Some assembly required

One of the most helpful things I have learned over the years as a music director and liturgical musician is to listen to your assembly.  Yes, this means listen to their comments, their input, and their opinions, but more importantly (I think) how are they singing?

Maybe I'm wrong - argue with me if you want - but that is really how I gauge the 'success' of what I am doing as both a music director and a liturgical musician. To me, that's my goal.

If you are playing in a wedding band, that's not your goal. Instead, you want to see people on the dance floor having a great time, totally into what you are playing.

If you sing in theatre, that's not your goal. Instead, you want to portray the music and character well so it fits dramatically into what is happening within the story on stage.

If you are a classical musician or soloist, that's not your goal. Rather, you want to give your best performance of a classical masterpiece, interpreting the music in your own style, but still keeping within the traditions of the music.

In church...in liturgy...my goal has always been to 'engage' the assembly. (I know some of my critics tire of the word 'engage,' but the term works well for me.)  Most of the time, maybe 95% or so, that means 'get them singing.'  It can also mean engaging them as a listener...focusing on the music and text of a piece of sacred music by not singing. Maybe the music is performed by a schola or soloist. But that is not the norm in my parish. Almost everything we do, vocally, includes the assembly.

So, how can you tell, I mean REALLY tell if they are singing?  I know that, seated in the music area, I get quite an earful of the instrumentation and singers who are leading the music. Unless we are in a quiet section of a song, or a 'breakdown' section, it's more difficult to hear much of anything else.

Don't listen to what is coming off of the soundboard

So often, when a band wants to hear what they sound like, they will run a line out of the soundboard and into some type of recorder. The result is usually a pretty 'dry and brutal' recording of the music. You are only hearing what is coming through the channels on the board. You're not getting any sense of what it sounds like to the people in the pews...or what they sound like.  EVERYthing stands out: wrong notes, wrong chords, pitchy-ness in the vocals...everything. It's often depressing!

Instead, try this: take two choir mics (condensers work best) and set them up so they are toward the rear of the church, and pretty high up. We hang ours over the balcony and it works well.  If you had to put them on mic stands and raise them as high as they could go, that'd work, too. Then, run these mics into some type of a recorder. There are tons of mp3 recorders out there that are pretty inexpensive. Pan one to the left and the other to the right. (stereo) At the beginning of Mass, turn on the recorder and let it roll the whole time. Afterwards, you will be able to listen to what it sounds like in the room...what it sounds like to the assembly.  You will also hear them singing...or not!

Some mp3 recorders come with a built-in set of stero mics. This can work great as well! Just set it up high in the back somewhere and let it run.

When we started webcasting at our parish it was really important to me that we didn't run a 'dry' signal from the board to the internet. It just wouldn't be a true representation of what we are doing. Listen to some of the videos I have posted on this blog. These are from our weekly webcast. The mics are hanging in the back of the church. They are being recorded onto Ustream without any other post-production.  Sure, sometimes you can't hear something that is being spoken as clearly, but it seems to work great for evaluating the music...and the singing.

Some videos to listen to: (used for various topics on this blog)

 

 

February 17, 2013 – 1st Sunday of Lent

(These songs are off of my planning notes for this particular Sunday, which means I am strongly considering using them on these days. After each title I’ve added some thoughts to consider.)

(Click on titles for links to their respective pages.)

40 Days by Matt Maher (spiritandsong.com) - as the name would suggest, this is a great song for the season of Lent. The refrain speaks of "the desert of tempation," very fitting for today's gospel reading. A good medium-fast tempo song, sometimes hard to find for this season. (From the CD Welcome to Life)
Suggested use: Offerotry/Song of Preparation, Dismissal/Song of Thanksgiving


Be With Me, Lord by John Angotti (WLP) - from John's liturgical collection "Joy Beyond Our Dreams" this is a beautiful setting of Psalm 91. Using the minor key in the refrain really gives it that "lenten" sound. Plenty of choir parts to go around if you want to fill it out, or it can be done by one or two voices.  (From the CD Joy Beyond Our Dreams)
Suggested use: Responsorial Psalm, Song of Meditation


Be With Me, Lord by Tom Booth (spiritandsong.com) - assemblies love to sing this song. The refrain just draws you in.  A soloist can carry the verses if need be, even improvising a bit, or they can be done by all. (From the CD The Best of Tom Booth)


Forever by Chris Tomlin - one of my all-time favorite Chris Tomlin songs. "Forver God is faithful! Forever God is strong!" Beautifully simple lyrics with his signature sound that has been leading people to worship for years. This song works great as a Song of Thanksgiving/Dismissal. Teach the assembly to carry the part of the verse that goes "His love endures forever!" Instrumental parts are available through WLP.
Suggested use: Song of Thanksgiving/Dismissal


Journey for Home by Ed Bolduc (WLP) – written as a parish Lenten theme song back in...a long time ago...this one seems to have lasted through the years. Written in 6/8, it has a very singable refrain and an assembly part in the verse. It also seems to work well at many places in the liturgy.  (From the CD The Face of God.)
Suggested use: Entrance/Song of Gathering, Song of Preparation/Offertory, Communion


Return to God by John Angotti (WLP) - another great song from John's Joy Beyond Our Dreams. The verses by Alan Hommerding are beautiful and so appropriate for this season. John added a great refrain and...the whole thing just works well.  This song also works well at many places in the liturgy.(From the CD Joy Beyond Our Dreams) This song is also a part of the More Voices As One vol. 1 collection. (see the link on the sidebar)
Suggested use: Entrance/Song of Gathering, Song of Preparation/Offertory, Communion


Take Up Your Cross by Curtis Stephan and Sarah Hart (spiritandsong.com) I fell in love with this song last year and so did our parish. It has a great fresh sound with a powerful opening lyric: "Behold the wood that bears our name..." (From the CD Amid Passing Things)
Suggested use: Song of Gathering, Song of Preparation/Offertory