Which is better in worship – recorded music or live performance?  I’ve found it necessary or desirable on occasion to record an accompaniment in advance, and then play it back when I sing a solo, when no one had the time to practice and perform with me.  I’ve also used recorded music in settings where I would not have had access to the musicians or instrumentation to perform some special selection “live.” 

If I had my choice, though, “live” musicians would definitely be preferable.  I have heard pianists and organists play even the simplest of hymn accompaniments in a manner that lifts the spirits of those who have come to worship.  It requires a musician who is sensitive to the Spirit, in tune with the congregation, and committed to practice and play with dedication.  This kind of spiritual harmony should be a goal of our experiences and it is extremely difficult to achieve with a recording. 

When deciding whether to use recorded music rather than live, care must be taken to avoid several situations that may limit or hinder our worship experience:  

•  When using recorded music, worship may be limited because the congregation is deprived of the chance for synergy – for the spirit to move the musicians to greater spiritual messages.  The worship elements surrounding the recorded selection must be carefully prepared so that the unchanged-able recorded sound matches the character of the moment in worship.
   

•  Our worship experiences may ALSO suffer when a “live” accompanist, soloist, or ensemble approaches their responsibilities with little preparation or with a perfunctory attitude.  The solution here is simple to say and hard to find time to do:  practice!

In situations when a musician doesn’t have time or inclination to practice and prepare, a recording might be better.  Still, I believe our worship deserves the dedication of musicians committed to serve the Lord.  We all must also seek understanding of how the Lord magnifies the discipleship of musicians to bless the congregation.  Musicians can also find great blessing in the prayerful and careful preparation of worship music – the hours of practice can be times of special communion with the Divine.

By the way, choosing to use recorded accompaniment may seem expeditious, but it also deprives us of an opportunity to grow together as musicians. Taking the easy way deprives soloists, ensembles, and accompanists the chance to learn new music, to hear each other’s testimonies, and eventually, to receive the outpouring of the spirit that comes to those who demonstrate faithfulness through preparation and serve the Lord by offering their gifts to the congregation.

If recorded music is used as an option, remember that the practice time is not diminished to nothing.  The technician running the sound system must be a partner in artistry, so that no disruption to worship occurs due to equipment failure or “operator error” (for instance, when the wrong track is played).  The musicians singing with the recording, or the leader encouraging the congregation to sing with recorded accompaniment, must familiarize themselves completely with the recorded version, so that issues such as timing and volume are addressed prior to the worship service.  

There are no “always right” answers on what to do with recorded music, projected music, etc.  Rather, we must find a way to challenge ourselves and our fellow worshipers to seek higher ground.  Seek for music with true spiritual message.  Seek for music with genuine musicality – beautiful melodies, rhythmic interest, harmonic movement that supports the message.  And seek for a creative partnership between composer, accompanists, authors, congregation, and the Spirit.  If any one of these is slighted, the ministry is weakened.