The Amplified Songleader
  • john m
    Posts: 136
    Since my pastor and I have phased out the use of a songleader blasting hymns and Mass parts into a microphone, my assistant organist recently brought to my attention how much the "people in the pews' have come to lean on a "songleader". She quoted one parishioner as complaining to her, saying "I hardly sing at all anymore since there isn't a cantor leading the songs". I tried as kindly as possible to point out that after 40 years, Catholics ought to be able to sing something like "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today" without a soloist bellowing into a microphone. I also pointed out that for every parishioner who sings only with the help of an amplified songleader, there is another who stops singing because the amplified songleader is doing the singing instead.

    In my previous parish, the people raised the roof on everything from Gregorian chant to strophic hymnody, under the leadership of the organist and without the services of a songleader.

    I would be interested in learning other parish musicians' thoughts and experiences on this subject.
  • Steve CollinsSteve Collins
    Posts: 1,022
    1) Cantors need to be trained to step back from the microphone during the congregational singing, at least to the point where they can hear them singing. This is a must, if a parish is to keep the PA system as part of the music system.

    2) Many parishes are now moving the Cantors back into the choir loft (if they have one). The same microphone rule applies, but it removes the visual distraction. The visual leadership is then countered by:

    3) The accompaniment must be clearly heard to shift from accompanying the Cantor to leading the congregation. This is a primary reason for multiple keyboards on organs, and enclosed divisions. (This also does not work nearly as well with pianos or guitars!) The only other thing necessary here is a clear melodic/harmonic differentiation - the aural cue that replaces the visual cue. Included in this can/should be the tenor pre-melody note. (See examples in "Hymns, Psalms & Spiritual Canticles".)
    Thanked by 1ClergetKubisz
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    My very first change was to put an immediate stop to the amplified songleader. I DO, at Masses notorious for lack of singing (early Mass, funerals, weddings), ask the cantor to stand at the edge of the loft and sing with a full voice. This actually makes them clearly audible to the entire congregation without it sounding like the speakers blasting in their ears.

    My advice is now that you've put a stop to it, stick to it solidly. People need to develop the skill (why the @%@$^%@$ is that a "skill"???) of listening to the organ and following it. Frankly, I just take the condescending approach: if someone says to me "there's no one leading the music!" I say, "yes there is: me."

    Also, it's a fine excuse to move towards a use of the antiphons or other non-congregational music: just point out "the congregation doesn't sing at XXXX time." Again, this IS one of those "fast-like-a-bandaid" changes that just needs to happen and you need to ignore complaints and put up with weak singing until things get better.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,824
    We have always had the cantor in the choir loft. I discourage microphone usage whenever possible. And please stop the hideous arm motioning for when the congregation is to sing.
    Thanked by 1ClergetKubisz
  • G
    Posts: 1,400
    A song leader on a mic' exhorting the PIPs to sing is about as inspiring and encouraging as would be a coach in a chauffeur-driven car motoring alongside reluctant runners urging them to "pick up the pace," and "look lively."

