How to teach a choir song: The basics
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Tips for teaching gospel choir songs by ear
This page describes the best practices for how to teach a song to a gospel choir.
Teaching songs well is the most important skill a gospel choir director needs. Everyone sees you standing in front of the choir, waving your arms to give them direction, but the real work takes place before that, in rehearsal.
When you're a beginning choir director, preparing and teaching songs may be an intimidating task. But with practice, it gets more natural and comfortable.
(Photo of the US Navy Praise Gospel Choir practicing aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stenn. From Wikimedia Commons.)
This page is a part of my collection of web pages about Gospel Choir Music.
Teaching songs well is the most important skill a gospel choir director needs. Everyone sees you standing in front of the choir, waving your arms to give them direction, but the real work takes place before that, in rehearsal.
When you're a beginning choir director, preparing and teaching songs may be an intimidating task. But with practice, it gets more natural and comfortable.
(Photo of the US Navy Praise Gospel Choir practicing aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stenn. From Wikimedia Commons.)
This page is a part of my collection of web pages about Gospel Choir Music.The contents of this page (minus the videos and polls) are also available for download as a FREE e-book. Here's the link:
How to teach a choir song
1: Study the song thoroughly.
The choir director should know all the parts!
To be ready to teach a song, you have to know it. Study the song until it becomes a part of you, until you know it backward and forward. Some gospel choir songs have sheet music you can learn from, but most do not. You'll usually be studying the song by listening to a recording. If you're a beginning choir director, you may need to spend a lot of time training yourself to hear the individual soprano, alto, and tenor parts in the music.
Listen to the song and sing along with it. Practice singing the soprano part until you can sing the entire part correctly without stumbling. Now repeat the process singing the alto part until you have that down pat. Now do the tenor part, and then the bass part if there is one. Yes, you will be listening to the same song over and over and over. Yes, you will drive your family nuts. Even if you use headphones you will still test their patience because you'll be singing along, over and over and over.
To be ready to teach a song, you have to know it.If you have a higher voice, like most females, you probably can't hit the lowest notes on the tenor and bass parts. Likewise, if you have a low voice, like most males, you would not be able to reach the high soprano notes. Just sing the part an octave higher or an octave lower when you need to. The important thing is that you have full command of the part.
For extra insurance, you might want to write down some kind of notes that you can use as a reminder when you're teaching the song in rehearsal. If you know a little bit of music theory, you can make note of the scale tones that each part starts on.
When you stand before the choir you want to be fully confident that you can teach every part. Your goal is to be able to do this yourself without having to ask the musician, "What's the alto part on the chorus?"
WANT TO PRACTICE?
Try singing along with the parts on this L.A. Mass Choir song, Make a Way. Try to perfect your understanding of all three parts.
Listen to the song and sing along with it. Practice singing the soprano part until you can sing the entire part correctly without stumbling. Now repeat the process singing the alto part until you have that down pat. Now do the tenor part, and then the bass part if there is one. Yes, you will be listening to the same song over and over and over. Yes, you will drive your family nuts. Even if you use headphones you will still test their patience because you'll be singing along, over and over and over.
To be ready to teach a song, you have to know it.If you have a higher voice, like most females, you probably can't hit the lowest notes on the tenor and bass parts. Likewise, if you have a low voice, like most males, you would not be able to reach the high soprano notes. Just sing the part an octave higher or an octave lower when you need to. The important thing is that you have full command of the part.
For extra insurance, you might want to write down some kind of notes that you can use as a reminder when you're teaching the song in rehearsal. If you know a little bit of music theory, you can make note of the scale tones that each part starts on.
When you stand before the choir you want to be fully confident that you can teach every part. Your goal is to be able to do this yourself without having to ask the musician, "What's the alto part on the chorus?"
WANT TO PRACTICE?
Try singing along with the parts on this L.A. Mass Choir song, Make a Way. Try to perfect your understanding of all three parts.
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By the way . . .
If there's a song you want to teach and the parts are hard to pick out, give me a holler at ChoirParts.com. I'll do the parts for you and give you individual practice tracks for the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts.
For a sample of what the
tracks are like, look here:
What is ChoirParts.com?
POLL - What does your choir like to sing?
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2: Decide on your arrangement of the song.
Are you going to do the song exactly the way it is on the recording? The recorded version might be just right for your group and your purpose, but if not, adjust things to meet your own needs.
