The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club part 23

[throughthefire]

Not on this weekend - it's the other teams turn.

Step-son is subbing on drums for them; he texted earlier... "Pete! This practice is terrible compared to your team!" (he's played with us for the last month)

... he was there two hours, and they played as a band for about 30 minutes; everyone was learning the songs, discussing what chords were used where... little organisation.

In my defense... I told him so!

I'm praying for him, and all the team. I'm sure it will be alright on the morning...

[steve_rolfeca]

Assuming we don't get snowed out tonight, here's our tentative set list:

Come With Me by Kathryn Marquis in Am
Your Kingdom Come by Kathryn Marquis in G
You Are Good by Brian Johnson and Jeremy Riddle in E
I Am Free by Jon Egan in E
Freedom by Eddie James in E
He Is Yahweh by Dean Salyn in C
Sing Praise by FCDC Worship Team in C
Pour Down by Kathryn Marquis in C
Open by Kathryn Marquis in Dm
Mystery by Kathryn Marquis in F
No Matter What by Kathryn Marquis in Bb
Purest Love by Bob Sprenger in Gm
Meet Me in the Garden by Kathryn Marquis in C
Oh Lord You're Beautiful by Keith Green in Bb
Beautiful by Kathryn Marquis in Bb
Who May Ascend by Kathryn Marquis in Bb
I Exalt Thee by unknown in Bb
He Is Yahweh by Dean Salyn in C
Oh The Blood of Jesus in C
Shekinah Glory by Cory Asbury in C
Deep Cries Out by Christiann Koepke and William Matthews in C
I Give You Glory by Andres Spyker in F

[steve_rolfeca]

To add to recent conversations about time, here's some good stuff from my friend Sherry, with a few additions of my own:

"In a recent conversation with another musician friend, I was reminded of the importance of keeping a steady tempo. This is essential if you're playing with others, and time keeping should not be relegated to the rhythm section. In moving from a "good" to a "solid" band, all the musicians really should be keeping the time.

...It’s really easy to start speeding up, especially for “exciting” passages. I’ve found that doing various permutations with a metronome or Composer during my practice times really helps a lot with internalizing a steady tempo. They all have to do with slowing down the metronome and still playing in time, because it forces you to internalize the tempo better. Slowing down to get better timing may seem counterintuitive at first, but it really works!

Some exercises I do that have helped me:

1. Set the metronome at a comfortable pace (eg. 90) and play scales or intervals or something. Then, set the metronome slower (not faster) by about a third (eg. set it at 60). Now play the exercises again. It’s actually more difficult to play it properly slower, but it also helps you to internalize the tempo better. Continue to play the exercise til you nail the tempo consistently, then repeat by slowing down by a third or so again. Play the exercise.

2. Set the metronome to beat at about 100 or so, and hit single notes (or chords) on the beat. Then play a note/chord on the beat and in between (i.e., divide the beat in duplets). When you’re hitting those evenly, do triples. Likewise go on to quadruples. Now slow the metronome down (eg. From 100 to 80), and repeat the exercise. Slow it down again, and repeat.

3. Play a piece (or scales or whatever) with a metronome set at something like 60. Then, set it at 30, but play at the same tempo (i.e., if you’re using the metronome for 1 2 3 4 initially, you’ll only use it for hearing 1 and 3 the second time). Get to where you’re nailing the beat, then set it at 15 so you’re only hearing the metronome for 1.

4. Practice with Composer Sometimes I’ll just make a file that has just drums, but I’ll silence beats here and there so that the structure of the song remains but I don’t hear all the beats. Further into the song I’ll remove a whole measure, then later on in the file, remove multiple measures and see if I can keep things steady enough to be right on beat when the next drum measure comes back in."

5. Set a moderate tempo, and after warming up by doing the old "make the metronome disappear" exercise, try to play consistently just behind the beat. Then push a little ahead. Then repeat, but increase the amount of lead or lag.

6. Repeat again, across a wide range of tempos.

7. Once you've internalized the feel of pushing the beat vs laying back, experiment to see what effect it has in different situations. Also try varying where you "sit" on different sections of a tune, like verse vs chorus, building to a final crescendo, etc.

[dDaddybass]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

To add to recent conversations about time, here's some good stuff from my friend Sherry, with a few additions of my own:

"In a recent conversation with another musician friend, I was reminded of the importance of keeping a steady tempo. This is essential if you're playing with others, and time keeping should not be relegated to the rhythm section. In moving from a "good" to a "solid" band, all the musicians really should be keeping the time.

