Easy P/W songs

[syddie]

Hey y'all!

I hope you can help.  We need some EASY (and I mean EASY) praise and worship songs for an October 1st event.  We have 4 altos, 3 tenors and 3 sopranos.  They can sing, but they are inconsistent. 

Any suggestions on how to make Sunday A.M. service sound as good as rehearsal???  It seems like my peeps forget ERR'THING (notes, words) on Sunday morning....

Thanks

[under13]

Thank you Lord.

[sjonathan02]

Make them a CD or send them the songs that you've rehearsed.


Something tells me that you play while they sing. While that works for a lot of people, it doesn't work for everyone. If I'm right, they need you to feed them the words and such (a daunting task, I know).


How inconsistent is 'inconsistent'? Meaning, on average, how many folks do you have on Sundays? If it's the same ones, you may want to cut bait on the rest.

As for songs, 'Lord, You are good' is quite easy.

'I give myself away' is also easy.

'Bless the Lord with me' is easy.

'Holy are You, Lord' (Joe Pace)

That's all I can think of off the top.

[phdmusician]

Your name Alone by Stephen Hurd (some parts can be simplified)
Everything by Tye Tribett
Holy Spirit Fill This Room by Martha Munizzi
Lord How I Love You by Fred Hammond (easy and powerful!)
Agnes Dei (Donnie McClurkin)
Amazing by Stephen Hurd
You've Been So Faithful by Eddie James
When I Think About the Lord

I work with a similar type group and these have worked for us.  God bless!

[betnich]

Good suggestions above...

"Oh, Give Thanks" by Judith McAllister - unison - just melody.

"Oh, What He's Done for Me" by Reed's Temple Choir - can be done 2-part (men/women for the ending vamp)

I also tried to play and lead at the same time - can be done with a small Praise team, but Choirs need words and PARTS fed to them, as well as someone in front to lead and encourage people to sing out. If not, some will look down and mumble.

So since there was no one else, I recorded the instrumental tracks so I can direct...

[yama]

your situation is not uncommon...  some logistical considerations may be to choose songs that are mostly in unison with perhaps specific sections with simple harmony for effect... additionally, choose songs that are call/response in style or lend themselves easily to congregational participation... (in other words let the congregation BE the choir)... and one last thought would be to include a fewof the many worshipful and familiar hymns that maybe part of your congregation's tradition...

and now for some spiritual thoughts and considerations... choirs and worship leaders are in a constant state of rebuilding and remodeling... it is an area that is individually and collectively challenging... and sometimes it is helpful to address issues like commitment.... this often is a tough conversation to have with a music ministry team or praise team or choir or choir director or musician... but it is also a very necesary conversation to have when needed.... fatigue and burnout and frustration and distraction are all common enemies.... so it is important to remind ourselves that what we do is Christ centered and Christ motivatied and Christ driven... dialogues (ie, devotionals, retreats, in-house workshops) can help everyone reflect and make the hard decision of whats important and what priorities take precedent... Be encouraged... Do everything to the glory of God... 

[malthumb]

A lot of good song suggestions and advice given so far.  I'll add a few song suggestions:

• Lord I Lift Your Name On High - Donnie McClurkin
• You Are The Living Word - Fred Hammond
• In The Spirit Of Holiness

[sjonathan02]

A lot of good song suggestions and advice given so far.  I'll add a few song suggestions:

• Lord I Lift Your Name On High - Donnie McClurkin

• You Are The Living Word - Fred Hammond

[/b]

• In The Spirit Of Holiness

Forgive me sir, I do not believe that song is an easy one.  The harmony needed for the 'Ohs' alone is difficult for a lot of praise teams (it can be difficult for our praise team, at times ).

I don't think I know 'In the spirit of Holiness'.

[malthumb]

Forgive me sir, I do not believe that song is an easy one.  The harmony needed for the 'Ohs' alone is difficult for a lot of praise teams (it can be difficult for our praise team, at times ).

You are so right about the "oh"s.  Strike from the list.  They are really difficult.

I don't think I know 'In the spirit of Holiness'.

That's because A) It is actually named "in The Beauty Of Holiness and B) Some people refer to it as "Come Let Us Worship The Lord".  The sheet music I have calls it "In The Beauty Of Holiness", but I often slip up and rename it "In The Spirit Of Holiness" 

[sjonathan02]

You are so right about the "oh"s.  Strike from the list.  They are really difficult.
That's because A) It is actually named "in The Beauty Of Holiness and B) Some people refer to it as "Come Let Us Worship The Lord".  The sheet music I have calls it "In The Beauty Of Holiness", but I often slip up and rename it "In The Spirit Of Holiness" 

I thought you might have been talking about that song. 

