Guidelines when using projection software in church

1. The entire verse does not have to fit onto a single screen - 2 to 4 lines may be enough, there’s no hard and fast rule, but if there are too many words, it’s too hard to follow along.
2. Anticipate the next screen - Do not wait for the next set of words to begin in the song to change to the next screen. The words need to be up on the screen before they are sung, don’t play catch up.
3. Do not mis-spell words - That is a huge no-no. Use the right punctuation, as well. If you notice a mis-spelled word in the first service, correct it for the second one. Even better, use a spell checker, either on the computer or have someone else proofread.
4. Make sure the words and the background are contrasting - Backgrounds are cool, but that is actually a secondary consideration, the primary purpose is to display the words at the appropriate time.
5. Practice makes perfect – No always perfect but it does help, tremendously. The person running the projection computer needs to practice with the band
6. You must have the appropriate license for your music - CCLI is a common way to do this and it's the way you license your church to display the words to the songs. Average cost - $99/year. Don’t break the law in this area! Wikipedia has a page explaining it, as well. There are other ways to license the songs you sing, such as asking permission and pay royalties to the songwriter for each piece of music that you use. There are other services, similar to CCLI as well, but CCLI will take care of most everything.

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