I’m curious as to if you guys have ideas about how to improve the music at Mass.
Most Churches I have been to have a very small percentage of the people signing during mass, and honestly I myself am not the best singer and will sing softly or skip singing at say the responsorial psalm for example. It does feel awkward being the only guy signing in the pews around you, and personally, I have a hard time hitting the notes at Mass (which is weird because when singing with friends, I don’t have a problem matching at all).
So two questions here: how do I/the congregation improve how we sing? And are there good materials / resources for determining what hymns to pick, when / if to chant, all while trying to keep things as reverent as possible?
It does “feel” good to get that ringing sensation you get when matching tones, and it does feel bad to have poor singing at Mass. So naturally, it seems being able to improve the music at Mass can be another front of a broader evangelization effort.
Appreciate your guys’ thoughts on the matter.
We normally attend a large congregation, where a large majority do sing. The hymns are what were mostly popular in the 70’s & 80’s on Sunday mornings.
We sometimes attend our Sister Parish where they sing contemporary music (like Matt Maher and Sarah Hart) on Sunday evenings. Though contemporary, it is done very reverently (no drums and electric guitars). They have a piano and a violinist, which I love! And the girl who used to lead had an amazing voice.
I grew up in a small congregation, where a large majority do not sing (it is still this way when I go back home to visit there). My great Aunt was the organist (she converted from the Amish/Mennonite Church before I was born) and most of my Aunts and Uncles were in the Choir. They did their best : )
I attended a non-Denominational Church in High School & College and the music was great, however, the Service was centered around this and that is not what Catholic Christians are about. Our Worship should be centered around Christ, His Word, and His Sacrifice!
When we go on vacation, we try to hit up the nearest Catholic Cathedral. Cleveland, OH and Louisville, KY both had amazing Choirs that sounded like they were from Heaven! Cleveland especially had a very talented orchestra and choir from the University near the Cathedral. I’m talking amazing! Even if not one person in the congregation sang along, our souls were singing along.
Usually if Dad sings, the children sing. If Dads do not sing, then the children tend not to sing. So Dads, go to Church with your Family and sing (even if you suck, sing anyway).
I wish that our organists would play the music that’s in the hymnal. Instead, they insert rests where the music shows none, hold some notes longer than the music indicates to, and sometimes shorten a measure from, for example, four notes to three. I cannot guess which notes they are going to hold, abbreviate, or skip, and often give up and close the hymnal. I felt like getting them a metronome for Christmas.
Ha-ha! We have a music snob in the chat 
I took choir in Junior High and High School, but I can’t read music fluently.