I played on worship teams for 15 years with no click and wedge monitors (I was in the military and move around a lot so lots of different opportunities to serve on different teams). When I began playing in teams with IEMs it threw me off initially but then I began to appreciate the fact that my mix could be a way lower volume than stage volume and I could hear everything. Then I started on a team that used a click and I hated it. Now I love it. If you’re locked in it actually disappears in the background but really does help to keep everyone in time. We’re not professionals. We’re volunteers who sometimes only play on Sundays and these tools help keep us from being a distraction if we fall apart during worship. I am also a gigging amateur musician and we also use clicks and IEMs to help us during live shows.
Because of budget restrictions, our music team at our local church have to improvise. To keep everyone locked in, we just have our drummers preset and save all the bpm of our sunday set list to their metronome app for easy access when playing. We then refined our hand signals to keep everyone following the worship leader to wherever the Holy Spirit leads us on a Sunday.
Love this. Thank you! I keep the track at a volume that is not distracting, but when things get loud and I start to feel unsure about the beat, I can focus on the track and it keeps me in time. Otherwise, I would need the drums louder and that doesn't work as well for me. The click definitely does not detract from my worship experience. Yes, we are worshiping, but we are also LEADING worship. If you aren't playing in time, that wouldn't sound good and would certainly detract from the worship experience of the congregation. Bottom line: do what works for you.
Thank you for this! I play guitar for my worship team and I keep the click just audible when the whole band is in. I mainly follow my drummer, who should be in time, and the guide. If the guide and/or click gets turned off or we have a spontaneous moment, that’s where following the worship leader is key!
Love it. We use the multitracks app and will often out the 'looped click' in at the end of a song or arrangement so we can have options after the track ends.
Thanks for this, helped me understand this better. I think also different churches does worship in different ways, whatever works best for their worship band. For myself I've used IEM, but felt distanced to the congregation, and no longer using it now. I would find a click track and talking voice quite distracting. However if this works for you, that's great.
This past Sunday was my first attempt at recording my IEM mix. Before, I really did not know how to go about it without having to merge video and audio afterwards. I used a Media Mod with my GoPro, going directly into the ME-1 stereo out. The quality is superb. As for using a click, I've never not used a click for the past 10 years. I turn in down enough so that it is not a distraction yet am aware of it. Remember the nice thing about IEMs is tailoring your own personal mix!
I'm in a worship team currently where the worship leaders do not like clicks or queues. They don't use them at all. As a guitar player, I constantly have to think about how many bars there are between verses and choruses, how many choruses or bridges are repeating...etc. Yes, we talk about it during the practice, but I do have to worry about every little thing. I can't focus on worship. The song arrangements can also be very different than what I practice at home every Sunday. Also, our practice is very inefficient (in my opinion) because everyone gets confused and keeps asking questions like "how many bars again? how many choruses again?" I really miss utilizing clicks and queues.
This is so frustrating. I left a band ultimately because they refused to adopt this helpful technology and playing was such a burden because of our insane tempo fluctuations. In that case, the LACK of clicks and cues (for me) is what hindered the Spirit/worship.
I agree. The click allows you to be MORE in the moment, not less. And you always follow the leader/singer. If they go the the chorus when they were supposed to do verse, well then you do chorus. I keep the click at about the same volume as the drums so it blends in with it.
I play at several different churches week to week throughout central Florida, some with click, some without. One of the churches that uses click, doesn’t have enough musicians to fill the stage so they play with tracks, and thus NEED the click to stay on time with the tracks of the missing instrument players. Some dont use a click at all, my primary church being one of them, and that’s fine too, sometimes things get off track, but 98% of the time things are fine. As someone who has played years with and without clicks, it has never ever ever ever hindered an organic Spirit-filled spontaneous moment either way. As long as the musicians hearts are centered towards The Spirit, and worshipping our Lord, I feel like He is and makes it obvious that He is the object of our worship and affection. I could see how people who have never used a track could feel like it takes away from, or is distracting for the musicians, but as long as you come in prepared, and your focus is on giving God glory, then that is all that matters.
The click isn't there to guide The Holy Spirit, its there to keep the musicians on the same page. I kinda feel like "how can you allow for the Holy Spirit to lead when its clicking" is a passive aggressive statement
It's a very common question/comment we get when we post click track/IEM type content. Which is why we wanted to show that we do not serve the technology. Its the other way around.
I think it's the borderline transition from a worship service to a performance. While they'd not necessarily need to me mutually exclusive...we have not done anything with IEMs or clicks as a whole partly because of the potential for the service to no longer be as organic. We have slowed down, we have sped up. Usually with the less experienced people. However, it's always been noted that it's not our perfection we are looking at trying to achieve, rather the worship service. We typically have 300-350 first service, and 150 or so second.
Our church uses in-ears, but not click or tracks. I’d love for us to try it, I think it could add more cohesiveness to the band and a more full audio for the congregation. For our church, using click and tracks wouldn’t detract from “spontaneous worship” because - like a lot of churches - we simply don’t do spontaneous worship. We play the songs on Sunday just like we practiced it during the week. No one has ever complained about a lack of spontaneity in our worship. The topic of click and tracks has come up a couple of times at our church, and even some of our worship team - who know we don’t do spontaneous worship - complained that click and tracks would interfere with us doing spontaneous worship. So I think for some this is just an excuse not to try it because some don’t like change.