    That said, our parish uses one.
    And someone from the diocese, before I moved to town, berated the cantors for using the "WRONG" swooping-arm-motion and gave a workshop in the correct, "inviting" swooping-arm-motion.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    When I inherited the current music program 1.5 yrs ago, we had a 'cantor stand', that was very large and only about two feet away from the first pew. (Note that the organ console is behind the cantor off to the side. Another can of worms.) There were about a dozen or so cantors from teenagers through adults, and of various capabilities. Throughout this span of time, the youth music director and myself, strengthened the choirs and over the summer we removed the stand. Only one person asked where it was! Three of our four masses are done by the choirs, and we have a cantor (by the organ) at our early mass. The singing of the congregation has increased dramatically at all the masses but the cantor mass. Something that may help would be making sure the children in your parish know how to sing. Our children start at three! 'Teach them to fish....'
    Now, if we could just remove the carpeting.....
    Pax+
    Colleen
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,979
    My cantors are always in the choir loft at the back of the church. It's half a city block to the front, so I use the argument that we can't possibly stay together with the organ and cantor on opposite ends of the building. It's a very "live" building with all hard surfaces, so there is an echo to deal with as well. I never mention that I don't want the cantors in the front to begin with. My congregations sing at all 4 masses, but at some masses I have noticed many singing an octave below the played melody. I haven't figured that one out yet.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Liturgically, I agree with having the cantor up front - proclaiming the Word of God. But practically it's a very bad idea and the pragmatics are too much for me. The sound delay can be too much even in a tiny church like mine. Even bigger of a problem is communicating with the cantor if something different needs to be done. And most of our cantors are choristers, and the choir's in the back. I think the rule of having the cantor in front applies more to dedicated cantors who will lead a capella than to the usual situation of needing them to do double duty.
  • john m
    Posts: 136
    My church is also half a city block long with very "live" acoustics. The cantors, in their liturgical capacity (i.e. Psalm and Alleluia), sing from the sanctuary and we eliminate the time lag by having small monitors in the choir loft so that the organist can hear the cantor in real time; it works quite well. The next step is to install a small antiphonal division on the organ with pipes near the sanctuary so that the cantor can hear the organ in real time.

    When not singing his or her liturgical part, the cantor is seated in the transept, facing the congregation from the side, and sings unplugged as a member of the congregation.

    In addition to phasing out the plugged-in songleader we also eliminated the semaphore arm motions in the Psalm and Alleluia; the people don't have to be told or signalled to sing the antiphon or the Alleluia after the verse.

    The participation of the congregation really is not bad and so I have difficulty understanding the problem when someone says she misses the cantor/songleader. I think over the years that singer up in front tended to become sort of like training wheels for the congregation: take them away and people are going to wobble a bit before they realize they can do it.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    In addition to phasing out the plugged-in songleader we also eliminated the semaphore arm motions in the Psalm and Alleluia; the people don't have to be told or signalled to sing the antiphon or the Alleluia after the verse.

    I actually prefer these when possible. I do have a huge problem here with the congregation singing the cantor part or not singing the antiphon. I don't quite think of this as being as bad a spoon-feeding of the liturgy as, say, a priest making hand gestures for sit/stand/kneel.

    Also, I'll point out that having the cantor up front can make them nervous and decreases new recruitment.
    Thanked by 1Andrew Motyka
  • john m
    Posts: 136
    When have a new cantor, we pair him or her with a seasoned cantor for a few weeks until a certain ease in the role is developed.

    I do sometimes have a problem with the congregation singing with the Cantor's statement of the antiphon or the Alleluia. When that happens I find that if I reduce the organ registration for the cantor to the bare minimum (on the Swell or Choir) and increase it for the congregation (on the Great), the people catch on as to where they are supposed to sing.
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Best thing I ever did at our church after the children's choir got started was I eliminated the student song leaders. The congregational singing has never been better among the kids.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    A lot can depend on acoustics. Not only carpeting or dead acoustics but a too-small congregation misfit-ted to a space can hinder congregational participation. Semaphore motions can be necessary in certain circumstances, because the aural cues are just not a sufficient foundation. (And one thing worse than too little organ is too much, FWIW.)
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    I agree whole-heartedly, Liam. At the school church (I work for two parishes), we have a III/40 Wicks all pipe organ that has quite a big voice for the very gracious acoustical space in which it serves, so registering for the school Masses that have at most 200 people in attendance, including the teachers, priests, and other adults that attend, has been quite a challenge. I usually just use something like Viola 8, Flute 8, Gemshorn 4, and Flute 2 (on the loud side) and when I accompany the children's choir by themselves, I typically just use Flute 8, sometimes combined with an Erzahler 8. The only time I have actually been able to play the organ with classical registrations, such as organo pleno, was at a funeral for a recently deceased priest where the church was packed, wall to wall, standing room only, with about 40 other priests in attendance and 2 bishops presiding.
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