KIDS WORSHIP
VARIATION ON THEME ( LIVE BAND VS . PRE-RECORDED MUSIC FOR KIDS ) | Yancy
There ’ s a question that will always come up in conversations with ministry leaders . Is it better to have a band with live music or use tracks ? I think often we see worship done with a band as the holy grail and all other options are lesser than . There are plenty of perks and advantages to having live music in your worship services . There are also many equipment , technology , schedule and most of all personnel needs that go right along with it . I want to encourage you today that if you ’ re not there yet , that is okay . You can still have meaningful and purposeful worship times for kids utilizing pre-recorded music . Stop thinking of the track as a disadvantage . I spend more time leading worship with tracks and lyric videos than I do with a live band these days . I believe I am still able to lead God ordained and anointed worship sets for kids . Keep praying and seeking Him as you plan out your worship sets . Study to know your songs , and arrangements so you can lead your group effectively through the songs . Creating engagement , reflection and encouraging postures of worship throughout . Remember to navigate the intros , outros , and instrumental breaks to make them work for you , not against you .
This summer while leading worship for various VBS and camps , I was reminded of something . Growing up my ballet teacher will introduce a new combination we were going to do and he ’ d say , “ Now variation on theme ”. It means that it ’ s something familiar , most likely using elements of the previous thing we did but with a few changes along the way . Mid-week I was able to introduce a remix version of one of my most popular songs . A true variation on theme . It ’ s the same melody and words of the song . The music and beat is what is the change . There are some updates and changes to the lyric video too . By using this song I ’ m able to create a moment of fun and even surprise but it ’ s not done at the cost of introducing something new that would be unknown . The risk of “ will they know this ? Will they like it and connect to it ?” isn ’ t there . I ’ m able to plan that arrangement in my worship set and it strengthen it . It ’ s fun , different , yet the same all at the same time .
A perk of live music is that you can change an arrangement on a whim . You can choose to just do the chorus and bridge one day . You can start the song with one instrument and then the band build in later in the song . You can start the song full band with a big intro . There ’ s variations , based on the day and what your sets needs , that you lead your band to play . Within these you ’ re not playing the same song exactly the same way every time . You get the perk of it being familiar but you ’ re using the song and its arrangement in the best way possible for that set . The great part of “ popular worship songs ” is there are usually many versions that get recorded of the same song . So even if you ’ re using tracks there ’ s ways you can do something similar . Find the same song by a different artist or resource company that sounds a little different . It provides a change and allows you to lead the song differently than the last twelve times you ’ ve sang it . You also could always edit down a track to be just the chorus and bridge if that ’ s what you really need . Make an edit in Garage Band or ProTools and even your video to match in iMovie . It ’ s possible .
If you still have that desire to add some live music into what you ’ re doing but you know a full band is a ways off , here ’ s an idea . Do one song with the 1-2 instruments you have now . Because up-tempo , fast songs really rely on the energy of the drumbeats and programming use your track for those . It ’ s next to impossible to have that kind of energy with just an acoustic guitar . But you could totally lead your slower worship song with just an acoustic or piano . You can carry the song without feeling like you ’ re missing the band . This can be a great way to start taking steps with what you have but most of all stewarding the worship time for your students well . Meeting their needs but leading them to experience God ’ s presence every time you gather .
© 2023 Yancy Ministries , Inc .
Yancy Yancy is a worship leader and songwriter for kids that travels the globe doing family concerts and training worship leaders . Every week her songs are used in thousands of churches around the world . Her Dove Award winning music is all the things kids love and everything adults value . Her popular worship resources include “ Little Praise Party ”, “ Kidmin Worship ” and “ Heartbeat Curriculum ”. Yancy created her first children ’ s musical for Lillenas Kids : “ Best Christmas Song Ever ”. She authored the book “ Sweet Sound : The Power of Discipling Kids in Worship ”. She lives with her husband and sons in Nashville , TN .
YancyMinistries . com
50 August 2023 Subscribe for Free ...