Sound Bytes: Full Music Edition

Sound Bytes is a major new initiative for adventurous worship in the third millennium, intended for use by children aged eight and above in school, church and junior church. Many songs are also appropriate for use within Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum and multi-faith situations.

Sound Bytes is ecumenical in spirit like Big Blue Planet which inspired the new collection. It draws extensively on the work of leading authors and composers of worship material for young people, with the new alongside more familiar hymns and songs.

Images of technology including the Internet, laser beams, space travel and mobile phones root the collection in young people’s experience of God in today’s world. The contents of Sound Bytes focus on realistic contemporary situations and, while exploring a range of joyful emotions, also give opportunities for children to express more reflective and sensitive feelings arising from occasions of sorrow, pain and trauma.

A unique linking narrative binds together the contents within traditional and contemporary themes of season and church year, the Old and New Testaments, prayer, responsibility to God and to others, concern for the world community and care and stewardship of the planet.

The narrative assists teachers and worship leaders to present individual songs with the minimum of preparation, and may also be used as an extensive reference and as the backbone of a curriculum.

Sound Bytes features an exciting spectrum of musical styles ranging from rap, blues and calypso to traditional folk song, dance and hymns. Copious notes assist presentation, acting out and performance with accompaniments involving piano, percussion, chime bars, guitars, recorders, sequencers and midi keyboards.