@Pete_Violin great thoughts there. 

@mimi glad to meet you here and thanks for sharing. I hope you get to play the violin in church. I'm sure you've probably read the parable about the talents.I thought hard on that one recently. Church is a great place to play too!

Our church seems to have a good mix of people, some are clapping along and really getting into the music. In fact there are a good many that do and we aren't commonly a denomination that has encouraged that. Very informal here. I never wear a suit or tie. We mix up modern and traditional music. One of my greatest challenges is keeping it fresh. Some of that causes  the older members to roll their eyes and hold their ears while the younger crowd loves it. Surprisingly though a lot of the older members also like the new music. I have found a few both old and new songs that have a groove. I'm getting into "old"territory myself. I live in self denial, but yeah, I'm old. When you have grandkids and young people hold the door for you, you know you're old.

I like lots of different music. I do place a special priority on "worship" music. It isn't like the other music given the purpose it is intended for. If I didn't do that, I don't think I should be trying to lead it, know what I mean?  The music itself is often not complicated music.

We had tried another church where it was the same band every week, with strobe and flashing lights, they had just released a cd, oh boy, drama, swinging their arms around, kneeling on the floor, you couldn't actually hear any of the words. Loud to a point it hurt your ears, too dark to see anyone - we moved along pretty quick!...too old for all that...and I need my eardrums.

Thanks for those comments Mimi. Different churches sometimes go for different groups of people and often cater their programs for only those people. I'm sure I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. Just thinking out loud. I'm not going to slam my brothers for trying that if that's what they feel they should be doing. I attended a portable church for a few years, led the worship there. We set up everything each week in a rented space. The pastor was going for the yuppie or the young professional. Our selections were based on the most current music out there and basically a presentation that darkened the lights during worship. We were on stage like a rock band. Long story short, it didn't work there. The church eventually shut down. It was a satellite church and being financially carried by the big church. It was a sad thing to see. I wasn't really on board personally with the idea to only go for a certain type of person. Where I am now I pick music that includes everyone. Young, old, and all in between. We watch our sound mix very carefully. Even with a good PA balance some people occasionally say it's too loud.

What are you gonna do? We have a drummer playing acoustic drums.

JiminTexas, Thank you for those suggestions. I have been trying to integrate some of that where I am. I've played the violin there a few times. The church I'm in now is beginning to build the next generation of members. The older members are very much into the old style bluegrass and I cover a few of those tunes or similar on piano most weeks. There's also the new/old music where we update an old hymn with a more recent arrangement that sounds similar but more current. That seems to work well. At one time it was all nothing but hymns from a book. Our pastor has said he never wants to go back to that. The way the music was previously done before I came there sucked the life right out of the music. It can be done differently, more lively and loose. Not mechanical.

I want to get more of those old tunes into the program though. I tend to work things in slowly there. I've been there for quite awhile now, so if you look at where we were and where we are now it's a huge difference. We have some of the most recent stuff along with old familiar music. Surprisingly the whole group has liked it this way. Thanks!