YOUTH WORSHIP TEAM
AWKWARD SILENCE (AND OTHER DISTRACTING THINGS) | Vance & Michelle Shepherd
I think most of us have been in a worship service opening worship song with no greeting, and all we can do in preparing powerful worshipful
that had some very awkward moments – I know the songs to follow proceeded with seconds of sets that people will be able to engage in.
we’ve been in too many to count! This month, dead time between songs (which seemed like two of our main keyboard players weren’t an eternity!), and general fumbling, long silences Here are some things that we’ve found helpful
available, as they have transitioned from and awkwardness from one song to the next. in smoothing out worship sets and having your
high school to jobs and college. So our And then to top it off, we get to the piano led team better prepared by Sunday:
younger students worked hard to rise up to the song, where the guitar player had to take off musical capability of those more experienced her guitar and go to the other side of the stage 1. At rehearsal, after the band has practiced
students. Our group class was held the night to the keyboard. While this was going on, there through the songs, have them run the set
before the event, which allows the students to was dead silence as the lead vocalist for the again exactly as if the service was happening
hear how their individual learned parts fit into song stood with her back to the congregation and the room is full of people. If players or
the bigger picture of the full band. watching the girl fumble in transitioning singers are transitioning to different locations
from guitar to keyboard as everyone looked or instruments, make sure and practice it! Even
One of the songs had a solo piano and lead on. I think I actually might have died a little a few seconds to transition feels like forever,
vocal for two minutes before the band came inside! and the band can then prepare to cover these
in, and the newer keyboard player was really
awkward moments musically.
struggling, making quite a few mistakes on the We have been mentoring these students for so 2. Train all your musicians and singers to be
chord changes. Luckily, we had a student that long on how to create smooth, worshipful sets, ready at all times to come in and eliminate any
has been with us for years and now plays both and this was not one of them. The following awkward silence with either patches that are
guitar and piano, and she knew the song well week we had our video lesson with each smooth and ambient, or a vocalist that can
enough on piano to cover it. A lot of time was student, to be able to look back at their worship speak and give meaning and context to the
then spent re-arranging musical parts (we set with a fresh set of eyes. It was very obvious next song.
had to now cover her guitar part), and this put to them how awkward the dead time and 3. Always video the worship set if possible, and
us behind on our regular scheduled routine, distractions were. We asked each student who have a group video class with your team to
so we didn’t have time to run the transitions their favorite artist was, and how they would feel review it. Ask for their input on how they could
between songs. On Sunday morning, we had if they attended one of their concerts and they be even smoother next time, creating a worship
just enough time to run through all the songs just walked out on stage without saying a word culture not of perfection, but of excellence.
and make some final tweaks to the music. We and started singing. And then between every have mentored our students to always think of song they stood there in silence waiting for the May you be blessed as you pour into the next
musical transitions, have a greeting prepared, band to start. They all agreed they wouldn't like generation of worship leaders!
a scripture ready, and also be ready to pad it at all, and that it would be really weird.
between songs for a smooth flow. Due to lack
of time to run these transitions in rehearsal, we As worship leaders and musicians, we don’t
hoped they would be prepared. want to be just singers and players of songs, we
want to lead people in worship of our King, and
Service kicked off, and they started their
62
transitions are one of the most important things
May 2019
Vance & Michelle Shepherd
Founders of The Shepherd School of Music in Las
Vegas, NV, where they work with youth to raise up the
next generation of worship leaders and musicians.
facebook.com/shepherdschoolofmusiclasvegas
www.ShepherdStudiosLV.com
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