music since the mid-to-late nineties when his cd “all i can say” came out. his writing and recording style was and is fresh, especially among most of the worship music genre. until last night, i had never experienced dcb live…

as a worship leader, i’ve only been able to use a handful of dcb songs successfully in a corporate worship setting because the songs are so stylized. the best way to say it is that only david crowder can do david crowder.

i’d always heard that you haven’t truly experienced david crowder band unless you’ve been to a live show - the shared experience with a couple thousand people rocking along and singing worship to God. and after experiencing that last night, i see what they meant.

the show was great. they are extremely tight as a band, and they do a great job of incorporating all the programming (beats, synths, blips, blops, etc.) from their recordings in the live show. and there were definitely some great moments that went beyond just an impressive musical performance. crowder’s desire for God and passion for his Kingdom comes through loud and clear. it’s contageous.

BUT…..

i honestly had trouble completely joining in with the worship experience. after thinking about it today, i think i have an idea of why. we were 2,000 people with no shared experience. we don’t know each other. we don’t know what we have in common except that we were interested in david crowder band. sure, we worship the same God (or at least a good percentage of us). but we aren’t celebrating the same stories of God working in our lives and in our community.

i think that’s why the last two sundays at crosspointe have been two of the most meaningful, powerful corporate worship times i can ever remember being a part of - leading or not. (the second one, i wasn’t leading worship.) we told the stories of God working powerfully in and through the people in our community and then we celebrated that together. the music became a response. a chance to be together swept up in awe of God. a chance to thank him for allowing us to be participants and witnesses to the amazing things he’s doing. it was truly a shared corporate experience.

i thank God for david crowder band, chris tomlin, matt redman, hillsong united, tim hughes and others that are cranking out great music. our community benefits from those songs. they help give us language in our ongoing conversation with God. but there’s just no substitute for a community of people on a journey together, corporately celebrating the specific ways that God is moving among them.

yeah.

thanks to everyone who came out tonight, braving the cold, and giving so much of your hard-earned cash to benefit the haitian children’s home. we raised $2,006. awesome!

the music was fun. how many times have you heard allison krauss, alicia keys, and led zeppelin in the same night, besides when your iPod is on shuffle? one of my favorite things in life is to play good music with a good band. steve, dan, chris, frank, kristi, heather, summer - you guys RAWK!

i heard that pheasant creek coffee had a record sales night, too, so that makes me happy.

my mind is spinning with ideas now for how to use music to raise support for another cause that’s near and dear to our family, international adoption. anyone reading this that wants to brainstorm with me (especially those of you that are smarter than me when it comes to administration and non-profit stuff), please let me know…..

i’m not a very prolific songwriter by any means, but it has been a very meaningful creative outlet for me from time to time. something about the process is cathartic. even if the finished song doesn’t completely convey what’s on my mind or heart, there’s usually a very warm sense of satisfaction and a peace that comes from having followed through and “birthed” the song.

but music can be a lonely endeavor. writing is a private affair. you lock yourself in a room and wrestle with thoughts, melodies and harmonies until something sparks. then you go to work. crafting. constructing. deconstructing. editing. finally, you end up with a song. but once the song is born, then what? it’s difficult to find outlets. songs need to be heard.

my friend nathan and i have experimented in the past with a songwriting forum. sort of an open mic concept, but also with an opportunity to dialogue with the writer after/between the songs about inspiration, technique, etc. we’re talking again about bringing it back, better than ever. maybe a blog to promote the events as well as some of the songs presented at the events.

it’s early for new year’s resolutions, but this is definitely on my list for 2008.

foy vance is an irish singer-songwriter who writes incredibly heartfelt and introspective songs. the simplicity and beauty contained in his cd “hope” is inspiring.

i’ve found his willingness to write the plain truth about pain and hope to be refreshing. nothing about this record seems to contain any pretense. certainly not lyrically. even the way that he recorded it is very straightforward, stripped down, live.

i’m currently stuck on the song, “two shades of hope”. it expresses so artfully the way that it can sometimes hurt to have hope.

