Training Your Team to Use Star: A Leader's Guide

Introducing new tools to your team can be challenging. This tutorial provides strategies for successfully onboarding your worship team, choir, or band to Star.

Time required: 20 minutes to read, varies for implementation

What You'll Learn

• How to introduce Star to your team
• Role-specific training approaches
• Overcoming common resistance
• Building long-term adoption

Prerequisites

• Your own familiarity with Star
• Team members identified
• Star accounts (or ability to create them)

Part 1: The Case for Training

Why Training Matters

Simply telling people "we're using Star now" rarely works. People need:

• Understanding of why the change
• Knowledge of how to use it
• Confidence that it will help them

Common Failure Modes

"Just download the app"

• People download but never open
• They don't understand the value
• Old habits persist

"I sent them an invitation"

• Invitation ignored or lost
• No context for what to do
• Frustration leads to abandonment

"They'll figure it out"

• Some will, some won't
• Inconsistent adoption
• You still manage the "old way" alongside

The Investment

Proper training takes time upfront but saves time every week after. One hour of training eliminates months of coordination friction.

Part 2: Preparing to Train

Step 1: Know Your Audience

Different people need different things:

Tailor your approach to each.

Step 2: Prepare Demo Content

Create a sample show for training:

• 3-4 songs everyone knows
• A scripture entry
• A section entry
• Some entry notes

This gives concrete examples to demonstrate.

Step 3: Schedule Dedicated Time

Training deserves focused attention:

• Not "5 minutes before rehearsal"
• Yes "30 minutes this Saturday" or "First 30 minutes of rehearsal this week"

Communicate that this is the plan.

Part 3: The Training Session

Opening: The Why

Start with motivation, not mechanics:

"We've been juggling emails, group chats, and paper copies for a while. Starting now, we're going to use Star to keep everything in one place. This means less confusion, fewer 'did you get my text?' moments, and more time actually playing music."

Address the pain points they've experienced.

Demo: The Basics

Walk through the core workflow:

1. Finding the show

• Open Star
• Navigate to Backstage
• Find the show
• "This is where you'll always go for the current service"

2. Viewing entries

• Scroll through the show
• Tap a song to see details
• Show lyrics, key, BPM, notes
• "Everything you need for this song is here"

3. Following along

• Enter Presentation Mode
• Navigate forward/back
• "During service, this is what you'll see on your phone"

4. Practice tools (brief)

• Show the tuner
• Show the metronome
• "These are here if you need them"

Hands-On: Let Them Try

Give each person a chance to:

1. Open Star on their device
2. Find the training show
3. Navigate through entries
4. Enter/exit Presentation Mode

Walk around and help anyone struggling.

Questions and Concerns

Open the floor:

• "What questions do you have?"
• "What worries you about this?"
• Address each concern directly

Part 4: Role-Specific Training

For Musicians (Guitarists, Keys, Bass, Drums)

Emphasize:

• Quick access to key and tempo
• Chord charts and notes
• No more hunting for paper copies

Demonstrate:

• Finding song details
• Checking the key before playing
• Reading entry notes for arrangement info

Practice:

• "Open the show, find the second song, tell me the key and BPM"

For Vocalists

Emphasize:

• Clear lyrics on their phone
• Always having the right words
• Following along in real-time

Demonstrate:

• Presentation Mode for lyrics
• Adjusting display settings (if they can)
• Piano tool for finding pitches

Practice:

• "Enter Presentation Mode, navigate to verse 2 of this song"

For Tech Volunteers

Emphasize:

• Simpler than PowerPoint
• Same system as musicians use
• Real-time updates mean no last-minute slide changes

Demonstrate:

• Entering Presentation Mode
• Navigating forward/back
• Jumping to a specific entry
• Handling "repeat the chorus" situations

Practice:

• Run through a mock service with you leading
• They control presentation
• Practice the cues

For Choir Members

Emphasize:

• Everyone sees the same thing
• No page-number confusion
• Easy to follow along

Demonstrate:

• Finding the show
• Following entries during rehearsal
• Basic navigation

Practice:

• Open the show and scroll through
• During actual rehearsal, everyone follows along

Part 5: Overcoming Resistance

"I'm not tech-savvy"

Response:

"If you can use text messages, you can use this. It's simpler than most apps. Let me show you the three things you need to know."

Approach:

• Reduce to basics: Open app, find show, view entries
• Don't overwhelm with features
• Offer personal help

"What's wrong with how we do it now?"

Response:

"Nothing's wrong—we've made it work. But think about last month when [specific frustrating situation]. This prevents that. It's an upgrade, not a critique."

Approach:

• Validate their current effort
• Reference specific pain points
• Frame as improvement, not criticism

"This is one more thing to check"

Response:

"Actually, it's fewer things. Instead of checking email AND group chat AND shared drive, everything is here. One place."

Approach:

• Emphasize consolidation
• Show how it replaces multiple tools
• Prove it with the first few uses

"What if it doesn't work during service?"

Response:

"Star works offline once you've loaded the show. And honestly, what's our backup now? Paper can be lost too. We'll test it before we rely on it."

Approach:

• Explain offline capability
• Commit to a testing period
• Have a backup plan initially

"I prefer paper"

Response:

"You can absolutely keep paper as your backup. But try looking at Star during rehearsal this week. If you still prefer paper after a few weeks, we'll figure it out."

Approach:

• Don't force immediate change
• Invite them to try alongside paper
• Let the benefits prove themselves

Part 6: First Real Use

The First Show

After training, use Star for an actual event:

1. Create the show as normal
2. Invite everyone
3. At rehearsal, everyone uses Star
4. On Sunday, it's the live system

Extra Support

During the first few uses:

• Be available for questions
• Walk through any confusion
• Troubleshoot technical issues
• Celebrate what goes well

Gather Feedback

After the first service:

"How did Star work for you this week? Any issues? What would make it easier?"

Use feedback to address problems and refine training for others.

Part 7: Building Long-Term Adoption

Consistency is Key

Use Star every week, without exception:

• If you sometimes use Star and sometimes use email, people won't form the habit
• Make Star the only place to find the setlist
• Stop sending PDF attachments

Gradual Feature Expansion

Week 1: Basic navigation
Week 2-3: Entry notes and details
Week 4+: Practice tools, collaboration features, etc.

Don't dump everything at once.

Recognize Champions

Some people will adopt quickly and help others:

• Acknowledge them
• Ask them to help train newcomers
• Create a peer support culture

Handle Turnover

New team members need training:

• Create a standard onboarding process
• Have existing members mentor new ones
• Document your team's Star practices

Part 8: Training Checklist

Preparation

• [ ] Demo show created
• [ ] Training time scheduled
• [ ] Know your audience's concerns

Session

• [ ] Explain the "why"
• [ ] Demonstrate core features
• [ ] Hands-on practice for everyone
• [ ] Address questions and concerns

Follow-Up

• [ ] First real show in Star
• [ ] Extra support during first uses
• [ ] Gather and act on feedback

Long-Term

• [ ] Consistent use every week
• [ ] Gradual feature introduction
• [ ] New member onboarding process

Common Questions from Teams

"Do I need to create an account?"
Yes, but it's quick. Sign in with Google/Apple, or use email.

"Does it work on my phone?"
Yes—iPhone, Android, and web browsers.

"What if I forget my password?"
Standard password reset via email.

"Can I see it on my computer?"
Yes, the web version works on any computer.

"Is my information private?"
Shows are only visible to invited collaborators.

Next Steps

Your team is trained. Now:

• Use Star consistently for the next month
• Gather feedback and adjust
• Expand features as comfort grows