Need help with worship music.

[NikiB]

Our piano player is moving and we have no other musically talented members. There really isn't anyone that can lead to accompaniment music either. We are about to resort to just singing to cd's or videos like iworship

I'm the media director but I'm not well versed in music. Our song service was very traditional, mainly just hymns and a few contemporary songs. I want to create a library of mp3's that I can add as a soundrack in ProPresentor. I need to find songs that can easily be sung with. When I looked up a few hymns some of the artists made the song too much their own and it wouldn't really fit. Like, Leann Albrecht - Take my life and let it be. It's a beautiful song but its not really something a congregations used to traditional hymns can really sing.

Instrument wise we want nothing too heavy or could be considered rockish. Simplistic. Songs that focus more on the words with nice music. Nothing with a lot of instrument solos.

My tastes run with the more contemporary praise and worship so I'm struggling in finding songs. Personally I don't care for chorus singing and I don't know if its just me or if I shouldn't use that kind of music.

Some songs I have found are...
Paul Baloche - Your Name
Jadon Lavik - I surrender all
Chris Tomlin - Amazing Grace
Worship Tracks - In Christ Alone

But I'm hoping I can find a large collection of them that fit this type of song.

[musicianinthestates]

Jars of Clay has a CD called Redemption Songs, hymns and older songs that may fit your needs- I need thee every hour, it is well, nothing but the blood, they'll know we are christians...

Big Daddy Weave has redone Trust and Obey

Rich Mullins has a version of As the Deer

Don't be afraid to use more upbeat songs, I used to get a lot of flack for choosing too many slow songs. The service really does feel different with upbeat music, they leave more energized and uplifted. Just a thought, I think every song you listed was slow, as were all my suggestions.

[Robinskeys]

I was just on christianbook.com and happened to come across quite a few Hillsong CD trax that go along with most of their albums (with and without background vocals...) Most expensive one was $25 - which is pretty good for at least 10 accompaniment songs!

[Korg4god]

I know this might seem a bit pricy, but it's worth at least checking out. You could save the money from hiring musicians, etc.

http://www.qrsmusic.com/gulbransen/digital.asp?product=digital_hymnal


Just a thought,

J

[Smitty]

No other musically talented members?

Are you SURE about that?

I would ask...more than once.


Smitty

[WorshipFocus]

If you can afford to purchase all those Iworship videos and CD's you can most likely hire someone to lead the music.

[rocket955]

Our piano player is moving and we have no other musically talented members. There really isn't anyone that can lead to accompaniment music either. We are about to resort to just singing to cd's or videos like iworship

I'm the media director but I'm not well versed in music. Our song service was very traditional, mainly just hymns and a few contemporary songs. I want to create a library of mp3's that I can add as a soundrack in ProPresentor. I need to find songs that can easily be sung with. When I looked up a few hymns some of the artists made the song too much their own and it wouldn't really fit. Like, Leann Albrecht - Take my life and let it be. It's a beautiful song but its not really something a congregations used to traditional hymns can really sing.

Instrument wise we want nothing too heavy or could be considered rockish. Simplistic. Songs that focus more on the words with nice music. Nothing with a lot of instrument solos.

My tastes run with the more contemporary praise and worship so I'm struggling in finding songs. Personally I don't care for chorus singing and I don't know if its just me or if I shouldn't use that kind of music.

Some songs I have found are...
Paul Baloche - Your Name
Jadon Lavik - I surrender all
Chris Tomlin - Amazing Grace
Worship Tracks - In Christ Alone

But I'm hoping I can find a large collection of them that fit this type of song.

Acapella works well,I didn't like karaoke service the last time I went.

[mikeymo1741]

No other musically talented members?

Are you SURE about that?

I would ask...more than once.


Smitty

Double +1 on that.

We ran into the same issue a couple of years back - call it 2002 or so. We lost the drummer, guitar player and piano player within a year due to various reasons. (Moving, jobs, etc...) Basically, there was two singers, a bass player and a conga player and a bodran player (me).

We had a couple come in who did music lessons. What they would do was do group lessons on Saturdays. The guy taught guitar and drums, and the woman taught piano and voice. Very basic stuff, not very expensive. Two hour sessions each Saturday on each instrument. They were there for six weeks, then simply stopped coming.

But... out of those sessions we got two guitar players, a piano player and a drummer (me) plus several vocalists. For the musicians, those basics were enough of a spark to light a serious fire. I can honestly say that our entire worship ministry (and to some degree, our choir) grew out of those six weeks. Many of us continued our study, either privately or in school, but everything changed.

Sometimes people don't [I]know[/] what they're capable of until they are put to the test, or are given an opportunity.

[way2tyred]

We ran into the same issue a couple of years back - call it 2002 or so.

We had a couple come in who did music lessons. What they would do was do group lessons on Saturdays. The guy taught guitar and drums, and the woman taught piano and voice. Very basic stuff, not very expensive. Two hour sessions each Saturday on each instrument. They were there for six weeks, then simply stopped coming.

But... out of those sessions we got two guitar players, a piano player and a drummer (me) plus several vocalists. For the musicians, those basics were enough of a spark to light a serious fire. I can honestly say that our entire worship ministry (and to some degree, our choir) grew out of those six weeks. Many of us continued our study, either privately or in school, but everything changed.

Sometimes people don't [I]know[/] what they're capable of until they are put to the test, or are given an opportunity.



I third this (or whatever it is) The same thing happened to us, almost to the letter. Our WL left to start his own church and took with him all of our musicans and singers (wife, mother in law, couple close friends). We had NO ONE other than our sound guy who had ever even picked up a basic church band type of instrument (I play violin and we have a sax player). What we did have were some teenagers who were interested in learning. Sound guy (now music director) spent an intensive few weeks teaching drums, guitar, and bass to 3 teens and he took over keys.

They are really good now. Really good. One of them is preparing to go into music ministry. The music wasn't the best in the beginning. But a church is a family and everyone was able to overlook the mistakes and worship anyway.

[Korg4god]

If you're wanting private or group lessons don't forget I have a music school through my church and can teach online private or group. For more information you can check out my webpage at www.myspace.com/korg4god1

I have over 25 years of teaching experience and am working on my second music degree.

Just reply back or you can call me at 620-660-1899.

Jeff