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God Songs: How to Write and Select Songs for Worship
(Integrity). This instructional book by songwriters Paul Baloche and Jimmy & Carol Owens covers basic songwriting principles like how to develop a song after inspiration comes, 30 characteristics that make a song memorable, 16 shared qualities of great worship songs and 12 keys to unlock writer's block. You will also learn how to gain the listener's attention quickly, find fresh ways of expressing worship and choose just the right words. God Songs also contains advice on how to make your song its best before releasing it, how to get your songs heard and used by others, and ways to minister most effectively with your music. Song stories and advice from writers and publishers such as Darlene Zschech, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Bart Millard, Craig Dunnagan and Rita Baloche are also included. Softcover, 304 pages.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 1, 2024
Worship is not music, but music can be worship.
If we use music as an expression of our love to the Lord, He is pleased , and we’re refreshed.
You don’t have to be a lead worshipper to write good worship songs, you just need to be a worshipper.
If you’re one of those who are immersed in music and find yourself singing much of the time, try singing your prayers to the Lord as well.
If you’re a Lyrics it’s, ideas are your stock-in-trade and words are your instrument.
Just as our memory mechanism can search out and the bring up past events like a computer, the music department of our subconscious is also at work, manufacturing new combinations from music we’ve stored there.
Rhythm is motion, and the feel of the motion should correspond to the feel of the words, to bring life to the meaning of the message.
If you’re a worship leader, ask yourself: Am I a shepherd of a cowboy? A shepherd leads his flock, a cowboy drives his herd. Is this a worship service or a pep rally? Am I facilitating the people into worship, or am I hyping them? You can whip up a crowd’s emotions, but you can’t whip up the Holy Spirit.
Whatever skills you develop as a player or singer, develop feel. Playing the right notes isn’t enough.
Feel is paramount. Feel is undefinable. Feel is about nuances and subtleties and inflections that can’t be written down on paper.
Sometimes the Lord has to do quite a work in us before He can do the work He wants to do through us.
The single most important quality we could hope for in a Christian song is the power of the Holy Spirit on it.
It can be very frustrated to hear great music in your head but not know how to communicate it
If we use music as an expression of our love to the Lord, He is pleased , and we’re refreshed.
You don’t have to be a lead worshipper to write good worship songs, you just need to be a worshipper.
If you’re one of those who are immersed in music and find yourself singing much of the time, try singing your prayers to the Lord as well.
If you’re a Lyrics it’s, ideas are your stock-in-trade and words are your instrument.
Just as our memory mechanism can search out and the bring up past events like a computer, the music department of our subconscious is also at work, manufacturing new combinations from music we’ve stored there.
Rhythm is motion, and the feel of the motion should correspond to the feel of the words, to bring life to the meaning of the message.
If you’re a worship leader, ask yourself: Am I a shepherd of a cowboy? A shepherd leads his flock, a cowboy drives his herd. Is this a worship service or a pep rally? Am I facilitating the people into worship, or am I hyping them? You can whip up a crowd’s emotions, but you can’t whip up the Holy Spirit.
Whatever skills you develop as a player or singer, develop feel. Playing the right notes isn’t enough.
Feel is paramount. Feel is undefinable. Feel is about nuances and subtleties and inflections that can’t be written down on paper.
Sometimes the Lord has to do quite a work in us before He can do the work He wants to do through us.
The single most important quality we could hope for in a Christian song is the power of the Holy Spirit on it.
It can be very frustrated to hear great music in your head but not know how to communicate it
July 17, 2012
Paul Baloche knows his stuff. If you have ever sang contemporary worship songs at church, the you have probably sung something that he wrote. Paul's immense talent and his love of teaching are brought together in this book, and the result is an in-depth look at the songwriting art from a Christian perspective.
What I love about this book is the fact that no time is spent on trying to convert the reader. This allows him to spend more time on a subject that, unfortunately, many consider not important in worship music; talent. He encourages the reader to hone their skills in a way that will allow the song to come about naturally, instead of forcing it through a step-by-step formula.
Having Said that, he also offers a step-by-step formula. This not only appears in the text of the book, but also as a separate "checklist" in the appendix. While I like most of what is in this book, I have a serious aversion to music being boiled down to a list.
This is one of the better books I have ever read on this subject (songwriting), and while it does leave a bit to be desired (I feel he could have gone into some subjects more), it is worth your time to read if your interested in the subject at all.
What I love about this book is the fact that no time is spent on trying to convert the reader. This allows him to spend more time on a subject that, unfortunately, many consider not important in worship music; talent. He encourages the reader to hone their skills in a way that will allow the song to come about naturally, instead of forcing it through a step-by-step formula.
Having Said that, he also offers a step-by-step formula. This not only appears in the text of the book, but also as a separate "checklist" in the appendix. While I like most of what is in this book, I have a serious aversion to music being boiled down to a list.
This is one of the better books I have ever read on this subject (songwriting), and while it does leave a bit to be desired (I feel he could have gone into some subjects more), it is worth your time to read if your interested in the subject at all.
January 4, 2010
This book was a disappointment in some ways. The information about proper songcraft and selection was fairly good, and Baloche emphasizes the spiritual as much as the practical. But the book is tainted by his insistence that church musicians shouldn't have to know anything about music. Baloche even goes so far as to claim that knowledge of basic music theory will prevent songwriters from doing a good job because they will get hung up in theoretical issues instead of concentrating on their flow of ideas. This is precisely why Christian music is full of weak, sound-alike songs that rehash the same cliches and chord progressions. Much Christian music is an embarrassment for this precise reason. Encouraging the ignorant to remain ignorant is not the hallmark of a good musician, much less a significant Christian figure, so I was greatly disappointed in Baloche's approach here. His co-writers don't contribute a great deal to the discussion, and from the evidence here, it would seem that all of their best musical achievements were realized three decades ago. There is a definite niche for this kind of book, but Baloche misses the mark in several ways.
September 26, 2015
Overall, I liked the tone of this book - they understand the importance of heart attitudes behind song writing. Their wisdom and experience are valuable and should be passed on. As a reference, it should prove handy, although you need more on both the music and theology sides for a complete course on song writing.
July 21, 2010
There is some great wisdom found in this book for songwriters and those who lead music at church.
January 18, 2013
One of the best books about writing songs for the Church. Packed with practical and spiritual advice for the worship song writer.
March 18, 2014
A must read for songwriters if every genre but especially helpful for those who want to serve the church. Engaging book that can change the way you write.
June 20, 2016
Absolutely amazing! Great insight and wisdom! Should be the standard read for all Worship Leaders!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews