Part 4 How to Fix What You Hear An Effective and Efficient Rehearsal Needs a Warm-up The director sets the tone and pace for rehearsal with the warm-up. If there is no warm-up, that tone and pace take much longer to develop. It is also a great time to introduce key signatures or problematic rhythms […]
Part 3 – Working the Plan. How to Listen, and What to Listen For A couple of hypothetical rehearsal scenarios: A. Director leads the group through each piece, beginning to end with no stops. For pieces where there were problems, the director says that they should work on it. B. A group plays several measures […]
Have a Plan A large portion of confidence when leading a rehearsal is knowing what you need to accomplish, and having techniques prepared to help you get there (covered throughout the blog series). Orchestra seating/set-up A vital principle should be utilized in orchestra set-up. Louder/lower instruments should be in back, and softer/higher instruments in front. […]
Whatever else we do as church musicians, directors must know how to solve musical problems during rehearsals and help get our players ready for service music every 7 days or so. Over a series of several blogs, We will unpack the subject of leading rehearsals and deal with it in detail. Confident and Productive Rehearsals […]
Intonation – How and Why to Tune Your Players If you had 50 pianos (but why would you?) and you tune one, then the next one to the first one and continue that process, you will have many out of tune instruments as the process continues. The solution to the need for instruments to be […]
The Key to Successful Music Ministry While ministry is a reality which cannot be seen in and of itself – many evaluate the effectiveness of church music ministry by what can be observed with our senses: What we see – especially the numbers – bigger looks better. What we hear – studio quality sound is […]
Instrumental Groups – Growing Them, Involving Them in Worship Prayer is the key to motivation, attendance, personnel, finance, growth, etc. needs. Eph. 3:20, 21 – “God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”. Prayer gives us God’s power, presence, provision, and perspective. Psalm 33:3 – Skillful playing is biblical! Called servant or […]
WARM-UPS FOR YOUR INSTRUMENTAL GROUP – PART 1 – WHY? Jeff Cranfill How does your usual day begin – I mean what are the first things you do? Perhaps it goes something like this – you open your eyes, jump to your feet and run 5 miles. As difficult, harmful, and crazy as that seems, […]
ORCHESTRAS IN CHURCH MINISTRY TODAY From time to time I get involved in conversations about orchestras playing in worship services. Musical instruments are included as part of the worship services in many churches in many parts of the world, as they have been for decades. There are some people in these conversations who question if […]
