Whether you fall into the category of recent music grad accepting your first church music job, part-time music department volunteer or "there's no one else to do the music" scenario, there will be a time that you have to put together a worship band. There are definitely challenges when forming and working with a band, but the payoff is more than worth the investment. In this article, we will share some ideas that we have found to be successful when trying to build a cohesive band.
Most of us working with worship bands realize that the musicians are made up of volunteers. (Thank God for people who are willing to give freely of their time in such a busy and fast paced society.) So one of our first challenges is trying to get everyone on the "same page" musically. It's always a good idea to find out as much as you can about the musical background of each of your musicians. How many year have they been playing? What style are they used to and comfortable with? Are they younger musicians with only a few months experience on their instrument? Knowing everyone's skill level will give you a sense of where to start and what type of songs you will be able to do.
A successful rehearsal is vital to a successful band. This statement cannot be stressed enough.
First, make sure the rehearsal night fits everyone's schedule.
People will have to miss practice from time to time due to real life situations, but make sure that overall they can be available for the time you set. Keep the practice within a reasonable time frame. An hour is the norm and most people can set aside 60 minutes during the week. Running rehearsals too long makes people not want to be involved and so does a leader who is unpleasant and critical. Be Christ-like in rehearsal. Remember God is the reason you are all working toward excellence. Never forget the key word here-volunteers
!God...
