Singing Stylesand

Techniques

Dean McIntyre, Director of Music ResourcesThe General Board of Discipleship (GBOD)

Nashville, Tennessee

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WHAT DO WE SING?

We are blessed with a multitude of different musical styles for congregational singing.a. traditional hymnsb. canticles and chantsc. Psalm settingsd. folk songs

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More What Do We Sing?

e. Spiritualsf. traditional Gospel songsg. contemporary Gospel songsh. ethnic, global, multicultural songsi. praise songs, choruses, choritosj. new hymns and songsBut, what do we do with these? How do we

program and manage them all?

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Techniques for Arranging or Varying Congregational Song

1. Divide stanzas among groups2. Divide congregation spatially3. Choir sings alone4. Soloist or ensemble sings5. Different groups on different stanzas6. Read a stanza aloud with or without accompaniment

7. Read a stanza silently with or without acc.

8. Read a stanza silently9. Alternate

accompaniment10. Sing in another

language11. Instrumental stanza,

interlude, descant

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

1. Sing a New Song - one unknown to your people- 728, “Come Sunday”- Worship & Song #3050, “Until Jesus Comes”

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

2. Sing an Old Song- to connect to your heritage- 363, “And Can It Be” (st. 1,4,5)

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

3. Sing with New Accompaniment- change from organ to guitar & drums- change from praise band to brass- change the tune- 89, “Joyful, Joyful” & 400, “Come Thou Fount”

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More change the tune

- 526, “What a Friend” and SCARLET RIBBONS - 368, “My Hope Is Built” and MELITA (NAVY

HYMN), TFWS 2191- 95, Doxology and 211, “O Come…Emmanuel”- …but be careful: 286, “O Sacred Head” and

514, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”- 57, “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”

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Sing a New Song (continued)

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Sing a New Song (continued)

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

4. Sing without Accompaniment: voices only, concentrate on the words- 393, “Spirit of the Living God”

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

5. Sing with Movement: sway, step, clap hands, tap feet, walk about- 84, “Thank You, Lord”

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

6. Sing with Strong Rhythm: put a strong beat in the keyboard and percussion- 2151, “I’m So Glad”- 618, “Let Us Break Bread Together”- 369, “Blessed Assurance”

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

7. Sing Expressively: let the text guide tempo and volume- 322, “Up from the Grave He Arose”- 275, “The Kingdom of God”- 2133, “Give Me a Clean Heart”

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

8. Sing Silently: - read a stanza- with or without accompanimentRead a Stanza Aloud:- leader or congregation- with or without accompaniment

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

9. Sing responsively- use call & response with song leader- make singing interactive & conversational- 657, “This Is the Day”- 2033, “Glory to God”- 211, antiphonally: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”- 207, canonically: “Prepare the Way of the Lord”

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

10. Sing with All Ages- welcome and value all ages by singing their special songs (“Jesus Loves Me,” “God of the Sparrow,” and “Living for Jesus”)

11. Sing outside of Sunday Worship- Sunday School, youth, UMW, UMM- church meetings, charge conference- weddings, funerals, picnics

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HOW SHALL WE SING?12 Ways to Plan Congregational Singing

12. Sing the Style: with integrity• 2270, “I Will Enter His Gates” and

2031, “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise”

• 367, “He Touched Me”• 382, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord”

and 2152, “Change My Heart, O God”

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CONCLUSION

• Africana• African Proverb

“Without singing, the Spirit will not descend.”

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CONCLUSION• Bring life to the liturgy.• Express the inexpressible.• Strengthen the spoken word.• Facilitate the hearing and understanding of

the spoken word.• Bring unity. The very thing we fought the

worship wars over – music – can also bring us together.

THANKS BE TO GOD!

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