The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club Part 17

[Longhornhombre]

Dieselbass -- The number system is perfect for learning songs without getting trapped into a specific key! It makes shifting between bands or WLs who have different vocal ranges a total breeze.

The "Forever Reign" bridge, for instance, is always 6m - 4 - 1 - 5, no matter what key you happen to be in. Your fingers and mind start getting used to thinking in terms of the scale instead of isolated chords.

For folks here who happen to play with a male WL one Sunday and a female WL the next, it's a life saver.

Just my two cents though.

Have a great Sunday, guys!

[Dave the Bass]

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

+1. We all have access to the charts, lyrics, lead sheets etc on Planning Center but that's for learning at home (and even then I prefer to start by ear and then cross-check against the sheets).

Speaking of Planning Center, I'm not sure about the new format of the site. It doesn't seem to be as easy to use as before.

[capnsandwich]

Originally Posted by Jhengsman

It may be a money matter. Rehersal halls get paid for a reason turning on lights and heat for a church building designed to hold hundreds can add zeros to the electric bill.

No, I don't think it's that so much. They have people in and out all the time. They usually have the lights on and/or something running in the offices.

My opinion is that we're getting down and it's reminding them of the music they grew up listening to while they were getting high or doing something else they weren't supposed to do. In reality, it's just notes, effects, and energy. We're having a blast and then some dude comes in and actually tries to make us feel bad because we're playing our instruments differently than we do in a church service. Really? Just because there's a distortion and sustain pedal on the guitar and the drums are hitting harder than they do during service, we're serving the dark lord? Get a clue people!

[nutdog]

Originally Posted by Dave the Bass

Speaking of Planning Center, I'm not sure about the new format of the site. It doesn't seem to be as easy to use as before.

One thing cool I noticed tonight is being able to play the mp3 without downloading.

Also, the app on the ipad is nice. I've started using it instead of a music stand. So, it's all in one music, bible, and, since they just put in a presonus board, monitor mix controller.

[JMimbs]

Originally Posted by capnsandwich

My opinion is that we're getting down and it's reminding them of the music they grew up listening to while they were getting high or doing something else they weren't supposed to do. In reality, it's just notes, effects, and energy. We're having a blast and then some dude comes in and actually tries to make us feel bad because we're playing our instruments differently than we do in a church service. Really? Just because there's a distortion and sustain pedal on the guitar and the drums are hitting harder than they do during service, we're serving the dark lord? Get a clue people!

Amen! While I have seen people who need to make a clean break with anything that would remind them of their old lifestyle, the ones I respect had enough wisdom to understand that it wasn't the music that was wrong, it was the actions they had associated with the music that were wrong. So they wouldn't judge anyone for playing/listening to a certain style of music, they simply didn't listen themselves.

[fuzzy beard]

Originally Posted by Longhornhombre

Dieselbass -- The number system is perfect for learning songs without getting trapped into a specific key! It makes shifting between bands or WLs who have different vocal ranges a total breeze.

The "Forever Reign" bridge, for instance, is always 6m - 4 - 1 - 5, no matter what key you happen to be in. Your fingers and mind start getting used to thinking in terms of the scale instead of isolated chords.

For folks here who happen to play with a male WL one Sunday and a female WL the next, it's a life saver.

Just my two cents though.

Have a great Sunday, guys!

What is 6m? Does the m stand for agmented?

[JMimbs]

Originally Posted by fuzzy beard

What is 6m? Does the m stand for agmented?

Actually I would assume minor. So in the key of C the 6m would be A minor.

[JazzBass50]

I hear ya brother, When "fillers" are inserted in the worship time they can often appear as an afterthought. If your people are asked to stand for 20 minutes during the worship time, the extra mini-sermons can become an annoyance (but few will admit that, afterall, they don't want to appear unspiritual). Maybe one of the vocalists could give a SHORT reading of verses and prayer while the instruments are setting up (capos, sheet shuffles, etc). Too many times the pastor is overexposed to the congregation if he gives mini-sermons, announcements and the final message. He should be saved for the preaching. One thing that works for us, is our keyboardist leads into the next song alone while the rest of us "get ready". This makes for a pleasant transition between songs. just some ideas.

Originally Posted by Rob22315

During our contemporary service, we play 4-5 songs, 2 at the beginning. There's always a pause between the first 2 songs as we shuffle the sheet music. The pastor has asked us to fill that 15-20 seconds of time with some dialog about the music we're playing. I'm looking for other ideas on what we might do to fill that time.

As an example, I might look for short video messages either meditative or scriptural related to the Pastor's theme that the AV folks could tee up for that time. Any other ideas would be most appreciated. Are any 'fillers' folks have used successfully which contribute to the overall worship experience?

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by christle

...I find that the charts are at best a guideline. Drives me crazy when other musicians use them verbatim and don't double check them with their ears. Not all charts are good charts.

If it's not a good chart, then why the #?%+!!! copy it, and hand it out?

It drives me crazy when people provide charts that haven't been adapted to the actual arrangement being played. It's called a pencil, people!

I can play pretty much anything by ear. I can also read just about any chart. Either approach works for me.

The only thing that doesn't work, is the sheer idiocy of downloading a chord sheet off the 'net, putting it up on music stands in front of a band, and then saying, "Don't play this. Well, at least not exactly..."

[khutch]

Originally Posted by invalidprotocol

Any other teams here have a no sheet music policy?

