I will never forget when I started playing. Drums are such an intricate part of my life. When I was 9 years old, we were at music practice. Our drummer at the time (in his 20's), handed me a set of sticks and said, "Let's see what you got." I got behind the drums and immediately felt at home. Played a few songs with our piano player/music minister. After the last song I went to get up and hand him the sticks back. Everyone said, (almost in harmony), said nope you are the new church drummer. Been playing to glorify God every since that moment. I am 41 years old and to this day playing is my therapy and my praise to God. I thank God every day for the talent's He has given me. All have a blessed day.
I am a bass player, I have played in several churches and in my experience most common problems with drummers in worship bands: a) Learn the songs!! Rehearsals is not the place to figure out what you are going to play, b) Keep a consistent drum pattern. What you play in verse, chorus, bridge. Please be consistent. Nothing worse that not knowing what the drummer is going to play next. c) If the song has a simple beat, id ok, you dont need to come with “ interesting” drum patterns, believe me. The church wont fall asleep because what you consider is a boring drumming. D) Don't misunderstand “ is not about you, is about Jesus”. This not an excuse to not to do your homework and come to the service unprepared, both: spiritually and musically,
James M. J. What hold him back is the fact that he knows that probably somebody is going to feel offended by mentioning The Name above all names, Jesus Christ the Lord.
James M. J. Trying to reach all the drummers and not just have the ones that refuse Christ hear His name and tune out. Plus it's easy to say "it's about the music" because everyone says that.
James M. J. Because this video is for all church drummers, which include non-religious drummers. You have to realize that not all church drummers believe in a god, and arent "doing it for Jesus". They are there because they are either hired or enjoy playing in a church band.
The fills got me. That's exactly what I was doing, playing over the top, rock style fills when either a simple hiccup variation or even no fill at all, would've worked better. Also explains why sometimes the singers would get confused and launch into the chorus, when there was another verse to play. It was my fault! Thanks, great video. God bless.
Wise words. I make my drumming debut at my church next Sunday, and I needed to hear all of this. I keep getting nervous but just have to remember it is not about me, and it is a group event. I picked back up drumming since I saw they needed a drummer. I haven’t played for 10+ years before this. I am playing for an audience of ONE though. Prayers up!
Hey, do you have any tips for playing quiet more easily, because it's just so hard for me playing this quiet, hearing what the rest of the band plays and still keep a tight groove. Normally, I don't have any trouble playing quiet, but the church amplifies the kit so strong and I'm getting afraid, hitting anything.
katzen klo I personally play using bamboo sticks which are quieter than regular drum sticks. I also have a monitor which helps me keep in time with the band. I also have a 3 mic system set up (snare, toms, bass kick). Keep working at it and you'll find what works for you. It took a while myself.
I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to watch this. I was drumming for service this evening at church. Taking these simple advices, I felt improved my drumming for the local church. It really makes it easier. Thank you, Stephen Taylor!
I started as the percussionist in my church at 14. I'm 18 now and understand (and have used) every point you brought up. I haven't been able to play in church for about a year and this video brought back so many memories. Thank you for this. 🤗
5:13 Oh man, lol so true. I've been drumming in church for 15 years now, and I can't count the number of times I've had the keys/vocalist or the guitarist look over at me to watch what I'm doing with my hands (usually exactly what you said; giving a light click on the hi-hat or the ride) or even asking me if before that song starts, particularly a song that they might not feel comfortable with the timing of or one that they usually start the song too fast or too slow, if I could please give them some sort of light rhythm for them to come in with. It goes a LONG way for a lot of them. Fellow drummers in church, we have an important and rewarding job my friends.
Been playing at the same church for 10 plus years on top of gigs at other church’s, and EVERY WORD OF THIS IS TRUE!! As annoying as it is, it’s worth the listen.
I’m a guitar player for 53 years. However, back in the day, in various bands, I sat down on the drums every chance I got. Fast forward, our drummer at church left us. I offered to play with the caveat that I keep a solid 4, but I don’t do anything fancy - straight 4, few runs. They love it. Still struggle the the waltzes and won’t touch standard hymns ( cuz I just don’t know what to do there), but I focus on being a quiet clock and that seems to please everybody 😀.
I am also Pastors son and I play drums since I was 12. And as an instrumentalist you should have self discipline. Because playing at church is not about you its about helping the people worship.
