Over the years, the speed of a song, not to mention keeping any song at a consistent speed, has been one of the biggest challenges of any worship team.
Currently, I’m hearing the need for more praise or uptempo songs – the need for people to be joyous in their praise, especially when we live in a world that is joy-less and full of conflict, confrontation and compromise.
And I agree… more praise songs please!!
But how do we determine how fast or slow a song should be sung?
Firstly, here are some of the problems I’ve encountered.
- There’s no distinct difference between fast and slow songs. Fast songs are played too slow, and slow songs are played too fast.
- Up tempo songs are often played too fast (because the band is having fun at that speed!) but the people can’t sing the words that fast, and they can’t mentally engage with what they are singing (we’re are to worship in spirit and in truth – John 4:24). The risk is that they will disengage and worship will be a spectator event.
- Slower songs are often played too slow, and people run out of breath at the end of a line or word – makes singing unsustainable.
- Slow songs are sung fast, and fast songs are sung slow. Very common. [This can sometimes work with some songs and done with a thought through purpose. It has the effect of people noticing what they are singing in a new or fresh way. (“Glorious” comes immediately to mind)
So what can we do to determine the correct tempo of any song?
- Stick to the original – before you adjust to your own situation. People who record songs usually go to great lengths to get the best tempo for that song. So…
- Go to the Youtube version or a recording and tap in the speed on one of the countless free apps on your phone. It should measure it in beats per minute. Go with that for starters before adjusting for your church people.
- Look at the song chart and it should have a picture of a note (crotchet or quarter note usually); an equals sign and a number – lock that in on your app.
- Experiment – ask a few people to help you set the tempo. After all, the congregation should set the tempo of a song, because we are playing it to enable them to worship. Ask your singers as well … however, beware. Over familiarity with a song may give you a slightly distorted view – but ask anyway.
- For fast songs, go to the line that is most difficult to sing fast (i.e. you may be “cramming” in more syllables to a line than usual); sing it at a singable tempo, and take your tempo measurements from that line in the song.
- For slower songs, go to the lines that have long, sustained notes or syllables, sing what is sustainable, and take your tempo from that. [Hint: if people pass out from lack of oxygen, you’ll know it’s too slow!]
- For medium songs… you can figure it out! Just don’t make all of your songs “medium” in tempo.
At the end of the day, we need variety in tempo. Tempo will help set the ambience (yep – it’s OK to do that! In fact, it’s essential); it will help embed songs into the mind and hearts of people, will aid in the flow of a “worship set” and more.
It’s worth taking the time to set the right speed because your people are more than worth it, and we are serving God by serving them.
Let me know what your struggles are with tempo, and if you have an idea to overcome this issue, share it below.
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Really good article, John. Ouch or Amen!
Great article John!
I often notice the struggle with tempo during transitioning between songs. I find having a set list with preset bpm’s the only way to be accurate when setting the tempo for a song.