Some Thoughts

Hi Everyone,

Good practice on Thursday last week.  It was great to meet you all and I'm glad everyone was able to show up even though it might have been a bit short notice for some of you.  I'm looking forward to working/playing with you all this year.

Song Choices
Since our practice time together is limited, I'd like to mention a few things here.  Some of you were wondering if students could suggest songs to add to our set lists.  I'm totally open to this, in fact 'I Found a Love' was one of the student suggestions last year.  I need to warn you though, that while song suggestions will be considered, there is no guarantee that we will do them.  There are a variety of reasons why:

• There are 3 other school worship bands.  Some of them may be working on those same songs and we try not to overlap on songs if we can help it - unless it's an intentional decision.  I've already had a suggestion this year for 'Mighty to Save' and I know that Mr. Schneider's band is working on that one.  Again, that doesn't mean we won't do it, we may look at it later in the year.
• Songs that sound good recorded by professionals may not be so easy for us to get ready.  Things to keep in mind when considering a song for our band are:
• What is the vocal range of the song?  Several cool, fast Hillsong songs have a verse that start an octave lower in the first verse and then move an octave higher in the second verse and higher still in the chorus and bridge.  These can be a challenge for people to sing to.
• How technical is the piece for different instruments?  A song with cool drum parts might have guitar parts that are 'out of our league' (too many guitar parts, or too technical), or a bunch of sequenced keyboards (we don't use sequencers with our keyboards).  
• Does the song fit what what is happening in that week's Encounter?  If we know what the theme for an Encounter is in advance, we will try as best we can to line up our song set with that theme.  That may mean leaving our favourite polished song on the table for next time.

I understand the sentiment that students will be more likely motivated to practice and do well on songs they want to play - that's pretty much natural for everyone I think.  With God's help, I try the best I can to balance all the considerations above when deciding on a set list.   I've played for years in bands where I didn't get to make the song choices.  No doubt, it can be frustrating at times, but I came to a point where I realized that I was ultimately on that team to serve.  As my attitude changed, I began to understand that one of the marks of a truly good musician/singer is they can make a song sound good irrespective of whether they would have chosen to play it or not.

Teamwork
Working on a team can be gratifying or frustrating - it all depends on one's attitude.  As a software consultant I've worked on lots of teams outside of the music arena.  Many facets of an effective team are similar across disciplines.  Here's some things I've noticed about good teams:

• Teams are only as strong as their weakest member.  Practice is important.  The more familiar everyone is with the songs and their parts, the more we'll be able to focus on playing together and then moving onto new songs.  
• There is real power in preferring others to yourself and giving them the chance to succeed first.
• Encouragement is a great team builder...   so is food.
• Effective communication is essential.  How we speak to each other, and how we listen (not selectively but for understanding) is foundational.  Don't be afraid to ask questions - they open the door to real learning and understanding.