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Last Published: 7/2/2008 12:51:00 PM

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church music

Asked by: debbie on April 12, 2007 at 2:08PM EST

I go to church where we have traditional music. but the young adult gr. does their own services and picks their own music during services run by them. One concern was when we tried to do worship songs on the projector that it didn't have notes and their not used to the music and how the songs go. any suggestions how to address it. thanks

(4) Answers

Answered by: Daniel Gow on April 12, 2007 8:15PM EST

Ok hi I do and have helped develope power point for my church and how we use it. As far as putting notes on the projectors. It is a ridiclues idea. We tried it and it proved to be to much of a hassle. Plus you want your keyboardist, guitarist, and any instrument players to be facing the audience. Now as for the the audience. You have to give them the option of the projecter and hymn books. In time they will get used to it. You can try scanning the notes from your books onto the power point slide or whatever you are using. But I am sure you will find it to be a hassle and much more confussing for people. However if you find away for it not be and easily done I would love to know it lol. I am being seriouse that would be helpful. But I dont think it can be done. So yeah thats my advice hope it helped. Let me know how it turns out. If you want I will share with you how we developed ours.

Answered by: Mr. Bob on April 13, 2007 12:30AM EST

I play in the worship band at our church and I use the following steps. 1. Burn a cd with the songs that I want them to learn and play it prior to the service while everyone is taking their seats and visiting. 2. Have the worship team perform one of the new songs, (with the words up on the screen). Next week do the same process but after singing the song once through, have the congregation join.
It is a slow process and I only introduce 1-2 songs a month but it works.

Answered by: theRide on April 17, 2007 1:55PM EST

Are you saying that your congregation can't follow the powerpoint slides because they are reading the actual music notes from there hymnals as cues to sing the song? Or, that your worship team is having trouble because they don't have the chords on the music to lead with?

If the congregation is relying on the notes in the hymnals to sing along with, then it will be a long (but worthwhile) process for them to also learn to follow the singing of a worship leader. It takes a while for a congregation to learn to look elsewhere (a powerpoint for ears, and a song leader for musical cues), however, if your congregation is already skilled at reading music then this shift should be rather natural. Learning to rely on your ears for cues rather than your eyes is also a very useful tool in congregational singing. Once they have both skills ( reading music and hearing music) just think how much more deep that spiritual song connection can be!

Answered by: debbie on April 19, 2007 10:55PM EST

thanks! I really appreciate your ideas. we have been doing more contemporary music at our Youth & young adult led services about 5 x a yr. for the past six yrs. so it is a slow process. the youth Young adults are the choir during this time and the only instrument used is piano. we've only used projector once, during the last time. but we have a guitarist that joined the gr. and others that want to learn instruments. I will definitely be trying the ideas you've mentioned and encouraging that its worked for you all. we have an awesome choir and quartet at our church but I know we have a lot of members that enjoy the contemporary music. we have our next service in mid-may. so am excited and will be sharing the ideas.