Starting a Singing Group from Scratch? - Here's How

Whether you are starting a new ensemble for your church, putting together a choir, or simply trying to establish a trio for regular music, starting a music group from scratch can be a daunting task. From gathering music to setting practice times, there is much to consider when undertaking such an endeavor. Having started and successfully run several singing groups myself, I will show you the steps you need to take in order to have a successful singing group.

1 - Strengthen your personal relationship with God.

People are spiritual beings. Working with people is a spiritual endeavor. All spiritual endeavors require spiritual strength. Spiritual strength comes directly from a strong relationship with God. Thus, the importance of a personal walk with God.

2 - Continue expanding your knowledge in many areas of interest.

Organizing any kind of a singing group is a creative effort. You are creating a singing group. You are creating a purpose to keep the group together. You are creating motivation to practice and build musical skill.

However, creativity requires fuel. A river that never replenishes its water will quickly run dry. It must have a continuous resupply of water in order to keep its current.

Human creativity is the same. To continually be creating without ever taking in the creative works of others will cause you to "run dry." Keeping a fresh supply of information and creativity will attract people to you and allow you to accomplish so much more.

3 - Choose the type of group that you will be creating.

Are you putting together a choir of forty singers? Perhaps you are organizing a men's quartet, or a teen ensemble. Regardless of your singing group, carefully plan what harmonies will be present, what the ranges of such harmonies will be (there are standard ranges but they sometimes need to be adjusted depending on your singers), and, if you have fewer than ten singers, write down the vocal ranges of each of your singers.

Let's look at the reasons behind each of these.

Why should you plan what harmonies will be present?

You should plan if your group will have only two parts, three parts, etc. and what those parts will be (soprano, alto, etc.). Doing so eliminates confusion when getting singers to sing for you. It also simplifies your search for music. Many vocal music stores sort their music by the voices in the arrangement.

Why should you determine the ranges the harmonies? While there is a standard range for each vocal part, many times you will need to adjust the range to accommodate your singers.

This is why it is helpful to also write down the names of your singers along with their vocal range. This helps you stay organized and provide achievable music. It is quite discouraging to have carefully selected an arrangement only to find out that your soprano cannot even come close to reaching the higher notes in that arrangement. This also saves your soprano from embarrassment.

4 - Don't demand a practice time. Ask for input.

When dealing with people, it is important to remain respectful of their time. Rather than saying "we will practice weekly on this date at this time," ask each of the singers to submit times they could practice, and, in the rare chance you have overlapping times, wonderful! Otherwise, using the rough time frames they have provided, work out a time that would be most convenient for your singers. It is better to inconvenience yourself rather than your singers in such a situation.

5 - Be kind.

"Be ye kind, one to another." We have all heard those words. But do we always apply them as we should?

The primary reason to be kind to your singers is because it is a command from Scripture. Another reason is because it encourages your singers to keep working with you. No one wants to work for a rude music coordinator. So don't be rude.

This is applicable when asking your singers to sing for you. Never demand that it is someone's sacred duty to serve God in the music ministry by singing a song for you. This is unscriptural and rude. Rather, approach in humility and grace. Express your generous appreciation for their musical talents and your desire to include them in a singing group. Be sure to check details, like their vocal range and if they are approved to sing in your setting.

6 - Use your practice time wisely.

Get everyone their music ahead of time, and have spare copies at the practice session for that one singer who inevitably forgets their music. You should also practice for at least thirty minutes but rarely over an hour.

Begin with a quick prayer for God's blessing, and start organizing and practicing. Be sure to coordinate with your instrumentalists if you choose to incorporate accompaniment.

Play through the vocals just to make sure that everyone knows what to sing. Then do a few rough attempts of the entire song. Now you can go back over and work on individual sections. This will likely require several practice periods.

Be sure to keep spirits high and build up the confidence of your musicians during the entire practice. Should anything go awry, immediately claim responsibility, regardless of who's supposed fault it is.

7 - Set a deadline to learn a song.

It is important to have a deadline to have your song complete. This is the most effective motivator for your singers to master their parts. Ensure that you have ample time to learn, but having too much time will cause restlessness and frustration.

With these tips, you should be well-prepared to start your own singing group. Of course, you will have to do the tedious work of searching for music, creating arrangements, or finding ideas, but that is something that your singers will do for you if they are engaged and excited to be in your group.

Remember to love your fellow man as Christ loves you, and you will be just fine.

We hope this is a blessing!

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Aaron Dempsey

I Corinthians 15:58