Its about giving God the glory not pleasing anyone and giving God the glory also outside church not only when we play when people see us, we need to be with God in the secret place
Hi Stephen! BINGO! My wife and I have been worship "leaders/members" for about 18 years now...WOW! Dude what you spoke about on your video is absolutely spot on. That is exactly how I have always approached any worship service, which is to humbly usher in the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I was truly blessed to learn this very early in my playing. I apply the same ethics and humility to any professional gig I am hired to do as well. Thank you for culminating these VERY CRITICAL areas that every "musician" MUST live and breath but most of all, just have fun with your fellow musicians. :)
infosec4u Amen to that. I've been a worship drummer for ove twenty years and must admit that everything he said was very true. But I still have a strang problem with dynamics. I tend to slow down when I play with less volume. So it's a good thing that I worship with people who like loud worship. But it's still something I need to work on. God bless you guys and the work you do for the Kingdom.
This lesson was spot on. I had to learn these things on my own with a little help from the other worship team members at my church. Now it is automatic what adjustments I have to make when playing and what to play. I have been playing at my church for about 15 years now and I still think about those tips every time I get behind the drumset.
really love everytime you say "It's not about you" , it's all about Jesus. im just starting to play drum for my church and we have a small room. What you said is true, sometimes i need to use brush just to make drum's sound not too loud so everyone can enjoy the worship. thank you for the tips man...!! love from Indonesia...Blessing!
These are great points. I have 27 years of playing and I can say he is dead right about this. The drummer is a solid backbone of the band the provides strength, support and stability to the band. Every instrument has its place and must work in harmony for the song/ setting as a whole.
I've had to take a hiatus from playing in church because I started having the lines blurred between my rock drums and my worship drums. i recognized that i wasn't thinking in the right direction. it's about Jesus. that's an incredible point.
I've been playing for my church for years, and man musically it has taught me how to really play as a band and learning how to mesh with others despite musical experience. We use an electric set but everything you said is still on point. Church drumming and marching band really helps with learning how to play as a unit.
Also, don't lose yourself in the passion and start playing super ham. I've played some hillsong and lost myself in it and put fills in weird places because of it lol
Why did I just watch this whole video? I'm not a drummer and we don't even do these things in Europe. I guess your voice is just really charismatic. You should be an actor.
Thanks brother.. I play at the church at least Sundays morning.. And worship team we have rehearsal at least two days before..im happy that our director is a experience guitar player and he gives me a lot of advices..
Been in bands and played here and there, and was just contacted to start playing for a church and this video was such a big help. I was leaning towards "it's just a paying gig" but this put it into perspective and really got me excited for it. Thanks!
Great video! I'm fortunate enough to go to a church where they play very contemporary music like bethel, hillsong, Leeland, elevation, etc so I still play in the pocket but I have great opportunities to put some tasty fills in
Thanks about this video. I'm playng in the church and I agree with you. Every drummers need the "jail" or "bunker" to play because do not observe the 5 tip. Tank you very much.
great tips! spot on. using a visual click will also help a lot with holding a consistent tempo. the rest of the worship team will definitely appreciate it!
I got banned in church music team because my spiritual life to God is on/off like monday to friday i am in the world and when Sat and Sun im like Angel pretending im a good example to others and i play drums but im not focusing to the worship i focus to my play like i want them to praise me after this... no longer they send me into counselling for about 6months and i have so many realization like God dont deserve this worship. They bring me back to Music Team and i learn to do my devotion everyday..i hope you guys dont imitate me let my experience be a lesson :) Godbless all ...Thankyou for your Video Bro! i like it so much
It is good to hear this. I have always said this. I believe our drummers are not aware of the environment in which they play. More importanly we are keeping the flow of the music to make sure there is harmony in the worship and draw ppl in the act of worship or praise
Must see video for any level drummer in a church band. Even a good drummer needs a reminder every once in a while that these are the most important things to know for playing anything in church.
Awesome video!!! I just drummed for church this morning. My big take always from this video are tastefully placing fills in the right areas and using dynamics well. Also, a helpful thing for the musicians at our church is that we run a click track through all our channels. It keeps us all on time :)
Hey Stephen, great to see a tutorial on worship drumming. I'm on staff at a church here in SF Bay Area and one of my job duties is drumming in the worship services and so I'm usually playing many times out of the month with the worship band, such as this morning. Very edifying in explaining the differences for playing in church "It's not about me!" I made a mistake this morning by doing what you described in the video on playing the wrong fill because I thought we were going to the chorus. Anyway, I got right by the 2nd & 3rd service. Yea, I play in a cage, but I always kid that it's for the "protection of the congregation". :D The biggest challenge I face is when we're playing to a click & a loop and the vocalists don't hear the click and so their tempo and phrasing doesn't line up with the click and there's a tug between the two and so as much as I want to go with their phrasing & breath, I have to play strict time at the same time making it groove and feel good. God bless the work of your hands & feet.
