Our youth worship team has been playing together for several years. Over that time we have spent periods of time when we did not play at all. We have spent times where we were leading fairly often. We had picked up songs, learned new ones, tried new ones here or there. We had a collection of a few songs we really knew, a lot of songs we sort of new, and a few songs we wanted to know.
This spring we have several opportunities to lead worship. I felt it important for us to really lock in on a set of songs that we were comfortable with, knew well, and could lead easily. I went through our music and picked out around thirty songs, put them in binders and passed them out to the group.
Over the past three rehearsals we have been playing through the songbook. We started at the beginning and played song after song, in order, once or twice through. This was not a time that we worked out specifics, or rehearsed sections. We simply played.
Through this experience we learned a few things:
1. What We Know:
There are about ten songs we can play with our eyes closed, on the spur of the moment, with no rehearsal or reminder necessary. These are our “go to” songs. They sound awesome the first time we play them. Everyone remembers them, and plays them well.
2. What We need To Work On:
There are about 10-15 songs that we sort of know, and with just a little work or reminder sound pretty good. We still need music for these, and they need a little polish. But with just one rehearsal they will be ready for use in a worship service. I know these, because the first time through, they are a little rough, but sound good the second time through
3. What We Need To Practice:
When we play through, there are some songs that we really want to sound good, but are not there yet. It may be that we have not done them enough, they are too new, or that they are more difficult. For whatever reason, they need some individual and group time spent working on them. I know these, because we can barely make them through without stops, or do not make it through them at all.
4. What We Need to Drop:
There are some songs that, for whatever reason, need a rest. These may be ones that we “try out” but do not fit the group, or are too much for us to do at the time. Maybe they have just become worn out. Sometimes these need a permanent burial, but most often just a rest for a few months can be enough. When we start playing it and I see eyes roll, or hear groans and complains, maybe we need to set these aside for a little while.
As we play through I’ll make notes as to where each song falls. Since we have a worship service coming up in 2 weeks that we are leading for, and we’ll have a few rehearsals before then, I’ll choose probably 5 from our “we know” group and 3 from our “we need to work on” groups. We’ll work on those we do not work well when we have some downtime.
What about you? How many songs does your group know? How do you evaluate the songs you do?