I introduced click tracks a couple years ago to my church and they’ve been instrumental in keeping us tight. It took some getting used to, but it does wonders for timing. We only use pads right now because I feel like my/our budget and time is better spent on things like graphics and Photoshop, and that actually has allowed us a lot of flexibility in how we add onto a song’s original arrangement, so that might be a route worth exploring if you’re interested in the benefits of a click without the “constraints” of a guide or backing track.
Thanks brother for the input. I have always wondered. I knew you could ive seen the spirit move on church bands I knew run tracks etc. But never really thought to much about it. great video and content.
We had lightening strike this past Sunday at practice and took out our entire IEM system. No click, no backing track. At first we thought we would be confined to playing a few videos from TH-cam but decided to change the song selection, get off the stage and stand in front (Our speakers are flown up high, in front of the stage so we can't stand on stage and play off of them). We picked 3 songs, rehearsed them, but we all knew it was going to be the lead vocal to call the parts, the dynamics and whatever they felt. It was a great morning of worship. Also, they got the system up at the end so we pulled up the backing track for Know You by Koryn Hawthorne.
Brian , thank you for your insight and all the wonderful things you have done and provided us with over all these years. Because of you and Bradford and what you both have created I am able play and Worship our Lord authentically. Thank you 🙏
Watching this while waiting (impatiently!) for the songs for Sunday to be chosen/emailed out to the band, I pray for a time where my church has the resources to have a separate MD, rehearsals before the day of the service and a bit more notice of what songs we are playing! 😁
I’m not sure if there are any additional resources needed in order to schedule a rehearsal and plan songs out even a day or two earlier. An md is another story. That takes time, investment, and patience. And sometimes Little luck lol
That’s called bad leadership. There’s no reason songs cannot be planned out 2 months in advance with a midweek rehearsal and a before service rehearsal. Get a new person for the job.
@@Tool0GT92yes we do, usually only get 1 run through of each song though. I’m sure there is a level of musicianship that can cope with that little practice but I’m not there yet!
I think that one thing to consider is that the musicians are indeed performing and not worshiping in the same sense how the congregants are. Their "performance" is to create music that invites the congregation into intimacy with the Spirit. It is important for the musicians to be unified, together with the Spirit, but they cannot be in the same type of worship as the congregants. Instead, their worship is through their sacrifice (Rom 12:1) of delivering excellence in music -- WHICH -- may be enhanced by having click tracks, etc. What our church practices is that those who serve, like in the praise team, must attend another service "in the pews" so that they have their time dedicated to be with the Lord and not "performing".
Click is an instrument used by the band director. It’s essential for bands with missing instruments. If a band director is practiced enough he can become a HUGE asset to the band. Basically a wild card for P&W. It’s all a learned thing just like singing in key and learning chord progression
I have been playing on contemporary worship teams for over 30 years and have used click and no click. I can appreciate the click track but much prefer not using it and following the leader, however this does require a tight band.
We use multitracks and the worship leader has the iPad in front of them and they can very easily repeat sections or move around the track or with the track off and leave the pad and click still on for everyone to follow. Very easy to make changes on the fly
Very cool, real world info, thanks! I’m curious, Brian, when you use that P90 equipped LP with your Helix, do you run with a single coil preset, or humbucker or do you modify for the P90s?
Also it’s not hard to get good at Ableton, Loop Community, Prime, etc… and customize your arrangement beforehand. We intentionally do a “pre-planned spontaneous song” every Sunday where I slice and dice a track to fit a moment. If you feel lead to go in a different direction customize your tracks. 🤷♂️
I would also say that most of those who are making these comments aren't musicians/singers that's become accustomed to hearing a click track. I barely notice it when I play, and it's literally the loudest thing in my mix. It really becomes a part of the song. In terms of the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit leading, this in my opinion is often a point of contention for those who don't have a great deal of experience leading worship. There are certain parts of a song that are more likely where the song could "take off". And it's certainly not difficult to put in a contingent loop to vamp on to accommodate for those moments.
Good advice to turn the click down to where you can hear it but it is not overwhelming. Also the arrangements are the same as it was said and the end is the part to improvise.
Ive been playing with a click for a year and a half now. The click is more in background now I can change the flow if I want to but truthfully we usually play the same every time on a Sunday.
Music is based on meter, and meter is based on time. A click track is just an audible representation of time to help keep musicians together. I’d also add that people use the “freedom to move anywhere in the song” as a crutch/excuse.
I agree, 98% of the time you'll play the song in original arrangement. That 2% of time - it will be totally fine for worship leader to wave at the MD, or just call the section out loud, and then you just kill the tracks and play without, no issue.
I get these questions. I tell people: The click and us going off script is for the congregation. I'm not there to worship for myself, I'm there to help others worship and lose themselves to God for a moment.
Most worship team players are not full time staff. I.e. we grab our gear and use our talents in church to serve God to the best of our abilities. A click track helps to ensure everyone tempo is in sync. The last thing any worship team wants is to distract the congregation with off beat playing. It's a great tool, use it! Like how y'all turned the click off to flow during spirit led moments
Yeah I do find when the tempo or even melody lines of the worship band fluctuates a lot, it does majorly impact my ability to focus on Jesus as I find I have to spend some focus on the worship band as it's not predictable, although I do try my best to still focus on Jesus in that moment. Whereas when a band is fully together in timing (and the melodies rhythm is sung correctly), I can then focus on Jesus and praising him a lot more easily! Obviously, a technically skilled band could get this correct without a click track, but I find most worship bands I play in have quite a range of abilities and so a click track could be useful! Also each worship leader deciding to sing the same song in the same way rhythmically!