if there’s one thing that i know
it is the two shades of hope
one, the enlightening soul
and the other is more like a hangman’s rope
it’s true, you may reap what you sow
but not that despair is the all-time low
baby, hope deals the hardest blows

–from “two shades of hope” by foy vance

i’m excited about playing a coffeehouse gig in november with several of my friends from crosspointe. kristi daugherty is the mastermind. the gig will benefit the haitian children’s home in jacmel.

we’re doing about 25 songs - all covers. very eclectic mix of songs, from alisson krauss to led zeppelin and a bit of everything in between…

“gimme one reason” - tracy chapman
“shame on you” - indigo girls
“come to jesus” - mindy smith
“piece of my heart” - faith hill
“don’t dream it’s over” - sixpence none the richer
“dare you to move” - switchfoot
“dreams” - cranberries
“a little more you” - little big town
“immigrant song” - led zeppelin
“killing me softly” - fugees
“lucky one” - alisson krauss
“kind and generous” - natalie merchant
“leave the pieces” - the wreckers
“the ocean” - led zeppelin
“say won’t you say” - jennifer knapp
“put your records on” - corrine bailey rae
“solace” - plumb
“summertime” - the sundays
“unwritten” - natasha bedingfield
“where the streets have no name” - u2
“waiting on the world to change” - john mayer
“if i ain’t got you” - alicia keys
“breathe (2am)” - anna nalick
“clocks” - coldplay
“black horse and a cherry tree” - k.t. tunstall

the show is scheduled for 7:00 to 10:00pm, november 10th, at pheasant creek coffee & tea in apex.

come on out for good music for a great cause!

unfortunately, robbie seay band has had a horrendous time on the road this week including their van breaking down twice and a bout of pneumonia. they’re going to recoup for a few days at home.

the concert at crosspointe will be rescheduled for next time they’re in the area. robbie feels horrible about having to cancel. apparently this is the first time they’ve cancelled a show in 10 years.

i’ll definitely post info on the show as soon as we can make it happen.

crosspointe jumped on a last minute opportunity to host robbie seay band in concert this coming tuesday night, october 9. 7pm. $8.00.

it’s going to be a great show. RSB’s new cd, “give yourself away” is brilliant! great songs, excellent musicianship. this is a band’s band.

if you’re anywhere close to raleigh-durham, nc, you should definitely come check it out!

….in short, was great fun. i was glad to see so many people participating in the various creative outlets that were offered. painting, sculpture, a bean mosaic, graffiti wall, poetry, and of course music. i suspect that god stretched some people out of familiar patterns and methods of worshipping him. and that was the goal - connecting the created with the Creator….

speaking of music, nathan fancher and band did a great job leading worship. i always enjoy playing with those guys. inspiring. chris and the turningpointe students did a great job as well.

this was a first experiment in this type of environment for crosspointe. i hope we’ll do it again.

i hope to post some pictures and maybe even video soon.

wow…this is one of the saddest and most beautiful things i’ve seen in awhile…..

this is the young@heart chorus. the soloist is Fred Knittle, who suffers from congestive heart failure. this song was intended to be a duet between Fred and another chorus member, Bob Salvini. sadly, Bob died of a heart attack and it was left to Fred to carry the song on his own.

first of all, the song itself touched something emotionally in me the very first time i heard it. even though i don’t know coldplay’s intended specific meaning of the song, it expresses pain, regret, longing and hope in a powerful and beautiful way.

but then adding in the story of fred and bob and watching this chorus of elderly people putting their heart into the song just caps it off.

enjoy…..

