3. Look at the Melody
Once you decide whether the lyrics and role of the song are appropriate, it’s time to give it a listen. When evaluating the musical side of the song, keep these things in mind:
- How difficult is the melody? Is it highly syncopated? Are there lots of wild jumps or crazy-long notes? If this is a song that the congregation is going to learn and sing, it needs to be singable. That might mean simplifying the song if that’s possible.
- Along with the difficulty, note how wide of range the melody spans. While a wide range might be interesting to listen to, the closer the two ends of spectrum are together the easier it will be for the congregation.
- Look at where the song sits on the musical scale. Congregations are comfortable with melodies that stay between B flat below middle C and D a tenth above that. It’s possible to briefly go beyond those limits but too far and it becomes difficult for many to sing. If the original key doesn’t work, change it.
For more about the melody of the song, check out these posts.