Guys, remember that the Holy Spirit is not limited by tracks and click. If that’s what some churches want to use and find it helpful, it’s not gonna stop the spirit from working and moving in the room. God is so much bigger than that.
Absolutely. We often encounter the idea that you can't follow the Holy Spirit using click/guide tracks. But sometimes we hear people say that the Holy Spirit cannot move if you use them. And I often wonder, "how weak and feeble do you think the Holy Spirit (and our God) is?" 🤷🏻♂️
I'm with you, quite frankly I think it is more about the dumbing down of CCM than any thing else. The so called nice worship is pretty much copy and paste these days. Maybe they should just listen to the CDs instead of trying to copy them if they want such good productions. I honestly fail to see how such canned music is really worship. But like you, I'm an old fella, but I will stick to my guns.
@@guitarandgospel Our praise band never plays the songs as recorded. We always change the key, arrangements are different, and the only parts I copy are if there is a defined riff in the song. I tend to avoid the super washy, delay and reverb tones too
Click is great for recording. When did you ever hear a Jazz or Blues band use click tracks? Let's call it what it is. It's a crutch for inferior musicians, (Yes, Motley Crue, I'm looking at you.) That's not bad for training musicians up, but that's not where musicians should want to stay.
I don’t even hear the click. The key is knowing your parts so well that it’s just muscle memory that way you don’t have to think about anything. Then you can allow yourself to really be in the moment and worship. Having a good IEM mix is also a big factor.
I wear a click during practice but the moment we start the first song the headphones are getting ripped out and tossed behind me. I hate it not because of a worship reason but because it feels so much more natural to sync and feel the song with a drummer.
I think the click also sounds much more jarring to people who aren't used to it. I've been playing at my church for about a year, and we use click. I grew up practicing with a metronome, so when I started at church, the click never really bothered me, and I honestly don't even notice it all that much anymore; it's just going in the background. However, I can understand it seeming annoying tp a non-musician, or even a musician who isn't used to playing with a metronome. I like it, but I don't think it is a hill worth dying on, I could take it or leave it.
You are right. Churches spend way, way too much money trying to grow an audience with "worship" that sounds like a recording, rather than growing a church that is regenerate.
I don't like the idea of IEMs mainly because I have issues with plugs in my ears. After a very short while it becomes painful and I don't mean volume level.
a click is the same as a metronome. Just search up how to play with metronome and bam you got it lol. It's actually just going back to basic music practice. You know... practice with the metronome type of practice routine
never would have thought so much time and effort goes into this type of stuff... i always wonder if people in worship bands are really in it for the right reasons. seems like too much emphasis on being a performer and technicals...
I can't think of a better way for me to use all my skills and abilities than fully into leading people in worship to the best of my ability. I don't think you'd disagree with that at all. I just think you view the way that's done differently. That's totally fine. But don't make the assumptions that it's for the wrong reasons.
I wonder also, it's quite unnecessary. Have been in excellent worship bands and never needed such complicated stuff except in the studio, but that a different story to Sunday services. Our click track was called a drummer. Drummers mustn't be able to keep time these days I guess; maybe they got too used to click tracks LOL.
@@robwhitesays totally my point. i dunno where all this started, but sorry, sunday worship doesn't have to be a whole broadway production. even one person with a cheapo acoustic would be perfectly fine. it's a bit sad, but i actually meet people who "complain" about churches because of the "production" value. one of the reasons why we moved from a "megachurch" to a more intimate smaller one. feels like coming full circle and now we're so happy we're "home".
You know, it's funny to think about it - Holy Spirit is God, created the world, ressurected Christ, renews broken sinner and makes him holy and new - until we use click tracks, that's the enemy that Holy Spirit just can't handle, battle is lost :P
Click tracks and cues/MD’s are there to keep musicians on the path while flowing in the Spirit, people forget that GOD JESUS is a GOD of order. Click track has been around since the 1900’s, Walt Disney were the first to incorporate such technology back then to syncopate animation and live performances.
My church does not use click tracks, which is a problem because i can't set 'Tap Tempo' until the drummer begins, making it hard to play introductory lead-lines at the right tempo.
Why would that be a problem? Just get the metronome app, mute it, and use the visual cue to tap the correct tempo. If drummer starts in wrong tempo, just blame him, you are playing in the correct one :)
Can you elaborate more? Why cant you play the intro without the tap tempo? Are you using some sort of delay? If it requires you to be ON the tempo then you can just dial it down. And it shouldn't really matter as long as it is close. If the drummer is WAYYY off tempo then that is the source of the problem. This means the entire song is off and I doubt ya would just ignore it without dealing with it? If the drummer is close to the tempo then the problem is indeed you.
@@Roger-il8iw picture this: songs only TH-cam links, sent on Thursday. No band--practice until an hour before service. Different key, and tempo. No arrangement by WL, no feedback, apart from my own in-ear arrangement by-passed from my pedals; I have created my own arrangement for both lead and second guitar which involves selecting effects and pick-ups between phrases. I play the guitar intro to 'Mighty to save', but without fold-back and a click, the bassist is out of time. I have attempted to tap-tempo my delay, but by now I'm too busy to adjust it, and so I end up not using my delay. I know an answer: find a better church band, but this is where I am for now. Just venting my frustration. Don't get personal, remember this is a Christian site.
click tracks are a must. i don’t like backing tracks especially when it’s overdone. i’m in the mind that if you need backing tracks, you probably should change the orchestration with whoever is playing or make it as simple as possible. that’s my opinion, I can understand why it’s widely used.
