writing songs for church

[Switch hitter]

well, talking with my worship leader, I found that though I can write decent music I am... lyrically inferior. However another member of the band is musically lacking, but lyrically very decent. So the worship leader is testing the both of us in our song writing abilities.

 

So far its going great, I wrote a verse chord progression, a chorus chord progression, a bridge and a melody, yaknow, just the skeleton of the song, I then pass it off to the lyricist, and she writes the lyrics, then she hands it back to me and I flesh it out, writing songs for all the instruments.

 

The thing is, I have to notice every members playing style and where they are in their music lives. For example, Our drummer has only been playing for maybe two years. Im not just about to hand him music that has five different odd time signatures on it. Also, the other bassist had an accident, so he can only play with one finger.

 

This whole experience is really an eye opener. Keeping everyone's playing ability in mind, trying to write a song that would make a good worship song. I hope the woship leader likes the song, It would be a kick to hear people singing along to a melody I wrote. Ill keep you posted on the progress!

[getz out]

Faith Plus One

[Ross Brown]

Hope it goes well! Let us know. I do well coming up with bass lines. Never mastered melodies. Just don't have that piece. I agree it would be cool to hear everyone singing your melody. Good luck!

[5 string Mike]

well, talking with my worship leader, I found that though I can write decent music I am... lyrically inferior. However another member of the band is musically lacking, but lyrically very decent. So the worship leader is testing the both of us in our song writing abilities.

 

So far its going great, I wrote a verse chord progression, a chorus chord progression, a bridge and a melody, yaknow, just the skeleton of the song, I then pass it off to the lyricist, and she writes the lyrics, then she hands it back to me and I flesh it out, writing songs for all the instruments.

 

The thing is, I have to notice every members playing style and where they are in their music lives. For example, Our drummer has only been playing for maybe two years. Im not just about to hand him music that has five different odd time signatures on it. Also, the other bassist had an accident, so he can only play with one finger.

 

This whole experience is really an eye opener. Keeping everyone's playing ability in mind, trying to write a song that would make a good worship song. I hope the woship leader likes the song, It would be a kick to hear people singing along to a melody I wrote. Ill keep you posted on the progress!

 

If you pray and seek out what God wants you to write, you will do fine. On the point of writing to everyone's limitations, don't worry about that. You need to write what God puts in your heart and in your head. The reason that I say that is because if God gave you the song to write and play in your church, he will give the others what it takes to make it hapen. For example, God is already doing it right now. Your lyrics are not your strong point, so he has provided someone to write lyrics. So your drummer has only been playing 2 years- Maybe he is ready for a challenge. Is your bass player's accident permanent? If not, he will heal in time. If it is, give him a chance to see what he can come up with.

 

My point is, don't sell yourself short by not writing what is in your head. And, don't sell others short by writing to their perceived shortcomings. They might surprise you. If you are in doubt, include them in the process. Give the drummer the basic rhythm, let him come up with something. Give the bass player the outline of the song, let him have a go at writing a bass line. Many many times, God works through teams and groups (many of the great works the Disciples did were when they were working as a team).

 

The reason for my little soap box sermon is because I see it week in and week out at church- 'The congregation will never get this song'- 'It's too [long, loud, fast, whatever]'- all of these other excuses and stumbling blocks we throw at ourselves and others for whatever reasons. I used to be like that, until I pushed myself to grow. A wise person once told me "Can't never did anything." And they were right. We keep telling ourselves that we can't learn this, they can't sing that, we can't take the time, we can't whatever.

 

Bottom line, a good worship song comes from prayer, what is in your heart, and Spiritual truth. The rest will fall into place, just have Faith.

[Switch hitter]

Thanks very much for that soapbox sermon 5string Thats exactly what I needed to hear. This sunday after church Im going to record the chord progression onto a good quality recorder, and give her the melody.

[TimR]

The reason for my little soap box sermon is because I see it week in and week out at church- 'The congregation will never get this song'- 'It's too [long, loud, fast, whatever]'- all of these other excuses and stumbling blocks we throw at ourselves and others for whatever reasons. I used to be like that, until I pushed myself to grow. A wise person once told me "Can't never did anything." And they were right. We keep telling ourselves that we can't learn this, they can't sing that, we can't take the time, we can't whatever.

 

Luckily this is only confined to worship bands and congregations and you would never see this situation develop in any other setting.....

 

Would you?

 

"Its what humans do best, take something that can't be done and then do it." - Jeremy Clarkson.

[Chad Thorne]

A wise person once told me "Can't never did anything."

"Success comes in cans. Failure comes in can'ts."

 

The only concern I ever keep in mind when picking songs for church is vocal range, trying to keep it where the majority of people will feel comfortable singing.