You might decide to do the song in a different key, based on the vocal ranges of your choir members. Or you might want to speed the song up or slow it down to get a different feel. Decide if you want to make any changes to the vocal parts or the words.
Some good tips from a choir director friend of mine: In some cases you might need to simplify a song. If you are going to have a limited amount of rehearsal time, you could leave out a complicated passage or stick with only one vamp (repeating chorus) when the song might have two or three of them. And if you're working with a choir of less-experienced singers, you may also leave out key changes and inversions (that's when the tenors jump to the alto part, the altos go to the soprano part, and the sopranos go up into the stratosphere).
The recorded version might be just right for your group and your purpose, but if not, adjust things to meet your own needs.If you don't have a lead singer, you might leave out the lead verse. Another option when there's no lead singer is to have a whole section of the choir sing the lead verse. Our choir has a couple of songs where the whole soprano section or the whole alto sections sings a verse that was done by a soloist on the record. This works best if the verse has a very straightforward tune and rhythm that don't need a lot of embellishments, otherwise you're better off just leaving out the verse.
On the flip side, if you're going to be singing for a special occasion, you might decide to add some extra flourishes to a song. Add a dramatic introduction. Give it a more elaborate ending. Whatever you feel.
Also make plans for the instruments. On some songs you might want the full band. On others, maybe just a couple of instruments. Or you might begin the song with just the piano and then bring the rest of the instruments in. Do you want the drummer to use the sticks or the brushes?
Once you've decided how the song is going to be performed, then you're ready to present it.
You might decide to do the song in a different key, based on the vocal ranges of your choir members. Or you might want to speed the song up or slow it down to get a different feel. Decide if you want to make any changes to the vocal parts or the words.
Some good tips from a choir director friend of mine: In some cases you might need to simplify a song. If you are going to have a limited amount of rehearsal time, you could leave out a complicated passage or stick with only one vamp (repeating chorus) when the song might have two or three of them. And if you're working with a choir of less-experienced singers, you may also leave out key changes and inversions (that's when the tenors jump to the alto part, the altos go to the soprano part, and the sopranos go up into the stratosphere).
The recorded version might be just right for your group and your purpose, but if not, adjust things to meet your own needs.If you don't have a lead singer, you might leave out the lead verse. Another option when there's no lead singer is to have a whole section of the choir sing the lead verse. Our choir has a couple of songs where the whole soprano section or the whole alto sections sings a verse that was done by a soloist on the record. This works best if the verse has a very straightforward tune and rhythm that don't need a lot of embellishments, otherwise you're better off just leaving out the verse.
On the flip side, if you're going to be singing for a special occasion, you might decide to add some extra flourishes to a song. Add a dramatic introduction. Give it a more elaborate ending. Whatever you feel.
Also make plans for the instruments. On some songs you might want the full band. On others, maybe just a couple of instruments. Or you might begin the song with just the piano and then bring the rest of the instruments in. Do you want the drummer to use the sticks or the brushes?
Once you've decided how the song is going to be performed, then you're ready to present it.
3: Present the song to the musicians.
Your choir rehearsal will go much better if the musicians already know the music. Trying to teach both the singers and the instruments at the same time makes for a long rehearsal. And the singers will have a much harder time learning their parts if the instruments are still trying to figure out the song and making mistakes along the way. So bring the song to the musicians ahead of time so they'll be ready.How do your musicians learn best? As you know, your gospel musicians probably don't read sheet music. With some, you can just hand them the CD and they handle the rest. (We all love musicians like that!) Others may need a paper that shows them the chords. This is called a lead sheet or a fake sheet. If you're familiar with chords, you can write out a fake sheet yourself. If you need help, there are some websites that provide chords for many well-known gospel songs. One very popular site is the Chorded Songs page provided by Earnest and Roline Ministries. There is also a collection of chorded-out songs that was done by Val215 at learngospelmusic.com.
Talk to your musicians about how much advance time they need before a song is going to be taught to the choir.
POLL - How do your musicians learn best?
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4: Think about how you want to teach the song to the choir.
What's your "lesson plan"?
When you're teaching the singers, you want them to start getting an understanding and a feel for the song as soon as possible. Decide beforehand what you think will be the most effective way to teach the song so that they'll grasp it well.