I also decided for the band I lead, that we *always* play with the click, except rare circumstances like vocal-lead traditional hymns or similar. If someone disagrees, well they can have an opinion, but I won't change my mind. The reason is, and I hate to say it, but majority of people I play with (in different bands) are half-decent volounteers, who play well but just can't stay in time without metronome, also sometimes we play without drummer or cajon and it gets worse. I know it's a crutch, but we need it, and it works, so whatever.
I can accept worship is kind of thing that doesn't have to be completey spontantious and tracks can be trigger so have some flexiblity. BUT the second I hear the false statement that tracks are "just a tool", my done with your arugment. It's a tool in the same way deceipt is a logical tool. Your standing up in front of people pretending your group can make all this noise that you are not making. And your sometimes forced into a script just like singing with track, you can indeed worship to it, but you have to follow exaclty what it does. Forget the false display of perfection and put yourself out there. Or sit down and play your expensive radio.
Playing tight to a click is far better than totally destroying the moment with a train wreck. Not all worship team members are professional musicians. We need help especially with only one practice a week to work on the service. I’m sorry but church is a performance and a good performance will bring in the nonbelievers to hear the word.
Click tracks? It's worship not a show, and even the best bands I have seen never use a click track in their live performances. They can actually play good music live. I think CCM has been turned into something it should never have become, and its not even terribly scriptural at best these days.
So you’ve already made you your mind that every person/church that uses a click track is putting on a show? And you’re convinced that that’s the only outcome? That click track usage = show?
@@bmitchellmusic "Every person" is your expression, not mine. Also you should address the idea that I noted that all the live performances I have been to never needed a click track. So please rephrase your objection to reflect my comments rather than try to put words in my mouth.
@@guitarandgospelAll I did was ask questions for clarification as to what you mean. Your comment sounded like you are saying using a click tracks is only for shows. But your response to my questions tells me you aren’t here to engage but to be right. Have a good one ✌🏼
@@bmitchellmusic LOL, that's what I thought from reading your reply as it seemed like a very pointed question(s) with limited possible answers, sorry about that. Can you re-word your question?
@@guitarandgospel When you said 'Click tracks? It's worship not a show'. It sounds like you're saying its not worship if it has click tracks. You should probably elaborate on that more. And yes the best band with professional musicians versus your everyday volunteer
As a worship leader, I train my team to follow my hand signals. No need for click tracks - our drummer is our click. Also, if we don't have musicians to fill a spot, like drums, bass, pads, etc. we still worship with what we have. I think it's a bit sad to see young millennial worship leaders rely so much on tech. However, if you know your worship is authentic then make sure authenticity driven by pure worship is well above showmanship, and the need for "high production value."
Yay, some one else who realizes that the drummer is the click track. And that we worship with what we have, even if it's just ourselves as we sing walking down the road. To get the message across we need a Worship Drummer Keeps Time TikTok challenge LOL
I’m sorry but this is just another slippery slope. When you are in the matrix, you likely don’t not know you’re in the matrix. If you are in the world but not of the world,you are a divergent. Yes, it’s sad that churches are now these productions, creating experiences rather than truly using the truly gifted as a conduit for the Holy Spirit. It’s so sad that you don’t even know what you’re actually part of. Where do you think the Holy Spirit was more likely present, at a Charles Spurgeon service with a skilled, truly committed choir and musicians, or some mechanical production full of technology to help overcome the fact that we are so weak as supposed Christian people we can’t hold a standard and communicate it effectively and lovingly enough to end up with the excellence that God has given us the ability to reach? It seems now that people are so desperate to be in the limelight even at church, but they jump right on board with these disastrous productions rather than making a stand. I actually compared it to the slippery slope of abortion and where society has gotten to with it now . The comparison is extreme, but if I didn’t know any better and was so willing to overlook the obvious to be in the limelight, I’d probably accept the idea that someone would be standing next to me and slapping me in the face the entire time I was worshiping and if I came into the church world where the face slapping was just there from beginning, then I suppose I would think nothing about it. Church is not an experience, Church is not a production. Church is the bride and is given to truly worship with true excellence and it is so unbelievably sad and so unbelievably obvious when you read the black and red parts of the Bible.
I don't have a problem with clicks, but the background tracks is my issue. Not that they don't allow the Holy Spirit to lead, but they represent to the church a deception. The deception that the music they are hearing is coming from those on the stage playing. Its like embellishing the true.....which is not the whole truth..... so then it is a lie.... OK I'm extremist, but then Jesus was too!
I played on worship teams for 15 years with no click and wedge monitors (I was in the military and move around a lot so lots of different opportunities to serve on different teams). When I began playing in teams with IEMs it threw me off initially but then I began to appreciate the fact that my mix could be a way lower volume than stage volume and I could hear everything. Then I started on a team that used a click and I hated it. Now I love it. If you’re locked in it actually disappears in the background but really does help to keep everyone in time. We’re not professionals. We’re volunteers who sometimes only play on Sundays and these tools help keep us from being a distraction if we fall apart during worship. I am also a gigging amateur musician and we also use clicks and IEMs to help us during live shows.
Because of budget restrictions, our music team at our local church have to improvise. To keep everyone locked in, we just have our drummers preset and save all the bpm of our sunday set list to their metronome app for easy access when playing. We then refined our hand signals to keep everyone following the worship leader to wherever the Holy Spirit leads us on a Sunday.
