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When you’re in the midst of auditioning singers and band members to join your crew, what types of things should you look for and what questions should you ask to determine if they’re skilled and versatile enough to meet the demands of a worship team. I am assuming that you do have a worship team and the requirements for joining are a little more than standing upright and having opposable thumbs. If your worship ministry is backed by piano and organ or a kazoo choir and a cowbell, I’m not sure this article will scratch you where you itch. For those of you who utilize a full band, a few instruments, or just an acoustic guitar, it is essential to find qualified volunteers to serve in this ministry. Because of my background and love of music and my commitment to worship, I prefer to have the bar set high because we don’t want the song service to crash in embarrassment like a bunch of chubby, uncoordinated pre-teen cheerleaders. (That, I think, is going to be the name of my next band.)

While each band member can’t have a master’s degree in performance and each vocalist can’t have years of professional experience, your worship team should be comprised of those who are moderately skilled at their craft, be able to work together as a team, and have the flexibility to work through challenges. Here are some things you should consider when auditioning for band members and vocalists. Some are questions you should ask the individual and some are areas you should observe during the entire audition process, including the one-on-one audition and six month trial period. An unfavorable answer to one or a few of these questions shouldn’t necessarily break the deal but this is good information to collect during the interrogation audition process. Now, let’s fire up that bright light, sit them down in a metal chair, and ask them some questions.

For All Instrumentalists and Vocalists

• How long have you been a musician/singer?
  You don’t need someone with decades of experience but you don’t want someone who picked up a guitar only three weeks ago.
• How long have you been involved in music on the performance level?
  There is a hurdle between recreational singing and having an audience. Those who have had the opportunity to perform in front of others have already faced and conquered stage fright.
• Who are some of your favorite artists, musicians, or styles of music?
  This is one of those get to know you questions that really doesn’t have a right or wrong answer, unless it’s the Chubby Uncoordinated Pre-Teen Cheerleaders… or Carmen.
• Do you understand the role of worship through music in the church? What is the role of the worship team member?
  Each participant needs to realize that their object through this ministry is to point people to God and contribute to the environment of worship. The focus is God and not the worship team.
• Can you read music and do you have a good working knowledge of music theory?
  Some of you will probably disagree with me but I think it’s essential for every vocalist and instrumentalist to have a basic knowledge of music theory and be able to read music to some degree. The higher the lowest common denominator of musical knowledge is, the higher quality your music will be. It’s the whole weakest link thing.
• Are you able to listen to and emulate a recording of a song?
  When you give your worship team a new song, you expect it to sound similar to the original recording unless you’re intentionally putting your own spin on it. You expect a Chris Tomlin song to sound like Tomlin instead of something from O Brother, Where Art Thou?
• Are you able to learn new styles or are you comfortable with and limited to one style of music?
  At a previous church, I worked with a couple of angst-filled, gothic teens who were dedicated to their music. One played bass and one played electric guitar and they both desired nothing more than to master their instrument and aspire to play with the likes of Metallica. They could play their fast guitar licks but couldn’t follow a simple chord progression to help lead worship at a youth-led evening service. You want your musicians and vocalists to be versatile and able to adapt to different styles of music.

For Vocalists

• Can she blend with other voices and have good tone?
  When singing with others, does her voice stick out like Edith Bunker or does it blend in and add to the mix?
• Does he have a good solo voice?
  Not all of your vocalists are soloists but it’s good to be aware of who has the chops to perform a solo.
• What is her vocal range?
  File this one away in your FYI folder. Know the vocal range of each of your singers so you know what parts and songs you can throw at them to sing.
• What style do they sing (country, opera, contemporary, etc)?
  Again, this is one of those nuggets of information you should file away for reference. Certain soloists are comfortable singing in certain styles. Letting them sing what they’re comfortable with draws on their talents and gives them confidence while they’re performing.
• Does he stay on pitch or slide between notes?
  A singer can have a great quality about their voice to make them a good singer but have problems staying on pitch and have the unfortunate tendency to slide between notes. Getting off pitch makes people wince and sliding from note to note demonstrates lack of control. Be aware of this so you can provide some coaching in the near future.

For Instrumentalists

• Is he able to listen to the other instruments?
  A band does not consist of several soloists but is one entity with parts that contribute to the whole. Each band member needs to be able to observe what the other musicians are doing and contribute and adjust accordingly.
• Can she transpose music?
  This is not a requirement for each of your instrumentalists but if they can transpose music on the fly or in a short amount of time, they will be the solists best friend. For example, you picked a new Steven Curtis Chapman song for Pete to sing this weekend but you quickly realize in rehearsal that it’s out of his range. If your musicians can transpose, they can take about two minutes to make some adjustments and be able to at least fumble their way through the song and then work on it at home for the weekend service. Yes, this is a pretty advanced skill but you should encourage your instrumentalists to develop that ability.
• What equipment do you have?
  For the purposes of playing at church and practicing at home, your instrumentalists need to have their own equipment. Being a member of a worship team requires at home practice, because you can’t perfect everything in a two hour rehearsal. If they don’t have their own equipment, such as a drum set, make sure the kit at church is available for him to come in regularly and practice.

Other Observations

• What is their stage presence like?
  Since the role of a worship team member is to be lead worshippers, they need to be worshipful in their playing and singing. They also need to demonstrate confidence and not awkward inhibition. Observe if they have any quirks or ticks. For example, do they distract by constantly bobbing from side to side, staring at the music in front of them, fiddling with their clothing or jewelry, or do they have crazy eyes like Steve Buscemi’s character on Mr. Deeds?
• What are their strengths as a vocalist or instrumentalist?
  Utilize your members where they are talented and successful but encourage them to branch out and develop other skills.
• Are they likable and easy to work with or eccentric and demanding like some musicians are?
  Before you take offense, realize that I’m a musician and I probably lean toward the eccentric/demanding side a little more than I should. Your members need to be able to work with each other and enjoy what you’ve been called to do without personality differences and conflict getting in the way.

Do you have other tips or observations for auditioning for your worship team? Share them in the comments below.

Tags: Worship Team