For a lot of songs, it will work fine to just start singing the first part of the song and proceed from there. But with some songs you might want to take a different approach. If a song has a lot of words, you should probably present the words first before the tune. If there are complex rhythms, talk through the song with them, at a slower speed if necessary. Once they have the rhythm down, then teach the melody.
And which vocal part will you teach first? Usually in gospel choir songs the sopranos have the melody which makes them a natural first choice. But if the altos or tenors are the part that really holds a particular passage together, start with them.
If a song is long or complicated, consider just teaching a portion of it at one rehearsal, then teaching the rest of it the next time.
And here's another tip from the choir directing community: If you're going to be doing the song about the same as the original recording, you may want to play the recording for the choir when you first present it. The choir can hear the finished product and perhaps sing along with it. This can give them a boost of confidence and generate some excitement about the song.
For this Joe Pace song, Hallelujah Anyhow, think about how you would approach teaching it to a choir.
For a lot of songs, it will work fine to just start singing the first part of the song and proceed from there. But with some songs you might want to take a different approach. If a song has a lot of words, you should probably present the words first before the tune. If there are complex rhythms, talk through the song with them, at a slower speed if necessary. Once they have the rhythm down, then teach the melody.
And which vocal part will you teach first? Usually in gospel choir songs the sopranos have the melody which makes them a natural first choice. But if the altos or tenors are the part that really holds a particular passage together, start with them.
If a song is long or complicated, consider just teaching a portion of it at one rehearsal, then teaching the rest of it the next time.
And here's another tip from the choir directing community: If you're going to be doing the song about the same as the original recording, you may want to play the recording for the choir when you first present it. The choir can hear the finished product and perhaps sing along with it. This can give them a boost of confidence and generate some excitement about the song.
For this Joe Pace song, Hallelujah Anyhow, think about how you would approach teaching it to a choir.
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5: Start teaching!
OK! You're all prepared, the musicians know the music, the choir is here, let's go!
My motto for choir teaching is "Drill, baby, drill!" You'll notice as you read that I use words like "repeat" and "again" and "over" a whole lot. This is an important point. Since gospel choirs sing from memory, parts must be repeated until they've been internalized. Drill, baby, drill.
Be prepared to take questions at any time.Give the choir a little bit at a time. Whichever part you're starting with (usually the sopranos, but not always), give them one line at a time. You demonstrate it first, and then have them sing it back to you. Let them repeat the line until they look and sound like they're comfortable with it. Then add the next line to it and repeat that until they've really got it. Then bring the two lines together and make sure that they can sing them smoothly. Keep adding a line at a time until they have learned the whole verse.
It is important to deal with mistakes right away.After they have the whole verse, move on to the next group of singers and repeat the process. When they have learned the verse too, you may want to have the two parts sing it together, or you may want to move on to the third group of singers right away. When all the parts have learned the verse, have them sing it again together. Make sure that everyone is able to keep on their part even when they're hearing the other parts singing. If anyone seems unclear on their part go back over it. It is important to deal with mistakes right away. If you let someone sing a part incorrectly several times, it will be difficult for them to unlearn those wrong notes.
After the choir learns one portion of the song, go on to the next portion (the chorus or bridge or whatever). Teach it the same way, a part at a time, a line at a time. Be sure to practice the transitions from one portion of the song to another! Some choir directors make the mistake of teaching each portion in isolation and the choir has trouble figuring out how to get from the chorus to the bridge ("Do we wait four beats, or do we come straight in?").
Practice your transitions from one portion of the song to another!After you've taught the whole song, sing it again from beginning to end. If the choir is hearing the song for the first time, they may have forgotten the beginning parts by the time you get to the end. Go over the whole thing to refresh their memories.
Let your choir members know that they can ask questions at any time during the rehearsal. If there is a part they are unsure about, you want them to ask you immediately. Otherwise they might forget the question. And every time someone asks a question there are probably two or three other people who were wondering the same thing.
My motto for choir teaching is "Drill, baby, drill!" You'll notice as you read that I use words like "repeat" and "again" and "over" a whole lot. This is an important point. Since gospel choirs sing from memory, parts must be repeated until they've been internalized. Drill, baby, drill.