Love this. Thank you! I keep the track at a volume that is not distracting, but when things get loud and I start to feel unsure about the beat, I can focus on the track and it keeps me in time. Otherwise, I would need the drums louder and that doesn't work as well for me. The click definitely does not detract from my worship experience. Yes, we are worshiping, but we are also LEADING worship. If you aren't playing in time, that wouldn't sound good and would certainly detract from the worship experience of the congregation. Bottom line: do what works for you.
Thank you for this! I play guitar for my worship team and I keep the click just audible when the whole band is in. I mainly follow my drummer, who should be in time, and the guide. If the guide and/or click gets turned off or we have a spontaneous moment, that’s where following the worship leader is key!
Love it. We use the multitracks app and will often out the 'looped click' in at the end of a song or arrangement so we can have options after the track ends.
Thanks for this, helped me understand this better. I think also different churches does worship in different ways, whatever works best for their worship band. For myself I've used IEM, but felt distanced to the congregation, and no longer using it now. I would find a click track and talking voice quite distracting. However if this works for you, that's great.
This past Sunday was my first attempt at recording my IEM mix. Before, I really did not know how to go about it without having to merge video and audio afterwards. I used a Media Mod with my GoPro, going directly into the ME-1 stereo out. The quality is superb. As for using a click, I've never not used a click for the past 10 years. I turn in down enough so that it is not a distraction yet am aware of it. Remember the nice thing about IEMs is tailoring your own personal mix!
Just noticed your announcement slide. Your church did night to shine too!! Awesome ministry.
I'm in a worship team currently where the worship leaders do not like clicks or queues. They don't use them at all. As a guitar player, I constantly have to think about how many bars there are between verses and choruses, how many choruses or bridges are repeating...etc. Yes, we talk about it during the practice, but I do have to worry about every little thing. I can't focus on worship. The song arrangements can also be very different than what I practice at home every Sunday. Also, our practice is very inefficient (in my opinion) because everyone gets confused and keeps asking questions like "how many bars again? how many choruses again?" I really miss utilizing clicks and queues.
This is so frustrating. I left a band ultimately because they refused to adopt this helpful technology and playing was such a burden because of our insane tempo fluctuations. In that case, the LACK of clicks and cues (for me) is what hindered the Spirit/worship.
I agree. The click allows you to be MORE in the moment, not less. And you always follow the leader/singer. If they go the the chorus when they were supposed to do verse, well then you do chorus. I keep the click at about the same volume as the drums so it blends in with it.
I play at several different churches week to week throughout central Florida, some with click, some without.
One of the churches that uses click, doesn’t have enough musicians to fill the stage so they play with tracks, and thus NEED the click to stay on time with the tracks of the missing instrument players.
Some dont use a click at all, my primary church being one of them, and that’s fine too, sometimes things get off track, but 98% of the time things are fine.
As someone who has played years with and without clicks, it has never ever ever ever hindered an organic Spirit-filled spontaneous moment either way.
As long as the musicians hearts are centered towards The Spirit, and worshipping our Lord, I feel like He is and makes it obvious that He is the object of our worship and affection.
I could see how people who have never used a track could feel like it takes away from, or is distracting for the musicians, but as long as you come in prepared, and your focus is on giving God glory, then that is all that matters.
The click isn't there to guide The Holy Spirit, its there to keep the musicians on the same page. I kinda feel like "how can you allow for the Holy Spirit to lead when its clicking" is a passive aggressive statement
It's a very common question/comment we get when we post click track/IEM type content. Which is why we wanted to show that we do not serve the technology. Its the other way around.
I think it's the borderline transition from a worship service to a performance.
While they'd not necessarily need to me mutually exclusive...we have not done anything with IEMs or clicks as a whole partly because of the potential for the service to no longer be as organic. We have slowed down, we have sped up. Usually with the less experienced people. However, it's always been noted that it's not our perfection we are looking at trying to achieve, rather the worship service.
We typically have 300-350 first service, and 150 or so second.
Our church uses in-ears, but not click or tracks. I’d love for us to try it, I think it could add more cohesiveness to the band and a more full audio for the congregation. For our church, using click and tracks wouldn’t detract from “spontaneous worship” because - like a lot of churches - we simply don’t do spontaneous worship. We play the songs on Sunday just like we practiced it during the week. No one has ever complained about a lack of spontaneity in our worship. The topic of click and tracks has come up a couple of times at our church, and even some of our worship team - who know we don’t do spontaneous worship - complained that click and tracks would interfere with us doing spontaneous worship. So I think for some this is just an excuse not to try it because some don’t like change.
I really think that calling it a passive aggressive statement is going way over the top. It’s a fair question to ask…
I introduced click tracks a couple years ago to my church and they’ve been instrumental in keeping us tight. It took some getting used to, but it does wonders for timing. We only use pads right now because I feel like my/our budget and time is better spent on things like graphics and Photoshop, and that actually has allowed us a lot of flexibility in how we add onto a song’s original arrangement, so that might be a route worth exploring if you’re interested in the benefits of a click without the “constraints” of a guide or backing track.
Thanks brother for the input. I have always wondered. I knew you could ive seen the spirit move on church bands I knew run tracks etc. But never really thought to much about it. great video and content.
We had lightening strike this past Sunday at practice and took out our entire IEM system. No click, no backing track. At first we thought we would be confined to playing a few videos from TH-cam but decided to change the song selection, get off the stage and stand in front (Our speakers are flown up high, in front of the stage so we can't stand on stage and play off of them). We picked 3 songs, rehearsed them, but we all knew it was going to be the lead vocal to call the parts, the dynamics and whatever they felt. It was a great morning of worship. Also, they got the system up at the end so we pulled up the backing track for Know You by Koryn Hawthorne.