Watch the video here.

series: rethink
message: rethinking the man upstairs

“we are hungry” by brad kilman (hodge-podge arrangement)
“the time has come” by hillsong united (united we stand)
“o praise him” by david crowder band (illuminate)
“how great thou art” traditional hymn

so….if you have trouble continuing to believe in God it may be because the god that was passed on to you doesn’t really exist. wow, steve really helped us chase down where we get our picture of god, most often referred to as “the man upstairs,” then gave us permission to throw that picture out in favor of Yahweh (I am what I am). good stuff. i like my church. i like that i like my church.

guest speaker: craig gross, founder of xxxchurch.com

“i am free” by desperation band (from the rooftops)
“salvation is here” by hillsong united (look to you)

performance song - “what i’ve done” by linkin park (minutes to midnight)

series: role models

“friend of god” by michael gungor and israel houghton (hodge-podge arrangement from various recordings)
“let the praises ring” by lincoln brewster (all to you…live)
“the time has come” by hillsong united (united we stand)
*new song - “glorious one” by steve fee (north point live)

i gave a couple of minutes worth of thoughts on lifting hands in worship. 1. as surrender - giving control over to god. 2. as a child reaching up to father, wanting to be held. this second one has more meaning to me now that i’m a father. made sure to say that crosspointe is a place of freedom to express your heart to god through whatever outward means seem appropriate to you. on the flip side, we never want anyone to feel coerced into any particular outward expression. what matters is the heart - opening yourself up to god and responding to his lead.

jonathan wrapped up the “role model” series with a message about authority. referred to saul, david and absalom and the different ways they dealt with authority. also challenged us hard with paul’s words in romans 13 about every authority being instituted by god. ouch. tough questions necessarily follow that! i’m sure it is inspiring some interesting discussion today. i know it did in our house.

at crosspointe, we’re realizing more and more the value of performing current mainstream music in our services. we’ve found that it lends us credibility with our guests who are drawn to god but not yet to the church, or are returning to church for one more shot years after they left because it was irrelevant to their lives.

we’re extremely careful to pick the right song for the right moment, and to support it with media that helps to clarify the meaning of the song. the rest of the service, including the message sometimes gives a new context for the song.

sometimes it causes people to listen to a song again for the first time. “i’ve never listened to that song that way” is a common reaction that we get.

anyway, recently i’ve found a site called www.songmeanings.net. people post song lyrics (just about any artist and song you can think of). the really interesting part is that it’s kind of a blog format, so people then comment on the lyrics, giving their particular take on what the song means to them. people tend to guess what the songwriter is trying to say. it makes for some very interesting debates sometimes. good reading.

here’s where it ties into worship ministry. i’ve found it extremely helpful to get a sense for what the public thinks about a particular song that we’re considering for use in our services. what does the song already convey to the average person?

this then helps us think through what visuals to attach with the song to frame it, or sometimes reframe it.

i had the opportunity yesterday to take a worship band from crosspointe to a sister church across town to lead worship. true north church was planted in march by a good friend of mine and former associate here at crosspointe, jon mcclarnon. i love keeping up with true north and with jon’s thoughts as he rides out this adventure by regularly checking in at his blog.

it was a great morning. we started at 8am unloading sound, video and lighting equipment from the truck. we set up the stage, which the theater has graciously allowed them to store under the movie screen. jason, mike, john, and stuart were there to lead the tech side of things. it took me back to my two years of church-in-a-box before crosspointe moved into our current facility (although there were 6 years of it all together). ahhhhh….the good ol’ days!

anyway, even though it’s a new church and i was a guest worship leader, leading with jon was comfortably familiar. we worked together for five years.

the band did great. i was glad to be able to bring a crew from crosspointe with me.

setlist:
Opener - “Theme from ‘The Greatest American Hero’”
“Not To Us” Chris Tomlin (Not To Us)
“All Because Of Jesus” Steve Fee (Burn For You)
“Jesus Paid It All” Kristian Stanfill (Passion ‘06 - Everything Glorious)
“You Never Let Go” Matt Redman (Passion ‘06 - Everything Glorious)

jon was wrapping up a series called “heroes,” in which they’ve been taking a look at the life of joseph from genesis. yesterday’s message was “real heroes refuse to get even.” good stuff.

just got back tonight from a week of helping to lead worship for a youth conference on the campus of liberty university in lynchburg, virginia.

i played keys in the house band supporting several gifted worship leaders - nathan, chris and kevin.

the band was formed last summer for the same event. a great group of guys. dale baker on drums, jamie mcfarlane on bass, george bonner on electric guitar, and new this year, david dollar on electric guitar.

