I’m talking about finding your musical voice, as an artist. And for me as a church musician, finding my voice to worship with the group I play with.
A lot of churches are emulating the most popular church groups right now, and it’s becoming more and more a case of not just playing their music, but sounding just like them as well.
To be honest, this is lazy of us. Of course we can just purchase a backing track and play along with it. But what about the musicians? We’re stuck learning someone else’s parts, and mimicing someone else’s sound.
The Church has embraced Worship Karaoke: even with the words on the screen.
Where’s My Voice?
Authentic worship is something that comes from deep within. It’s a strong, visceral reaction to who God is. As a musician, I’ve already got a lot to keep track of while we’re playing. It’s very difficult to really be absorbed in worship when I’m listening to a click track and trying to follow the leader’s chord changes, make sure our pads are playing correctly, and all sorts of other things.
I wrote recently about the authenticity of capturing actual musical performance, and I think that’s part of what’s missing from our services. The more detached we are from the source of worship, the more distant we are from God. I don’t doubt that the original artists were truly worshipping, but remixed and chopped up and synced to a click track, you lose most of that in translation. You’re not really playing along with the other musicians, you’re playing along with a recording.
I would encourage worship teams to spread out musically. Stop listening exclusively to Hillsong and Bethel. Listen to other genres, other church worship teams, and even worship services in other countries and languages. Make it a point to find out what kind of music your team musicians listen to and like. Learn what kind of music the congregation likes.
Then take all of those influences, and find a voice for your church’s worship that sounds like your church. Play songs they know, and mix in a few new ones, but do them in a style that fits how they worship. Nobody says you have to play Bethel’s songs the same way they do.
In our church, we play a lot of modern songs from Bethel and Hillsong. But a lot of times, I’ll play saxophone instead of playing the atmospheric guitar parts. And you know what? I get dozens of comments on how the congregation likes that sound, because it reminds them of the older music. And that’s okay.
Don’t be afraid to find our own voice. Seek after God, and figure out who you and your team are supposed to be. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into something some mega-church in California sounds like.
Find your own voice. Use it.