[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[WORSHIP] Re: Team signals
Maybe it's just an issue of experience, but most of the worship leaders I
work with just signal the basics. One signal means different things
depending on context. We generally do little free worship, so signals for
musical style or key changes are not really needed. Anytime a new (not
practiced) song comes up, the leader will just walk to the major musicians
(keyboard, guitar, bass) and tell them what's up verbally. Everyone else
is usually able to follow easily. We've got a book of chord sheets handy,
in case we need them.
One observation: hand signals can be easy to miss. Any band member who's
actually worshipping themselves, or happens to be "head down" or eyes
closed at the moment, misses it. And it needs to be unobtrusive, I think.
My personal favorite that one of our leaders uses is putting her foot back
as if she's about to step backwards, and holds it for a few seconds.
Generally everyone on stage picks it up in their peripheral vision. If
we're just getting into the song, it typically means "repeat the
<verse><chorus> we just played." Near the end, it means "tag it like we
practiced." After a tag, it means "okay, end it now." Kinda "one sign for
everything".
I suspect that, since most of the time a signal is only needed around the
end of a verse or chorus, it has limited possible meanings. Many other
needs can be communicated in between songs, etc.
It seems to me that we're not PERFORMING, as such, so minor flubs and
miscues are not a big problem. Our groups are not so wrapped up in
"performance" that missing a chord change or verse-to-chorus transition are
cause for major embarassment. And despite some really NASTY flubs from
time to time (really bad tempo, or wrong beat, or "Stop and start over
completely"), we've never had anyone complain. Maybe the congregation is
trained to be forgiving... (is it good that they're used to mistakes?
Hmmm. :-> )
--Brandon
- Visit the Worship Archives: Public domain lyrics and MIDI files -
-------- Brandon Munday (bmunday@eagle1.eaglenet.com) ------------
-------- http://www.eaglenet.com/bmunday/s_i_music.html -----------
Split Infinity Music PO Box 382 Great Mills, MD 20634 800-994-0382