it was a fun week with lots of music, lots of laughter, lots of bad camp food and late night hangs at ruby tuesdays or buffalo wild wings.

musical highlight: “jesus paid it all” led by nathan at one of the late night ministry times. incredibly high energy and heartfelt passion being poured out. it’s incredible when everything comes together, on stage and off, the whole room pouring hearts out to god.

best fictitional metal band name: “ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage…….TestosterTone!” (coined by dale on the ride home)

best inside joke: falwell university!

i’ve found that having our drummers play to a click track has greatly increased the quality of our worship music experiences. and it’s not just for novice drummers, either, because it’s not solely about keeping the drummer on track. it allows everyone to relax and lay into the groove better.

and our in-ear monitor system (we use the aviom system) allows us to all have the click track and each of us can set the level independently. this means that we’re not tied to having the drummer starting every song and playing through the entirety of every song. for example, if it’s just an acoustic guitar intro, the guitar player can stay on tempo by playing to the click as well.

it may seem like a drawback to spontaneity or freedom, but i haven’t found that to be the case. it’s an art form, and there is a bit of learning curve for the drummer to get comfortable with managing it - starts, stops, song transitions, etc. but once you get used to it, i’ve found it very helpful.

there are certain times where it seems inappropriate to jump right into a song at tempo, so my drummers and i have had to learn how to manage those situations. just this past week, one transition from a prayer into the next song felt a little too abrupt. so we made a change. i started the chorus of the song with just vocal and acoustic - out of time. once i got going and starting getting closer to full tempo, scott (the drummer) chose a downbeat between vocal phrases and brought in the click. since it was between vocal phrases, it was easier for me to make the slight adjustment to get on tempo. unnoticable to the congregation, but we were able to play the rest of the song exactly at the right tempo and feel, but still had the freedom to start the song more reflectively, out of time.

there are several electronic metronome models that work well in this application. here are two that we use:
1. Boss DB-88
2. Tama Rhythm Watch RW-105

these units allow you to pre-program tempos for each song in order. with one button you can progress to the next song, allowing for quick transitions. you can also choose how much subdivision you want on the fly (quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.).

anyone else using click track in live situations? how has your experience been?

first message in new series: role models

setlist:
“beautiful news” matt redman
“the time has come” hillsong united *new song
“jesus paid it all” kristian stanfill
“all because of jesus” steve fee

extended experimental message illustration: steve taught someone how to play a simple bass guitar riff and they jammed with the band on the chili pepper’s cover of “higher ground” by stevie wonder. the idea is that rules and guidelines don’t limit our freedom, but rather they set us free to play the music that’s inside of us.

it was a fun day.

i’ve made many mistakes in my time as a worship leader. one that i’ve realized recently is that i’ve often under-prepared the sound engineer. when i think about that it’s crazy! the sound engineer is the final determination of whether or not our music and message is clear and engaging to those we’re trying to lead.

too often i’ve neglected to give the sound engineer ample notice on new songs coming up. we send demo recordings to our musicians, why not include the sound engineer? we each have responsibility for one part, while the sound engineer has to have his ears and hands on every part. there are countless musical decisions that a sound engineer has to make on the fly.

we’re blessed at crosspointe to have don smith. he’s a fantastic leader, and he balances the technical with the artistic better than anyone i’ve had the privilege to work with. as a sound engineer, don is every bit as much part of the band as any of us are. why have i not seen this before? don gives each instrumentalist and singer feedback at times. i trust him because i know that we have the same end goal in mind.

as much as possible, i try to make sure that don and i carve out time to sit down together and listen to music. we analyze each section of a song, offering our opinions on which parts are signature to the song and need to be prominent in the mix. what instrument is driving the rhythm? where are the interesting counter melodies?

as a worship leader, it’s vitally important that you have a good relationship with your sound engineer. you MUST trust each other, and you MUST have good, open, dialogue about your vision for each element of the service and how they flow together to create the right environment for an engaging, inspiring worship experience.

