What is a click track in worship music?
A click track is a metronome signal that keeps the band locked to a consistent tempo (played through in-ear monitors) without the congregation hearing it.
The click track, also just called a "click", is played at the song's BPM (beats per minute) and plays throughout the song. Every musician wearing in-ears hears the same pulse, which keeps the whole band "on time" with a consistent tempo regardless of what's happening on stage. Usually bands follow the drummer, but a click track can be helpful if your band doesn't have a drummer, your drummer is new, or you are playing with backing tracks.
Why worship teams use it
Without a click, the tempo of a song can begin to drift. This can mean that the band speeds up when the song gets the chorus and the room gets excited or slowing down in a verse or other parts where there is more space between chorus. A click eliminates the potential for drift and gives everyone in the band a single consistent beat to follow.
Click tracks also make it possible to run backing tracks and worship pads that are tied to a specific tempo. If the band plays faster or slower than the track, the audio falls out of sync. The click is what keeps live playing and pre-recorded elements synched together.
A click is pretty much always used when recording music so that no matter what instrument is recording at a time, they are in synch with the everything else that will be recorded later on. In this case, a worship team may use a click to improve their live performance of a particular song or set list.
What it means for guitarists
Playing to a click changes how you internalize tempo. Rather than following the drummer or the worship leader's queues, every musician is following a shared pulse. This requires developing a good ear to be able to listen to both the click and the band simultaneously.
If your team uses a click, you should practice each song at the same BPM/tempo so when it comes time to rehearse the song, you're ready. All of the Songs pages on this site list the BPM for every song. Knowing whether a song is 72 BPM or 96 BPM before you play will likely change how you determine what strumming pattern, intensity, and maybe even what chord shapes to play.
What it doesn't control
A click track sets tempo. It doesn't control dynamics, feel, or how the worship leader leads the congregation in worship. A worship team can still respond spontaneously to the moment, repeat a section, or hold a chord longer while using a click.
The click is a tool that everyone on the team needs to be on board with using if you're going to use it. Not every worship team uses a click and many don't. Smaller teams or teams that don't have a drummer likely won't even consider a click track. In those cases, it probably makes the setlist more complicated with another thing to manage on stage while playing your instruments.
Related glossary terms
- Dynamics - the feel and volume of a guitar part or song
- Pads - pads without a tempo don't require a click; pads tied to tracks do
- Vamp - vamping is often used to musically pause while the band continues to play
- Basic Terms Every Worship Guitarist Needs to Know - includes an explanation of tempo and BPM