 

Otherwise: Last week we did a tune our pastor taught us. Don't know if it was this way originally or he just kinda "re-invented" it, but the chorus is in 4/4 and the verse turns out to be in 6/4. We musicians, who were thinking about it, took longer to adjust than the congregation did. This is not what I'd describe as a "musically hip" congregation by-and-large, but, boy, they'll hang with just about anything thrown at them as long as it glorifies the Lord (and is not too loud! ).

[5 string Mike]

... This is not what I'd describe as a "musically hip" congregation by-and-large, but, boy, they'll hang with just about anything thrown at them as long as it glorifies the Lord (and is not too loud! ).

 

Can't be too loud Interesting story- Last church I was at, there was a lot of turmoil on the Worship teams anyways, but the leaders didn't have a clue. One leader chose I Can Only Imagine- Great tune, right? She only wanted to do part of it, she thought the congregation couldn't handle it. It was the last song, the team did the one verse or whatever it was she wanted to do, her, her husband, and one other person stopped, grabbed their stands, started heading off the stage. One singer kept going, which the band jumped right in and kept going, the congregation kept going, this leader was rather dumbfounded. The ones the stopped finally joined back in. At the end, the congregation was cheering, everyone felt God did something.

 

I wasn't playing that week, but I was known to be one of the more vocal people in the group. I walked up to the stage, where the glow of the moment was still in full force, and said "There has been a great deal of discussion on what it means to have a Spirit-led Worship- That was Spirit-led Worship."

 

The band was grinning ear to ear, one of the singers came down and gave me a hug, God moved loud and clear. The leader, she kind of moped and pouted off the stage, mumbling something like 'I didn't think they could do it, I guess I was wrong'. She was more upset about not getting her way than what God did. Totally missed it.

 

I like to share that story because it reminds me that when we say God is in control, that also includes our Worship and music. 90% of the bickering and drama would stop if people would just let God be in control.

 

 

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

This whole experience is really an eye opener. Keeping everyone's playing ability in mind, trying to write a song that would make a good worship song. I hope the woship leader likes the song, It would be a kick to hear people singing along to a melody I wrote. Ill keep you posted on the progress!

 

Well, that's the part I like best about writing for a band, the arranging. People have different abilities and you have to cater to that. Someties singers can't hit the original key, or maybe the drummer is not up to what you'd expect. And sometimes that forces you into interesting situations where the instruments need to combine in ways that are not the standard. Maybe the bass can underpin a weak singer in a melody, or maybe the drums can be used as a colour instrument rather than as a time keeper and so on. It's fascinating stuff.

 

Beside the actual performing, I find the arrangement of music to be the most enjoyable thing.

 

[Gruuve]

I love arranging tunes, so keep at it! One quick note that no one has mentioned...a good song doesn't have to be a difficult song. Don't try to make it difficult just for music's sake...make it musical, for music's sake. Especially since you are just getting started with arranging, I'd say favor keeping it more on the simple side.

 

Dave

 

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

a good song doesn't have to be a difficult song.

 

I agree 100% My litmus test is "can you sing it under the shower?" If you CAN'T, then you really should chop some stuff off and make it simpler.

 

And it's not as if none of "the greats" haven't done the same thing. The bits that everyone remembers from, say, Beethoven, are the bits that you CAN hum to yourself (the chorale part in the 9th, the pastoral bit in the 6th, the "da-da-da-daaa" in the 5th, the slow bit in the 7th...).

[jlrush]

+1 for 5 string Mike's little pep talk. God chooses ordinary people to do His work, and He helps them to accomplish extraordinary things. He'll make it happen.

[Davo-London]

My Worship leader is going through a very rich and prolific stage of song writing. Alright she has a fantastic bassist and drummer in her band (did I really say that) but she worries about whether they are congregational and band-sympathetic later.

 

This I think is a good approach as some worship songs could be played during say communion, which could be done with just voice, voice and keys, voice and bass etc, and no congregation.

 

Be encouraged and press on. Think about what songs are in your repetoir and thus what theology is missing.

 

Davo

[Switch hitter]

actually I was praying and I felt God wanted me to start simple, and gradually move to more complex things. When I say simple, I mean every instrument remains in thier "Traditional" role, not alot of big music theory stuff, then move things around.

[Eric Iverson]

Yes, we do have to work around people's limitations, including our own. If people are willing to work, however, lots can be accomplished.

 

Music CAN be carefully arranged, but it doesn't NEED to be! One church I played at had tunes in both categories, and it was fine. Practice in reading tricky charts and in improvising, both! (Not endless solos, but playing things on the spur of the moment within the song; bouncing ideas off the sax player etc. We could have taken it a lot further, but unfortunately that gig came to an end.)

 

It was also fun, some of the time anyway, playing with the kids who were limited in their knowledge, but could play simple things well - just cause of their heart.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Yes, we do have to work around people's limitations, including our own. If people are willing to work, however, lots can be accomplished.

 

Music CAN be carefully arranged, but it doesn't NEED to be!

 

Well, sure. But IF your players are of wildly different abilities, careful arranging can save the day.