...It’s really easy to start speeding up, especially for “exciting” passages. I’ve found that doing various permutations with a metronome or Composer during my practice times really helps a lot with internalizing a steady tempo. They all have to do with slowing down the metronome and still playing in time, because it forces you to internalize the tempo better. Slowing down to get better timing may seem counterintuitive at first, but it really works!

Some exercises I do that have helped me:

1. Set the metronome at a comfortable pace (eg. 90) and play scales or intervals or something. Then, set the metronome slower (not faster) by about a third (eg. set it at 60). Now play the exercises again. It’s actually more difficult to play it properly slower, but it also helps you to internalize the tempo better. Continue to play the exercise til you nail the tempo consistently, then repeat by slowing down by a third or so again. Play the exercise.

2. Set the metronome to beat at about 100 or so, and hit single notes (or chords) on the beat. Then play a note/chord on the beat and in between (i.e., divide the beat in duplets). When you’re hitting those evenly, do triples. Likewise go on to quadruples. Now slow the metronome down (eg. From 100 to 80), and repeat the exercise. Slow it down again, and repeat.

3. Play a piece (or scales or whatever) with a metronome set at something like 60. Then, set it at 30, but play at the same tempo (i.e., if you’re using the metronome for 1 2 3 4 initially, you’ll only use it for hearing 1 and 3 the second time). Get to where you’re nailing the beat, then set it at 15 so you’re only hearing the metronome for 1.

4. Practice with Composer Sometimes I’ll just make a file that has just drums, but I’ll silence beats here and there so that the structure of the song remains but I don’t hear all the beats. Further into the song I’ll remove a whole measure, then later on in the file, remove multiple measures and see if I can keep things steady enough to be right on beat when the next drum measure comes back in."

5. Set a moderate tempo, and after warming up by doing the old "make the metronome disappear" exercise, try to play consistently just behind the beat. Then push a little ahead. Then repeat, but increase the amount of lead or lag.

6. Repeat again, across a wide range of tempos.

7. Once you've internalized the feel of pushing the beat vs laying back, experiment to see what effect it has in different situations. Also try varying where you "sit" on different sections of a tune, like verse vs chorus, building to a final crescendo, etc.

4. Practice with Composer Sometimes I’ll just make a file that has just drums, but I’ll silence beats here and there so that the structure of the song remains but I don’t hear all the beats. Further into the song I’ll remove a whole measure, then later on in the file, remove multiple measures and see if I can keep things steady enough to be right on beat when the next drum measure comes back in."

I saw a you tube video of a Victor Wooten clinic where he demo'd this. Very good. I wish i could find the link.

[bassresistance]

Originally Posted by dDaddybass

I saw a you tube video of a Victor Wooten clinic where he demo'd this. Very good. I wish i could find the link.

Pretty sure it's this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRmiTta995o

[dDaddybass]

Originally Posted by bassresistance

Pretty sure it's this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRmiTta995o

That's it! Thanks.

[mkandolf]

Originally Posted by KarlK

Forgive me, for I have committed a sin of omission...

I am NOT a bass player in a band at church, my congregation is a choir and organ congregation (sometimes with flute, violin, cello, clarinet, and/or djembe). I do SING bass in the choir, though. Do I have to give up the number Mkandolf so hospitably gave me? Or is an asterisk sufficient?

Glad the book suggestions were usefull, and glad to be here,

K

Thanks Karl, I've removed your name from the numbers list. I'd prefer to keep it for bass players as the list is called The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club.

[HereIGoAgain]

Originally Posted by mkandolf

Thanks Karl, I've removed your name from the numbers list. I'd prefer to keep it for bass players as the list is called The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club.

Last week, I was a 2nd acoustic guitar, and this week I'm on electric guitar. Yes, I'm bringing my Marshall full stack, a couple hundred pedals, I'm using drop-C tuning, and I'm going to wear a t-shirt with the name of a hair metal band on it.

I'm just kidding about the gear. I don't have a full stack, and I use standard tuning on my traditional-looking Les Paul. I'll use my electric with a bedroom tube amp and the same 4-pedal board I use with bass.

But if anyone wonders, I usually play bass with the team.

[JebDude]

Yep, a couple of people were quoting this one a few pages back. A classic.

JB

Originally Posted by MikeBass

Funny.....
Anyone seen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqaITA3IO0

[iceboxbass]

Hi all! I haven't been active on here very much in the last year and I forgot what my member # is. Who is in charge of the membership list these days and would you let me know what my number is please? Thank you!