Played drums in church since i was little and that fill has always been my go too😂 one thing I learned too is just because people play instruments or sing doesn’t mean they can keep time lol they usually always depend on the drums for when they start to sing or when they play a certain part in the song.
Amen brother. I am "Joe the mechanic" I am in the box too. I so agree with you so much on the time thing. It can be such a struggle with the other musicians, but it is the key to it sounding good. I try so hard to keep solid time but the others are not so good at listening as they to are not full time musicians either. Your fill comments are spot on, yes there are times when a big fill is needed but usually a little diddy is all that is needed. Thanks for your comments...it is not about me as it is about Jesus and helping the congregation sing and enjoy the moment.
I think it's a good idea to interview church musicians, to see where they are spiritually, before they allow them to play in a worship band. Then audition them, and if the church is going to use them, compensate them.
They did all of this at our church...except compensate. It's completely volunteer. And we have some INCREDIBLE talents at our church. I consider it a tithe of my time.
I'm happy to see your church doing this. Btw, I have never been compensated for playing in a worship team. And, it is a tithe of your time, which is not the same, as tithing of your income. But, I think if the church can afford it, it would be a nice gesture to give the core members of the worship team a small pittance. It's a way of saying "we appreciate you". I think the musicians would work harder on the music, and be overall more responsible for their position in the group. The bible does say, a laborer is worth of his hire. We were created for His glory. Which to me means, we were created to worship Him. Worship is paramount...give God the best.
lanes58 What those of the faith were hired with, however, was not physical money, but a ransom of Jesus's life. Of course if a Church decides to compensate their musicians (after the Sabbath has ended, I think) there's nothing wrong with that. But if they don't, nothing wrong with that either. If the musician is working harder on the song cause of money, then he clearly isn't doing it for the glory of God and his son who payed that ransom.
I played and lead at my church for almost 10 years and started playing and leading at another locations without getting compensated (and never asked to be) and I paid tithes in money also, but one day out of nowhere they decided(just recently) to compensate me and it did make me feel appreciated, though they often told me and I knew they meant it. I think that the more you do and the more they rely on you to be at many locations, they need to compensate you a little and it’s not a sin to get paid for playing music in church cause you pay the plumber and electrictrician or you don’t get service.
As a drummer for my church, this rly helped a lot! I’m 15 and I learned how to play drums in church and got to play for the worship team! This helped me a lot thanks
Great advise, you're right and it is about Jesus! In my church band I drum for him with the gift he gave me :) I like to play how the drums are in the song originally with the right fills and dynamics.
Excellent video, Stephen. I've been drummer since I was 6 (47 years ago!), and I've been playing regularly in worship services (mainly contemporary churches) for more than 25 years. These days I play regularly at my own church, plus I often sub at a half dozen other churches in the Atlanta metro area when they need a drummer. Playing in worship is so different from gigging with secular bands (which I also do). In church, we play for an Audience of One, and our playing should be pleasing to God. The music should not be for "show" in a production, but to create a worship environment where a community of people come together in His name and make a joyful noise. I'll share this video with other church drummers I know. Thanks much.
My father was at a church for a while in Atlanta...I believe it's now called the East West Church...not sure though. Love the area. Thanks for serving so diligently!
Wonderful tips Mr. Taylor. Thank you. I've found playing in church super challenging even though the stuff we play is pretty simple. I've learned so much about dynamics and the "less is more" philosophy. It's really helped me become a more well rounded musician. I try to pass this stuff on to our younger drummers in the congregation who want to "rock the flock" when they get behind the kit. Baby steps, but I think they're starting to get it. ;-)
Thanks Scott. I've learned a ton myself playing in a church setting. Dynamics, playing for the song, listening to the music, serving the music...it really is a great environment to learn in.
The only rule I would add is that playing in church is way better when you're genuinely worshiping God as you play. If your mind is on Jesus as you play, you will play with more purpose and passion, and people around you like the band and the congregation will notice. A worshipful drummer adds so much to the atmosphere of a worship service. Not to mention that it feels (and is) way more rewarding. You make God happy any time that you play drums for Him. If you're just doing it for yourself or a paycheck, it's not too rewarding, and even though you are possibly benefiting a church, God won't notice your selfish playing.
While all of these points are critically important to help you become a good drummer for a church group, applying them to every drumming gig you play will make you much more successful no matter where you play or what you play or with whom you play. This is a great video that should be required viewing for anyone who is just getting started on their percussion career.
