I recently "retired" from worship because I'm getting old and tired and couldn't keep up with the physical demands of worship (loading my equipment in and out of my vehicle, lugging it across the parking lot, up stairs, etc.). I had a good run, have played in a wide variety of churches both large and small, and would like to discuss a trend I see in churches (and secular music) that I think should be alarming to musicians, and that trend is the use of tracks. I started in worship when stage wedges were used for monitors and we had our amps onstage roaring away. It was a musician's delight but a soundman's disaster, but then the "silent stage" came to his rescue as the wedge monitors were replaced with in-ear monitors and the drummer was put in a "sneeze screen" cage. The in-ear monitors were troublesome but had the benefit of adding a "click track" metronome, and then vocal cues for song progression, so the gain outweighed the pain. Then the tracks started creeping in... It started with keyboard parts like pads or a symphony part that Pam on Piano couldn't pull off. It was subtle and only those of us onstage knew what was going on. But then I noticed in my last year of worship that entire instruments were being replaced. For example, Audrey on Acoustic may be a little off on her playing, so an acoustic guitar track would be inserted into the mains while Audrey's guitar track would still be running in her ears. I asked a pro musician about this and he said that he does the same thing with his band because "I need insurance against a drunk bass player". There are some channels here on YT where secular players are discussing this very trend taking place with live bands. One drummer tells a story where he was hired and literally told to just learn the parts so that he looks good playing because they're just inserting a drum track for the actual audio. This trend is troubling enough in the secular live music scene, but IMO it's a deal killer for worship. ALL worship musicians bring their talent and work to the stage as a gift to God, and to have it thrown in the audio trash can is abhorrent. You may as well just get young, good looking actors to do worship at this point. Thanks for hearing me out....
Your answer is very standard almost mechanical…and not addressing the issue in the first statement. What is the purpose of adding or allowing people on the worship team if they aren’t ‘there’ yet? Seems these folks are fillers and not essential. That would be frustrating for anyone being treated this way.
I am a Worship leader. I am valued by the church leadership. Ten years ago, I was asked to help out with their worship team. My family underwent membership etc. The church worship team prior to my coming in was so so. However, prior to my joining the group they knew that I have an extensive background in Music and performing arts. However, my goal is to help and raise others to take the baton. I've been pushing for this for years. At first the head of our department kept dragging their feet. The excuse is oh that person is not ready yet etc. But now, praise God, we have at least 4 new worship leaders and they're young and full of energy. So now, I told the head that I'm stepping down from the ministry until the end of the year. I had this urge to step down a long time ago but because of the need, I stayed. I believe that God can't release me and it's not nice to quit and leave the worship team grappling in the dark. Also, I have children and I just started a business that needs my attention. And btw I'm not young either. I've been giving out fillers for quite sometime that I'm retiring. My question is, why is it hard for the leadership to accept that I'm stepping down? Why can't they just accept my word and let me be? My family is not leaving the church!
I'm one of the guitarists at my church, often a regular on the team, and I am at this crossroads of retiring/stepping down. There's a few things on my mind that would take ages to type out, but i guess it has something to do with how the rest of the worship team has perceived me over the years. i dunno how to put it. It's like i put out an idea, everyone thinks it's too hard so we don't do it, then another person says another idea that is technically harder than the one i put out, and there was 0 backlash to that idea. i wouldn't be complaining if it was just one time or anything like that, but this has happened over the years i realize and whenever i bring the topic up, they say im just being delusional. i believed them because i thought i was just being narcissistic and had to improve how i perceived others and have more empathy. one rehearsal recently, i put an idea out there, it was challenging but nothing the team hasn't faced before, and it was shut down immediately. i was disheartened but i thought i still needed to believe that the problem was from me and i needed to improve still in learning how to communicate. i decided to test this theory out tho not a week later during another rehearsal. My drummer showed me this video of an opening to a song was we should do. I thought it was challenging but i said yes because i thought we could do it. i pitched the idea to the rest of the band, even linking the video before hand, and it was immediately shut down. they gave it a shot however, after i said that it was recommended by the drummer. so the problem was me, but in a different sense that i think im being perceived, or i feel like im being perceived in a different way. like my thoughts and feelings are being cancelled on the spot? i dunno how to describe it but it's an uneasy feeling. why should i try so hard to prepare then, when it's just going to get shut down anyways, and that if the same idea was thrown out there but said by a different person, that it would get accepted. it feels wrong. so that's way I'm considering retiring after the end of this year.
