Suggestions on how to get a congregation to sing

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Ohana

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I see various comments on congregations who just do not sing. Perhaps we could collect some ideas on how to encourage singing. I think one way may be some orientation and teaching. Especially in those congregations who have been used to being silent, they may need to know that singing/music is a form of worship. I don’t know if this is to be called catechesis, but almost. It would be good to have the support of the Pastor. Taking time to select music that is singable and not completely out of range for the average singer would be important also. Other thoughts? How about the choir members and directors among us chiming in here. 🙂
 
Ohana said:
I see various comments on congregations who just do not sing. Perhaps we could collect some ideas on how to encourage singing. I think one way may be some orientation and teaching. Especially in those congregations who have been used to being silent, they may need to know that singing/music is a form of worship. I don’t know if this is to be called catechesis, but almost. It would be good to have the support of the Pastor. Taking time to select music that is singable and not completely out of range for the average singer would be important also. Other thoughts? How about the choir members and directors among us chiming in here. 🙂
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Have you seen this thread?
Can we get Catholics to sing?

I believe part of the reason that people don’t sing is that they are not instructed to sing. It seems optional. I believe if every priest would include in a homily on anything that has to do with worship, how important it is to sing when invited to sing, people would try harder.

It’s important to know that we don’t have to have good voices as long as we “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”.

I believe we’re going to be singing in worship in heaven. We might as well get used to it now.
 
I agree with TrueLight. Perhaps the priest should make mentions about singing as a form of prayer during a homily, and perhaps touch on it in the bulletin. I know not all of us are professionals but a mix of voices both trained (in any way) & untrained (in any way) is a good thing at Mass.
 
I was always taught that singing God’s praises means twice as much to Him as simply saying prayers. That would be a good thing for the priest to mention. Of course, I like to sing anyway, and St. Cecilia is my patroness.
 
I don’t believe it’s important for a community to sing together. The community aspect at my parish, for example, which is very strong, is not hurt just because the choir is the only group that sings.
 
Ohana said:
I see various comments on congregations who just do not sing. Perhaps we could collect some ideas on how to encourage singing. I think one way may be some orientation and teaching. Especially in those congregations who have been used to being silent, they may need to know that singing/music is a form of worship. I don’t know if this is to be called catechesis, but almost. It would be good to have the support of the Pastor. Taking time to select music that is singable and not completely out of range for the average singer would be important also. Other thoughts? How about the choir members and directors among us chiming in here. 🙂
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  • You could try nuns with rulers monitoring the congregation. “We have ways to make you sing and pray.”
  • You could try bringing in a lot more of the music the members of the congregation would recognize as familiar from their childhoods. I’ve been in situations where nobody sings but then the organ starts playing Immaculate Mary (youtube.com/watch?v=WziYQgoMR5U#t=16s) and ***everybody ***gets into it.
  • I’ve noticed that taking the “he who sings prays twice” tack doesn’t work. People have always and will always consider singing along with the choir to be optional, and in practice, optional pretty much means never.
  • Plant ringers in the congregation. People who can belt it out with joy and confidence but who are not necessarily good singers.
  • Congregations complain that the organ is too loud, and I agree. Apparently organists think louder is supposed to coax the congregation to sing louder, but it doesn’t work that way. I don’t how that works, exactly, but I have noticed that if the music is so loud you can’t hear yourself sing, then you’re not going to sing.
  • Oh, and holding a compulsory “rehearsal” immediately before mass … No, just, no.
 
ardis3958 said:
  • Plant ringers in the congregation. People who can belt it out with joy and confidence but who are not necessarily good singers.
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I don’t think ringers work as I am a terrible singer and I sing quite loudly in an effort to get other to sing as well. The idea I was kicking around was trying to get like a “pew choir” were you have all the mumblers, You know the people who sing but really softly, all try to at least sit together somewhere in the congregation. That way you will hopfully give the mumblers more confidence to sing loudly. You could have them meet 5-10min before mass and choose a section to sit in. You can even call it a “ministry” if you want except have no meetings other than the 10min before mass just so they can all sit together. Safety in numbers I guess.

I don’t know, I just wish more people would sing if only to drown out my sorry voice.
 
ardis3958 said:
  • You could try nuns with rulers monitoring the congregation. “We have ways to make you sing and pray.”
  • You could try bringing in a lot more of the music the members of the congregation would recognize as familiar from their childhoods. I’ve been in situations where nobody sings but then the organ starts playing Immaculate Mary (youtube.com/watch?v=WziYQgoMR5U#t=16s) and ***everybody ***gets into it.
  • I’ve noticed that taking the “he who sings prays twice” tack doesn’t work. People have always and will always consider singing along with the choir to be optional, and in practice, optional pretty much means never.
  • Plant ringers in the congregation. People who can belt it out with joy and confidence but who are not necessarily good singers.
  • Congregations complain that the organ is too loud, and I agree. Apparently organists think louder is supposed to coax the congregation to sing louder, but it doesn’t work that way. I don’t how that works, exactly, but I have noticed that if the music is so loud you can’t hear yourself sing, then you’re not going to sing.
  • Oh, and holding a compulsory “rehearsal” immediately before mass … No, just, no.
Click to expand...
Familiar hymns, organ not so loud, encouragement from the priest are all good. We are a family of singers, so we always sing every verse. We can all also read music, so even unfamiliar hymns aren’t complete beyond us. I’m not sure that “pew ringers” will work though, because people have *stopped *singing when they sit near my daughter, because they want to hear her. 😃
 