I will agree...they work in almost every gigging situation. Funny how much Biblical principles cross over outside of the church...almost like they were meant to do so ;^)
I’ve been drumming for about 33 years (aka my entire life lol). I was saved in 2016 and came to Jesus shortly before. Since then, I’ve had a deep desire to use my gifts that I have been blessed with and use them for the lord to play in church. We’ve been attending a pretty large church for the past 3 months, and I went to volunteer to serve whether in the parking lot, or cleaning or anything. After telling the volunteer coordinator that I play drums and would love to play for the church, she said that they’re needing drummers!! Hallelujah!! I will have to engrave rule #1 to memory. It’s not about me, it’s about you Jesus. I am sooooo insanely excited to potentially play in church!!! Thank you lord!
I’m looking to get my first drum lesson soon and I would love to play at church from time to time. This is wonderful advice! It’s not about you, it’s a group event, your there to help, help create an atmosphere of worship. Thank you for this video. and thank you Drumeo for adding this to your play list 😊
+freedrumlessons *Thanks for reiterating for our fellow RU-vidrs* the importance of whole-as-sum-of-parts thinking in the house of worship. I'm constantly working on dynamics and in fact quite used to choking down on a pair of relatively massive Vic Firth® SRHN Corpsmaster® sticks (originally meant for marching snare) on either my own study's Tama®/Hoshino® IS2K7 semi-custom rig in East Contra Costa, or the Yamaha® RY2T4 four-piece and MSD14AF snare at OMS Japanese Christian Church, Walnut Creek, CA, USA; not so some would-be percussionists who use far lighter sticks and still can't match the "whisper" I get from the RY2T4.
Once a month We have a childrens music group filled with guitarists, violinist, pianist and me a drummer... I am currently 14 years old and I have been playing drums for 5-6 years. Since I am a teenager and I know what I should play and at the right place in time.
I agree with the points you habe raised but I'll add in these two tips. Knowing when not to play is vital in a church/worship. Less is almost always more. Adaptable is crucial as you might have practiced / rehearsed but a service can change on the fly and you need to be ready to do something different than rehearsed, it is not a performance. Never distract from the worship support it and be part of it.
My boy plays drums for our band and he is 10. I told him from the start to play tight and put it were it goes. In other words don't over play. YOU ARE RIGHT THAT APPLIES TO ALL MUSIC. WE ARE A COUNTRY GOSPEL BAND. But I will say that playing in church will make a musician play for the song, and not for their self.
I’ve been taught the worship team prompts the worshippers (congregation). and there is an audience of one (God). This makes sense to me and helps me keep focused. As far as dynamics: I’ve seen too many drummers keep time by “banging” 1/8 th notes by on the ride (or even crash cymbal) with the shoulder of their sticks. It becomes a distraction.
I absolutely love the thought of coming together and do whatever you have to do (hard or East as pie)And something out of your comfort zone to make a beautiful piece of music that people can worship, I have a question, I am very interested in gospel drumming like so but I dont have a church, where should I start to get into /learn this style?
My favorite story of playing in church; it was baptismal Sunday and we would play a song after each baptism. I was a teenager at the time, and there were these twin sisters, a year or two older than me, very attractive, getting baptized. We had white baptismal gowns, and they wore black bikinis under. I was glad I was behind the kit. The next Sunday I saw brand new navy blue baptismal gowns in the back room.
As a worship leader in a small church, I just want to say thank you and I wish more drummers would realize that they are musicians and not a one person show with people playing around them. Some play so loud that I have to take them totally out the monitor mix and that sometimes makes it hard to hear anything. Also I often hear from the audience that the drummer is too dang loud. Drummers please listen to this video, PLEASE!
Guys if you have that feeling i am not good enough to play drums at church you are wrong if you have some experience on drums you can. I play drums in church here is my story how i got into it. So i was at the church me and some friends, web played some worship songs, i played drums so after we played some songs someone asked me to play drums in church on Sunday, and i was feeling very happy, so on Sunday i went there and everyone was amazed of how good i am, i have been practicing now 8 years and i am 15, and i make mistake too when playing, so don't mind that one mistake, don't think dahm now they wont me anymore, yes they do guys it can happens so fast that you get asked be patient it will come for me it took 8 years nearly 9 so never give up i reached up to my dream cause i was fighting for it, i hope you do too. Keep drumming and good luck.
At my church everyone in the worship group uses inear monitors so there is no "slapback" at all...pluss we use click tracks...it really helps staying in tempo...
