I was pretty amazed when I first viewed this in a tute at Uni.
It’s a really fun composition that has been matched to an animation, this animation is based on balls being shot out of pipes at various instruments. And from what I can tell it looks pretty phsyically accurate. But what do I know, watch it for yourself and you will soon be able to see.
This was another cool video that I saw in a tute.
The Dallas Brass Band puts down their instruments and performs a piece called “Hands” with nothing but their bodies. It is a really funny piece of music and includes AMAZING coordination. This would have taken so much rehersal and I’m sure they hit each other a few times in practice. Watch it and be amazed.
This is a really cool YouTube video I was shown in a tute recently at Uni.
It’s a group called Naturally 7 performing a song called Wall of Sound.
7 guys sound like a full band. Awesome.
After my last rant I have 1 coherent thought to present to you now.
I think that a large part of song leading is enhancing emotions.
This means trying to make the emotional highs higher, and making the mellow times more mellow.
When singing praises to our great God, it is inevitable that emotions will come into it, we as humans have been made as emotional beings, and our love for God has an emotional aspect. And as a song leader, part of your job is to help enhance emotional connections, help lead the congregation, not just in singing, but lead them emotionally.
For example, if your congregation (and by your congregation, I do not mean a congregation that you own) is standing there barely singing with their hands in their pockets. Then you should not be jumping around stage clapping your hands. You should be smiling and engaging with eye contact so as to lift them emotionally. The people with their hands in their pocket are telling you that they do not want to participate right now, and you have to level them up if you want them clapping.
However, if you are in the middle of “Mighty to Save” and most of your congregation is engrossed in the song, then join them in this, slow the song down, add a few extra bars before you sing the chorus again, go. acapella. Enhance their emotions.
So there’s a thought. Less coherent than I thought it would be. Please let me know if you disagree or agree with these thoughts. And maybe something coherent can come out of it.
As a side thought, a song leader does not “control” the congregation as I have alluded to, but a song leader does have the power to enhance emotions.
Song leading is the act of leading the singing during a church service (or the like). That’s at least how I’ve come to view it, please correct me if I’m wrong. I’ve heard it called many things before, worship leader, praise leader, singer, but I think song leading is the best description.
I’ve had a number of experiences of song leading, ranging from a church service of 20 through to a SUEU conference of 170, and I’ve been thinking about song leading for a while. Asking questions like…
So basically I’ve got a whole lot of thoughts on song leading, and I’ve been trying to compress them into nuggets of information, but as of yet I have been unsuccessful, so… I’m just going to give it a go. Over the next while I’m going to be spewing out thoughts, and they probably wont be as coherent as what I normally write, but I’m hoping that through doing this I can think through what it means to song lead well.
Join me if you dare…
I was recently at a singing practice for Christmas Carols. It was awesome, Christmas Carols are awesome.
There is so much to be happy about at Christmas, like the fact that we are celebrating the God of this universe becoming a human! That’s pretty incredible!
During the practice, there was some debate as to the fact that the music we had apparently left out a verse of Silent Night. I was pretty oblivious to this, and had no idea what this verse was, despite the fact that I have sung Christmas carols my whole life. This made me realise that I don’t normally pay much attention to the lyrics of Christmas carols. And there are some pretty awesome lyrics. So I thought that I would have a look at some great carols, and reconnect with the lyrics.
Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
O morning stars together, Proclaim the holy birth, And praises sing to God the King, And Peace to men on earth.
Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ, the Saviour is born
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
It is amazing that God came to this world in human form! Let’s celebrate this Christmas!
P.S. You should read about Choosing Carols more Carefully over at sydneyanglicans.net
Here’s a bunch of videos advertising for this Friday’s Gig, it’s going to be amazing! Website here.
This Friday is going to be the biggest event of the year. Stop. Any year!
Live out LOUD is an event at the Entertainment Centre. It will be amazing.
The goal of LOUD is to
encourage Christian youth to have a faith that it is lived out daily and to connect with others by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ
Sounds pretty great to me!
Plus there are going to be two amazing bands. Revive. Who are returning from their touring in the US. And Qurious. I feel a certain connection to Qurious having been a member of the band until earlier this year (read this article to see me).
PLUS. Dave Miers will be MCing and Steve Chong will be speaking from God’s Word. Steve is an amazing speaker and I cant wait to see God work through him on the night.
It is going to be an amazing night!
If you haven’t gotten tickets, then you should here for $20. If you aren’t coming, please consider praying for the night, and asking that God will work in the hearts and minds of the teenagers there.
Ask me if you have any questions about the night, or if you want to help out by ushering or something like that (free tickets available).
