photo by Claudia Raya , Unsplash
“ worship leader ” would be the main person with a mic singing the melody of each song during the service .
As they lead , they might be unaware that many congregation members are unable or unwilling to sing the melody with them . When we choose song keys to suit one individual - the “ worship leader ” - it ’ s often the case that a high proportion of the congregation will be unable to sing along .
So during this Rehearsal / Workshop , I ’ m suggesting a different approach : Why don ’ t we explore the viability of having one key for each song that ’ s chosen for the congregation , rather than the several keys chosen for each different “ worship leader ”? A key that allows the melody of the song to fall from “ C to shining C ”?
And rather than having one leading , solo voice that ’ s sometimes supported by harmony singers , let ’ s hear how it sounds to have all our singers singing the melody together in male and female register ? We might “ break ” to harmonies , but only once the melody - in both male and female registers - is clearly established .
Once demonstrated in the Rehearsal / Workshop setting , this new approach is usually met with unanimous approval . We can all hear how much more inviting our sound is . How much more easily every member of our congregation will be able to join in . But every now and again , there might be one , two or even more female singers who are struggling with the higher notes in the melody . They are accustomed to singing the melody lower , or perhaps to only ever singing a lower harmony . They are probably altos who are used to using only their chest register .
STEP 1 - GET AWAY FROM THE CROWD Having discovered that one or more female singers are struggling around the C5 note , I relocate all the female singers away from the rest of the band for a short , separate vocal workshop . I ’ ll take my acoustic guitar and a capo .
STEP 2 - LISTEN I ask the struggling singer ( s ) to tell me in their own words what ’ s happening with those higher notes . I listen to what they say . I try my best to understand what they ’ re going through - feel what they ’ re feeling - and let them know that I am doing my best to do so .
STEP 3 - CONFESSION & SUGGESTION But I confess to them that I can ’ t truly know how they ’ re feeling . I am a guy after all . I can ’ t know what ’ s it ’ s really like to be a female singer ! Still , I explain that I am familiar with this situation