Brian , thank you for your insight and all the wonderful things you have done and provided us with over all these years. Because of you and Bradford and what you both have created I am able play and Worship our Lord authentically. Thank you 🙏
I was also skeptical, but I like it now
There will _always_ be a balance between worshipping freely, and keeping the musicians together. Click tracks are just one way to do it.
Watching this while waiting (impatiently!) for the songs for Sunday to be chosen/emailed out to the band, I pray for a time where my church has the resources to have a separate MD, rehearsals before the day of the service and a bit more notice of what songs we are playing! 😁
I’m not sure if there are any additional resources needed in order to schedule a rehearsal and plan songs out even a day or two earlier. An md is another story. That takes time, investment, and patience. And sometimes Little luck lol
Do you guys do run through in the morning
That’s called bad leadership. There’s no reason songs cannot be planned out 2 months in advance with a midweek rehearsal and a before service rehearsal. Get a new person for the job.
@@Tool0GT92yes we do, usually only get 1 run through of each song though. I’m sure there is a level of musicianship that can cope with that little practice but I’m not there yet!
@@Eric-nn9xfnot in my gift but I get the point!!
I think that one thing to consider is that the musicians are indeed performing and not worshiping in the same sense how the congregants are. Their "performance" is to create music that invites the congregation into intimacy with the Spirit. It is important for the musicians to be unified, together with the Spirit, but they cannot be in the same type of worship as the congregants. Instead, their worship is through their sacrifice (Rom 12:1) of delivering excellence in music -- WHICH -- may be enhanced by having click tracks, etc.
What our church practices is that those who serve, like in the praise team, must attend another service "in the pews" so that they have their time dedicated to be with the Lord and not "performing".
Yeah I can see how this is quite helpful, although maybe wouldn't enforce it :)
Click is an instrument used by the band director. It’s essential for bands with missing instruments.
If a band director is practiced enough he can become a HUGE asset to the band. Basically a wild card for P&W.
It’s all a learned thing just like singing in key and learning chord progression
I have been playing on contemporary worship teams for over 30 years and have used click and no click. I can appreciate the click track but much prefer not using it and following the leader, however this does require a tight band.
People are just constantly conflating their “feeling” with the “Spirit.”
We use multitracks and the worship leader has the iPad in front of them and they can very easily repeat sections or move around the track or with the track off and leave the pad and click still on for everyone to follow. Very easy to make changes on the fly
Very cool, real world info, thanks! I’m curious, Brian, when you use that P90 equipped LP with your Helix, do you run with a single coil preset, or humbucker or do you modify for the P90s?
Also it’s not hard to get good at Ableton, Loop Community, Prime, etc… and customize your arrangement beforehand. We intentionally do a “pre-planned spontaneous song” every Sunday where I slice and dice a track to fit a moment. If you feel lead to go in a different direction customize your tracks. 🤷♂️
I would also say that most of those who are making these comments aren't musicians/singers that's become accustomed to hearing a click track. I barely notice it when I play, and it's literally the loudest thing in my mix. It really becomes a part of the song. In terms of the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit leading, this in my opinion is often a point of contention for those who don't have a great deal of experience leading worship. There are certain parts of a song that are more likely where the song could "take off". And it's certainly not difficult to put in a contingent loop to vamp on to accommodate for those moments.
I’ve played to clicks and tracks for over 10 years. I barely hear the click anymore.
Same. When I’m in the moment they just fade into the background.
Good advice to turn the click down to where you can hear it but it is not overwhelming. Also the arrangements are the same as it was said and the end is the part to improvise.
Ive been playing with a click for a year and a half now. The click is more in background now I can change the flow if I want to but truthfully we usually play the same every time on a Sunday.
Music is based on meter, and meter is based on time. A click track is just an audible representation of time to help keep musicians together. I’d also add that people use the “freedom to move anywhere in the song” as a crutch/excuse.
I agree, 98% of the time you'll play the song in original arrangement. That 2% of time - it will be totally fine for worship leader to wave at the MD, or just call the section out loud, and then you just kill the tracks and play without, no issue.
I get these questions. I tell people: The click and us going off script is for the congregation. I'm not there to worship for myself, I'm there to help others worship and lose themselves to God for a moment.
Most worship team players are not full time staff. I.e. we grab our gear and use our talents in church to serve God to the best of our abilities. A click track helps to ensure everyone tempo is in sync. The last thing any worship team wants is to distract the congregation with off beat playing. It's a great tool, use it! Like how y'all turned the click off to flow during spirit led moments
Yeah I do find when the tempo or even melody lines of the worship band fluctuates a lot, it does majorly impact my ability to focus on Jesus as I find I have to spend some focus on the worship band as it's not predictable, although I do try my best to still focus on Jesus in that moment. Whereas when a band is fully together in timing (and the melodies rhythm is sung correctly), I can then focus on Jesus and praising him a lot more easily! Obviously, a technically skilled band could get this correct without a click track, but I find most worship bands I play in have quite a range of abilities and so a click track could be useful! Also each worship leader deciding to sing the same song in the same way rhythmically!
Love the guitar
Guys, remember that the Holy Spirit is not limited by tracks and click. If that’s what some churches want to use and find it helpful, it’s not gonna stop the spirit from working and moving in the room. God is so much bigger than that.
