So today is creativity day. pull out your markers and construction paper, glue and scissors. Or not. There’s really not a whole lot to say here. I just really want to stress that you do not have to do the song exactly like the CD. We talked about this yesterday in terms of key, now let’s briefly touch song layout. If on the CD the form of the song goes verse, chorus, verse, verse, chorus, bridge, key change, new verse chorus, chorus, chorus, then maybe that’s not the most practical way to approach leading the song. Remember that many of these CD’s focus on the performance side of the music (even live CD’s).
So you need to think about length of song, ease of song and other things like key changes and solos that can be cut when you lead. If you listen to the song on a CD, and it’s 15 minutes long, it’s okay to shorten it up. Where? Here’s some ideas. If there are 5 verses to the song, it might be difficult for your group to digest that much in a worship setting. It’s okay to cut a verse or two. If there are verses that don’t’ make sense or you don’t understand, you can cut one of those. Solos. Really, I’m not a huge fan of solos in worship. I think they can fit, but not in a performance sense. If you can put in a solo without it being about showing off, then sure, you can do it. But it is something you can cut if need be. Key changes are good and can add variety, but if it’s not practical for you, or detracts from the song, then don’t worry about it. Remember, those are professional musicians doing professional music work. It’s not all really easy.
Adaptability is also an issue. You can’t always play the song as you plan it. There are things that pop up in a worhip setting that you can’t always predict. You need to be prepared to change mid song the layout of worship. That goes with understanding your surroundings. I think I already talked about that.
We’re gonna change tracks next time and talk a little about vocal care. Peace.
