Attention Composers! HolyMeasures.com Interviewed

In an earlier post, I described the new website HolyMeasures.com for music ministry composers.  It is a site where we can upload our sheet music that can be viewed and shared with other churches around the world.  For us composers, it is a free process.  For those downloading, a token fee is charged, and part of it is passed on to us.

After viewing the site and uploading a song, I still had some questions about the site and the team behind it.  Recently I had a chance to interview the founders of the site, Matt Wessel and Bryan Paull. 


Interview
MusicMinistryTips: There are other sites where one can upload music, but what makes HolyMeasures.com unique?

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Attention Composers! Review of HolyMeasures.com

I am quite excited about this post!  This one is for all the part-time worship music composers out there in music ministry.  This is for those of us that don't have professional songwriting contracts.  This is for those of us that have composed popular praise and worship songs at our churches and would like to share our them with the rest of the world.


I recently came across an article describing the purpose and motivations behind a new website: HolyMeasures.com.  It is described as a "Place for Independent Religious and Spiritual Sheet Music"


It is a site where we can upload our sheet music that can be viewed and shared with other churches around the world.  For us composers, it is a free process.  For those downloading, a token fee is charged, and part of it is passed on to us.

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Not to Us, O Lord

Today I thought I would throw out some food for thought as well as a bible verse pertaining to prayer before the first song is sung. Given all the effort that is instilled in music ministry such as song selection, setup in church, practice, and the inevitable last-minute-adjustments, the focus can easy become blurred. We may feel that the attention is on us.

Certainly, there is some attention that will be given to us. During live music, the congregation will naturally be curious about the music source. Without seeing the music group, it would feel eerily disembodied, wouldn’t it? In addition to this proverbial spotlight, in some churches there may be physical spotlights as well on the music group.

What are we to do with this attention? Redirect it.

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Our Most Embarrassing Moments...

Although we'd like to think we'll be flawless in front of the microphone, Mr. Murphy's law inevitably catches up with us!

When it happens to me, I quickly remind myself what a loving and forgiving God we have!

What is your most embarrassing moment in Music Ministry?

I recently asked this question to a forum of music ministers and here are a few of the mortifying tales.

Paul's Pickle
But, first here is my most embarrassing moment.

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The Dreaded Mixing Board!

"We can't hear any of the singers!"  "Um, I think I accidentally did something on the The Mixing Board."  At many small- and medium-sized churches these are perhaps some of the most feared words in Music Ministry.  Why?  It means that the dreaded mixer must be adjusted! 

This fear manifests itself in other seemingly innocuous ways.  Considering the churches I've played in the recent past, one music ministry has such a fear of the mixing board that no one is allowed to touch it.  A large sign is taped to the top pleading, "Do Not Touch!"  At another church, the mixer gathers dust in the darkness under lock and key.  It is never opened.  Early in its life it was cared for, calibrated and set by an "expert."  Now years later those settings are used for all the differing music groups from the choir to the contemporary band.  

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Music Ministry in an "App"?

Remember my earlier post about having affordable instruments in music ministry? It focused on mainly iPhone light percussion instruments "apps". It seems that in a short time, many other instruments are now available for a convenient price on the iPhone. Imagine a whole music ministry built upon iPhone instruments! This video blew me away!

Of course, this does not spell the end of the instrumentalist.  Note that the players are still picking "strings" and pressing "keys".  For a moment, one shakes his phone for an "egg" percussion sound.

The possibilities are amazing!  Could this be a vision to the future of music ministry on some level? 

Have you seen something similar?  Could this benefit your music ministry?

Related Posts
Holy Cowbell?!
Helpful Music Ministry Gadgets: Tuner App

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Playing Together: Dynamics Part II

This post continues the Dynamics theme from an earlier post.

Have you been a part of a music ministry where every instrument played on and throughout every song?  Have you noticed that each song somehow seems to sound like the other?  I have been in several bands like this.  This seems to be a tendency of many bands. But, honestly, I must be the first to admit that I have also been guilty of this from time to time!

Sometimes we can become fully engrossed in our own instrument and performing the music piece, that we don’t, in a manner of speaking, ‘hear’ the full picture.  This is certainly often true of music ministry groups without a designated music leader, but can also be true of groups with music leaders that are singers or instrumentalists as well.

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Welcome Sunday Musicians to Our New Home!

We certainly agree with Shakespeare that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet!  Welcome to our rose with a new name!  Welcome to those that have been following us at Sunday Musician.  Welcome to our new home.  Welcome to Music Ministry Tips!

Although under a new name, as you can see it has  the same great look and feel. The same thoughtful authors, Paul Schmitt and Lisa B. are still here with our years of music ministry background and experience. We will continue to share our thoughts, tips, and recommendations. We hope you continue to share yours by adding comments to our posts.