On a high note...our Praise team recorded/released a 11 song CD last summer 2012! Somebody in our church wanted our music to play at home and Laid out the $$$ to have a Studio come to our church and recorded us there. It was a lot of fun. We only replayed one song over but it's not 100% without mistakes. They wanted it to sound like we play on Sunday mornings. Since the release, we have been getting invites to play at other churches in our area. What a blessing it has been.
We are asking for a $5.00 donation and the money is going toward new
speaker system for our sanctuary. The speakers we have had the woofers replaced once 2 years ago but they've blown again. They're not made for what our system currently is.

This is my non-playing week . But our play list is,

Trading My Sorrows
Strong Enough to Save
Just as I Am, You Take Me
By your Side(Tenth Ave North)
God is Good

Also...I have retired after almost 36 years serving our great USA bur still waiting for the finalization paperwork from D.C. This week I took up a position as assistant WL for our Praise team band. Our WL is a mother of 4, with the youngest being 1 yr. old, plus a full-time nurse. She hadn't been able to be in a church worship Wed. morning mtg. since Nov 2012. So I asked our WL if she'd like help and she was happy that I had asked.

Everyone be blessed and have an awesome worship this week!

[kevbethphx]

Not sure if anyone has recently asked or discussed effects in this thread, but I am curious if anyone one uses effects. If so, which effects and for which songs.

I ask as I am slated to play next weekend (2/17).

Thank You ALL!

[spindoc]

I've used a chorus in the past when playing the first part of All Things New (but we're doing it this week and I'm not using it, as it sounds fine as is with keyboards and current guitarist). I've also used a volume pedal for the swells on One Thing Remains, and compression a couple of times. But usually, no effects.

[theLimeyBrit]

Originally Posted by kevbethphx

Not sure if anyone has recently asked or discussed effects in this thread, but I am curious if anyone one uses effects. If so, which effects and for which songs.

I ask as I am slated to play next weekend (2/17).

Thank You ALL!

My signal chain is Bass-->MXR Bass Octave Deluxe-->MXR Bass Envelope Filter-->MXR Bass Fuzz Deluxe-->MXR Bass Compressor-->Zoom B3-->Amp.

I mostly use the B3 to have a selection of modulation effects to hand. I usually have a chorus (max depth, slowest speed) on all the time for a bit of texture. My default patch also has a phaser which I turn on for slow, whole-note lines like Take Me In. It also has a tremolo, because the B3's trem sounds awesome, but I haven't found a song to use it with yet.

I'm on the fence about keeping the octave. I used it for Friend Of God last Sunday and it sounded good, but I can probably live without it and may see about trading it for something else.

I can't think off the top of my head which songs I use the filter on, but it does get used.

The fuzz comes on for faster stuff like Blessed Be Your Name.

I got the octave, filter and fuzz with a modular synth setup in mind, but so far haven't found a combination of all three that's usable in my church setting.

The compressor is on all the time, but I have it set to mostly act as a limiter to tame spikes coming from the filter and the fuzz. It doesn't normally kick in if neither of the other pedals is active.

I'm currently the only electric instrument on stage and I have a WL who encourages me to do whatever I want with my sound, so I get to have a good time

[SoVeryTired]

I'm currently running without effects - I'm enjoying the tone of the new bass too much to colour it!

[mdjuszyn]

No effects, just a pre amp pedal.

[HereIGoAgain]

I run a Korg Pitchblack+ -> Dunlop 535Q Wah -> Digitech Hardwire Tube Overdrive -> Digitech Hardwire Valve Distortion -> amp.

I've not used the Wah in a p+w setting yet. I've used the OD as an effect. I used the distortion once during a situation where my stage volume had to be super low to add some meat to my tone.

[steve_rolfeca]

The last thing I want in a dense mix with a 5-7 piece band and BGV's, is delay or modulation effects. Ditto for widening my bandwidth and compressing my dynamics with OD or distortion.

Under the circumstances, I don't give up my hard-won punch and clarity, unless it's in solo sections. I do use a volume pedal sometimes, and could see running a phaser or chorus and compression if I was trying to fill out a duo or trio, or doing more intros and solo's.

[throughthefire]

Originally Posted by kevbethphx

Not sure if anyone has recently asked or discussed effects in this thread, but I am curious if anyone one uses effects. If so, which effects and for which songs.

Usually my signal chain is

brain*->fingers->Schecter Bass->Korg Pitchblack tuner->Aguilar DB750

* - optional

I have a Boss OC2 Octaver, which gets a run-out about twice a year on 'The Great I Am' - I kick it in at the 'The Mountains shake before him' section. That's about the only song I ever consider using any effects.

[TodB]

Bass > tuner > amp. It seems to me that effects take away more than they add.

I still have an SWR MoBass with octave, distortion, chorus, and a really wild analog synth the sound guy hated, but I haven't brought it out in years.

[dDaddybass]

+1@steve