© www.musicademy.co.uk Andy Chamberlain Marie Page Click through to listen to an audio recording of this seminar. Worship for small groups
Nov 17, 2014
© www.musicademy.co.uk
Andy ChamberlainMarie Page
Click through to listen to an audio recording of this seminar.
Worship for small groups
© www.musicademy.co.uk
About Musicademy
• Musicademy
DVDs
Guitar, Vocals, Keys
Drums, Bass, Orchestral
BACKING TRACKS
• Worship Backing Band
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Homegroup Worship
• “The topic of worship is one of the most contentious and fervently debated issues in church life. Should we only be singing the latest songs or raising the rafters with the hymns that have stood the test of time? Do we cast our vote of approval when we hear the beat of the drum or inwardly groan when the chords are struck on the church organ?”
• Steve & Mandy Briars - Homegroups: The Authentic Guide
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Homegroup Worship
• “Worship in most homegroups is like a coal fire which is almost about to go out, lifeless with a few embers around the edges trying desperately to glow…..leaders struggle to know how to lead worship in small groups. You are trying to replicate the worship from your church fellowship meetings and it just doesn’t work.”
• Steve & Mandy Briars - Homegroups: The Authentic Guide
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Homegroup Worship
• QUESTION• What do you “do” for worship in your homegroups
currently?• What are the challenges?
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Context
• People arrive in dribs and drabs• People are late• Coffees need to be drunk• People need to say hello and
unwind a little• When we arrive at housegroup
we are often buzzing from the day
• Allow for some chat or an ice breaker then perhaps start with silence and meditation in order to encourage everyone to relax and clear their minds and focus on God.
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How to worship
• Does there have to be sung worship?
Other ideas:
• Meditation – a theme really helps, start with a clip from a wildlife DVD
• Reading from scripture
• Liturgy
• Prayers of praise and worship
• Celebrate communion
• Share testimonies and stories
• Read from a book or poem
• Listen to a piece of music
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Non musical worship
• Other 'sensory items' to focus on/feel/ smell, like flowers, pebbles, water, perfume
• A photograph• Read Psalms. Write your own as an exercise. Re-write a
Psalm in modern language.• Light a candle. Read a suitable scripture eg “I am the light of
the world”• Read from an inspiring book• Read from The Message or the Street Bible• Read from a poem• Listen to a CD
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Worship with Music- Challenges• There is nowhere to hide!
• Musicians – number/ability. Think “campfire” not 5-piece rock band
• Budget - (books/equipment/recordings/training)• Technology (Audio and Visual)• Songs!
House group sung worship
What are the things that go wrong?
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Songs
• Pick appropriately– Congregational– Key/range– Concepts/theology– Number of songs– Intimate lyrics– Are the words available? How about cue-ing?– Standing vs sitting
Things that go wrong
1. Speed
Often too fast – especially if nervous
think about the pace of the chorus
Choosing a song speed
Metronome app
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Things that go wrong
2. Pitch - too high or low
• The album or church key may not work for house group
• 3 semi tones lower – songs only move 3 semi tones
• Pitching songs without a musician - Pitch pipe app chord app
• List of song keys for CCLI Top 100 on the Musicademy Blog
• Do you really know the tune? Does your house group?
Things that go wrong
3. Rhythm – problems
• Some people find 3/4 time very difficult to pick up bars - not everything starts on beat 1
• People start singing too early
• Song slows down or speeds up
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Advice for musicians
1. Aim for an "unplugged" feel
2. Drop the key by at least a semi-tone because it's easier to sing more quietly
3. Speed up slightly because with a small group it tends to feel like it's dragging if sung at the same tempo as for a full church
4. Skip or shorten any instrumental breaks, and
5. Have plenty of dynamic and rhythmic variety
6. Cue the lyrics if you have no song sheets
Rhythm solutions
• Count in lyrical and beat cues
• Direct the rhythm – claps, subdivisions, drum machine
• Cue the lyrics – you don’t need to be a great singer to lead
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How do you do music without a musician?
Things that go wrong
4. Arrangement
• How many verses or repeat choruses?
• Chart out arrangement
Intros and Outros
Tips
Musicians
Put songs into easy to play keys
Use capo and transpose button
Guitarists – no bar chords
Strumming patterns and rhythms must line up with the songs vocal rhythm
Tips
Lyrics
• Lyric sheets – good or bad?
• Lyrics on TV screen – good or bad?
• 3 blog posts – advice for power point http://www.musicademy.com/2012/05/improving-your-projected-song-lyrics-part-3/
Old vs. New Songs
• Modern songs are more complex
Either go simple or prepare Chart out song structure if you need to
• Old songs are simpler
• Fresh vs. familiar
• Blog post - list of songs for small churcheshttp://www.musicademy.com/2010/04/ask-the-expert-master-song-list-for-use-in-small-churches/
Tips - Environment
• Think about
Lighting
Room size and space
Noise – Neighbours! Talk to them…
• We’re not trying to make an album
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Equipment
• What do you really need?
• Better (trained) people not better equipment
• Can you work with what you’ve got?
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More…
• Don’t just think singing…
• Spontaneity?
• Testimony
• Open praise
• Psalms
• Prayers
• Participants taking the lead?
• Creative ideas…
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Resources
• Worship backing band– DVD’s– MultiTrack
• Training (DVDs, lessons etc.)
• Time – practice makes better…
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For Further Information
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