Above all, our goal continues to be to build a blog community of musicians who love to worship Our Lord, Jesus Christ, every moment, but especially at church in Music Ministry.

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May God Bless the Leaders of Song!

We fall under many labels.  We can be called Worship Leaders, Music Ministers, Youth Band Leader, Contemporary Band Leader, etc.  We lead the music in church.  We lead music ministry.  We lead the congregation in song and praise.

We have many jobs within our job.  Yes, we lead the music, but we also recruit musicians (always recruiting!), search songs, find songs, select songs, locate sheet music, learn and follow copyright law, arrange songs, organize very generous and dear volunteers, lead practice, foster musical teamwork, but above all we strive to motivate souls.

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All Tuned Up? Tuning Frequency

This is a fundamental subject for all music ministries, and is not one to be overlooked:

How often should we tune our instruments? 

Sometimes in the rush of setting up, organizing music, and practicing pieces this can go unnoticed and be forgotten even with the best of intentions.  How are we to “make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise”? Psalm 95:2

For us as church musicians, we might not see our instruments but once or twice a week.  For me I strive to tune my instruments every time I pick them up.  As we know a variety of factors can cause instruments to ‘drift’ from tune: temperature, humidity, string stretching, reed age and moisture.  Several of these factors can and will change from Sunday to Sunday resulting in pitch changes in our instruments.

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Which Microphone Is Best for You?

This post will be most helpful to the singers in music ministry and is a continuation of our series on "Getting to Know Your Microphone."

Ever notice that your voice sounds different when using different microphones?  One makes your voice muffled and flat while another, tinny.

Different mics response to your voice differently.  This is by design and is simply a reflection of the fact that there is no perfect mic for all occasions and uses.

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Helpful Music Ministry Gadgets: Tuner App

Again, let me begin this by saying that this church musician is not sponsored by any products or services.  If I see a product or service that seems to have great value for us in music ministry, then I genuinely mean it.

This one seems intuitively perfect for us.

I previously wrote about a light percussion program for popular smartphones.  This is another "app" for the iPhone.  That is Silicon Valley speak for another "program for a particular Apple smartphone called the iPhone."  It is called Cleartune Chromatic Tuner.  Yes, it simply turns a phone into a handy tuner.  Great idea, but how does it work?

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Prayerful Song: The Gift of Confidence

I am continuing a theme developed in some earlier posts about the importance of prayer before the first song is sung.  Gather the music group together in a circle and pray.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, it is an anxious time before that first song.  "What is that first song again?"  "Where is the music for it?"  "I’m not sure I practiced this tricky part enough."  It is important to refocus our attentions back onto what should be our main task: leading souls in prayerful song.  It is amazing what a simple prayer will do to help refocus the music ministry. 

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Singing In Sync

'N Sync?  No, this post is not about promoting American boybands in church! :)

It is all about tempo and its role in music ministry.  In an earlier post, I wrote about the importance of tempo in its job of keeping the music group together in sync.  In addition to this, tempo also plays an important role for the assembly or congregation.

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Wedding Woes and "Din Dingers"

I’ve written earlier about feedback, the high pitched noise or low pitched hum that occasionally arises from a hyper-sensitive sound system.  It inevitably and inconveniently arises its ugly head against us in music ministry who have a sound system, but no one overseeing it.  I’ve mentioned some ways to address possible feedback root causes and quick fixes, and here are a couple more, including a wedding story!

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Song Selection in Music Ministry

This is perhaps a post for the music ministry leaders.  How do you select songs for Sunday?  For many of us, the Service theme is selected for us and serves as a framework for the musical canvas.  Perhaps it is set by the readings for the day.  Perhaps it is set by the Pastor or Worship Team.  So, getting back to the blank canvas, how do you metaphorically select the brushes, paints, and painting style?  How do you select the perfect music?

Here is my thought process.

Intro or Opening.  I try to make this one upbeat.  After all, it is a joyful occasion that brings us here, no?  Since this is the opening song, the theme usually has not been set at this point.  So I’ll aim for themes such as Gathering, Community, God’s People, Coming to God’s Table, etc.

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Unfolding "Testing 1-2-3"

This post is a continuation of our series on "Getting to Know Your Microphone."
.
Ever hear that in the old movies? “Testing 1-2-3, Testing 1-2-3”. Or maybe you’ve heard some sound guys saying that repeatedly into every single microphone they could find. Why did they do that?



Well, this can be very practical for us as church musicians since this simple little phrase, uttered into a live microphone will provide volumes of information on the sound system.   How?

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Tempo: Its Important Role in Music Ministry

I would think most of us church musicians would know what tempo is, but what role would tempo play in supporting the art and beauty of worship and music ministry? 