Ohana said:
I see various comments on congregations who just do not sing. Perhaps we could collect some ideas on how to encourage singing. I think one way may be some orientation and teaching. Especially in those congregations who have been used to being silent, they may need to know that singing/music is a form of worship. I don’t know if this is to be called catechesis, but almost. It would be good to have the support of the Pastor. Taking time to select music that is singable and not completely out of range for the average singer would be important also. Other thoughts? How about the choir members and directors among us chiming in here. 🙂
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At daily Masses, we give everyone a turn to pick the opening hymn. It’s quite a long rotation, but once they’ve picked a hymn and had the congregation sing it, (or not, as the case may be) they seem to be more likely to sing along in Church.

Picking songs that don’t “sound Protestant” is also key. A lot of people tell me the reason they don’t sing in Church is because the lyrics sound heretical, and they don’t want such sentiments crossing their own lips, in fear of the judgement of God.
 
=Ohana;8490864]I see various comments on congregations who just do not sing. Perhaps we could collect some ideas on how to encourage singing. I think one way may be some orientation and teaching. Especially in those congregations who have been used to being silent, they may need to know that singing/music is a form of worship. I don’t know if this is to be called catechesis, but almost. It would be good to have the support of the Pastor. Taking time to select music that is singable and not completely out of range for the average singer would be important also. Other thoughts? How about the choir members and directors among us chiming in here. 🙂
Click to expand...
The MOST effective thing I have encountered in the Music Director would Before Mass, introduce any new Music that was to be used. A verse would be sung by [MD] and then again by the chior; then by the congregation. Then ALL would do it togeather.

God Bless,
Pat
 
PJM said:
The MOST effective thing I have encountered in the Music Director would Before Mass, introduce any new Music that was to be used. A verse would be sung by [MD] and then again by the chior; then by the congregation. Then ALL would do it togeather.

God Bless,
Pat
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The problem with that is that the time before Mass (at least 15 minutes) is supposed to be a time of total silence, so that people can pray their prayers of preparation for Mass.

It is exactly the wrong time for any kind of music rehearsal to be taking place - even though, yes, it’s convenient, because a lot of the people are already present to say their prayers.
 
I can only speak for myself on this issue.

When I am in a church where Catholic music is sung, I sing with enthusiasm.
🙂 👍

When I am in a church where music is sung which is of questionable Catholicity e.g. OCP or Protestant, I don’t sing.
😦

If I am in a church when music is sacrilegious, I leave.
:mad:
 
I don’t sing for a few reasons.
  1. The common hymns employed in the Ordinary Form are simply horrendous and do not live up to the standard of sacred music.
  2. I serve at the Extraordinary Form and if it’s a Missa Cantata I don’t even have to do the responses never mind sing.
  3. If it’s any form of sung Mass there’s a schola.
  4. I don’t know Gregorian Chant.
  5. I simply cannot sing.
 
Te_Deum said:
  1. I serve at the Extraordinary Form and if it’s a Missa Cantata I don’t even have to do the responses never mind sing.
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Not to form any judgements here but I was under the impression that making responses is one of the duties of serving in an EF. And the amount of singing in a Missa Cantata is very minimal, such as “Et cum spiritu tuo,” “Amen,” “Gloria tibi Domini” but there is no rule forcing you to sing or chant those.
 
=jmcrae;8491412]The problem with that is that the time before Mass (at least 15 minutes) is supposed to be a time of total silence, so that people can pray their prayers of preparation for Mass.
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It is exactly the wrong time for any kind of music rehearsal to be taking place - even though, yes, it’s convenient, because a lot of the people are already present to say their prayers.
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Hi Jim!

Your right BUT:)
  1. Its not being done because it would have to intrupt th takling that is now the defacto norm.
  2. Is not singing 'Praying twice"?
God Bless you Jim, and sincere thanks for all you do for the FORUM!

Pat
 
Te_Deum said:
I don’t sing for a few reasons.
  1. The common hymns employed in the Ordinary Form are simply horrendous and do not live up to the standard of sacred music.
  2. I serve at the Extraordinary Form and if it’s a Missa Cantata I don’t even have to do the responses never mind sing.
  3. If it’s any form of sung Mass there’s a schola.
  4. I don’t know Gregorian Chant.
  5. I simply cannot sing.
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OK, You’re excused!!! but the rest ofus may want to hear our brothers and sisters celebrate with us.
 
Ohana said:
OK, You’re excused!!! but the rest ofus may want to hear our brothers and sisters celebrate with us.
Click to expand...
No he’s not. People absolutely respond along with the schola at missa cantatas.

Well, those who are enthusiastic singers sing enthusiastically.

Those who sing feebly continue to sing feebly.

Those who hate singing stay mum. 😃

But almost everyone belts out the Salve Regina!
 
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