Online Songwriters Showcase
Mar 8, 2009 How To, Online Songwriters Showcase
I remember in high school I attended my first songwriters showcase at a local restaurant near where I lived. I went, typed lyrics in hand not knowing what to expect. I played my song, a crowd of strangers listened and then they offered their feedback. It was a good experience for me to take a song that I had written and to put it out in the world for others to listen to and give feedback.
I am still writing songs on a regular basis. I recently began to think about ways to host a songwriters showcase for worship leaders writing songs. I wondered if there was a way that we could get together and play our songs for each other, offer suggestions, and help. There really is not one real location that we could all meet on a regular basis, so what about online?
So here is how it works.
1. Write a song
2. Record yourself, video or audio, singing the song with whatever accompaniment you like.
3. Upload a video, or audio file your song to your blog. (Or video hosting site like Youtube or Vimeo)
4. In your blog or in the video notes add a link to this page, not this site.
5. Leave a link to your page in the comment of this post.
6. View and listen to others songs, and add comments
I hope that this will offer a great chance for some connection between songwriters, a chance for some genuine feed back, and a way to get your song out there. What do you think?
Tags: Songs, video, work, Worship, Worship Leader
Teaching Class Guitar Lessons Week 3
Mar 7, 2009 How To
This week was our 3rd week of guitar lessons and I wanted to get to the point of what most people want to do with their guitar, which is playing chord. I included in their worksheets a basic chord chart. I figured since we learned how to read a chord chart last week that they should do fine and I was right. I started with a basic chord progression of 1 4 5 4 1 and we started in the key of C so they played C F G F C. Then I said I would just add one chord and we would play in a different key. I asked them to learn D. Then I asked what the chord progression would be in the key of G and we figured it out G C D C G. Then I added the A chord and we played the progression in the key of D which was D G A G D. It was a great way to build on a progression having to only learn one new chord at a time.
After that we worked on strumming patterns. Started of just playing down and upstrokes 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &. Then I taught them to keep the same pattern but only actually strum at different times. I had half the class play on down beats only, and the other half play on upbeats only. We will build from that and add different patterns over the next three weeks.
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Tags: fork In the Road, guitar, How To, lessons, work
Teaching Class Guitar Lessons Week 2
Mar 6, 2009 How To
Last Thursday we had our second guitar lesson for the class. I actually gained one student, and everyone else was there as well. I asked the question at the beginning how many practiced and most of them said they spent atleast a little time working on stuff during the week.
I took some time to review and then we talked about tuning. The previous week we tuned using a tuner, but this week we talked about tuning using the 5th fret method. I think they actually took to it easier than the tuner. That may have been because they had been using the tuner for a week and the guitars were already close to being intune.
Afte that we reviewed how to make a scale and we played the G scale two octaves all the way up. Then we went over how to make a chord. I told them that making a chord was like carving a statue of an elephant. To carve a statue of an elephant you take a block of marble and chip away anything that doesn’t look like an elephant. I then said making a chord is the same thing. We wrote down the three notes that make a G chord and then circled all those notes on the guitar fretboard. Then I showed them the fingering for a G chord and it made sense. My goal is to show them why something is not just what it is.
Finally we ended with chord progressions, and talked about what I IV V etc meant.
It was a great class. I had some requests to tape the class and put it up online. There are lots of online guitar classes out there but what do you think?
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Tags: fork In the Road, guitar, How To, lessons, work
Teaching Class Guitar Lessons Week 1
Feb 21, 2009 How To
On many occasions during the past year I have been asked to teach individual guitar lessons. Instead of doing private guitar lessons, like I have done in the past, I decided to try a different approach. I put a small article in our church magazine indicating that I would be teaching a 6 week class for beginning guitar players one hour, once a week. I had never tried teaching a guitar class before but I thought it might be fun, and at least be different.
I advertised for about 3 weeks. I told people if they were interested to email me and let me know. I had a few inquiries on Sundays, a phone call or two and an email. I really was wondering what I should expect. Would anyone come? Who would they be?
Thursday night we had our first class. I had 12 students; 3 kids, 2 youth and 7 adults. As I was warned by a fellow blogger and worship leader, the first 20 minutes we spent on tuning. But we also were able to cover the parts of a guitar, how to hold a pick, alternate picking, the names of the strings, what half steps, whole, steps are, what makes up a major scale, how you get a triad, and how to play a G and C chord.
It was alot for one night and I will be interested to see how much they retain for the next week. I plan on using video to put demonstrations on our church website and using video to answer questions they have during the week. When I get some of those up I will definately show you the links.
So if you have taught or were going to teach a beginner guitar class, what would you cover in your next lesson?
Tags: Church, guitar, How To, lessons, Sunday, video, Worship, Worship Leader, youth
What I’m Singing for the Next 6 Weeks
Feb 17, 2009 How To
Yes you read the title correctly. I just finished our songlists through the end of May. I can tell you though that it has not always been this way. There was a time when my songlist compiling was a week by week, even night of basis. Before you say “Hey that’s how I do it, whats wrong with that” I’ll say nothing at all. There are many ways of choosing songlists. But let me tell you some of the advantages of doing things way ahead of time.
1. My band stays informed and in the loop- By doing songlists several weeks ahead of time it gives my musicians and vocalists a chance to be constantly working on upcoming music. They can find the songs that may be difficult and begin putting extra time in. As a band we can work on more difficult music that is coming up several weeks out.
