Creating the Best Rehearsal Experience

Ah, band rehearsal!

For some of you, it's a time to leave behind the cares of the workday and get creative; you look forward to being ENERGIZED and want to keep the music going! 

For others, it might be another item checked off a long list of to-dos—and it can be draining (especially if things go long without focus). 

These two groups of folks (and all those in between) will be represented equally in your worship team rehearsals. So how do you create a shared experience that serves everybody?

Be Concise

Now, I've observed hours and hours of rehearsal footage from worship teams across the country, and one of the biggest hold-ups they face comes from dragging things out with SO MANY unnecessary play-throughs, lengthy explanations, and the like. 

When you hear an issue, find a natural ending point to stop the band, and then go back and address the problem. And here's how you do it:

ISOLATE THE PROBLEM SPOT ONLY. 

I see so many worship leaders stop the band, give correction, and then run through the entire song again... and again... and again. (*sigh*)

This wastes precious time, and it can be frustrating for some members of the band to go through so many unnecessary repetitions to correct one or two measures. 

Be Clear

Another major issue that I see when watching rehearsals is that the leader only gives vague instructions. Here are usual phrases that are too general and vague:

• "Let's sing that in tune a bit better."

• "Let's tighten up the groove here."

• "Let's hit that lead line again."

Granted, you probably have musicians that can intuitively make the necessary adjustments, but many of your team members need a bit more clear direction to achieve the desired goal. Here are those phrases, but modified while also remaining concise:

• "Singers, let's be mindful of our breath support all the way through the phrase—if we start losing air, the pitch tends to drop."

• "Rhythm section, we might need to simplify what we're doing with this groove. Focus on accenting this part of the beat, and we'll all lock in together."

• "Let's run through that lead line one more time; would you like to review the notes?"

Be Nice

Sometimes, it's easy to come across as blunt and cold when trying to be clear and concise. Always sprinkle your correction and instruction with encouragement. Here are those phrases again, but with added positivity that will boost your team members' morale to rise to the occasion:

• "Singers, I'm loving how you're starting that phrase! Just be sure to keep good breath support to the end of the phrase so the pitch doesn't drop."

• "Rhythm section, I like how we're all hitting the top and end of this section together; all the 'big-picture' stuff is there! Let's maybe focus on these accents throughout so that we can lock in even tighter."

• "I love the tone and volume for that lead line; it's coming through nicely! Let's catch a couple of the notes so that we're all playing the same pitches together when we get to the spot."

The Takeaway

When you're clear, concise, and nice in your instruction to the team, here's what happens:

• You respect people's time by being efficient—no wasted energy or waiting around.

• You boost morale for your team through encouragement—no defensive postures provoked.

• You alleviate pressure from your more stressed members by giving them precise feedback—no guesswork.

If time allows, you can explore more creativity within the rehearsal by allowing members to take more liberties with their parts and make the set truly "their own." But if you cover these three key guidelines, you'll have a team that WANTS to make beautiful music for worship, and your bond strengthens all the more. 

Want to Be a Healthier Worship Leader? Then Check This Out.

It’s no secret that burnout affects worship leaders maybe more than any other ministry position. It’s estimated that the average worship leader only stays in a given position for about 2 years before moving onto a different church, or leaving ministry altogether.

For a long time, worship leaders didn’t have resources to deal with the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual fatigue.

But not anymore.

Now, the folks at Likewise Worship are standing in the gap for YOU 🫵 to make sure you are THRIVING in your role.

One of the best ways that you can get their tips is through their newsletter, “The Healthy Leader.” Within the words are tips and check-ins, that at least for myself, have been really helpful.

Click the button below if you want to get this help directly in your inbox.

Be blessed 👊✌️