I commented on the original video and my thoughts haven't really changed - the uncomfortable truth is that people leave when treated poorly by others and not just leadership. Jealousy, envy, insecurity, people wanting things their way - these traits can make the environment toxic. As Christians it's okay to think we can be more organised and have vision and that will make things better, but frankly it's when people rail against change and progress when worship teams get so strained people walk away. Both those who have a negative attitude and should be stepping down, but sadly also those who try to raise standards and are met with a barrage of "no" and undermining behaviour.
I'm thinking to Leave my Worship team too Real Soon. I'm the Main vocalist in the team and The Acoustic guitar player as well . The problem is they never practice and comes when we gather for rehearsal. Only after we gather they're like - What are the Songs? What are the Chords? And they play so much unnecessary other ROCK Songs like Metallica , ACDC, IRON maiden etc 😅 I've talked with them about this but they don't listen . I'm leaving
I started sending songs out 2 weeks in advance recently. I used to do it early the week of but I came down with a bad enough flu that I just didn't have the mental capacity to put together the set list and realized that I NEEDED to plan ahead. Just cuz I'm sick doesn't mean my team is going to somehow be able to learn the songs in a day or two, they still need the list. So now I'm an extra week ahead and even if something like that happens again, my team still gets what they need in plenty of time.
The Worship Leader's Oath 1 - I will select songs that have a vocal range of less than one octave so that my congregation can sing them. 2 - I will change the keys of the songs so that the men in my congregation can sing them. 3 - I will not use the key of Eb. 4 - I will select songs with no more than 4 chords so that the instrumentalists can easily memorize them. 5 - I will not select "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs. 6 - I will not select "Jesus is my girlfriend" songs. 7 - I will not allow friends, family, teenagers or K-LOVE to influence my song choices. 8 - I will not embellish songs with "ooh", "aah", "woa", orgasmic groans or any other utterance that I don't expect the congregation to sing. 9 - I will not sport an "o-face" while performing in front of the congregation. 10 - I will not intentionally put the pretty musicians up front and the old, fat, bald, ugly musicians in the back. 11 - I will not replace my musicians with tracks. 12 - I will not make song changes on Saturday night. 13 - I will confirm that everyone got the rehearsal cancellation text. 14 - I will ensure that what was rehearsed on Thursday will be played on Sunday. 15 - I will be the first in and the last out at rehearsals and services. 16 - I will start rehearsals at the scheduled time. 17 - I will ensure that rehearsals last no longer than one hour. 18 - I will help the instrumentalists load in and out. 19 - I will not allow sheet music stands except during rehearsal. 21 - I will limit the sheet music to no more than two pages per song. 20 - I will replace minor seventh chords with minor chords. 22 - I will make the practice mp3s and sheet music available no less than 3 days before rehearsal. 23 - I will post practice mp3s and sheet music in the proper key. 24 - I will issue worship guidelines to my band and will set an example by personally adhering to those guidelines. 25 - I will serve God first, the congregation next, the band after that, and myself last.
You would be welcomed by a church desperate for sincere musicians. Leadership is lonely incredible faith needed. We used to dance. Music and flags And colours always in Harmony..just 1 or 2 attacks. BUT we got there+ Praise when you are feeling sad IS POWERFUL...from the ❤!
This is not related to the video, I am a worship leader and a woman, I have a lot of tattoos, but our church seemed conservative, I have it on my arms, so while holding the mic, it's sometimes exposed because my clothes arent all long sleeves 😅, anyone who feels bothered with their tattoos?
Pray togethet Worship leads the Battle, its only what Jesus thinks of you. Ephesians 6. You only have to please 1 JESUS. If you play in your appartment you may be surprised whom you bless. They shud not be on stage, at sidr like choirs. Not a performance. I thsnk you Lord for All Blessed to play an instrumrnt. Vos I cant, spend a lot of time praying for hurt people, so desperately need good worship. Respect the Snointing. Shabbat Shalom.