2. It gives us a longterm view of song use- Ever get into a rut? Have those songs that keep popping into your lists because they are easy and the first thing that comes to mind when you are needing just one more song? When we sit down and grid out 6 weeks worth of songs we can look for things like that. We can see what songs we are using more often, and what songs may be appropriate but we may have forgotten about.
3. It helps us think about other parts of the service- When we know what we are singing that is one aspect of worship planning that is taken care of and we don’t have to worry about. We can then turn attention to visuals, graphics, decorations, videos, sermon helps, special music and other things that will help the worship service.
xperience_songlist_2009_march_may
Tags: band, songlists, Songs, video, work, Worship, Worship Planning
Using Video- Incorporating Scripture in New Ways
Dec 31, 2008 Free Stuff, How To, Media and Technology, Worship Planning
Isaiah 60:1-6 from russell martin on Vimeo
Our contemporary worship service as well as our traditional service follow the lectionary. The lectionary usually provides four different scriptures for each Sunday that follow a theme. In the traditional service we have typically used one for the main scripture the sermon is based on, and then atleast two of the others are read or used as a responsive reading. Up until this point in the contemporary service we have only really used the one that the sermon is based on. I was trying to think of ways to incorporate more scripture in our service that fit the style of our service.
While I was at Youth Specialties in Nashville they used several scripture videos. (available on their resource page) The videos consisted of a moving background, generally a moving view from a car, or rollercoaster, or something like that, with the scripture laid on top and an audio loop in the background. The YS team used them very well for transitions during different parts of the general sessions.
So I thought I would try to create something in that same style. I took a section of video on a recent trip to Houston. Using Vegas Movie Studio I lightened, blurred, and added noise to the video. Then took the Old Testament reading for the week, Isaiah 60:1-10, and placed it on top. I then used Sonic Foundry Acid to make a short audio background loop and added it on.
So this is the result. I think we will play it after the offertory as a transition for the band to get off stage before the pastor and person reading the scripture for the sermon.
Oh.. if you use the lectionary in your church and you would like a copy without the little “Xperience Worship” tag on the end just leave me a reply and let me know. I can run it with out the tag and send it to you or upload it..
Tags: application, Background, band, CD, Church, Resource, resources, Russell Martin, Sunday, Team, video, Worship, youth
Using Video-Christmas Dinner in Fast Forward
Dec 29, 2008 How To, Media and Technology
This was my first attempt to do one of those cool fast forward time lapse videos you see around. I took a camera and set it on top of our china hutch before we ate our Christmas Dinner. Then I took the video and used Windows Movie Maker to speed up the footage. Cut it in a few places and downloaded the music from free-loops.com. What do you think? How would you use something like this technique in worship?
Two Free Cross Backgrounds
Dec 17, 2008 Free Stuff, How To, Photos and Backgrounds
Here are two cross backgrounds that you can use for worship slides, web pages or whatever. The original photo of the “message cross” is the big white cross at Peace Chapel of Lakeview Methodist Conference Center where I have spent many many weeks leading music for youth camps. The original picture for “Hanging Cross” was an out of focus “mistake” that turned out to make a good background. It reminded me that even an out of focus photo can be redeemed and used for good. Enjoy.
Tags: Background, camp, Free, Free Stuff, Photoshop, Worship, youth
How Do You Record a Worship CD?
Dec 11, 2008 How To
Ever since I have been at our church we have had the idea to record a worship CD. We are wanting to do something as a praise team using both original and already recorded worship songs that our congregation has grown to love. So what advice, tips or tricks do you have to share with us? Here are a few of my questions.
1. How do you get the permission to use someone elses songs? What was the process
2. How did you record? Live or Studio? Did you go somewhere or do it at your church?
3. How did you balance recording a CD and your normal responsibilities leading worship at your church?
I know there are many talented worship leaders out there who have gone through this and who can share there insights. Hopefully your comments will not only answer some of our questions but will be helpful for others who are looking into this process too. Thanks in advance.
Tags: CD, Church, Recording, Songs, Team, Worship, Worship Leader
Worship Distractions-Temperature
Nov 25, 2008 How To, Worship Planning
This past weekend I attended the National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville Tennessee. While there I was able to sit in the congregation while being led in worship by some awesome worship leaders like David Crowder, Mercy Me, Shane and Shane and Starfield. The music was awesome, the videos and screens were great, the stage was cool, and they sounded great, but one thing was definitely distracting. It was cold. It seemed that every general session with about 30 minutes the air kicked on and it got uncomfortably cold. It was so much so on one occasion I had to leave and go into the lobby.
So you may ask at this point why I would let something so insignificant as the temperature of the room bother me so. Well I am not sure but I know that it caused me to take my focus off of the music, the worship and to focus on the cold breeze on my back.
It made me aware that in my own worship service at my church that I need to pay attention to more than just the music, songs, screens, and stage. There are many things that can be distracting and many of them don’t have anything to do with the worship service itself.
Now I do have to say that I also feel a little guilty writing about the fact that I was distracted from worship by air conditioning when there are so many people who don’t have the freedom to worship that we have, much less a building, or air conditioning.
So I have two questions….
1. What other things have you found cause distractions in your worship services?
2. How should we react to people like me, who let something simple be a distraction to worship?
photo by Kristinn Nelson at CreativeMYK.com
Tags: band, Church, Free, National Youth Workers Convention, Songs, video, work, Worship, Worship Leader, youth
