How to Lead a Worship Band Rehearsal (Without Losing Your Mind)

First of all, feel free to grab my free hymnal I made. Hope it serves you well! https://www.jeredmckenna.com/freeminihymnal -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright folks, strap in—today we’re talking about how to lead a band rehearsal for your worship team. This is something I’ve done for quite a while now, and I want to share a few things that have been super helpful to me along the way.

If you’ve discovered anything that works well in your own context, please share it in the comments or wherever you're reading or watching this. We’re all better when we share ideas.

Step 1: Start on Monday

A good rehearsal—and ultimately a good worship service—starts way before rehearsal night. For me, that process begins on Monday. That’s when I typically pick the songs and get a clear idea of what we’ll be singing on Sunday.

I’m not going to get into the full-on process of worship planning here. This is specifically about preparing for the musical side of things—how to set your team up for success during rehearsal.

Step 2: Send Demos, Not Just Charts

One of the best things you can do is send out demos—recordings that reflect how you actually want the songs to sound on Sunday.

Now obviously, you’ve got to use some discernment here. If you send out a live stadium recording from a massive worship band and expect your team—maybe a cajon player and a violinist—to replicate that... yeah, that’s not going to go well.

But if you can send a demo that’s close to your setup, or even better, record your own rough demo, do it. The closer your demo is to what you want on Sunday, the more helpful it’ll be.

Step 3: Prep Your Chord Charts (And Make Them Roadmaps)

By Monday or Tuesday, have your chord charts fully ready. That means correct lyrics, correct chords, and everything in the right key. If your guitarist needs capo chords or your clarinet player needs a transposed part in B♭, handle that up front.

But here's the big tip: don’t just write “repeat chorus.” Actually write it out. Put the full first verse, full chorus, verse two, bridge—write the whole song structure out explicitly.

Why? Because it removes guesswork. Your team isn’t having to decipher parentheses or “2x” notations mid-song. It’s all right in front of them, clearly laid out like a map. I try to keep my chord charts to one or two pages max, and it’s worth the extra paper if it brings clarity.

Step 4: Lead Sheets for the Win

If you’ve got access to notation software and the time, go ahead and create lead sheets—melody plus chords. This is especially helpful if you’re inviting in orchestral players like violinists, flutists, or trumpeters.

Even if they’re not comfortable improvising around a chord chart, they can at least play the melody that’s written. And you can direct them: “Only play the second half of verse one,” or, “Sit out during the bridge for contrast.”

A good lead sheet gives novice players and classical musicians something solid to hold onto. It’s a bridge into your ensemble.

Step 5: Communicate Clearly with Orchestral Players

If you’re using orchestral players and only giving them chord charts, it’s still totally doable. Just communicate clearly.

Tell them: "You’re here to add texture, not to take the lead." Encourage them to follow the dynamics of the drums or lead guitar and to drone a note from the current chord. If it’s a G chord, they can choose a G, B, or D, and swell it in and out with feeling.

Even beginners can do this. You can also teach them to add little melodic runs if they’re more advanced. Start simple—then build.

Step 6: Be Ridiculously Clear About Roles

When you send out your materials on Monday or Tuesday, also be very clear about who’s doing what. Advanced players might enjoy showing up with an auxiliary percussion kit and jamming along—but for most of your team, clarity is kindness.

Tell vocalists: “You’re on low harmony. You’re on high harmony. I’m leading.” Tell the drummer: “Here’s the beat I want for verse one.” Spell it out.

People perform better when they know what’s expected.

That’s a good place to pause for now. I’ll cover what happens during the actual rehearsal in a follow-up post. But if you can get your prep game strong—demos, clear charts, lead sheets, clear roles—you’ll be amazed at how smooth and creative your rehearsals can become.