The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club part 23

[HereIGoAgain]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

Last but not least, IME a lot of bands suffer from "Chris Tomlin-itis". Maybe it's just where I worship, but the last few years I've run into a lot of young male leaders with high tenor voices who don't know when they're asking too much of the congregation.

YES!!!! THIS!!!!! How come there aren't any men CCW artists who sing like men????

(Yes, I'm slightly exaggerating here, but "Chris Tomlin-itis" is amazingly common.)

[velalv]

In response to the Christmas question, I ended up being very blessed. I got a Martin bc15e mahogany bodied acoustic bass from my father, even though I am a grown adult who is doing alright for myself. My wife got me Rocksmith and groovin for heaven by Stockton. For my birthday a couple of days ago I purchased a Mono M80 gig bag, as I grew tired of schlepping my american deluxe jazz in hard shell G and g case around twice a week. I'm loving the Martin for bible study praise.

[velalv]

I also feel e pain of Tomlinitis. We play most of our songs in D. Also, I myself have a low baritone voice, and tend to sing any tomlin song at least one octave lower then written.

[SoCalBassman]

Originally Posted by 5StringFool

Yep... that's the norm. And if it goes like it did you'll find that the keys are different front he recorded versions the majority of the time, plus the drummer will rarely be playing the recorded drum part you hear.

Playing in the P&W band has been one of the most challenging things I've ever done as a musician. Imo it's much more challenging than playing in your average bar band.

I see that as a plus. I've learned more about playing bass in the last 13 years than I did in the previous 25. Doing covers you learn to figure out what the original basslines were. Playing worship everybody pretty much plays the same songs so you get to do your own renditions, within reason. Some of the more dominant, challenging songs that most people won't touch I always try to get something close to the popular version. It blows people away when you rip out those impossible basslines.
On the other side of it, depending on how much freedom the WL gives you, you get to write a lot of your own lines that fit the feel of the song the way it's being played by the current team.
When I'm learning a song I like to sit and listen to it first. I'll pray for guidance and whatever I hear in the music I play. I've learned to play what I feel and it has always gone over well.

[5StringFool]

Originally Posted by SoCalBassman

I see that as a plus.

I do too, didn't mean to imply otherwise. I've grown quite a bit as a musician in my five years on the P&W team... imo more so than I would have doing covers.

I recently did some sub work for a local gigging band that has about 70 songs in their current repertoire and no set list, they pick songs on the fly. Thanks to my experience on the P&W team I was able to listen to the originals, make my own charts in a powerpoint presentation and played the gig without missing a beat, all with only 5 days to prep. I never would have been able to do that before.

[Dave the Bass]

Originally Posted by BlueLine1

Welcome, 3mrhythm! I currently have 4 Washburns, including an ABT I made fretless. It's a great playing bass. If I have to read music for studio work on the fly, my B90 almost plays by itself. My 6-string, pictured, is my fave..
Once again, welcome and share your thoughts....
Alan

Is that an XB600 bass in your avatar? I have a red one, you're the only other person I've ever seen that has one.

[Mr L]

Originally Posted by HereIGoAgain

YES!!!! THIS!!!!! How come there aren't any men CCW artists who sing like men????

(Yes, I'm slightly exaggerating here, but "Chris Tomlin-itis" is amazingly common.)

My rhythm guitar/vocal guy from my church's youth band is always trying to capo things and make them higher.

Every time he does i tell him to "Tone it down justin bieber"

Gets a good laugh from everyone hehe

[papilgee4evaeva]

Hmm... I play keys for our praise team, not bass, so I'm wondering if I should sub.

...

Yeah, I'll sub anyway. Good chance I'll be playing bass somewhere sometime. Plus, it's good discussion.

[5StringFool]

What if you're a 45 year old guy with a high tenor voice? The lowest I can go is the high end of the baritone range.

I'm also a big guy... 6'5" and about 275lbs.

[khutch]

Originally Posted by 5StringFool

What if you're a 45 year old guy with a high tenor voice? The lowest I can go is the high end of the baritone range.

The Chicago Music of the Baroque chorus has a male contra-tenor they occasionally use for pieces that require one. During the rest of the concert he sings with the altos....

Ken

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by HereIGoAgain

How come there aren't any men CCW artists who sing like men????

(Yes, I'm slightly exaggerating here, but "Chris Tomlin-itis" is amazingly common.)

I've been chuckling all morning at the coining of the new phrase 'Tomlinitis'. It's brilliant. And I'll definitely be using this the next time the MD decides to take a song up a few keys (as is his custom!).

To answer your question, Stuart Townend. But then, almost without fail, along comes a co-writer to quite a few of his songs, Kristyn Getty, and, lo-and-behold, she drops down a key at least (and is usually pitched just right for congregational singing).

[SoVeryTired]

I have a relatively high voice but I accept that anything Tomlin needs to come down a few keys for most people to sing. I think Our God is in B originally but we'll either do it in A (still quite high) or E depending on whether it's male or female lead vocals.

[jmclearnon]

.... I've played with the Gettys and sometimes they put a ridiculous amount of key changes in.. which can sometimes be hard for the congregation to follow.

Still love their music

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by papilgee4evaeva

Hmm... I play keys for our praise team, not bass,...

A keys player, in a bassist camp Hope you know the golden rule...

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by jmclearnon

.... I've played with the Gettys and sometimes they put a ridiculous amount of key changes in.. which can sometimes be hard for the congregation to follow.

Still love their music

You've played WITH the Gettys !? Wow! That is an honour! I've heard they don't accept any form of 2nd-raters on their stage. You must be good! I wouldn't even get to plug my bass in, let alone play a single note.

Although I will agree they shouldn't change keys the way they do. I'll often download a song for practising only to find the first verse was in the correct key and the rest of the song is useless unless radically modified with Audacity or CoolEdit etc.

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by jmclearnon

....
Still love their music

And Robin Mark?

[jmclearnon]

Yeah cello just, played with the new Irish orchestra which they conduct quite a bit. I'm good enough to play bass but you know these things, being good enough and being established enough to be asked to play are 2 different things, luckily on cello i get to play at loads of random stuff

Havent played with Robin Mark but see him all the time, his church is actually about 40m down the road from mine lol. He occasionally does worship seminars which are sweet!

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

... my back has been bugging me on long gigs lately. So the bass you see in my avatar has gone under the chisel again. I took it down to 11lb 8oz from over 12 a few years ago, and this time, I'm aiming to get into the very low tens. We'll see how it goes...

Steve, really sorry to hear your back is plaguing you (and some of your set lists sure gives us an idea of just how long your gigs are!). I empathise; back issues since an aircraft accident when 17. I've just weighed my bass and it comes in at 8lb 13oz (c/w strap). No wonder I feel as if other basses are pinning me to the floor! Let us know the results of taking a chisel to your axe

I've just come across this and had to add it in; just have a look at the size of this thing! Almost "what body?". It's almost all neck!



But now, in order to weigh my bass meant, well, standing on the bathroom scale, bass in hand, then letting the bass go, and seeing the difference. Hmm, the final figure didn't go down as far as it should have. So, in the words of my cute Dutch wife, I think I need to heed to a New Years revolution (it comes round once a year, doesn't it?).... the bass is light enough. I need to chisel away some of my own pounds!

[jmclearnon]

..Carbon Fiber bass ???

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by jmclearnon

..Carbon Fiber bass ???

I picked up one the other day and it was not as light as you would think! OK, I know models vary, but this one did take me by surprise.