Absolutely. We often encounter the idea that you can't follow the Holy Spirit using click/guide tracks. But sometimes we hear people say that the Holy Spirit cannot move if you use them. And I often wonder, "how weak and feeble do you think the Holy Spirit (and our God) is?" 🤷🏻♂️
Not going to lie. As an old school rock guy The thought of having to play to a click track makes me cringe. But who knows I could get used it maybe.
I'm with you, quite frankly I think it is more about the dumbing down of CCM than any thing else. The so called nice worship is pretty much copy and paste these days. Maybe they should just listen to the CDs instead of trying to copy them if they want such good productions. I honestly fail to see how such canned music is really worship. But like you, I'm an old fella, but I will stick to my guns.
@@guitarandgospel Our praise band never plays the songs as recorded. We always change the key, arrangements are different, and the only parts I copy are if there is a defined riff in the song. I tend to avoid the super washy, delay and reverb tones too
Click is great for recording.
When did you ever hear a Jazz or Blues band use click tracks?
Let's call it what it is. It's a crutch for inferior musicians, (Yes, Motley Crue, I'm looking at you.) That's not bad for training musicians up, but that's not where musicians should want to stay.
I don’t even hear the click. The key is knowing your parts so well that it’s just muscle memory that way you don’t have to think about anything. Then you can allow yourself to really be in the moment and worship. Having a good IEM mix is also a big factor.
I wear a click during practice but the moment we start the first song the headphones are getting ripped out and tossed behind me. I hate it not because of a worship reason but because it feels so much more natural to sync and feel the song with a drummer.
I think the click also sounds much more jarring to people who aren't used to it. I've been playing at my church for about a year, and we use click. I grew up practicing with a metronome, so when I started at church, the click never really bothered me, and I honestly don't even notice it all that much anymore; it's just going in the background. However, I can understand it seeming annoying tp a non-musician, or even a musician who isn't used to playing with a metronome. I like it, but I don't think it is a hill worth dying on, I could take it or leave it.
I submit that the Holy Spirit probably couldn’t care less about what order we play a song in, or whether we play to clicks & tracks or not.
You are right. Churches spend way, way too much money trying to grow an audience with "worship" that sounds like a recording, rather than growing a church that is regenerate.
The band worships all week preparing for sunday to give his best and play with excellence to God.
just here to say that LP's can still pdub!
YESSSSS
How can you worship whan you arms are in blood? Ask this question to the priests from old testament.
I don't like the idea of IEMs mainly because I have issues with plugs in my ears. After a very short while it becomes painful and I don't mean volume level.
I am a musician that uses click and it is difficult to freely praise when flow to new song
It’s interesting how there is never actual tutorials on TH-cam to teach one to play to a click. It’s almost like it should be known by default.
a click is the same as a metronome. Just search up how to play with metronome and bam you got it lol. It's actually just going back to basic music practice. You know... practice with the metronome type of practice routine
never would have thought so much time and effort goes into this type of stuff... i always wonder if people in worship bands are really in it for the right reasons. seems like too much emphasis on being a performer and technicals...
I can't think of a better way for me to use all my skills and abilities than fully into leading people in worship to the best of my ability. I don't think you'd disagree with that at all. I just think you view the way that's done differently. That's totally fine. But don't make the assumptions that it's for the wrong reasons.
Whether a person is in it for the right reason depends wholly on that person's heart. Not the amount of technology or prep that goes into it.
I think if there’s anything that time and effort SHOULD go into, it’s preparing for Sunday morning worship time.
I wonder also, it's quite unnecessary. Have been in excellent worship bands and never needed such complicated stuff except in the studio, but that a different story to Sunday services. Our click track was called a drummer. Drummers mustn't be able to keep time these days I guess; maybe they got too used to click tracks LOL.
@@robwhitesays totally my point. i dunno where all this started, but sorry, sunday worship doesn't have to be a whole broadway production. even one person with a cheapo acoustic would be perfectly fine. it's a bit sad, but i actually meet people who "complain" about churches because of the "production" value. one of the reasons why we moved from a "megachurch" to a more intimate smaller one. feels like coming full circle and now we're so happy we're "home".
You know, it's funny to think about it - Holy Spirit is God, created the world, ressurected Christ, renews broken sinner and makes him holy and new - until we use click tracks, that's the enemy that Holy Spirit just can't handle, battle is lost :P
Click tracks and cues/MD’s are there to keep musicians on the path while flowing in the Spirit, people forget that GOD JESUS is a GOD of order.
Click track has been around since the 1900’s, Walt Disney were the first to incorporate such technology back then to syncopate animation and live performances.
My church does not use click tracks, which is a problem because i can't set 'Tap Tempo' until the drummer begins, making it hard to play introductory lead-lines at the right tempo.
Why would that be a problem? Just get the metronome app, mute it, and use the visual cue to tap the correct tempo. If drummer starts in wrong tempo, just blame him, you are playing in the correct one :)
That sounds like either you or the drummer are really bad at keeping time
Can you elaborate more? Why cant you play the intro without the tap tempo? Are you using some sort of delay? If it requires you to be ON the tempo then you can just dial it down. And it shouldn't really matter as long as it is close. If the drummer is WAYYY off tempo then that is the source of the problem. This means the entire song is off and I doubt ya would just ignore it without dealing with it? If the drummer is close to the tempo then the problem is indeed you.
@@Roger-il8iw picture this: songs only TH-cam links, sent on Thursday. No band--practice until an hour before service. Different key, and tempo. No arrangement by WL, no feedback, apart from my own in-ear arrangement by-passed from my pedals; I have created my own arrangement for both lead and second guitar which involves selecting effects and pick-ups between phrases. I play the guitar intro to 'Mighty to save', but without fold-back and a click, the bassist is out of time. I have attempted to tap-tempo my delay, but by now I'm too busy to adjust it, and so I end up not using my delay. I know an answer: find a better church band, but this is where I am for now. Just venting my frustration. Don't get personal, remember this is a Christian site.
