Pittsburgh Worship Leader Network

Worship Leader Roundtable Retreat

2009-08-24T14:19:00.002-04:00

There is a worship leader roundtable retreat in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg area) at the end of the September open to any worship leader. The cost is low and the guest speaker for this event is Jeff Deyo. See the attached poster for more information or email me at longstreth@riversideconnect.org.

Introducing New Worship Songs

2009-07-13T11:01:00.001-04:00

Something that we do quite often when learning a new song for our worship repertoire is first getting a copy of the new song in audio format (mp3, CD, etc) to the instrumentalists and vocalists on the worship teams. Then they have the chance to be prepared to play the song including specific beats/rhythms, riffs, runs, etc.

We also many times will introduce the song to the congregation in the same way that it is played on the CD including those beats, riffs, runs and such. We try to do the song very closely to what it sounds like on recording (at least for the first time) rather than putting our own spin on it. Then after we’ve taught it one or two times to our congregation we can start putting our own arrangements together for it.

I find that doing this helps our musicians and vocalists grow by giving them more techniques to use in their own toolbox, helps them to be in sync with the team and learn what that feels like, and helps us as a team learn how to arrange the whole (rather than them seeing only their part).

One additional thing we do with new songs is playing them two weeks in a row or twice in the same month at the least. The first time someone hears something they are learning, by the second time you do the song- they can start worshipping with it because its starting to become familiar.

Its not rocket science, but it works. What do your teams do to introduce new songs?

Today's Gathering

2009-05-18T16:24:00.003-04:00

Just keeping a record of who attended which gatherings in case you want to try to remember a conversation or connection that you made at it in the future. So here is who attended today's gathering...

Rick Butor
Erica Oshlick
Zack Oshlick
Tim Robinson
Lorna Albanese
Justin Muchoney
Dave Longstreth
Chad Zollo

We had an awesome time!

Posting to the Blog

2009-05-18T13:59:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone thanks for coming out to the first gathering.. It was awesome reconnecting with some of you and meeting some of you for the first time. Those of you who made it out to the gathering have been invited to publish relevant posts to this blog and I just wanted to throw out some general ideas about that.

You will have received an invitation to help author this blog so follow the steps they give you to activate that and then peruse around to get comfortable with the layout etc.

Whenever you post please use the Label section at the bottom right hand side of the post template to write in an appropriate label. Some starter suggestions would be labels such as (announcements, audio-video, lighting, media, administration, leadership, music theory, instruments, vocals, choir, songwriting, fine arts, drama, relationships, style, websites, vendors, etc) just for example.

Then on the blog page it will automattically track posts according to the label provided so if we can use the same label names that would be helpful.

Questions to each other would be more of a facebook or email type of thing.

I put all of you in our mailing list for the group and we will all be provided a link to the contact database so that you have an up-to-date copy of everyone's name, main contact number and email address. that link is just for in house even though this blog is viewable by anyone.

hope to get some great info on here that we can share with each other. post when you get a chance, visit often. see you around!

dave

Welcome to the Pittsburgh Worship Leader Network Blog

2009-04-23T11:04:00.003-04:00

Our first gathering will take place on Monday, May 18th from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Riverside Community Church in the Pittsburgh Mills Mall near Entry 5. Following our gathering will be a time of lunch in the food court of the mall. For more information please message Dave Longstreth, group facilitator or call 412.828.2488. For directions to RCC-Mills Campus please visit www.riversideconnect.org.