Why worship leaders HATE classical musicians

At least, that’s what a lot of worship leaders would say. Generally speaking, worship leaders love the idea of incorporating classical instruments into worship, but the implementation itself is where problems arise.

And it’s pretty much all classical musicians’ fault.

That’s not to say classical musicians are all lazy, stupid, or jerks. On the contrary, they’re often quite lovely.

But to be clear—classical musicians can be really difficult to work with. And the main reason for that is because playing in a worship band is very different from playing in an orchestra.

It all comes back to a few key pitfalls they make. If you’re a classical musician, study these pitfalls. Know them well. And avoid making these mistakes at all costs. It’ll make worship leaders much more excited to work with you.

If you’re a worship leader, take heart—there’s hope for incorporating classical instruments into worship. Keep reading for tips on how to best coach them.

Okay, let’s look at some common pitfalls classical musicians often encounter in the world of worship music. An important caveat is that every band and rehearsal will function differently, so use your judgment as you apply these tips to your situation. With that said, here are the classics:

Okay, let’s look at some common pitfalls classical musicians often encounter in the world of worship music. An important caveat is that every band and rehearsal will function differently, so use your judgment as you apply these tips to your situation. With that said, here are the classics:

This happens all the time with classical musicians who are new to worship settings. They get caught up in all the details, ask copious questions, and make rehearsal painfully slow for everyone else. It’s important to know that generally, worship settings are less detail-oriented than classical settings. So most of the time, you can answer your own questions as you go. If you’re really confused about something that seems important, please feel free to ask. Or just ask the worship leader after rehearsal. But don’t get too bogged down by details.

When classical musicians expect worship sets to go exactly according to plan, it can be debilitating when things change. But the thing is—things often change. Keys are switched last-minute, portions of songs get added or cut, people miss entrances, and the list goes on. Plus, as with any live music, mistakes will be made (including by you). When they are, be ready to roll with it. Be prepared to be flexible.

Lots of times, worship leaders love the idea of having a classical instrument in the band, but they may not know how to actually direct you as a musician (more on that below). Perhaps they aren’t familiar with your instrument, don’t have a classical background themselves, or simply don’t have time to create a part for you. For that reason, be mentally prepared to be your own boss. Don’t expect the worship leader to tell you what to play or when. They may have specific ideas, but more than likely you’ll need to make some judgement calls yourself. And you can certainly ask for their opinion, but make sure you have a plan of your own just in case. Be ready to self direct.

At its core, worship isn’t about you. It’s about God. That’s why one of the biggest mistakes musicians make in worship is overdoing it. That could mean playing too loud, playing something way too busy, feeling like you need to play at all times, or just not blending well with the song. In most cases, less is more. It’s okay to not play for parts of a song or even for a whole song. And when you are playing it’s much better to underdo it and blend in than to overdo it and be a distraction. Plus, simplifying what you play will not only sound more tasteful, but it will also help you give more of your attention to worshiping God. Don’t overdo it.

So what can worship leaders do to help?

Remember earlier when I said it’s classical musicians’ fault when problems arise? That wasn’t entirely true, because there are some things worship leaders can do to ensure things go as smoothly as possible. Here’s what we’d recommend:

First, get a sense of their background playing in worship settings. Remember this—classical musicians are accustomed to being told what to do. Whether it’s the sheet music telling them what to do or a conductor, they rarely need to make substantial musical decisions themselves. If they do have experience in worship, they’ll likely be pretty self-sufficient. But if a musician doesn’t have much experience playing in worship/band settings, they may need more hand holding at first: they’re used to playing off sheet music and may have no idea what to do with a chord chart (just have them play the root note), they’ve likely never used a monitor or even played with an amplified instrument, they may not know the typical structure of a worship song, etc. Pay attention to this and direct as necessary. 

Overall, try to communicate as much as possible before they even set foot in the church. That way, you’ll have a good idea of how much direction they’ll need.

Most classical musicians have never played with their instrument amplified. As a worship leader, assume they don’t have their own amplification, and plan to provide that as a church. This could be as simple as using a handheld mic or instrument mic, or your church could purchase a mounted mic or pickup to let guest musicians borrow. Either way, have a plan, and communicate that to the musician beforehand.

For classical musicians new to worship, walking into a worship band rehearsal can be pretty intimidating. Make sure you greet and connect with a new musician before rehearsal. Give them the lay of the land, introduce them to other musicians and sound personnel, tell them whether they’ll be using a monitor, let them know if you have preferences for what/when they play (or don’t play), etc. Connecting with you will immediately help them feel more comfortable. 

Finally, encourage them! Playing in a worship setting is often a big step for classical musicians. Encouraging them will help build their confidence to keep trying, to grow in their worship abilities, and ultimately to better connect with God. Because at the end of the day, connecting with God (and facilitating that for others) is exactly why we worship in the first place.

If you’re a classical musician who’s interested in making the jump to worship music, or if you’re a worship leader who’d like to incorporate more classical musicians in worship, feel free to check out our other resources here. We’d be glad to partner with and serve you in your worship journey.