What the band hears during worship with an MD (Music Director) // Battle Belongs IEM Mix

In this video you're hearing Brian's in-ear monitor mix while Bradford is in the role of Music Director (Brad is also playing bass).

You'll hear a couple voices throughout the video - the first is Bradford as he leads the band, and the 'Verse 2 3 4' voice is from our multitrack - the cues.

If you have any questions about the role of an MD, let us know below!

Sunday Vlog where we talk more about MD's: COMING SOON!

Table of contents:
00:00 - Video setup and explanation
00:59 - Song starts (with the IEM/MD mix)

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Our vision is that every church in the world would experience worship that is both excellent and authentic. We are here to help you make that happen.

CURRENT GEAR - stuff we use in (and to make) videos

Cameras:

Acoustic Guitars:

Capos:
G7th Performance Capos:

Amp modelers we make presets for:

Recording Interface:

In-Ear Monitors:

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[worshiptutorials]

Regarding the MANY comments saying "What about the Holy Spirit"...

This video actually demonstrates us being led by the Holy Spirit. In the beginning, Caleb talks about the song, and what he said was 100% inspired by God/Holy Spirit. The band was able to give him space to lead in that moment, and then we played the song.

Regarding the song itself, I’ve found that most churches play the songs in the arrangement that they were recorded. We have space to repeat things at the end or linger in a moment if we’d like, but the click track and MD mic just let us all stay on the same page. And if we do decide to repeat something, it allows us to effectively communicate that to everyone in the band.

To suggest that planning (and then executing that plan) is somehow squelching the Holy Spirit is foolish, in my opinion. The Spirit lead in our planning just as much as the Spirit leads in the moment. We believe that effective worship leadership calls upon the Holy Spirit's guidance both in the planning stages and in the execution.

[harveygitarista]

In our band, we just look at each other, and we know what's up.

[JuanCastro]

I’m just over here like what this dude is saying about God fighting our battles is fire 😭🔥

[gdiaz]

the amount of focus and musicianship to follow the track and also be aware of everything going on is impressive

[robrdavis]

As a fellow guitarist, this mix is perfect and should be sent straight to front of house.

[manofculture]

It's weird, as a drummer I've played at churches like this with in-ears and this kind of organisation.
But I've also played at churches where all you have to rely on is a speaker/monitor and hand signals or a look lol.

While I love the organised feel and I feel more content with my performance. I prefer the latter, with the hand signals haha. It just feels more natural.
It also keeps you on your toes for any surprises, like when the Pastor is in the spirit and sings a song non of the musicians have heard of before 😂. We've all been there lol.

All in all, ministering for God is always good.

[Tatted-netu]

Hi all, I found Jesus one day by guesting at a rather large church one Sunday. As a musician it was the fantastic music from the band, the production and the level of musicianship that hooked me at first. I hadn’t been in a church since I was a kid but I kept going back to see the music. I just wanted to say that sometimes God works in completely obvious ways. Thank you Jesus.

[hendreackermann]

This was so interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes. Really appreciate all the hard work that all worship teams put in.
And you can clearly see that they are still lead by the Holy spirit and feeling God's presence even though there is an MD talking them through the song! (For everyone commenting you don't understand how they still feel the Lord's presence while worshipping)
Thank you for sharing. May God bless you all.

[indradipdutta]

I had no idea this is how a bigger church worship operates.... Ours is a smaller congregation. I usually play the piano and sometimes I play the Cajon. Since its a small band, we can communicate with our eyes LOL. I am self taught, and I want to be a good pianist one day. I play at a very basic level currently. Hopefully with God's blessings, I will make this year a much more productive year, and learn a lot more about music and piano.

[westhessalonians]

WOWW! It is my first time to hear what musicians can here on an earpiece wow.. wow... soo amazinggg

[jmtims]

This is why I never got into playing worship music. Songs can go on forever and ever. 7 lines, eleven times.. but to each his or her own. But they are are great at their craft! Bravo!

[buddinishashikala]

Woah!! Never knew this is what happens behind the scenes! 😮 I kinda wondered how the whole band knew what to play and when to play at some points of the worship ...even being so apart from each other...
So this technique helps to tackle the sudden changes make with music in the middle of the song!
Thanks a lot for sharing this! 😊 God bless you and your church!❤

[SteveKuban]

I’ve led worship over 4, 000 times, with all kinds of audiences, from one to a million people. My most powerful experiences are those amazing times when God creates songs spontaneously, even entire albums “on the fly.” That’s when God ‘shows up’ the most. I’ve recorded many live worship albums (about 15) and none were rigidly planned, including several which went on to touch millions of lives (esp the gold and platinum ones). My greatest desire while leading worship is to be a prophetic conduit through whom God sings and plays, and the resultant music touches the people’s lives during their own individual worship experience. I can appreciate the technical excellence of what’s going on behind the scenes in this video. But speaking as a prophetic spontaneous song creator and worship leader, if I had to listen to a click track and follow a music director’s voice—instead of being able to flow with the Spirit, adjusting song forms and chords and keys as He leads me, and giving spontaneous chord changes to the band by hand signals or by musical feel, it would be a very restrictive experience. Form is good, but the ability to flow around that form, as the Spirit leads, spontaneously, repeating sections of the song at will depending on what is ‘catching fire’ in the congregation at that moment, is even better. And creating the Song of the Lord spontaneously, is the best. I hope your band also practices that. Talented musicians like yours should be encouraged to create new songs on the fly, which thanks to modern technology, would not only bless the live worshipping congregation, but through live-streaming and playback-on-demand, could go instantly around the world and end up becoming worship anthems in themselves. Go guys! May many new songs come forth as the Spirit guides and inspires you all.

[matthewbeckett]

You're such a good MD bro, I been one for a year or so in South Africa for our Hillsong campuses in Cape Town. I'm only 19 so it's a bit weird telling older, more experienced musicians what to do and where to go but I'm thankful for the position. Been growing a lot as a musician and a servant of God. This video was really insightful.

[TheRosepal]

Wow what musicianship and sensitivity to what’s going on! 😲 I don’t know how he can speak so freely with the metronome in his ear in the beginning 😆

What an interesting set of tools to facilitate worship!

[BMTwarrior]

This is a GREAT video for MDs & WLs who want to move forward and grow. I would love for my team to hear this to get a glimpse of our next step. I've read thru many of the comments and some almost sound judgmental, but we have to remember where they are currently. It's like going through the transition of the Praise & Worship era all over again. With the, "I don't like it" and "I prefer the fly by the seat of my pants worship". It's all good and I get it. I am 50 yrs old and very much accustomed to 'organized' worship with tracks and spontaneous worship with no clicks or tracks as well. You simply conform to your surroundings and what is able to be done. God is STILL God and He will move where He wants, when He wants. As long as we are in tune with His Spirit, that's all that matters. As the song says, NOTHING ELSE. LoL.

[jethreeandrade]

In our church, we often use hand signals.
But most of the time, we just let holy spirit take over.

[GEN-]

That transition to “raise a hallelujah” is just “chefs kiss”

[thewellofnashville]

Great work guys! Using the tools and training of our times to serve the Lord and His people. Press on!! Salute! Carl & Leann.

[kennbart]

I'm glad you guys OOPS and LOL just like the rest of us.