Does anyone else have this problem?

[NJDBalla]

The choir director of the Intermediate Choir(youth) at my church has a habit of singing songs that the choir hasn't sang in at least a year. Its like our band is put on the spot to play a song that the choir hasn't rehearsed since ancient times! Then after the service the director is angry with us because there was a "mishap" with the music. She says that since we are musicians, we should be able to play the songs, and to use our ear to play the songs. BUT, how can we play if we had no prior notification of what songs they were going to sing? I mean, this choir hasn't rehearsed since like September of last year!

I just wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem ...

[Fenix]

We still have the issue of the P&W leader not giving us the songs ahead of time. Do you know how annoying this is? We then get to church and she will be like "Here is the song list..." and i am looking at the songs and am like " I don't know these songs...". Then there is disappointment and stuff cuz the song she wants to sing we can't play.

I am like the solution is simple...send the blessed songs ahead of time. I cannot memorize ALL the songs we play and will need to rehearse. In fact i think it is godly to send the songs ahead and let the musicians prepare. Five minutes before service is NOT the right time to be haggling over what songs are to be played. 

This irritates me no end.

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

Yes.

At my former church, the MOM asked me to play with them only because the regular guy was super late.  But when I asked what were they gonna play, all she said was they're all "easy beats."  That aint gonna work with me.  I kept my seat.  It's way too easy to blame the drummer.  Basically this was a habit which is why I never ever worked with them.  NEVER, EVER, EVER!  I caught "flack" from folks about it  but I didn't care because I knew the deal.  It went a little deeper due to the work ethic.  I am a professional when it comes to preparation.  That was severly lacking with this particular individual.  Some people feel that the title of "Director" apparently also entails having control of other people's memory.

[betnich]

How about the Choir Director put the songs on CD's for the musicians?
Or would that take too much advance planning?


What about when they change them on you at the last minute???

[NJDBalla]

Yes.

At my former church, the MOM asked me to play with them only because the regular guy was super late.  But when I asked what were they gonna play, all she said was they're all "easy beats."  That aint gonna work with me.  I kept my seat.  It's way too easy to blame the drummer.  Basically this was a habit which is why I never ever worked with them.  NEVER, EVER, EVER!  I caught "flack" from folks about it  but I didn't care because I knew the deal.  It went a little deeper due to the work ethic.  I am a professional when it comes to preparation.  That was severly lacking with this particular individual.  Some people feel that the title of "Director" apparently also entails having control of other people's memory.

You too? Another thing, I like playing the song the way it sounds and is sang on the CD. A lot of people say you can add what you want just "as long as ev'ryone does it." Wrong. That doesn't float with me. It sinks .

[NJDBalla]

How about the Choir Director put the songs on CD's for the musicians?
Or would that take too much advance planning?


What about when they change them on you at the last minute???

OMG that same choir did that to us one time.
We had went to a different church.(Now you know when you go to a different church, you want ev'ryting[lol] to be on point and locked, right?)They were going to sing Faithful by like, Youthful Praise or Hez Walker or something. They changed it to Let's Celebrate by John P. Kee. They hadn't rehearsed that song in at least 2 years and then they pulled it out their....well you know , and sang that! i was P.O. On top of that all of the musicians had forgotten how to play it! It sounded horrible. Then their church's choir sang and they sounded awesome!...
Takes me back....

[under13]

I think she expecting you guys to be on a super advanced level, when you guys might not be there yet. You and the other band members need to tell her that you HAVE to have the songs in advance.Dont you guys have a weekly rehearal, why arent the songs being reviewed?

On the other hand i think that you should be going over the songs in your own private practice sessions. If you play each song at least once a week after learning it you wont have a problem playing when you need to. This is especially important for praise and worship and hymns. When the pastor or praise leader spontainiously sings a song, you wanna be right there with them even if they havent sang it in a while. (regardless of the key) (yes even the key of A)

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

How about the Choir Director put the songs on CD's for the musicians?
Or would that take too much advance planning?


What about when they change them on you at the last minute???

I dealt with that when I played with this young lady that used to be in a rather famous Gospel group.  She was part of the P&W team and we were rehearsing her portion.  During the two rehearsals I went to for this, the intro was done with a certain amount of intro hits.  She rehearsed those hits with us the same way every time an them I brought the beat in and we did the song. 

Well, Sunday morning rolls around and we do the song intro and when we get to the last hit, she wants to show out and do some runs on the last hit as I bring the beat in.  I was following the MD and doing exactly what we had been rehearsing.  She tried to add another hit and basically threw the whole band off as I was playing the full beat.  When we were done, she voiced her displeasure with another musician and said she was mad at "that drummer" for messing up.  That's what happens when you decide you want to put on a show.  She wasn't ready for me.       

[T-Block]

We don't have this problem in the choir anymore now that I'm the head musician, but we sure do have this problem with the praise team.  They never practice, EVER but try to sing songs we haven't practiced or songs we sung ten years ago that only the core members know. 

My people already know, if I don't know the song, I ain't playing.  If we haven't rehearsed the song, I ain't playing.  If you try to do something funky with the song, I will stop and let u go accapolco.

[malthumb]

I've had that problem at other churches, but the problem I have at my current church is just a "lite" version of your problem.  And I think we have it solved now.

Our Choir Director would come to Thursday rehearsal with a slate of songs to go through.  Sometimes the pastor will have told her "I want this song for Sunday".  That's all good.  Where things got squirrelly is that her idea of "we got it, let's move on" is when the vocalists have all their parts down.  She can't really tell when we (musicians) don't have it together, but is willing to move on with faith that we'll work it out on Sunday.

The band leader has now supplied us two CDs with all the material we will expect to be responsible for in 2009.  We will rehearse on Saturdays.  Musicians only.  We'll use Saturdays to cycle through the stuff  on the CDs and to polish up whtever we know for sure will be done on Sunday.

[NJDBalla]

I think she expecting you guys to be on a super advanced level, when you guys might not be there yet. You and the other band members need to tell her that you HAVE to have the songs in advance.Dont you guys have a weekly rehearal, why arent the songs being reviewed?
On the other hand i think that you should be going over the songs in your own private practice sessions. If you play each song at least once a week after learning it you wont have a problem playing when you need to. This is especially important for praise and worship and hymns. When the pastor or praise leader spontainiously sings a song, you wanna be right there with them even if they havent sang it in a while. (regardless of the key) (yes even the key of A)

Thats just it: this choir doesn't rehearse every week... The last time they rehearsed was back in September of last year.
Yeah, i should be going over the songs, but its hard when you don't know what to practice or what songs are going to be sung.(Thank God this choir only sings once a month )

All the other choirs are on point and get the music they are singing to the band at least 3 days before the rehearsal.

My people already know, if I don't know the song, I ain't playing.  If we haven't rehearsed the song, I ain't playing.  If you try to do something funky with the song, I will stop and let u go accapolco.

Amen, Amen!

[betnich]

Musicians only rehearsals rule!

Sometimes it's the opposite, when the musicians have it together, but the vocals are scraggly - and an attitude of "It's okay, so-and-so is not here, we'll go over it Sunday morning"

[NJDBalla]

Musicians only rehearsals rule!

Once again, Amen, Amen!

Not only are they productive(most of the time), but they are a lot of fun!

[NJDBalla]

Another problem I have... (with another choir)

...is when rehearsal is scheduled and hardly anyone shows up! Then when you practice a song with a lead singer and on Sunday, the leader doesn't show up! Then once again we are sort of put on the spot to play another song that you haven't rehearsed!

[Fingers!]

You too? Another thing, I like playing the song the way it sounds and is sang on the CD. A lot of people say you can add what you want just "as long as ev'ryone does it." Wrong. That doesn't float with me. It sinks .

Some people listen to the cd enough (maybe twice) to get just the gist of the song(s) and then use their expertise know-how to fill in the blank spaces... 

[NJDBalla]

As far as words in the song, I don't really care as long you are not changing the message or music of the song.

But if, we are not playing it the way it is on the CD then as soon as you go off and do somethin' "funky" then, you're on your own, buddy

[Fingers!]

As far as words in the song, I don't really care as long you are not changing the message or music of the song.

But if, we are not playing it the way it is on the CD then as soon as you go off and do somethin' "funky" then, you're on your own, buddy

"Play what you KNOW is right; not what you THINK is right"  ...couldn't had said it better myself.

[NJDBalla]

HeHeHe thats like, my motto

Another problem I sometimes have at my church is that I have to deal with show-offy musicians...
It's not that they can't have their moment, its just when my bass player goes off on a limb and does this sick-nasty lick/run and then comes back at the wrong time or on the wrong note!

[1voice]

WOW TO NJDBalla:

I don't know how many of those i encountered, but wow.I'M ON THE FLIP SIDE, I sing, but can play the drums, bass, and trumpet, but in church, i just sing,for that reason alone.I've seen to many M.of M., or Directors, let there title go to there head, and just torture the musicians. What did we learn in all those theory classes ya'll: practice makes perfect.I think some directors, and pastors feel that your a musician, and know matter what, you should just be able to play!!WRONG!!

Anyway, i just gotta shake my head and say Pray!! brotha, Pray..

And As t-block said:
you try to do something funky with the song, I will stop and let u go accapolco.

now thats comedy!!!   accapolco

[NJDBalla]

You right about that, prayer is the answer to all the problems that go on at church
*in best preaching voice*
Cuz if you pray!(Ha)
God!(Ha)
Ya'll aint gonna help me(Ha)
Touch yo naybuh and say
"Naybuh! God will do the rest!"
Somebody say Amen....