After reading Part I of my Worship Tools series, my bass player, who plays with many other bands, suggested that the next episode focus on some of the aspects of leading a rehearsal. I touched on a few things in Part I, but we’re going to go deeper here. As a band leader, it’s your job to see the big picture of the song and of the set list. You are the one responsible to fine tune how each musician contributes to the music and adheres to the “100% Rule”; which I’ll explain in a bit. Lots to write about on this subject, so I’ll try to get through it quickly. And by the way, none of this stuff is rocket science, just a few things I’ve picked up over the years.
First things first, an efficient and effective rehearsal is directly linked to your preparation and your ability to lead and direct people. I’ll begin with preparation. I usually spend 10-15 hours during the week with the music in addition to rehearsal. That time is generally spent:
- Writing charts and arrangements.
- Listening and identifying parts of each instrument and picking out vocal parts. Knowing the song inside and out.
- Playing through each song multiple times start to finish.
- Creating tracks if desired for each song.
A few details on each:
Charts. I default to basic chord charts. If you want to have a growing base of volunteers, you need to play to a common denominator and most of the musicians you’ll meet don’t read music. In any case, your band needs good charts. The less experienced musician is in big trouble without them and the more experienced musician will be frustrated if they’re incomplete or difficult to follow. If you’re capoing, take the extra time to make charts for all the musicians who aren’t. Everyone should be able to look at the music they’re supposed to be playing. Include a “road map” at the bottom of the chart (i.e. Intro – V – CH – V2 – CH – BR – CH – inst. – CH x2 – Outro) The road map is incredibly helpful for each musician to know where the song is going while they play. Sometimes, I’ll include a set list with the road map under each song title for musicians who have memorized the music and just need to make a few notes. It’s also good to include the key, bpm and any other arrangement specific notes on your charts.
Listening. I can’t overstate the value here of simply listening to what’s going on in the music. Identify what’s happening with each instrument and how they’re working together to communicate the essence of the song. This understanding will be invaluable when rehearsing your band. As I said before, it’s your job to fine tune the band and vocals into a unit that functions and communicates as one. So take notes, listen for drum & bass grooves, keyboard parts, guitar parts, vocals, etc.
Play each song multiple times. I’ll play each song 3 – 5 times from start to finish before rehearsal to freshen up my chops, analyze how I’m executing my parts and alow room for inspiration – the way you play your parts should develop over time. For new songs, I’ll play them 10-20 times before rehearsal. That’s right, 10-20 times. It’s about muscle memory and repetition. For some, that may seem like a lot, but the difference between pros and pretenders is HUSTLE, not simply talent. Do yourself, your band and your church the service of putting in the time to do what you do well.
Tracks. We play each song to a click, which I’ll discuss in a later episode. You might be surprised to know that much of the music we listen to makes use of extra tracks to achieve in a live setting some of the sounds on the recording. Drum tracks, keys and other electronic sounds. The more instruments you have on stage, the less room there is in the mix for tracks. But, if you have a 3 or 4 piece band, there are a lot of things you can do to spice up your arrangements. For example: A few years ago, I was right by the monitor console at the Glasshouse watching Jimmy Eat World. They had a laptop plugged in running tracks from ProTools throughout the set. Drum loops, and electronic sounds, all very subtle, but with a huge impact on the live sound. When programming tracks, I’m going for that kind of subtle effect. Just some basics to underscore what’s happening on stage and add a little creativity beyond what we’re capable of live. If done right and mixed right, the band sounds bigger and more interesting. The most commonly used software for programming is Ableton, Reason, Logic and ProTools. I use Reason primarily, and ProTools secondarily. A good rule of thumb here: Less is more.
Before moving on, I want to say this: Whether you’re trying to match the recordings or forge new creative territory; there’s an important tension you need to keep. As I said before, your job as the band leader is to pick the songs, write the arrangements and fine tune how they are played. A good band leader will eventually craft a style or a “sound” for their band. However, you have musicians playing with you who each have skill, influences and experiences. These influences and experience can be road blocks to achieving unity. But, if harnessed, they can be critical to your success and up everyone’s game! The drummer who has spent time on the road can bring professionalism and presence to the stage. The seasoned vocalist can be instrumental in shaping the skills of others. The skilled music theorist can add great depth to your arrangements. And so on… Therefore, your task is ultimately to arrange songs in a way that expresses a unique style of your own, stays appropriately faithful to the intent of the songs and is a reflection of the players on stage.
It’s also very important to cultivate an environment of risk. Too often I see vocalists get embarrassed when they have trouble with their part. Instrumentalists, frustrated when they can’t play the groove. REHEARSAL IS THE PLACE WHERE YOUR SOUR NOTES ARE WELCOME! It has to be, if you want creativity to thrive. Your musicians need to be able to offer one another grace as they work out their parts. One of the best things you can do for your band is give them an environment where they feel the freedom to try things. I often remind my band “Rehearsal is the place for sour notes. Don’t be frustrated or embarrassed. The purpose of rehearsal is to get them all out here so we can relax and play well on stage!”
Ok, now here’s the quick and dirty on what is called The 100% Rule. Probably the most valuable thing I’ve learned about playing in a band! If you’ve spent any time leading a band, you’ve spent time encouraging musicians, even good ones, to “play less”, “not step on each other’s toes”, etc. Enter the 100% Rule. Like Texas Hold ‘Em, it takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master! Take the number of musicians on stage, divide that number into 100%. The answer is the amount of music each instrument is responsible for. Say, for example, you have drums, bass, two guitars and a keyboard. Five musicians divided into 100 means everyone is responsible for 20% of the music. That simple? Well, not quite. Those numbers aren’t static. In fact, they’re very dynamic. There’s give and take happening throughout the song. Peaks and valleys are created by the ebb and flow of what each instrument is doing. When vocals are present, each instrument needs to give way so as to compliment what is happening globally on stage. Someone takes a solo, the other instruments function so as to give that solo the spotlight. It’s not so much about playing less as it is about playing what’s right at any given moment. Examples. Listen to Sting, Mutemath and the David Crowder Band. U2 is also a great example of a 4 piece band using keyboard and drum tracks to fill out the mix. Here’s a great song by Mutemath, set up on youtube so that you can solo and mix all 6 parts: guitar, bass, drums, keys, lead vocal and backup vocals. Listen and mess around with it so see how each instrument sits in and out of the mix in order to compliment the song. Mutemath – Odd Soul
Finally, and this is a big one. PRACTICE MAKES BETTER. It’s not ever going to be perfect; but it can always get better. The reality is, we’re all charity cases in light of the truth of the Gospel. The very best we could ever bring is still flawed, because we are flawed. So, let’s be careful not to take ourselves too seriously. My philosophy is this: The last thing I want is for the band to feel pressure to perform or stress on stage. If that’s the case, then when things go wrong, our focus shifts away from God and onto ourselves. I’d rather put the pressure on during rehearsal, work hard, and then ENJOY our time together on stage, doing the best we can. We’re serving Christ and His bride the Church by leading people in worship of Jesus – it should be enjoyable! So, be diligent, work hard, then enjoy the fruit of your labor and engage God and his people as both servants and leaders!
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