Not generally. The choir does have to memorize the music for the Christmas outreach program. The orchestra does not, which makes me want to blow the dust out of the clarinet too and join the orchestra next year! Seriously though, memorizing the music does eliminate the distractions associated with dealing with it while performing which lets you pay more attention to the director. I can see the advantages of running that way. Both the choir and the worship band are doing what for me is totally new music every week however. There is no way I could memorize music fast enough to meet that schedule.

When I attend professional music concerts I see it done both ways. The choir and orchestra generally perform from music, the "hired gun" soloists generally perform from memory though some of them use music too. I don't think their performances suffer from using music, I'd be delighted to be able to play and sing as well as they.

Ken

[Crazy_Climer]

Are numbers still available or being assigned for this group? While I'm new to TalkBass, I eventually would like to start playing bass in our worship team, though am still too much of a rookie to do so. I'm a fairly regular vocalist in the worship team, though. The best part of being a vocalist is, it's easy to take your instrument along, and you get to be right in the heart of some awesome music!

[Crazy_Climer]

I also just read the post, just prior to mine. As a vocalist (and know instrumentalists who feel the same), I've memorized music for many a Christmas program, or others throughout the year. I can say it's very liberating, to not have your nose in a book. This allows the director to "play" the choir/orchestra/band as they see fit at the moment, in tone, tempo, volume, and such.

[caeman]

I did not realize just how tiring a 6 hour practice can be, and how much energy I spent trying to sing a few tunes southern rock style.

[mtb777]

Today went well and our instrumental set was very spirit filled and we had some folks come up and compliment us as a group! I got asked last minute to accompany this old guy who reads poetry in various forms and wanted a jazz touch to rhyme with so I used my NS and got to doodle with him for over a half an hour. A lot of his poetry is about his missionary adventures in Haiti That was s new thing for me! Tomorrow is our regular set(s) and we get to play for an hour or so.

I also met Wednesday with the pastor who was in charge of making me step down from leading my team of ushers. I was not happy about how all of that went down as well as number of other things that went down with my estranged wife and I was ready for a confrontation about quite a few issues and he, to my surprise, was VERY apologetic and we patched most of that up. God has definitely shut that door for that kind of service much to their surprise but I serve God, not man, and he directs our paths! Amen. God shuts one door and opens another!! God IS good.
Be blessed and anointed, ummmm, today in your services!

Thank you all for your prayers and words of wisdom.

Caemon, I pray that God releases energy for your worship and healing for your cold and sinuses.

[Jhengsman]

Originally Posted by Crazy_Climer

Are numbers still available or being assigned for this group? While I'm new to TalkBass, I eventually would like to start playing bass in our worship team, though am still too much of a rookie to do so. I'm a fairly regular vocalist in the worship team, though. The best part of being a vocalist is, it's easy to take your instrument along, and you get to be right in the heart of some awesome music!

Yes but the keeper of the roster has said he won't be around much for the next couple of weeks.

[christle]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

If it's not a good chart, then why the #?%+!!! copy it, and hand it out?

It drives me crazy when people provide charts that haven't been adapted to the actual arrangement being played. It's called a pencil, people!

....

The only thing that doesn't work, is the sheer idiocy of downloading a chord sheet off the 'net, putting it up on music stands in front of a band, and then saying, "Don't play this. Well, at least not exactly..."

Believe me, when I ask about why we are getting wrong charts I get some pretty creative answers. It's not really hard when practicing to figure where a chart is incorrect and fix it.

Thanks for the great response. It made my morning!

[invalidprotocol]

Originally Posted by Dave the Bass

Speaking of Planning Center, I'm not sure about the new format of the site. It doesn't seem to be as easy to use as before.

I only like how it handles streaming through a smart phone now. But I noticed if you tell it to use the full site now from a mobile device there was no way to make it go back to the mobile format until you completely logged out and back in. Oops.

[SoVeryTired]

A great set today - only two songs at the start and one for the offering, as we had a preach by Louie Giglio on DVD that was 10 minutes longer than our normal preaching slot, so the music had to make way a little. I was a little concerned, as the worship leader, about trying to really go anywhere with two songs - sometimes it can seem like you need three just to warm the congregation up for the fourth song! But during the week I read this very fitting reposted blog entry from my friend Carlos Whittaker and had an amazing worship time:

God can't show up in TWO songs!!!

On the subject of song transitions... we don't have sheet music to turn over but we do have the occasional capo change or pedal stomping between songs, along with some songs not having a natural transition between them. Our keys player is great at being able to play a brief interlude that gets us to the right key. Sometimes that's enough to get us to the start of the next song. Sometimes the worship leader may briefly say something. This morning I read Psalm 28 as part of my daily readings and verse 7 stuck out to me, so I memorised it. While the keys moved us from the big crashing ending of Holding Nothing Back in A to the gentle intro of Forever Reign in C, I spoke the verse out - when you're not great at public speaking it's good to have some powerful words from scripture instead of your own words!

[Longhornhombre]

Originally Posted by JMimbs

Actually I would assume minor. So in the key of C the 6m would be A minor.

Yup. Numbers represent scale “degrees” -- Assigning numbers to notes. For example, the “6m” represents the sixth note in the scale.

Forever Reign, for example, just use the C major scale and walk up:

The 1 is the C, the 2m = Dm, the 3m = Em, the 4 = F, the 5 = G, 6m = Am...

The 2, 3, and 6 are always minor chords.

[JMimbs]

Today was my first Sunday using my new SX 6 string, and I'm happy to say that it ROCKED! The huge neck is still taking some getting used to, but there is nothing like playing Our God and hitting those low Ds and Bs.