I recently "retired" from worship because I'm getting old and tired and couldn't keep up with the physical demands of worship (loading my equipment in and out of my vehicle, lugging it across the parking lot, up stairs, etc.). I had a good run, have played in a wide variety of churches both large and small, and would like to discuss a trend I see in churches (and secular music) that I think should be alarming to musicians, and that trend is the use of tracks.
I started in worship when stage wedges were used for monitors and we had our amps onstage roaring away. It was a musician's delight but a soundman's disaster, but then the "silent stage" came to his rescue as the wedge monitors were replaced with in-ear monitors and the drummer was put in a "sneeze screen" cage. The in-ear monitors were troublesome but had the benefit of adding a "click track" metronome, and then vocal cues for song progression, so the gain outweighed the pain.
Then the tracks started creeping in...
It started with keyboard parts like pads or a symphony part that Pam on Piano couldn't pull off. It was subtle and only those of us onstage knew what was going on. But then I noticed in my last year of worship that entire instruments were being replaced. For example, Audrey on Acoustic may be a little off on her playing, so an acoustic guitar track would be inserted into the mains while Audrey's guitar track would still be running in her ears. I asked a pro musician about this and he said that he does the same thing with his band because "I need insurance against a drunk bass player".
There are some channels here on YT where secular players are discussing this very trend taking place with live bands. One drummer tells a story where he was hired and literally told to just learn the parts so that he looks good playing because they're just inserting a drum track for the actual audio.
This trend is troubling enough in the secular live music scene, but IMO it's a deal killer for worship. ALL worship musicians bring their talent and work to the stage as a gift to God, and to have it thrown in the audio trash can is abhorrent. You may as well just get young, good looking actors to do worship at this point.
Thanks for hearing me out....
Your answer is very standard almost mechanical…and not addressing the issue in the first statement. What is the purpose of adding or allowing people on the worship team if they aren’t ‘there’ yet? Seems these folks are fillers and not essential. That would be frustrating for anyone being treated this way.
I am a Worship leader. I am valued by the church leadership. Ten years ago, I was asked to help out with their worship team. My family underwent membership etc. The church worship team prior to my coming in was so so. However, prior to my joining the group they knew that I have an extensive background in Music and performing arts. However, my goal is to help and raise others to take the baton. I've been pushing for this for years. At first the head of our department kept dragging their feet. The excuse is oh that person is not ready yet etc. But now, praise God, we have at least 4 new worship leaders and they're young and full of energy. So now, I told the head that I'm stepping down from the ministry until the end of the year. I had this urge to step down a long time ago but because of the need, I stayed. I believe that God can't release me and it's not nice to quit and leave the worship team grappling in the dark. Also, I have children and I just started a business that needs my attention. And btw I'm not young either. I've been giving out fillers for quite sometime that I'm retiring.
My question is, why is it hard for the leadership to accept that I'm stepping down? Why can't they just accept my word and let me be?
My family is not leaving the church!
I'm one of the guitarists at my church, often a regular on the team, and I am at this crossroads of retiring/stepping down. There's a few things on my mind that would take ages to type out, but i guess it has something to do with how the rest of the worship team has perceived me over the years. i dunno how to put it. It's like i put out an idea, everyone thinks it's too hard so we don't do it, then another person says another idea that is technically harder than the one i put out, and there was 0 backlash to that idea. i wouldn't be complaining if it was just one time or anything like that, but this has happened over the years i realize and whenever i bring the topic up, they say im just being delusional. i believed them because i thought i was just being narcissistic and had to improve how i perceived others and have more empathy. one rehearsal recently, i put an idea out there, it was challenging but nothing the team hasn't faced before, and it was shut down immediately. i was disheartened but i thought i still needed to believe that the problem was from me and i needed to improve still in learning how to communicate. i decided to test this theory out tho not a week later during another rehearsal. My drummer showed me this video of an opening to a song was we should do. I thought it was challenging but i said yes because i thought we could do it. i pitched the idea to the rest of the band, even linking the video before hand, and it was immediately shut down. they gave it a shot however, after i said that it was recommended by the drummer. so the problem was me, but in a different sense that i think im being perceived, or i feel like im being perceived in a different way. like my thoughts and feelings are being cancelled on the spot? i dunno how to describe it but it's an uneasy feeling. why should i try so hard to prepare then, when it's just going to get shut down anyways, and that if the same idea was thrown out there but said by a different person, that it would get accepted. it feels wrong. so that's way I'm considering retiring after the end of this year.
