3 Practical Solutions for Cantor Training

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Do you need Cantor Training?

Are you in the market for cantor training? Perhaps you are interested in becoming a cantor yourself, or you are a director who has cantors to train. Either way, this post will give you 3 solutions to finding easy and done-for-you resources on cantor training.

Not really trained as a cantor myself, I had to learn over several years of experiences and different situations at different parishes.

Stepping up to the ambo the first time was scary and intimidating when I had almost no understanding or overview of what my role really was.

It would have been very helpful to me to learn from someone who already knew how the role worked, knew what to expect, and knew how to navigate challenging and surprising situations. This may be you, too!

This is possible and works, but knowing certain things upfront can really help you or your cantors get ahead and feel confident and whole as a cantor before beginning.

3 Solutions for Cantor Training That You Can Access Right Now

While many cantors don’t have formal training, many parishes offer some sort of instructional booklet/handbook to go with cantor shadowing and learning the role from a seasoned cantor.

This is great, but you also have to think about the paper you use for each handbook, the person who will help teach the others, and the extra time that goes into preparing all of these resources for cantors (or learning it on your own!).

With online digital solutions for cantor training, your job, and role become easier because it is already there for you! These 3 different online digital resources (with three manageable price points!) can be accessed as soon as you purchase and offer lifetime access as well!

So let’s see what they are all about.

Catholic Cantor Training Basics Ebook

This Ebook was created for you to know all the ins and outs of a cantor’s role, the music, the etiquette, attire, vocal techniques, and much more.

My goal for this Ebook is to provide cantors with:

• Knowledge about their important leadership role
• Confidence in their vocal ability and leading the assembly
• Spiritual awareness of their role, as well as how to apply it in their personal lives
• Understanding of musical context and relay Psalm text clearly
• Practice and mastery of basic vocal techniques

You get over 85 pages full of information, suggestions, worksheets, and demonstration videos. Use this Ebook to learn yourself or provide your cantors with upfront reading and training before their role begins.

Catholic Cantor Training: The Basics Online Course

In the course version of the Ebook above, you get all of the things that are in the Ebook as well as extra vocal training and videos to really expand on the concepts of being a Catholic cantor.

This solution for cantor training contains:

• 9 modules of text learning and video training
• What a cantor is and what a cantor does
• How to prepare for Mass physically and spiritually
• Videos on basic vocal techniques, plus some more advanced techniques
• Suggestions for leading and growing in the ministry
• How to dress and act appropriately
• Tips for using a microphone
• Miscellaneous topics and some BONUS material as well!

I do my best to update this course every once in a while, so there will always be new and fresh content to learn from and expand your knowledge of the cantor role.

The Art of Psalm Preparation

This course would be particularly helpful for those who are primarily the Psalmist. Learning how to prepare the Psalms in a consistent and practical manner can really enhance the delivery and message of the Psalms.

With this course, a cantor learns:

• Physical ways to prepare for singing Psalms (that doesn’t include actually singing them)
• Vocal ideas and tips for singing the Psalms with clarity and inspiration
• Spiritual preparation to help deliver the true personal messages that Psalms can give us
• Bonus materials and worksheets to help facilitate all of these wonderful things!

You get 18 lectures, several example videos, and bonus materials with this course. Perfect for those who want to learn more about singing the Psalms and feel comfortable and confident while relaying the context and clarity of the Psalms.

Pros And Cons of online Cantor Training

Of course, you have to look at the pros and cons of purchasing and using online cantor training programs.

Pros:

• Training anytime, anywhere on any device
• Access to the materials for a lifetime
• You get updates forever for free
• You can use the same material over and over again for the same purpose and with different cantors
• You could use this as part of your cantor training sessions or programs that you already have set up
• Workbooks and worksheets are already included for you to print and complete!

Cons:

• You lose some personal training time with your cantors – unless you already schedule it in
• You may not know how much your cantors actually completed or spent time on
• You may not get personal contact when it comes to learning vocal techniques and getting feedback immediately like you would with voice lessons or a choir session.

Conclusion – Deciding if you really need cantor training

There could be many solutions to cantor training. There are, depending on what you normally do in your parish or what works well for all involved.

I get that! What works for one will not work for all. But if you have thought about having a done-for-you solution or wished there were one, there are some options now.

These 3 online digital courses for cantors can help you push past the overwhelm of doing it yourself or learning over months or years of self-training. Learn from someone who’s been there!

The choice is up to you, and I think you are ready to dive in and start cantor training the easy way!

Related Posts:

The Mega-List of Cantor Resources

How to Become a Catholic Cantor

How to Master Cantoring for Beginners

Are You Scared to Sing?

Best Cantor Books on Amazon

Best Practices for Cantors

15 Helpful YouTube Channels for Cantors