Tempo has many jobs.  Perhaps the job most people think first is to keep the instruments and singers, in sync.  This can’t be understated.  How many church songs have you heard where the instruments and singers were not in line?  Often this is most apparent during intros, turn-arounds, tacets, and lengthy rests. 

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Prayerful Song: Refocus

I wrote in an earlier post about the importance of prayer before the first song is sung.  It is an anxious time before that first song.  Sometimes we think “Will people be impressed with my singing?”;  “Will they ask me for autographs afterward?”;   “Oh no! How do I look?!”  It is important to refocus our attentions back onto what should be our main task: leading souls in prayerful song.  It is amazing what a simple music ministry prayer will do to help refocus.


Within this prayer this also is a great time where I remind myself that this time is not about me, but it is about Him.  Admit it.  Sometimes we as musicians might get caught up in the American Idol or Rock Band culture and images, and feel that the spotlight is on us.  We have worked hard honing our talents, and practicing the melodies.  It is time to impress the judges and show how talented we are. 

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Microphone Technique for Church Singers: Cozy Up to the Mic!

Hope you had a wonderful and blessed Easter!  This post is a continuation of the music ministry tip of "Getting to Know Your Microphone."  

One of the most common mistakes I see in churches is the distance between the mouth and the microphone.  Often it is too far.  During the rush of gathering up, setting up, and rehearsal, the microphones are lost in the shuffle.  As long as they are there and turned on, that’s good enough, right?  Probably not.  If the distance is more than a few inches, the broadcast voice will sound distant, if at all.  The natural reaction is then to turn up the knobs on the sound system, quickly resulting in the dreaded feedback!

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Music Ministry Happy Easter!

Just a quick thought and prayer that you may have a very Happy and Blest Easter!
 
Many of us in music ministry will be practicing and playing a wide variety of music types this Easter Sunday.  As a reflection of the solemn moments of Christ’s passion, we’ll have several songs of a reflective, even mournful, style.  Additionally, to reflect the victory and elation of Christ’s resurrection from the dead we’ll have joyous hymns styled to be sung from the mountaintops!

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Holy Cowbell?!

Now let me start this by saying that in no way is this church musician being sponsored by any products.  If I mention a product, then I have truly found or perceive a benefit from it for music ministry.  And I think you’ll benefit from it as well.

If you are in a church that has a musical style that involves light percussion, this just might interest you.  It is called Cowbell Plus.  But don’t let the name scare you away.  This is an application (“app” for short) that runs on the iPhone.  Now I don’t have one of these phones, but this is one of the few iPhone apps that makes me envious of others that do.

What is it?

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Microphone in Music Ministry: Technique of Angle

One of the purposes of this site is to provide simple tips to help church musicians in music ministry sound better.   The microphone is probably the easiest place to start, and one with the biggest impact!  Few singers practice or even know about good microphone technique.  Good technique means good sound.  Good sound can translate to good worship.  And it is so simple!

Microphone Angle

Here is a technique that can be really useful in church. 

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Playing Together: Dynamics

Ah, this is a subject dear to my heart!  Where to start?  Yes, since this is such a lengthy subject, this will be the start of a series of posts on the music ministry discipline of playing together.

Dynamics.  Think of some of your favorite songs.  This post content should work for any type of music I know.  Picture one of these songs in your head.  Especially focus on the instruments.  Remember the beginning.  Now the middle.  Now the end.  If that doesn't work, try this during the next song you hear.

Was the same instrument playing throughout the song?  Likely there is more than one instrument.  Were all the instruments playing throughout the entire song?  No.  (If someone finds an exception, let me know!  And don’t go writing a bland song, just to prove me wrong!)  :)

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Why "Seventy times Seven"?

Why did I entitle an earlier post with "Part I of Seventy times Seven"?  Well, I truly believe that this first Music Ministry Tips blog post just scratches the surface! 

Just as God's mercy knows no bounds as we know from the bible, Church Music and Worship have seemingly countless aspects and dimensions for us to cover together.  From Song Selection to Song Arrangement.  From Playing Solo to Playing Together.  From "Getting to Know Your Microphone" to "How Do We Sound?".  From Practice to Prayerful Performance.  From "Composing a Musical Prayer" to Song Dynamics.  This site is all about Simple Tips for Music Ministry ... for Prayerful Song!

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Music Ministry Tips: Part I of Seventy times Seven

Welcome to Music Ministry Tips! As fellow church musicians, we hope you discover many simple tips and tricks for Prayerful Song!  

I thought I would start this site off with a subject dear to my heart: worship through Prayerful Song.


How beautiful is the gift of music? How much more beautiful is it then to return the gift as an offering of  worship? One of the Fathers of Christianity taught Qui cantat, bis orat, “to sing is to pray twice”. How honored are we, the music leaders and church musicians, to lead the assembly in song-full and soulful prayer?

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