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» Do the fundamental things well
Number 11: Use CDs (or an mp3 player) well
Recorded music is one of God’s great gifts to small churches! Never be ashamed to sing to a CD at church - the quality of congregational music recordings only keeps getting better and it’s a great way to make sure your church can continue making a joyful noise to the Lord!
In particular, don’t hesitate to use a recording if it’s going to help your musicians take a rest, relieve pressure from rehearsals, or help train a less confident musician or singer who can “shadow” a recording (play along to it as the congregation sings).
We often talk about singing to CDs at church, but in reality digital music purchased online and played through iTunes offers a lot of advantages that are worth looking into if you haven’t already.
It's important to be aware of the copyright issues associated with using audio material in church. Information on current Australian law can be viewed below.
Types of recordings
» 1. Normal audio CDs
» 2. Audio CDs with backing tracks
» 3. Audio CDs with "split tracks"
» 4. MIDI programs playing to electric pianos
» 5. Digital music (such as mp3s) playing through iTunes
1. Normal audio CDs
Advantages:
• Every major worship song has been recorded and published on an album somewhere.
• If it’s a well-known song, the quality of the recording is likely to be good.
• The lead vocals are included so you won’t get confused about what part of the song you’re up to. That means you can use song leaders who are less confident.
Disadvantages:
• The vocal range of the songs are sometimes quite high.
• The lead vocals are included, so your song leader will have to double up the melody.
• There are often extended instrumental sections.
• There’s no flexibility - if you fall behind, the recording won’t slow down!
• If you have musicians playing along, the audio may not match the sheet music.
• You’re stuck with the structure of the song as recorded - if they have four choruses at the end… well, you’re stuck with all four unless you fade out.
2. Audio CDs with backing tracks
Exactly the same as a normal worship album, with the lead vocals removed.
Advantages:
• Your song leader can lead the melody
• Most big worship albums are released as backing track CDs
• Some backing tracks are available on iTunes
Disadvantages:
• You can easily get lost without the lead vocals on the recording
• Often harmony vocals are left on the track which can confuse people.
• All the other disadvantages of normal audio CDs
3. Audio CDs with “split tracks”
A split track is the same as a backing track, only the instrumental parts are separated from the backing vocals using left and right audio channels.
Advantages:
• You can customize the levels of the backing vocals compared with the instruments, or remove the backing vocals all together
• Some split tracks are available on iTunes
• All the other advantages of a normal backing track CD
Disadvantages:
• Unless you run it through a basic mixing desk and pan the channels towards the centre, all the instrumental parts will come out the left speaker and the backing vocals will come out the right speaker.
• The instrumental parts aren’t in stereo (you probably wouldn’t notice the difference though)
• These CDs are less common, so you won’t find every song you’re after.
• All the other disadvantages of a normal backing track CD.
4. MIDI programs playing to electric pianos
MIDI is a digital signal that tells an electronic instrument (such as a synthesizer) to play certain notes. The data for the song is stored on a disk or in the internal memory of the piano. If you have a MIDI cable adapter you can also play MIDI files to the piano from a laptop.
Advantages:
• You can easily find MIDI files for most church music on the internet.
• You can record your best keyboard player to a MIDI file and it will play back the song note-for-note.
• If you have the software, you can modify the key, the tempo or the instruments it’s set to play. In fact you can modify anything about it if you have the knowledge.
Disadvantages:
• If often sounds quite mechanical, or cheesy (depending on the quality of the MIDI file and the synthesizer).
• It can be technically tricky to set up.
5. Digital music (such as mp3s) playing through iTunes
Digital audio is any music played through a computer or mp3 player such as an iPod. Songs can be either purchased online (e.g., from the Apple iTunes music store) or imported from a CD and stored as an audio file on your computer.
Advantages:
Practical advantages at church
• You don’t have to worry about switching CDs back and forth at church.
• You can set a playlist each week in iTunes - it’s just a matter of hitting Play / Pause.
• You don’t need much gear to set it up - just a computer, an audio cable and a simple sound system / stereo.
Song availability
• You can import any CDs you already own to iTunes.
• There is now more Christian music available on the iTunes store any single music shop.
• You can buy the individual song you’re interested in rather than a whole album.
• You can sample songs before you buy them.
• iTunes music store also has a some backing tracks and split-track recordings available.
• Individual iTunes songs can be legally burnt to an unlimited number of CDs.
• Playlists (groups of songs) can be burnt to up to seven CDs.
Disadvantages:
• There still are some worship music labels that aren't on iTunes.
• If you’re unfamiliar with computers sound systems you might struggle setting it up. Just ask for help from the nearest 12 year old.
You still need a song leader!
Having someone up the front leading the singing is not an optional extra, even if there are already lead vocals coming from a CD. Seeing an enthusiastic song leader up the front encourages the congregation and gives them confidence to join in. Using a CD with lead vocals included (as opposed to a backing track) is also a great opportunity to train new song leaders with the congregation.
My advice is generally to use recordings with lead vocals and avoid backing tracks. They always seem to get people confused.
You still need to rehearse!
Don’t think that using a CD or iTunes means you can get away without a rehearsal! There are a number of technical things that should always be checked, and the song leader should be familiar not only with the song, but with this actual recording of the song.
The song leader should take the CD home and practice singing with it. If you’re using just backing tracks be particularly careful, because the song won’t speed up if the song leader comes in early or rushes ahead!
The song leader and sound person should arrive early to check the CD or playlist is playing correctly. Do a run-through of each song with the microphone while the sound person checks the levels with the recording are well-balanced. If you have recorded songs that are very long, you might want to fade out at some point. Make sure the song leader and the sound person are expecting to do that at the same place, and rehearse it.
Copyright information
Playing CDs in public
When you play a CD in most public places, Australian law requires that you have permission from the copyright owner via a public performance license. This is administered by the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA). However there is a specific exemption from this requirement if a recording is included within a "service of worship". The exemption applies as an acknowledgement of the traditional role of music in ceremonial services and applies irrespectve of the composition of the audience (that is, even if the audience is made up of visitors to your church). That means you can play CDs or mp3s (as long as you own them) in church without a license.
Importing CDs to mp3 format
Australian law has also recently been clarified with respect to "format shifting". It was previously illegal to import audio from CDs you own into mp3 format (which is what happens whenever you rip a CD and copy it to your iPod). The Attorney-General's report released in May 2006 outlines the changes to copyright law that permit copying of CDs into mp3 format as long as you own an original copy of the music.
Copying music purchased on iTunes
Most songs on the iTunes music store are protected by a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system called FairPlay. This system electronically restricts the use of each "protected song" you buy. Here's a summary of the restrictions: