Leaders, Singers, Vocal Team, Voice, Worship Leading
More Than Words (Show #3)
#MoreThanWords (Video Below)
Impatience walks over the church, patience let’s God sing through the church. Where are you over-stepping? Have you ever led a worship service where the vocals were too much in the way? I’m referring to the problem of over-singing. It can be like standing in a crowded room.
You’re either competing to be heard or competing to listen. Either way is not good for the church. In order for the congregation to hear and sing clearly, we need to bring better balance to the room by knowing our voices, knowing our space and knowing the song.
Knowing Your Voice
It’s not a competition. Many singers like to compete for the musical space. Contributing to a good vocal sound involves collaboration, not domination. Many new singers I work with are either too vocally shy or to vocally aggressive. Both may have great voices, but without knowing their voice and part, it can make that crowded room that much more awkward. Practice truly does help you improve from the imperfections. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen singers make is this one simple truth: know thy voice.
Developing awareness of what your voice can do and how it will contribute to the team is a big deal. Most singers just grab the microphone and rip-it. Much like a lead guitar player, they wail completely into the song, without yielding to others in the group. When you practice, use a recording device to hear yourself sing. You may not like it at first, but with practice, you’ll hear what you need to fix. As your with your vocal team, take a step back a listen to the group. Listen to how and where you can add to the sound – not take away.
It’s about making good musical decisions. Good choices can be made by volume, dynamic, tone, timbre and rhythm – all to create a good blend. [ctt template=”10″ link=”LIEY9″ via=”no” ]First, know your voice and what it can do. Learn to harness its power and use it wisely in reflection to the vocal team.[/ctt]
Knowing The Space
What are you doing in the spaces of the melody? Are you listening back to the band to help blend the voices? Knowing the room of the song, will also help you learn how to use the musical space. If the room is too crowded with people, furniture and etc, step out and get some air.
A good song should breathe anyway, not be stifled with busyness and over-activity. When this happens, the competition sets-in and people are fighting over volume. Try to not sing and listen first. If the band needs to lower the volume and/or play with better dynamic – fix it.
The band’s job is to support the vocal role, not the other way around. If you are a vocal team member, your job is to melodically support the lyric. However, it doesn’t mean you constantly sing every word.
You want to sing the right words and notes and the right time. Next, furnish the room with a few lyrics and notes. See how the vocal line can be clearly understood in the flow and over the band. Listen to how the vocals sit in the room. Again, not crowded, not every man/woman for themselves.
Like a good looking living room, make it open, spacious and livable for others to enjoy. [ctt template=”10″ link=”gVC1A” via=”no” ]Spiritually, give room for the Holy Spirit to speak through the song.[/ctt] Are you taking time to hear Him sing, or are you too focused on your part, your space, your song?
Know The Song
Knowing the song is 80% of the battle. The singing part is easy. Where singers go array is when they miss words, miss notes and continuity of the song. It’s not just memorizing alone, it’s understanding the context of the song. Learning about the song’s story will help guide your understanding to the message. As a by product, this will help you learn the words, but you first need to understand what the music is saying.
The song lyrics also serve s prayers for the people. They are messages from the heart to connect to God. We as singers, need to have this in mind for ourselves. We can’t lead others into the story, if we are not living it first. [ctt template=”10″ link=”8tpK2″ via=”no” ]Sing the message of God, tune into how the Spirit sings the lyrics.[/ctt] Listen to how the people respond to the words and vice-versa.
You will find more than just mere notes, you will find a story worth singing. Learn your songs well by knowing your voice, the space and the song. As you better live the words, the church will have a better influence to live and sing them too.
@BranonDempsey @worshiptt 
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