Worship Band Auditions
Thanks for your interest in the Worship Band! We have a wide variety of ways in which you can use your gift for the Lord and for the edification of the church. We strive to maintain a very high quality level in our worship times and therefore require auditions for certain roles.
We always have open auditions throughout the year, but please note, that certain roles may be limited to availability. There are only a handful of slots for certain roles, so we can make sure those who are on the team have ample opportunities to play or sing. We still encourage you to try out no matter what!
To sign up to audition, please fill out the form at the bottom of the page. When we have enough people signed up, we will notify you to schedule an audition, which is normally held on a Sunday afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Singer
Singers help lead the congregation in worship through singing in various setting such as, background vocals, melody on certain songs, and occasional participation with an ensemble. For your audition, you will be asked to sing along with the song “Cornerstone” in the key of C. If the key is out of reach, we can adjust it by a whole step in either direction (let us know in the form). We will play the exact track that you hear and mute out the vocal part so you can sing along with it. Afterward, you may also be asked to harmonize with a song to gauge your ease of finding harmonies. If you prefer to choose a song that is comfortable for you, please note that in the comments on the form.
We’re Looking For:
- Pitch – the ability to correctly sing notes
- Tonal Fit – Just like any music genre, modern worship music has certain characteristics. We are looking for a confident vocal, without heavy vibrato, that is similar to what you hear in Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Bethel, Elevation, or Passion songs.
- Stage Presence – comfortability on stage with the ability to help engage people in worship, without being a distraction
- Ability to Find Harmony – Our regular background vocalists must be able to locate and sing harmonies on their own; however, even if you can’t find harmonies on your own, you may be able to still join occasional ensembles. Please try out no matter what!
Drummer
Drummers are part of the “backbone” of our worship music. They must be able to match the groove, kick patterns, and dynamics of contemporary worship. They must also be able to comfortably play with a click (metronome). Playing drums requires coming prepared to match each song in the set as closely as possible.
We’re Looking For:
- Playing “in the pocket” – not rushing the beat or playing behind it; keeping the groove without over-playing
- Dynamics — ability to match the energy and flow of the song by playing
- Matching the Song – ability to identify and play kick patterns and key fills by ear
- Stage Presence – comfortability on stage with the ability to help engage people in worship, without being a distraction
Bass
Bassists do more than play the correct note; they also carry the backbone and groove of the song along with the drums. Bass is both felt and heard, so it is equally a rhythmic and melodic instrument. Great bass playing is a combination of low notes, high note, appropriate grooves (which often match the kick drum pattern), and tasteful licks which provide variety without distracting.
We’re Looking For:
- Knowledge of the Fretboard – the ability to easily play low notes and high notes in any key
- Groove – Playing the right note at the right time is paramount with bass, and “playing in the pocket” with drums establishes the groove.
- Tone – Playing with a pick is okay, if the attack isn’t too harsh; however, playing with fingers often fits worship music better
- Stage Presence – comfortability on stage with the ability to help engage people in worship, without being a distraction
Electric
Electric guitarists often carry the “signature lick” of a song as well as the feel of a song. Some songs have “driving” electrics for an “edgy sound,” while other songs use electric guitars to provide an ambient pad to fill up a lot of tonal space. While tone is important (and something we can help you with if needed), it is also very important to be able to identify electric parts within a song by ear and play them back accurately. Playing electric requires prep time to learn each part.
We’re Looking For:
- Matching the Song – playing the part by ear and not over-playing (if there are multiple electric parts, just pick one and learn it)
- Dynamics – ability to provide the correct tone that fits with the song (or flexibility for us to help with it)
- Stage Presence – As a musician, you still help to lead worship. Even something as simple as looking up and out helps engage people.
Keys
Piano / Keys is a vital part of worship music. Because we play both hymns and modern worship songs, both technical ability and flexibility to play the simplest of “pads” are important. Many times it’s necessary to “under-play” to help fill the space of a modern worship song. We have a grand piano and a Nord keyboard on site. We can help you learn more about the Nord and even have preset pad sounds.
We’re Looking For:
- Technical Ability – able to play in any key with only the use of chord charts
- Flexibility – willing to use sounds / pads that match the song
- Matching the Song – able to pick out parts by ear and play them back accurately
- Stage Presence – comfortability on stage with the ability to help engage people in worship, without being a distraction
Acoustic
Because the worship leader normally plays acoustic guitar, a second acoustic is only occasionally used to help fill out the sound of the band.
We’re Looking For:
- Consistent Rhythmic Playing – ability to play in a way that complements the main acoustic
- Knowledge of Chords and Capos — ability to “capo-up” and play along (we can help with this if needed)
- Stage Presence – ability to engage with the music and look up often from the chart