@@chriscarter2101 I don't think any tech is going to help any of those problems you noted.
The poor drummers having the click rattle their heads 😅
click tracks are a must. i don’t like backing tracks especially when it’s overdone. i’m in the mind that if you need backing tracks, you probably should change the orchestration with whoever is playing or make it as simple as possible. that’s my opinion, I can understand why it’s widely used.
I also decided for the band I lead, that we *always* play with the click, except rare circumstances like vocal-lead traditional hymns or similar. If someone disagrees, well they can have an opinion, but I won't change my mind. The reason is, and I hate to say it, but majority of people I play with (in different bands) are half-decent volounteers, who play well but just can't stay in time without metronome, also sometimes we play without drummer or cajon and it gets worse. I know it's a crutch, but we need it, and it works, so whatever.
In the old days they used timbrals.
Ah I see… so worship happens at the end! Makes sense haha jk 😂
I can accept worship is kind of thing that doesn't have to be completey spontantious and tracks can be trigger so have some flexiblity. BUT the second I hear the false statement that tracks are "just a tool", my done with your arugment. It's a tool in the same way deceipt is a logical tool. Your standing up in front of people pretending your group can make all this noise that you are not making. And your sometimes forced into a script just like singing with track, you can indeed worship to it, but you have to follow exaclty what it does. Forget the false display of perfection and put yourself out there. Or sit down and play your expensive radio.
I think you didn’t watch the video. But thanks for the comment.
@@worshiptutorials Well I tried to until you presented the typcially poor logic of "it's just a tool", It's also just a radio doing the work.
Playing tight to a click is far better than totally destroying the moment with a train wreck. Not all worship team members are professional musicians. We need help especially with only one practice a week to work on the service. I’m sorry but church is a performance and a good performance will bring in the nonbelievers to hear the word.
Click tracks? It's worship not a show, and even the best bands I have seen never use a click track in their live performances. They can actually play good music live. I think CCM has been turned into something it should never have become, and its not even terribly scriptural at best these days.
So you’ve already made you your mind that every person/church that uses a click track is putting on a show? And you’re convinced that that’s the only outcome? That click track usage = show?
@@bmitchellmusic "Every person" is your expression, not mine. Also you should address the idea that I noted that all the live performances I have been to never needed a click track. So please rephrase your objection to reflect my comments rather than try to put words in my mouth.
@@guitarandgospelAll I did was ask questions for clarification as to what you mean. Your comment sounded like you are saying using a click tracks is only for shows. But your response to my questions tells me you aren’t here to engage but to be right. Have a good one ✌🏼
@@bmitchellmusic LOL, that's what I thought from reading your reply as it seemed like a very pointed question(s) with limited possible answers, sorry about that. Can you re-word your question?
@@guitarandgospel When you said 'Click tracks? It's worship not a show'. It sounds like you're saying its not worship if it has click tracks. You should probably elaborate on that more. And yes the best band with professional musicians versus your everyday volunteer
As a worship leader, I train my team to follow my hand signals. No need for click tracks - our drummer is our click. Also, if we don't have musicians to fill a spot, like drums, bass, pads, etc. we still worship with what we have. I think it's a bit sad to see young millennial worship leaders rely so much on tech. However, if you know your worship is authentic then make sure authenticity driven by pure worship is well above showmanship, and the need for "high production value."
Yay, some one else who realizes that the drummer is the click track. And that we worship with what we have, even if it's just ourselves as we sing walking down the road. To get the message across we need a Worship Drummer Keeps Time TikTok challenge LOL
Nothing is more anti worship than getting off rhythm. The devil hates click tracks lol
I’m sorry but this is just another slippery slope.
When you are in the matrix, you likely don’t not know you’re in the matrix.
If you are in the world but not of the world,you are a divergent.
Yes, it’s sad that churches are now these productions, creating experiences rather than truly using the truly gifted as a conduit for the Holy Spirit.
It’s so sad that you don’t even know what you’re actually part of.
Where do you think the Holy Spirit was more likely present, at a Charles Spurgeon service with a skilled, truly committed choir and musicians, or some mechanical production full of technology to help overcome the fact that we are so weak as supposed Christian people we can’t hold a standard and communicate it effectively and lovingly enough to end up with the excellence that God has given us the ability to reach?
It seems now that people are so desperate to be in the limelight even at church, but they jump right on board with these disastrous productions rather than making a stand.
I actually compared it to the slippery slope of abortion and where society has gotten to with it now .
The comparison is extreme, but if I didn’t know any better and was so willing to overlook the obvious to be in the limelight, I’d probably accept the idea that someone would be standing next to me and slapping me in the face the entire time I was worshiping and if I came into the church world where the face slapping was just there from beginning, then I suppose I would think nothing about it.
Church is not an experience, Church is not a production.
Church is the bride and is given to truly worship with true excellence and it is so unbelievably sad and so unbelievably obvious when you read the black and red parts of the Bible.
I don't have a problem with clicks, but the background tracks is my issue. Not that they don't allow the Holy Spirit to lead, but they represent to the church a deception. The deception that the music they are hearing is coming from those on the stage playing. Its like embellishing the true.....which is not the whole truth..... so then it is a lie.... OK I'm extremist, but then Jesus was too!