Tips for Worship Leaders: Leading a Great Rehearsal

   

 
     If you lead worship at a church it's likely that you are also playing the role of "bandleader" as well.  Bandleaders typically select songs and give direction during rehearsal.  Although leading a congregation in worship may be your number one priority, learning to be a good bandleader should be as well.  I believe that rehearsals are key in cultivating preparedness, unity and confidence with your team. I've compiled a few things that I feel are most important to running an efficient and productive rehearsal. 

1.  Over Prepare

     How can you lead what you don't know?  Learn the songs your band is playing inside and out!  Understand the role of each instrument in each song.  This doesn't mean you have to micro-manage, but you have to be able to give instruction or guidance if necessary.  Set an example of the level of preparedness you expect of your team.  Know your part well (playing guitar, piano, or singing) so you can focus on giving direction to the group.  

2. Use Musical Terms

    Even if you don't have any formal training in music, you can still learn to speak the language of music.   Learn terminology that will help you to effectively communicate with everyone.  If you don't know terms, start looking them up.  If your team doesn't know terms, begin to teach them so you're all on the same page. Learn common terminology that is inherent to each instrument (a good place to start would be the drums), learn words that describe rhythms and dynamics, and also learn the Nashville Number system.   Learn from online resources, learn from your musical peers or your band members, don't be afraid to ask questions or make a mistake, and lastly, don't be afraid to sound like a nerd (you probably already are).  This one is very important and I plan on doing an entire post on this subject at some point. 

3. Show Up Early 

     Set an example for your team and always arrive early to setup.  Be ready to play before your rehearsal is supposed to start, this will show that you value your team's time and will also set a precedent for everyone as well.  Being early will allow you take your time to set up, feel less rushed or stressed, afford you extra time to rehearse and get to know your team some.  

4.  Know Your Team

     Find out the team's strengths and weaknesses both as a group and as individuals.  Some players may need rhythm charts, others may be fine with chord charts.  Some players may need encouragement often while others work best when they are given constructive criticism.  Some musicians are good at adapting on the fly and some play best with careful planning.  If you work with vocalists, know their vocal range and select songs that are appropriate for them.  It's your job to know what works best for everyone musically and what you'll need to focus on during rehearsal.   

5.  Clarify Everything

     Because you're the one who plans everything, it's easy to assume that everyone will know what's expected.    However, just because you thought it, doesn't mean others will know it.  We live in the age of constant and instant communication, SO PLEASE USE IT.  I've found it's best to over-clarify your expectations for Sunday morning.  Let everyone know what songs to work on as soon as you can, what time you want to start rehearsal, what time everyone can start showing up, how much time you have for rehearsal and what you want to accomplish.  Don't leave things to chance, instead, think through each song and each transition and find things that could be a source of confusion.  Communicate these things prior to your rehearsal as well so that everyone's on the same page when you plug in. 

6. Be Efficient

    Don't waste time on things that already work well, instead, focus on the things you know could be awkward or confusing during service.  Prioritize what needs to be rehearsed with the team and then communicate that to them.   Whether you work with proficient or less-than-proficient musicians, expect your players to be familiar with the songs prior to rehearsal so that it's simply a time of working out details and transitions (this is why it's important to communicate before you even get to rehearsal). 
Being efficient also allows you to accommodate unforeseen challenges that the band may face when working through a song or a transition.  

7.  Be a Team Builder

     Make sure that your rehearsals are a positive experience and not a source of anxiety for your players. There's nothing worse than going into a rehearsal and being unsure of what's expected.  Make sure your instruction and guidance builds people up and doesn't tear them down.  Give the team opportunities to get to know you and each other.  Ask for and be open to suggestions from everyone. Lead with humility and honesty while staying true to yourself.   Strive to be the leader that you would want to work with.  

         Leading rehearsals is a skill that takes practice and experience and I know I'm still learning every week.  I hope these things are helpful and please feel free to comment and discuss or drop me a line at thesamjones (at) gmail (dot) com