Sounding Good as a Worship Team and as a Band

1) Don't play/sing all the time. "But Rich, that's what I'm here for." No you're not, you are here to contribute to the atmosphere of worship as a pleasing offering to the Lord. Good music has variety. Everyone doing their thing all the time is not variety.

2) Don't start singing after a missed entrance. It sounds bad for a vocalist to make an entrance after a texture has been established. Wait for a sentence, verse, or phrase to finish before singing again.

3) Don't play all the solo fills. Sometimes, don’t play a solo fill at all. Why? First, there are others who want to play an occasional fill. Second, it sounds bad to have one instrument playing every fill. Third, it sounds bad to have a solo fill in every spot. Fourth, solo fills should not be played while someone is singing.

4) Don't sing everything in harmony. Let the worship leader sing a whole verse by him/herself once in a while. The worship leader also should allow others to carry a verse or even an entire song. Depending on the song, and also the context, it may be better to have a) a single solo voice, b) two or more unison voices, c) a solo with a single harmony by a vocalist of the same gender or opposite gender, d) several voices in octaves, e) full harmony that follows the lead, f) harmony, unison, or octaves singing a contrasting melodic line, or g) singing oo, ah, etc..

5) Select the right harmony register (The perscriptions below are general. Context, mood, and style can vary):

a) Female worship leader: If there are only women singing, the harmony ought to be only a soprano above and an alto below. No singer should double the melody in a women-only harmony, unless it’s all unison. If men are singing harmony, too, then the men should be above the lead line. No baritones, please.

b) Male worship leader - tenor and alto harmony best. Please, no high sopranos. Occasional bass OK in right context. Females occasionally duplicating the melody is OK, but sing it straight with no ornamentation or vibrato. Lone tenor harmony alone with the worship leader is a really nice sound in certain contexts.

Certain notes can be omitted, and some need to be avoided in harmony singing. the 7th on the V chord generally should not be sung, except hymns and bluesy gospel. The 3rd can be omitted in two voice harmonies to create an "open" sound, but the harmony should be above the melody. Add the 2nd on I, IV, or V chords on occasion to create harmonic tension. If the melody note is not part of the chord, the harmony needs to be worked out so that the tension of the melody note is not obscured. Someone should sing the 7th on minor chords when called for on the lead sheet.

6) Listen to each other's playing and follow each other: If the worship leader is trying to take the band to a certain style or mood, play in character. If the drummer is building, follow him. If the band is growing quiet, stop singing, or drop out of harmony and into unison, or fade out completely. 

7) Change the texture of the sound. The same thing over and over is tiring to the ear. The same harmonies, even if they're right in tune and perfectly balanced, do not sound good after being endlessly repeated. Change the combination of instruments. Change the rhythmic pattern to add interest. Drop out some instruments.

8) Use dynamics. There is nothing worse than a song that never changes dynamics, especially a boisterous, up tempo song. All music benefits by contrasts.

9) Use silence. One of the most effective techniques in music is to stop playin for a few beats. The listeners are drawn in by counting time during the stop, and this allows the ear to catch up and the attention to be rebooted. Gaps in playing create audio spaces. Even if there are no planned stops for the entire band, leaving spaces in your playing will allow other instruments to come through, changing the texture.

10) Play fewer notes. This might seem counter-intuitive, but some of the best players in the world can wow you with a only single, exquisitely placed note. Too many notes creates an audio blur, kind of like a wall of sound. There is no audio transparency, and the ear gets tired.

11) Watch the vibrato! For the most part, only the leads should use vibrato, and only sparingly. The background vocalist should rarely use vibrato, if at all.

12) Don't play an entire song. Pick your spots. Have a musical conversation. Stop and hear what others are doing in the band.

13) Sing in tune. Singing flat is usually the biggest problem. Sing a lot with other singers, do not scoop notes, and do not sing when tired or when your voice is strained. This will all contribute to better tuning. Use air to make your sound, not the throat. Open your mouth wider than you think you need to. Fill up with air (bottom to top) before singing.

14) Drummers, play crisply. This doesn't mean playing louder or hitting the drums harder. It means playing squarely in the pocket. It means that the durations of your notes are short. Drummers set the tone for the music more than any other musician. Choose your spots for fills. Keep your playing simple so that the rest of the band has a solid beat to follow.

15) Band, play crisply. Play right on top of the beat, don't rush. Drummers must be followed closely. Let your playing complement the drummer.

16) Singers, sing crisply. Attacks and releases must be rehearsed. Consonants must be pronounced. Vowel shapes must be uniform. Pronunciations of words must agree (alleluia vs. hallelujah, for example). Overemphasize pronunciations to improve clarity.

17) Other Issues: The foundation for the band is provided by the drums and bass. Their styles must agree with and complement each other. On top of that is the rhythm electric guitar and/or "rhythm" piano or organ. This style of playing is the laying down of rhythmic chord patterns. There should not be more than one rhythm player playing at one time, unless the two are listening to each other VERY carefully. Otherwise, thick or muddy sound will result with rhythmic conflicts.

On top of that are the lead guitar/lead piano. These instruments should pick their spots to play lead and play off each other. This way the music is kept simple and listenable. The piano should chop of his left hand, i.e., don't play bass notes.

The vocals are next. The vocals are the featured part of the band. Everything else is a support role. The vocals communicate the message of praise and worship. The vocals are the center of attention. All other instruments must design their playing style to facilitate the vocals.

18) Worship: Worship is the offering made unto God Almighty by His people. It is not a feeling, an activity, a song, or a church service. It is the speaking and singing of praise; the recitation of His attributes and mighty deeds; the silence that comes from wonder, awe, and holy fear, or the great love we have for Him; the speaking or singing of thanksgiving; the obedience to Him that comes from becoming familiar with His presence and Word: the expression through words, song, or meditation on the greatness of our God.

This is what is needed in our hearts, our families, and our church. It is the cry of all of creation. We are partaking in a marvelous, cosmic harmony of praise to Him who is seated upon the Throne. We come into agreement with the heavenly song that rings through the heavenlies, and harmony with the hosts of heaven.

Hey, if the angel Michael is singing bass, and David has his lyre, and the four living creatures never cease to sing "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come, and the twenty four elders are singing, " You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor, and power.....," what should be our attitude regarding worship? I tell you, I'm joining in, and invite you to do the same as skillful musicians.