Tips for helping young worship bands...

So, my wife leads a children's worship service for kids grade 1 to 6 at our church. We've been laying groundwork for forming a band out of this group to serve for the service. My boys, grades 2and 4 have been studying guitar with a friend, I've been mentoring another student on mandolin and we have a fine piano player in the group. We have some good materials and a plan for going forward but I would be really interested in your experiences and suggestions regarding working with people of this age in a worship band context.

I have no clue but played in sax in school at that age and know the kids are capable. Blessings

I started out at the age playing trumpet solos for the Sunday School opening time. So if these kids want to do it let em have at it. A real easy song to start out with is the old hymn "Trust and Obey." Nothing tricky in it. Can be played slow or with a little beat to it. And if mistakes are made the other kids won't even notice.

Look for some very simple P&W songs with a few simple chords no more than 3 or 4. A few that come to mind are:

Blessing and Honor (G Em C D)
He is Here (G C Am D)
I Love You Lord (G Am C D)
Open the Eyes of My Heart (G D C Em)
Sanctuary (G D A)
Therefore the Redeemed (G C D Em)
This is the Day (D A A7 G)
You Deserve the Glory (G Em C D)

I realize these aren't the most current CCW songs, but for kids just learning their instruments I think they would go over well.

Make it a habit to pray together as a band each week before their service. Just a short prayer of two or three sentences should suffice. No long sermon in the prayer. Just something to remind them for whom they are really playing and that He does not care if the make mistakes. He just wants a pure heart and a good effort.

Thanks for he suggestions. We're starting with: Here I am To Worship for Kids (easy piano)

http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=316098&lid=0&menuid=1407&subsiteid=32&

The piano arrangement is pretty accessible and i think I can work other instruments around it.

Thanks for the reminder that prayer should be a key element.

Other suggestions?

He just wants a pure heart and a good effort.

+1

Kids can be a welcome relief from the agendas and politics of adults who do music. I personally love it when kids do special music.

Can either of your boys play bass? If so, that would be very helpful for keeping the kids together and providing some rhythm, something which can often be an issue with younger musicians.

Other than that, it sounds like you are doing a great thing building the next generation of praise musicians - thank you!

Can either of your boys play bass? If so, that would be very helpful for keeping the kids together and providing some rhythm, something which can often be an issue with younger musician

I am definitely looking to develop a bass player - I'm going to see if i can trade for a bronco bass.

We're planning on making the band multi-generational, especially to begin and I likely will play bass until we can develop a young'un who can do it. Another parent is a former professional drummer and she'll likely play drums as we get the kids up and going. We're thinking an experienced adult rythem section will help the kids gain confidence and we can start to work our way out as skill levels rise.

BTW, here's a recording of our older youth I captured from my phone. They do fine and I'm proud of them. I want the children to learn more music fundamentals but still be able to okay without standard notation - trying to find the balance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7dYr-l6Ucg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thoughts on adults doing rythem section to start out?

I think that having some adults in the band could really help musically. However, (as I'm sure you know :razz:), it is important that the kids still feel that they have some control over the music.

It sounds like you know what you are doing though - keep us posted on how things go! :mrgreen:

Pray with them before they lead a service.

Pray with them before they lead a service.

Yes!!!

Its not really the same but I did a voluntary with our youngest Sunday Schoolers and had about 6 or 7 kazoo players backing me for this little light of mine. It was a blast and the congregation loved it. So in the back of my mind I'm thinking... learn one "fun" song that still has a great message ( like This Little Light...) even if you only play it at practice.

If your church has a good youth band (jr high & hi school) ask them to come teach stuff to the kids. It's good for both of them, the older service the young & the younger get to be around "cool" older kids & learn a few things

(Sent from my Droid using the free TDPRI app which RULES!!)

(Sent from my Droid using the free TDPRI app which RULES!!)

Received on my Droid using the free TDPRI app which RULES!!

Not sure about that age, but I have been working with our youth band for about 7 years. I find prayer to be a useful tool..... along with a chair and a buggy whip!!! :shock: :lol: :wink: Nah... great kids! I LOVE THEM!!! best of luck to you.