I note "The Hell of Worship" thread, which I will read later.

I was trained also in the rather specialised skill of accompanying 'the congregation' hymn singing with the pipe organ. I am not talking about a choir, that is different; 'the congregation' contains a wide range of singing experience from trained singer to the 'tone deaf' :-) .

There is one simple secret, once you understand what is happening physically.

In a fairly large church with a pipe organ, the sound takes a noticeable time to travel from source to hearer.

The player first notes that the sound does not reach his ears immediately, like playing a piano or an electric/electronic organ - the time between striking the keys and the pipes starting to speak, and then travelling thru the air from the pipe ranks to the players ear, is quickly adapted to by the player.

In many buildings with the organ at one end, the player is in between the instrument pipes and the congregation. The sound takes longer to travel past the player to them. They then respond and sing along. The sound of their singing then travels back to the player.

The problem is if the player listens to the singers and tries to 'keep up' with them! This is a disaster! The tune will get slower and slower!

In this case, you have to 'ignore the singers' and keep your steady pace - not too slow to start, and not too fast. Further, if you change the pace, the singers get nervous, and are only too ready to respond slower! You have to be a 'living phonograph' and keep a reliable steady pace - the singers will rapidly trust you, and sing more confidently. They will enjoy the hymns more, and your best reward is to have people say that that can tell who is playing the hymns by the pace and reliability of the tunes.

Robin
Rules are a guidance for the Wise, and for blind obedience by Fools.
:-)