Drum Lingo – The Secret Ingredient That Your Worship Band May Be Missing

Communication is a funny thing.

For instance, you could say the same thing in multiple different ways with multiple different meanings.

Our verbal tone, punctuation, and at times body language speak on there own. And this is certainly true for musicians.

We sort of have our own language don’t we? We talk about builds and drops and dynamics. If you are a trained musician, then you have a leg up on the rest of us.

But for some of us weekend warriors, we’re just learning to fly. That’s why being able to communicate across the wide spectrum of musical knowledge is so important. We’re trying to speak a language that we may not be that comfortable with.

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What Worship Leaders and Musicians Can Learn from Stevie Ray Vaughan

It’s often been said that the Blues are the foundation of rock n’ roll

I love the blues, especially the older, slower tunes that you can lose yourself in. Recently I’ve been listening to the one and only Stevie Ray Vaughan and I came across a short clip that I thought was very poignant and relative to worship leaders and our bands.

Take a listen to what Stevie has to say…

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Easter’s Not Just Another Sunday

Listen, I get it.

As believer’s, as Christian’s we are to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus not just on Easter Sunday… but on every Sunday. In fact, we should be celebrating the hope of Easter every morning we wake up and every night we go to bed.

But Easter is a Big Deal

It’s a big deal for many reasons.

It is the day we set aside to historically celebrate the empty tomb of Christ.

It is the day we worship with our families.

It is the day we lavish our children with Easter baskets filled with toys and candy.

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What Worship Leaders Can Learn from the Fray’s National Anthem

Did you watch the NCAA National Championship?

More importantly, did you watch the pre game?

Okay, so many thought that the Fray’s rendition of the National Anthem was absolutely horrible.

I wasn’t one of them, although I did think it was a bit off. I can’t put my finger on it (the second guitar?) but something was off just a bit.

I like the Fray. I have their music. I believe in their message and melody.

But watching them somewhat struggle through the anthem and the immediate negative responses on twitter, Facebook, and the media got me thinking about worship. And worship leading.

For the most part, we as worship leader work hard at either copying the worship songs we’re using, or if we are feeling a little ambitious, we’ll try to come up with our own versions. Sometimes this works and at times it fails miserably.

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5 Ways to Own Your Time (and Not Let it Own You)

One thing my kids have taught me as I’ve gotten older, is that time only speeds up. I remember as a kid, days that seemed to last for weeks.

Now as a parent and pastor (and I’ll use the term ‘young adult’ sparingly) I’d kill to have an extra hour somewhere. Time flies by and if you are not careful, it can get away from you real quick.

Time management isn’t something that comes easily or naturally for me. And for most creatives, artists, and left brain people we have a hard enough time remembering what day it is, not to mention, how to manage our time.

If you aren’t the best at managing your time throughout the day or week, let me offer a few suggestions to get you started.

5 Ways to Own Your Time & Not Let Your Time Own You:

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The Secret to Engaging Worship – A Strong Melody

Great melody over great riffs is, to me, the secret of it all. -Steven Tyler

Mel-o-dy [mel-uh-dee] – musical sounds in agreeable succession or arrangement.

Melody is the foundation of worship. Without it, everything falls apart. Sure, a two part harmony can sound magnificent yet without the melody, it’s just empty.

I was reminded of this on a Sunday in January that I had scheduled off to worship with my family. As I was sitting in service, worshiping, we came to the ever popular repeating chorus. It was during this chorus, when Caleb my young college worship leader, started to sing a different melody.

And It Threw Me Off

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A Guidebook for Leading Fantastic Worship Rehearsals

Rehearsals are a strange thing. There’s no ‘right’ way to do them, however, there are a few key principles to keep in mind to make the most out of your time with your band.

If you struggle to lead a good rehearsal, don’t know where to start, or even if you are a seasoned veteran, I’d like to introduce you to my first ebook called ‘A Guidebook for Fantastic Worship Rehearsals.’ This is a very practical guide for taking your worship rehearsals from 1st gear to overdrive!

Writing out of my own personal experience and failures, the book is filled with practical steps to prepare and communicate with your team.

About the Book

After years of struggling through leading mediocre worship rehearsals, I’ve put together a guide based on years of experience, of what I believe are key elements in taking your team to the next level. You’ll find tips and suggestions on preparing yourself, preparing your team, and how to communicate clearly.

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