The Practical Church Musician

One of the most important skills you can learn as a church musician is how to lead a hymn properly from the organ or piano. Or in other words, how to play a hymn that people want to actually sing. Today's episode will give you some practical things to focus on when playing a hymn for your congregation that will help keep your hymn playing alive! Instagram: @thepracticalchurchmusician Website:...

Maybe you've just been asked to lead your church choir. Maybe you've been thinking about starting one. Either way, where do you even begin? In this episode, we break down everything you need to know to lead a volunteer church choir with confidence: how to assess what you've inherited (roster, music library, rehearsal space, accompanist), how to choose music that actually works for your...

You play piano. You're comfortable, confident, maybe even pretty good. Then someone hands you an organ bench and says "we need you to play this." Suddenly there are two keyboards, a pedalboard, and a wall of mysterious buttons...and zero idea where to start. This episode is your crash course. We'll cover what pistons, stops, rocker tabs actually do, how registration works (and which stop families...

Summer is fully upon us. Many church choirs are now on break, and hopefully music leaders and accompanists everywhere are taking a sigh of relief after another program year. And while summer for many church musicians tends to be slower in some regards, most of the time, this time of year is a shift in pacing versus a complete break. This episode discusses how to maximize your summer “break” to hel...

Many church musicians assume that effective preparation simply means spending more time practicing. But the reality is that most of us do not have unlimited hours available each week. We have jobs, families, rehearsals, meetings, and countless other responsibilities competing for our attention. So the goal is not necessarily to practice more. The goal is to practice more efficiently. And that is w...

Most church musicians know what it feels like: Sunday is coming, and you're figuring it out on your own. Dr. Sam Fleming has been there as a volunteer and part-time director, and now as a full-time director of music at a large church overseeing more than 100 musicians. In this inaugural episode, he introduces The Practical Church Musician , shares the story behind the podcast, and lays out wha...