A worship arts vocalist is not just a singer. Their purpose is to lead others in the spiritual discipline of worship, and as such we require that vocalists are aligned with the church’s vision and values and are “in it for the long haul”. Want to become a member? Attend a “First Steps class” (see church calendar for the next date) and then click next steps -> Become a member at thecrossingchurch.org

To practice this get a tuner/tone generator and practice matching the note you sing to the letter that appears.

To practice this one, use that same tuner from above and play a note. Match the pitch of that note. Now play and hold another note while singing the original note – the closer to the original note, the harder it will be. Finally, go back to that first note and play it – did your pitch change? Keep trying until it doesn’t!

If you can match pitches, then try matching the scale. Youtube will be your friend here (I recommend the channel “The Singing School” - especially “Daily Practice 1: Scales and Triads”). When you’re feeling confident, try the minor scale, or try speeding up, or try singing different intervals – it's crucial to be actively listening for mistakes while you do this. Another note: when you sing the scales, sing count the notes. ♪ One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Sev., One, Sev., Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One ♪. Then try the intervals: One, Three, Five, One, Five, Three, One. Check your work with a tone generator.

To practice this, record yourself singing a song (start with a note or with the original key, then stop playing it and sing it solo). Then sing the first part of the song again. Compare it to the note or original song - are you in the same key? If you’re not, try to identify where exactly it went off the rails. This may feel tedious, but it will pay off. 

To practice this, go to Youtube and simply search your favorite worship song along with the words “vocal harmony”. Some great channels for this are The Worship Vocalist, or Worship Online. If you want to get serious, both channels offer some more advanced training at their websites for a cost. Beyond that, begin identifying when singing a part is appropriate. Songs have natural ebbs and flows, and vocalists play a large part in creating the energy of a song. Sometimes the most appropriate thing is to sing unison. Sometimes it’s not to sing at all! Your job is to lead others in worship, and sometimes that means raising your hands but not your voice. 

Often in worship we need to clap and sing at the same time. To practice this, get a metronome (there are lots of great ones on the app store), set the beat to an accent on the strong beat (or even better one that counts out numbers for you), and start singing and clapping. Make sure to stay in time with the metronome, and to keep your claps consistent (typically a clapping song will be on the 2nd and 4th beat). This is a good exercise to do without clapping as well to help you not to rush (go faster) or drag (go slower) when singing. If you are hoping to sing and play an instrument, this falls into this category as well. Develop proficiency with playing and singing simultaneously. 

Beyond clapping, we use a metronome click in our ears to help the band consistently attain excellence. Understanding how the rhythm of a song fits within the grid of time is a very important skill to develop.  

This is easily the single hardest thing to do as a singer. First off, if you’re trying to envision what a “style” is, ask yourself, what is the difference between how Tim McGraw and Brittany Spears sound? (How might Tim sing “Oops I Did it Again”?) You have a style that you default to as well - we all do. Styles are diverse, and different worship songs call for different styles. First, try to identify your style – which songs do you think you sound best on? Which songs do you love to sing along to? Next, try to identify a style that doesn’t sound like you. What about that style makes it different? How do they shape their vowels? How do they create their musical phrasing? How much vibrato (voice waiver) do they use? Next, try to emulate it – you'll feel stupid (and if anyone is around when you do it, they might harass you a bit 😛) but the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll become at matching styles. A good place to start is country music – it's easy to lose your inhibitions and let your inner country twang ring out. While we are more limited in styles in the songs we sing, the more styles you practice the easier it will become for you to match whatever is appropriate. 

Uh, I mean, Having a Pleasant Demeanor while Singing. Sometimes when we sing we look strained, pained, or both 😊. To practice having a worshipful demeanor, sing in the mirror, or record yourself and watch it back again. Remember, you are leading even when you’re not singing.