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When you are a musician in the Catholic church, especially in the digital age we live in now, it’s not hard to find cantor resources. Often, though, it is difficult to navigate the plethora of cantor resources out there and decide what is worth it and not, what will work for you, and what won’t.
I have good news for you. In this post, I will break down all the best cantor resources that I know, share them with you, and point you in the right direction so you can have a better experience as a cantor.
Or choir director. Or choir member. These resources can and will be applicable to you, too!
Free Cantor Resources
Because I know how valuable free resources can be, especially if you are just starting out.
The Spiritual Cantor
Quick Start Cantors Guide – This guide will help you learn all the information you need to know to become a Catholic cantor, or at least learn all about the role.
Spiritual Prep Guide for Cantors – If you are finding that your singing is dry or your soul is not finding joy in singing anymore, this guide can help you jump-start your spirituality and get it in check as a cantor/choir director/music minister.
Posture + Breathing Course – Learn the basics of posture and breathing to create a beautiful phrase by the end of this mini-course!
VBS Music Packet – written in keys that will be helpful to young voices, this packet includes popular praise and worship songs for kids, vacation bible school, or for children’s Masses.
Free Warm-up Packet – Find over 15 fun warm-ups for all voice levels, with suggestions, tips, and ways to make some even more challenging
There are some other Free Resources on this page, too!
Music Ministry 101
Mike is a fantastic musician and director, and really gives you great value with these resources. You can check them out in the links below!
Music Program Cheat Sheets – 3 great cheat sheets, one for navigating sheet music as a choir member, one for warming up effectively, and one for learning to play great hymn intros.
Choir Director 2021 Music Planning Guide – Your go-to resource for planning the entire year of music in your parish: custom, shareable, and easy to use!
3-Day Vocal Workshop – Learn how to improve your vocal technique quickly, specifically focusing on phrasing, clarity, and prayerful singing.
NPM Cantor Resources
National Pastoral Musicians has a wonderful array of resources for you to read up on. They have different categories for each aspect of a cantor’s ministry and the ministry as a whole.
Most of the links lead to a PDF file that you can download and read on your own time. They include snippets from books, articles, and helpful posts to help the cantor reach his/her full potential.
You can check out all the wonderful resources here!
You may also view PDFs of NPM’s Pastoral Music magazine archives for free. The 36 issues posted are from 1976 – 2012; a huge array of historical and liturgical information for anyone to view.
The Cantor Coach
She travels all over the country offering cantor workshops, and she offers some free vocal exercises right on her website!
The Church Musician’s Assistant
You can find two great free resources here, one talking about the role of Scripture in our sacred music, and another connecting with others who are also in music ministry. Note: this is general Christian, not just Catholic.
Podcasts
While I didn’t even think about adding podcasts to my list, I was directed by a listener to the first one and decided to do some more digging on my own.
The Liturgy Podcast – here is its description: “Liturgy Podcast is a weekly liturgy planning resource for musicians, liturgists, homilists, youth groups, faith sharing groups, and all who look to the liturgical readings for inspiration and nourishment. Join Ken Canedo and Robert Feduccia as they break open the Scripture and play suggested tracks from the Spirit & Song repertoire.”
Square Notes: The Sacred Music Podcast – a podcast that gives you the chance to learn what the Church teaches about sacred music and its place in the liturgy. Peter Carter and Dr. Jennifer Donelson discuss topics of interest to priests and liturgical musicians alike.
Maureen and Bill Hayes Music Ministry Podcast – these are a few episodes with various topics, mostly discussing the life and ministry of the Hayes, as well as including a few songs in each episode.
CME Radio – This is not a podcast, but rather a streaming Catholic contemporary music radio. Very interesting, and something good to listen to when you need a break from singing and listening to sacred traditional music.
Music Planning Resources
I stumbled upon this absolutely priceless PDF file from https://kcsjcatholic.org/, which lists a huge amount of resources for Catholic cantors and choir directors alike! Some of them are free and others are paid, so you can check them out according to what you need!
Paid Cantor Resources
I am going to list these cantor resources by category and what they will help you advance in, whether spiritual and formational or vocal and musical.
Again, these are the resources that you can pay some money for and get even more value than the free cantor resources above.
Vocal Resources
Advanced Vocal Techniques – from Music Ministry 101. You will learn to apply advanced techniques for breathing, phrasing, and singing with purpose. You can use code GESSICA25 to get 25% off on this course!
Voice Lessons – from the Cantor Coach. You can fill out a form for interest for her to get back to you!
Spiritual Resources for Cantors
The Art of Psalm Preparation – A course all about the Psalms and preparation for them
Learning to Pray with Song with Laura Huval – Okay, this is free, but it’s so cool that it should be a paid product! You can check her out on her YouTube channel, where she prays with music every week!
General Cantor Resources
*Catholic Cantor Training Ebook – from The Spiritual Cantor. 8 chapters give you all the things you need to know to become a Catholic cantor or learn about your liturgical music ministry.
*Catholic Cantor Training: The Basics Course – from The Spiritual Cantor. Course with in-depth help, explanations, and tricks for you to master your cantor role. Companion to the Ebook.
*You can also get them as a bundle if you would like both products!
*All of these links are 15% off!
The Liturgical Singer – from NPM. It gives you 4 great newsletters a year with Psalm reflections, vocal tips and techniques, and peer-reviewed content. A single subscription is $22/year, and the price goes down with additional copies.
Join NPM – you can have a membership that helps you stay a connected, active, and growing liturgical minister!
Related Posts:
15+ Helpful YouTube Channels for Cantors
The Best Facebook Groups for Catholic Music Ministers
A Cantor’s Guide to Clear Diction
How to Sing Descants for Beginners
The Best Music Apps for Catholic Musicians
8 Steps for Singing and Playing At the Same Time
