Live Rehearsal Example 2

This is a second demonstration video of Alex running a live rehearsal at his church. It covers the same principles as the first example with a different set of songs, so you can see the approach hold up in fresh material. As before, if you don’t need another full rehearsal, feel free to skip ahead.

What to watch for

• Teaching a tricky structure clearly. Watch Alex walk the band through a bridge that changes partway — “you turn mourning to dancing” repeats, then switches to “you turn graves into gardens,” with the last bridge skipping the first half. He patiently re-explains it until it’s clear, because clarity up front prevents mistakes later.
• Building dynamics in stages. Notice how he layers the energy: a straight section with accents, then “a little more intense,” then “now it’s the full beat” — coaching the drummer through a medium build, a bigger build, then the full beat rather than jumping straight to loud.
• Small specific calls. Listen for the running stream of direction — “swing the tambourine a little,” “three hits of the tambourine,” “keep it building, here we go big,” “maybe a kick right here,” “we’ll end the chorus on 2-1-4.”
• Caring for the singer’s voice. Catch the moment he tells a vocalist, “do you want to watch your voice and not sing the whole thing? I know it’s a really high key” — pursuing excellence and caring for the person at the same time.
• Arranging the vocals and the ending. See how he assigns who sings the melody and who takes the high part, and plans the dynamic ending (“we probably won’t do a down chorus at the very end”).
• Planning the service opening. Near the end they rehearse the actual start of the service — a scripture reading (Deuteronomy 10) over a pad in the key of G, then prayer with piano underscoring — so the very first moment of Sunday is practiced, not improvised.

Application

• Watch how Alex re-explains the tricky bridge more than once without frustration. Where do you give up on clarity too early, assuming the band “got it” the first time?
• Try coaching one song’s dynamics in stages this week — medium build, bigger build, full beat — instead of one flat level.
• Notice the moment he protected a singer’s voice on a high song. How are you balancing the push for excellence with genuine care for your people’s limits?