It's one thing, when a family moves away, why would there be an issue?
I commented on the original video and my thoughts haven't really changed - the uncomfortable truth is that people leave when treated poorly by others and not just leadership. Jealousy, envy, insecurity, people wanting things their way - these traits can make the environment toxic. As Christians it's okay to think we can be more organised and have vision and that will make things better, but frankly it's when people rail against change and progress when worship teams get so strained people walk away. Both those who have a negative attitude and should be stepping down, but sadly also those who try to raise standards and are met with a barrage of "no" and undermining behaviour.
Can I just encourage you. You are very good at what you are doing. God Bless
I appreciate it! Glad you're here! 👊
I just quit the worship team.
I'm thinking to Leave my Worship team too Real Soon.
I'm the Main vocalist in the team and The Acoustic guitar player as well .
The problem is they never practice and comes when we gather for rehearsal. Only after we gather they're like - What are the Songs? What are the Chords?
And they play so much unnecessary other ROCK Songs like Metallica , ACDC, IRON maiden etc 😅 I've talked with them about this but they don't listen . I'm leaving
I started sending songs out 2 weeks in advance recently. I used to do it early the week of but I came down with a bad enough flu that I just didn't have the mental capacity to put together the set list and realized that I NEEDED to plan ahead. Just cuz I'm sick doesn't mean my team is going to somehow be able to learn the songs in a day or two, they still need the list. So now I'm an extra week ahead and even if something like that happens again, my team still gets what they need in plenty of time.
Love it! Keep leading well 👊
The Worship Leader's Oath
1 - I will select songs that have a vocal range of less than one octave so that my congregation can sing them.
2 - I will change the keys of the songs so that the men in my congregation can sing them.
3 - I will not use the key of Eb.
4 - I will select songs with no more than 4 chords so that the instrumentalists can easily memorize them.
5 - I will not select "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs.
6 - I will not select "Jesus is my girlfriend" songs.
7 - I will not allow friends, family, teenagers or K-LOVE to influence my song choices.
8 - I will not embellish songs with "ooh", "aah", "woa", orgasmic groans or any other utterance that I don't expect the congregation to sing.
9 - I will not sport an "o-face" while performing in front of the congregation.
10 - I will not intentionally put the pretty musicians up front and the old, fat, bald, ugly musicians in the back.
11 - I will not replace my musicians with tracks.
12 - I will not make song changes on Saturday night.
13 - I will confirm that everyone got the rehearsal cancellation text.
14 - I will ensure that what was rehearsed on Thursday will be played on Sunday.
15 - I will be the first in and the last out at rehearsals and services.
16 - I will start rehearsals at the scheduled time.
17 - I will ensure that rehearsals last no longer than one hour.
18 - I will help the instrumentalists load in and out.
19 - I will not allow sheet music stands except during rehearsal.
21 - I will limit the sheet music to no more than two pages per song.
20 - I will replace minor seventh chords with minor chords.
22 - I will make the practice mp3s and sheet music available no less than 3 days before rehearsal.
23 - I will post practice mp3s and sheet music in the proper key.
24 - I will issue worship guidelines to my band and will set an example by personally adhering to those guidelines.
25 - I will serve God first, the congregation next, the band after that, and myself last.
Hmmmm thanks for doing this video
You would be welcomed by a church desperate for sincere musicians. Leadership is lonely incredible faith needed. We used to dance. Music and flags And colours always in Harmony..just 1 or 2 attacks. BUT we got there+ Praise when you are feeling sad IS POWERFUL...from the ❤!
This is not related to the video, I am a worship leader and a woman, I have a lot of tattoos, but our church seemed conservative, I have it on my arms, so while holding the mic, it's sometimes exposed because my clothes arent all long sleeves 😅, anyone who feels bothered with their tattoos?
Pray togethet Worship leads the Battle, its only what Jesus thinks of you. Ephesians 6. You only have to please 1 JESUS. If you play in your appartment you may be surprised whom you bless. They shud not be on stage, at sidr like choirs. Not a performance. I thsnk you Lord for All Blessed to play an instrumrnt. Vos I cant, spend a lot of time praying for hurt people, so desperately need good worship. Respect the Snointing. Shabbat Shalom.