Found this article on the internet and decided to post it out. Hope it will be helpful for you if you are in the P&W teams. God bless
Band Dynamics
In rehearsal situations….
Be punctual. It’s important. It’s an indicator of how much we respect the
other members of the band – both arriving on time, and ending on time.
Be receptive – the older we get, the more experienced we get the harder it
is to receive input. Don’t lose the joy of discovery. There are other ways of
doing what you’re doing. We’re all on a journey. This is worth noting if
you’re a band member of a leader.
Keep it simple – Often the individual members of the band are responsible
for doing most of the arranging of their particular part. A tendency when it’s
not working is to think that it needs something and so I better add
something. But typically it’s not what’s not being played that’s the problem.
It’s what IS being played that is the problem.
It’s not the notes you play – We don’t need to play all the way through
the song, or all the way through the set! Making space is just as important
if not more important than filling space. When was the last time you sat out
of a song?
The goal is ‘one’ – The band makes up a whole – and each member of
the band is a fraction of this whole. To make the whole work we each need
to play only a fraction of what’s being played.
Ultimately, the band is simply there to serve the congregation. If the band
is not needed, it need not play. The most fundamental instrument in our
worship is the voice, and as such the instruments are there to serve the
voice.
General tips…
Be a team – encourage one another. Very often what is happening
relationally in the group is reflected in the spiritual atmosphere of the
worship. Be followers of the leader.
Be a communicator. Assume nothing administratively or musically. If
you’re not sure what someone means when they nod their head at the end
of a verse ask them! Listen to each other musically.
Be a follower- keep your eye on the leader. Be willing to demonstrate
worship, but make sure you’re alert, especially during the changes in the
song, endings, intro’s, moments where it could go either way. Also, be
willing to communicate ideas during the creative process, but remember
ultimately the final decision rests with the leader. Whatever your opinion is
musically, back them up the best way you can.
Be a worshipper – look out for the ‘Just four more songs to go’ mentality.
Also, look out for the ‘that’s not what we did in practice’ mentality. Sort that
out later. Concentrate on worshipping.
Be a servant – is what I’m doing helping other people worship this morning,
or this evening?
Be physically prepared – lot of voices go through out heads on Sunday
mornings: ‘the sound in my monitor is terrible, I love you my child, gosh
Dave’s got a funny jumper on this morning, hey didn’t we go straight to the
second verse in the practise?… God do you think we should cut this next
song?... Wow! I can’t believe how people are worshipping… this is
amazing!!....? – Try and get a good night’s rest and a good meal before you
play. There are enough voices to think about without having to answer our
bodies demands for food and sleep as well.
Have fun! – let the saints be joyful in glory! Look out for taking all of this
too seriously. Remember the burden is light and the yoke is easy.