Series: Love Affair
Message: Lifelong Commitment

Worship set:
“All Over The World” Matt Redman
“Sing To The King” Billy Foote
“Majestic” Lincoln Brewster

Special music:
“Water Runs Dry” Boys II Men (uh huh, that’s the one!)
“I’ll Stand By You” Pretenders, as covered by Carrie Underwood

today was a good day. we actually don’t typically do a lot of “performed” music. our standard service is more heavy on the “participational” worship music. but we just had two songs that really served to sandwich the message well.

the boys ii men song was definitely a stretch for us stylistically, but it came off pretty well actually. acoustic guitar, bass, stripped down drumset and 4 voices. we took a risk, but people apparently appreciated it.

the carrie underwood song is a new highlight of my time at crosspointe. the soloist, heather, “blew it out the box” if you know what i’m saying. frank played dobro - the boy can play. and we had a guest violin player, frances, a schoolmate of one of our staff members girls. she flat out RAWKED! i was blown away. beautiful. first service, i actually choked back a tear as she played the big run at the end of the solo. every once in awhile when the technical and the emotional aspects of music come together in someone’s performance, it gets me. like food for the soul.

got a rehearsal today for a gig coming up in a few weeks. once again this year supporting nathan fancher, leading worship for WarCry, the annual GCI youth conference. pretty much the same band as last year plus another guitar player. i’m excited to play music and hang out with nate, dale, jamie, george and david again.

another exciting thing, i bought a new keyboard for crosspointe which i’ll be able to take on the gig with me. it’s a nord electro2. great for just about any vintage keyboard you could want. hammond b-3, wurlitzer, fender rhodes, yamaha cp80, suitcase piano, clavinet. sweet.

recently, in a conversation with a volunteer musician in our worship band, i finally put into words an unspoken expectation that i have for our players and singers. something that really bugs me is when people come to our thursday night rehearsals under-prepared. some people’s attitude is that thursday doesn’t really count, sunday is when it matters.

this attitude irritates me and i finally know why. as a leader, by the time sunday morning rolls around, i have to move on from the technical music stuff and concentrate my mind on god and on the people i’m supposed to be leading. if i’m too distracted by worries of whether the band knows their stuff, then i feel as though i’m not operating 100% as a leader. i’m not as in tune with the spirit as i lead. i guess this principle is not unique to worship leading. in any job, you rely on others to do their job so that you can do yours.

so why does thursday matter? if we can work out all the technical details on thursday, and work through dynamics, etc. then my mind is more at ease between thursday and sunday. i can come in sunday morning and engage my mind fully on god. i can respond to the spirit. i can pay attention to and “read” the crowd, therefore being better able to lead. if thursday is considered practice time for any individual and they are behind, i’m worried about whether or not i can count on them on sunday.

in fact, some time ago, i officially distinguished the terms “rehearsal” and “practice”. To me, practice is an individual thing. Each person practices on his/her instrument, learning songs and woodshedding parts. Rehearsal is a group thing. Each person needs to come to rehearsal having already practiced. At rehearsal, we’re not learning individual parts as much as we are working out how those individual parts work together. We’re working dynamics, listening and responding to each other musically.

so, what do you think? i welcome any thoughts from fellow worship leaders and worship band members.

my wife and daughter and i are in chicago this week enjoying some needed r&r. we got an incredibly low fare through southwest’s “ding!” program ($25 each way), so we jumped on the opportunity to show darby our former stomping grounds and introduce her to some chicago friends.

this past saturday night we decided to attend the weekend service at our former church, Willow Creek Community Church, where both c.c. and i served on staff. one thing you learn about willow is that change is. i know that looks like a sentence fragment, but that’s what i meant. change is. i could also add some adjectives. change is constant, and change is quick. since we left there at the end of 2001, there have been numerous changes, 3 new pastors in senior leadership, several reorganizations, etc.

with almost 6 years worth of changes, i didn’t quite know what to expect walking into the service tonight. i thought i’d post a few thoughts and observations from our experience.

* servanthood - we remembered that they had built parent rooms into the design of the new auditorium, but couldn’t remember where they were. as we entered the auditorium we asked one of the ushers who was handing out programs. instead of just telling us where it was, he immediately took us there. this kind of service has been