Be prepared to take questions at any time.Give the choir a little bit at a time. Whichever part you're starting with (usually the sopranos, but not always), give them one line at a time. You demonstrate it first, and then have them sing it back to you. Let them repeat the line until they look and sound like they're comfortable with it. Then add the next line to it and repeat that until they've really got it. Then bring the two lines together and make sure that they can sing them smoothly. Keep adding a line at a time until they have learned the whole verse.
It is important to deal with mistakes right away.After they have the whole verse, move on to the next group of singers and repeat the process. When they have learned the verse too, you may want to have the two parts sing it together, or you may want to move on to the third group of singers right away. When all the parts have learned the verse, have them sing it again together. Make sure that everyone is able to keep on their part even when they're hearing the other parts singing. If anyone seems unclear on their part go back over it. It is important to deal with mistakes right away. If you let someone sing a part incorrectly several times, it will be difficult for them to unlearn those wrong notes.
After the choir learns one portion of the song, go on to the next portion (the chorus or bridge or whatever). Teach it the same way, a part at a time, a line at a time. Be sure to practice the transitions from one portion of the song to another! Some choir directors make the mistake of teaching each portion in isolation and the choir has trouble figuring out how to get from the chorus to the bridge ("Do we wait four beats, or do we come straight in?").
Practice your transitions from one portion of the song to another!After you've taught the whole song, sing it again from beginning to end. If the choir is hearing the song for the first time, they may have forgotten the beginning parts by the time you get to the end. Go over the whole thing to refresh their memories.
Let your choir members know that they can ask questions at any time during the rehearsal. If there is a part they are unsure about, you want them to ask you immediately. Otherwise they might forget the question. And every time someone asks a question there are probably two or three other people who were wondering the same thing.
POLL - Which vocal part struggles the most in your choir?
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6: Do it again at another rehearsal!
Don't expect the choir to remember a song perfectly after only one practice. Once they leave the rehearsal, they will start to forget. You will need to rehearse the song at least two or three times before you can be confident that they will be ready to sing it in a church service.
There are very few songs that are easy enough to learn completely in only one rehearsal. If you need suggestions for super-easy songs, you can check out my one-rehearsal songs page. Otherwise, plan to practice a song several times before you sing it.
At the second rehearsal, try having them sing the song all together just like it was a performance. They might be able to do it, or they might be shaky on their parts. That is normal. If you need to teach the parts again, go ahead. It won't take as long as it did at the first rehearsal.
There are very few songs that are easy enough to learn completely in only one rehearsal. If you need suggestions for super-easy songs, you can check out my one-rehearsal songs page. Otherwise, plan to practice a song several times before you sing it.
At the second rehearsal, try having them sing the song all together just like it was a performance. They might be able to do it, or they might be shaky on their parts. That is normal. If you need to teach the parts again, go ahead. It won't take as long as it did at the first rehearsal.
More tips for more complex songs
You've just read the basics about teaching a choir song. The web page below takes it to the next level with information about teaching more complicated material.
God bless!
I hope that this gives you some ideas and some inspiration for teaching your choir.
Check out the rest of my web pages that support gospel choir ministry. I cover a lot of topics.
Check out the rest of my web pages that support gospel choir ministry. I cover a lot of topics.
Greetings!
I'd love to know that you came by. Feel free to leave a comment or a question.
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PastorCher
Jan 23, 2012 @ 12:04 am | delete
- Very well put together. I appreciate you sharing this with us. Just making a section for you in my files. You've been a great help.
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Samuel Ajose
Sep 7, 2011 @ 4:14 pm | delete
- Great resource for a dynamic director.
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Clement Afreh
Sep 7, 2011 @ 7:13 am | delete
- Hi
Thanks for the info. I am going to use this with the sole aim of improving my choir members and as many as are willing to learn.
But I still need some info. I will send that request to your email.
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mattseefood
Apr 18, 2011 @ 7:59 pm | delete
- I used to sing in choirs when 4 years ago! Great lens :)
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Pacita Watford
Jan 11, 2011 @ 6:33 pm | delete
- All the information that was given was greatly appreciated. I learned alot from the information that you gave. I will be applying it all in allmy rehearsals and will be sharing it with the musicians. Thanks for all your help. I look froward to seeing other stuff that you make available to choir directors like me. I tell you now that I need help on giving out parts. That's not one of my strong suits.
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by JoanTheChoirLady
JoanTheChoirLady
I've been singing in, playing for, writing for, and directing gospel choirs all my life.
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