The piano is the standout instrument of choice for more than two thirds of evangelical Christian congregations in the UK, with the acoustic guitar trailing a long way behind in second place, a survey has revealed. Fewer than a fifth of congregations still use an organ.
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Christians in the UK were prevented from singing in worship gatherings and forced to rely on song videos and audio. Today, with churches singing once again, the Praise Trust survey suggested that, although hymnbooks and organs have largely gone, many churches identifying as both traditional and contemporary were not using all available online options.
The survey consulted 283 people from churches ranging from Grace Baptist and FIEC to Anglican, Baptist Union, Presbyterian and Brethren. These included ministers and those who identified more as ‘musicians’ than ‘worship leaders’.
The most popular instrument by a long way was the piano (218), followed by the acoustic guitar (131) and the keyboard (83). Drums were being used by 61 congregations, while 67 used violins and flutes; 42 used the electric guitar; 59 the bass guitar. One church used a double bass.
As for reliance on technology, while the vast majority of churches rely on projection (mainly PowerPoint); 80 still used books and 68 printed sheets. Most music was sourced from printed music editions and downloaded music scores, including from the Praise Trust website which provides access (at a small annual fee) to the words and music of over 1300 items.