[LaylaMonroe]

While I didn't have a hard time with Fred's "You Are the Living Word" I don't think it's a good song for another reason... too wordy for P&W, in my opinion. Great choir song, but not easy enough for a congregation to catch on, which for me, disqualifies it for P&W.

The "oh" is pretty intuitive, though. 

[betnich]

The harmony needed for the 'Ohs' alone is difficult for a lot of praise teams (it can be difficult for our praise team, at times ).

Oh, you mean this one...

Fred Hammond & RFC - You Are the Living Word - 2000

Bread of Life sent down from glory,
Many things you were on earth,
A holy king a carpenter,

You are the living word

(2x)
Bread of heaven, sent down from Glory
Many things you were on earth,
A holy king, a carpenter,

You are the living word

(2x)
Awesome ruler gentle redeemer,
God with us the living truth,
And what a friend we have in you,

you are the living word

(4x)
Jesus Jesus, thats what we call you,
Manger born, but on a tree,
You died to save humanity

you are the living word

(3x)
oh oh oh,
oh oh oh oh oh,
oh oh oh oh oh oh,
oh oh oh oh oh oh,

ohhh oh

you are the living word

(3x)
Jesus Jesus
that's what we call you,
Jesus Jesus Lord
oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
ohhhhhh oh

you are the living word

Our Praise Team is going to be doing that - just the first 4 verses, I think, cutting out the "Oh's" part.
The chord changes are a bit offbeat, but the melody and many of the words are the same, making it easy to follow...

[sjonathan02]

The chord changes are a bit offbeat, but the melody and many of the words are the same, making it easy to follow...

This. It's never been a problem for our congregation.

[csedwards2]

I thiink you all first need to clarify what the original poster defines as easy. More specifically, are they looking for easy to play or easy to sing, or easy to remember because its not alot of words.

musically, Ive seen some hard ones in the list. Im just saying

[sjonathan02]

I thiink you all first need to clarify what the original poster defines as easy. More specifically, are they looking for easy to play or easy to sing, or easy to remember because its not alot of words.

musically, Ive seen some hard ones in the list. Im just saying

By his description of the praise team, I figured he meant easy to sing/remember. *kanyeshrug*

[malthumb]

I thiink you all first need to clarify what the original poster defines as easy. More specifically, are they looking for easy to play or easy to sing, or easy to remember because its not alot of words.

musically, Ive seen some hard ones in the list. Im just saying

In the OP it seemed the issue was with keeping the vocalists on key and in harmony.  The music didn't seem to be an issue.  I'm thinking Syddie is looking for "easy to sing", as in not a lot of changes and no complicated harmonies.

Let me add "I Call You Faithful" - Donnie McClurkin to the list.  And "Praise Is What I Do" - Shekinah Glory Ministry.  You don't HAVE to do the solo part at the beginning.

[sjonathan02]

In the OP it seemed the issue was with keeping the vocalists on key and in harmony.  The music didn't seem to be an issue.  I'm thinking Syddie is looking for "easy to sing", as in not a lot of changes and no complicated harmonies.

Let me add "I Call You Faithful" - Donnie McClurkin to the list.  And "Praise Is What I Do" - Shekinah Glory Ministry.  You don't HAVE to do the solo part at the beginning.

Truth--cause we don't. 

[syddie]

To clarify:  I meant easy to sing/learn parts.  The music is not really an issue. 

Thanks for all the great suggestions! 

[malthumb]

.... "Praise Is What I Do" - Shekinah Glory Ministry.  .

Ironically, that's the caption under my avatar because that's the song we were doing when that picture was taken.

[csedwards2]

In the OP it seemed the issue was with keeping the vocalists on key and in harmony.  The music didn't seem to be an issue.  I'm thinking Syddie is looking for "easy to sing", as in not a lot of changes and no complicated harmonies.

Let me add "I Call You Faithful" - Donnie McClurkin to the list.  And "Praise Is What I Do" - Shekinah Glory Ministry.  You don't HAVE to do the solo part at the beginning.

the "Yeah"s have a hard rhythm to lead and remember