The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club part 23

[Shanebo]

Hey there, new to the forum.

I've been playing in church for 25 years or so.

Didn't know there was this kind of camaraderie around P&W playing on the 'net--great to see it.

Not sure the significance of the numbering, but I'll take one to put on my sig line.

All the best,

Shane

[foxxiroxx]

Thank you so much for the welcome and helping words everyone, I'm truly helped by the advise. You are right.... I don't think God needs me to play perfectly. I do like the rotation idea, too. I really like being part of the audience as well.... but yes I will give further thought to rejoining a team.... now to find a Church...... ah thank you again everyone for the paradigm shift....

[SoCalBassman]

One way to play worshipfully and skillfully is to play with your heart.
Some songs take more attention than others so I play accordingly.
Even when I'm rockin' the doors off I'm playing for the Lord and pouring out my heart through the bass guitar.

I believe that God wants our best and I believe in working hard when needed to give my best.

[5StringFool]

I have taken the words of Abe Laboriel to heart. In the seminar I have on DVD and the lessons I've seen via YouTube he stresses playing with feeling... even if you're only playing one note.

[Bakkster_Man]

Originally Posted by Paladin54

So I say forgive yourself for your imperfections (they aren't going anywhere until Christ returns anyways) and get out there and play!

God has given you a talent, go and use it!

I would absolutely agree, with one caveat. If it hurts your personal spiritual walk, by all means let that take priority.

My personal viewpoint is that serving on the worship team's primary purpose is to facilitate worship for others. I approach every week prepared to bless others, and willing to accept my own blessings as they come to me. If I have improved any aspect of worship for someone else, I have been successful. Even on my worst days I still get compliments. I consider myself a weak singer, but in the last month or two that I've been adding my voice on the mics I have gotten many compliments on how nice it sounds with a male voice added (every other mic'd vocalist has been female up til now). I'm nervous and don't like the way my voice sounds, but others find it beneficial so I'm going to stick with it. That's my offering of service.

I've also been tapped to give a sermon and lead service when my pastor has been out of town and that definitely gives an interesting perspective. I was quite nervous both times, and it certainly wasn't a service that taught me the most about scripture. However, it let me use my gifts to bless others, and gave me an appreciation for why my pastor tries to take a vacation and simply worship as a part of another congregation on a regular basis. When you're up there you're mostly offering of yourself to others, and sometimes you just need to step back and let yourself receive the offerings of others. It's easy to get burned out, and finding the proper balance is important.

Steer yourself away from extremes, and let the Lord guide you towards the best way to worship, both for your own spiritual health, and for the best use of your spiritual gifts for the benefit of others.

[mkandolf]

Welcome new members gmliebau and Shanebo to the thread! Your neumbers are:

1198 gmliebau
1199 Shanebo

Listed below are the last ten members added to the list:

1190 blacklariat09
1191 Basstreble
1192 Meshuggah604
1193 BassistHound
1194 OHBandit
1195 mrsr
1196 Bakkster_Man
1197 foxxiroxx
1198 gmliebau
1199 Shanebo

Please put in your post if you want a number or not for the Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club. Without it, I may not realize you need a number.

Thanks, Mike.

[csanders]

OOOHHHH!! Dibs on #1200!

I play mostly for our high school services. Too busy being the TD and FOH guy on Sundays.

[Shanebo]

Thanks for keeping track of all the numbers Mike!

Shane

[foxxiroxx]

I never thought of it - in that aspect. Using it as a way to give back / bless others. I think this outlook would possibly be quite helpful. Congrulations on breaking through the anxiety and singing as well.

That is quite intriguing of an outlook.

In this case it would be nice to find a team that rotates..... I like listening and if I could fit into the right mindset I could enjoy sharing my gift.

Originally Posted by Bakkster_Man

I would absolutely agree, with one caveat. If it hurts your personal spiritual walk, by all means let that take priority.

My personal viewpoint is that serving on the worship team's primary purpose is to facilitate worship for others. I approach every week prepared to bless others, and willing to accept my own blessings as they come to me. If I have improved any aspect of worship for someone else, I have been successful. Even on my worst days I still get compliments. I consider myself a weak singer, but in the last month or two that I've been adding my voice on the mics I have gotten many compliments on how nice it sounds with a male voice added (every other mic'd vocalist has been female up til now). I'm nervous and don't like the way my voice sounds, but others find it beneficial so I'm going to stick with it. That's my offering of service.

I've also been tapped to give a sermon and lead service when my pastor has been out of town and that definitely gives an interesting perspective. I was quite nervous both times, and it certainly wasn't a service that taught me the most about scripture. However, it let me use my gifts to bless others, and gave me an appreciation for why my pastor tries to take a vacation and simply worship as a part of another congregation on a regular basis. When you're up there you're mostly offering of yourself to others, and sometimes you just need to step back and let yourself receive the offerings of others. It's easy to get burned out, and finding the proper balance is important.

Steer yourself away from extremes, and let the Lord guide you towards the best way to worship, both for your own spiritual health, and for the best use of your spiritual gifts for the benefit of others.

[steve_rolfeca]

Pumped about a training session tonight, the second of three. We are looking at starting a variation on an IHOP-style spontaneous prayer/worship ministry. At least initially, sessions will be about 2 hours long.

Scripture will be chosen based on a theme, and short passages will be read while a fairly quiet, "unplugged" style worship team plays and sings. People will also pray out loud, so that the spoken word and music will intertwine and blend responsively.

It sounds like a recipe for chaos, but it worked beautifully last night with just vocals and piano.

After some more training this evening, we'll be adding hand percussion, an acoustic guitar or two and bass...

[Bakkster_Man]

Originally Posted by foxxiroxx

I never thought of it - in that aspect. Using it as a way to give back / bless others. I think this outlook would possibly be quite helpful. Congrulations on breaking through the anxiety and singing as well.

That is quite intriguing of an outlook.

In this case it would be nice to find a team that rotates..... I like listening and if I could fit into the right mindset I could enjoy sharing my gift.

Yeah, it's all in the mindset. I suggested to my wife she not sing in the choir, because she wanted to sing all the time during service and for musical effect the choir would sometimes be silent during verses. In that case, her personal worship trumped ministry. She just wasn't ready to serve in that capacity, though she will be transitioning to soundboard soon (I am a blessed man ).

My team doesn't rotate, we have only 4 instrumentalists, with a second drummer off at college who fills in when he visits home. I was playing drums for most of a year before we brought in our current drummer (who had never performed as a drummer before he played for service). And personally, I love it. I love playing and very rarely need or want time off. Usually my regularly scheduled vacations are all the break I need that whenever I'm in service I want to play.

I believe this has as much to do with the song selections and interplay within the team as anything. They make it fun to play, and I don't see it as work.

[SoVeryTired]

I had an interesting rehearsal last night (not just because it wasn't on a Thursday). Our main PA guy (my brother in law) was filling in on drums and Sunday's soundman wasn't available, so there were a couple of trainees manning the desk. My bass sound was... interesting. But my brother in law did sort it out mostly. That's something to fix in pre-service rehearsal.

And then it was weird playing with a different drummer. He's competent but definitely classes himself as an occasional stand-in as he doesn't have a kit and so can't practice outside of rehearsal. As a result some of my standard lines have to be reworked. It was an interesting study in how much of an understanding I've built up with our most regular drummer. And it keeps me on my toes and makes me think!

[Versatek6]

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

...he doesn't have a kit and so can't practice outside of rehearsal. As a result some of my standard lines have to be reworked. It was an interesting study in how much of an understanding I've built up with our most regular drummer. And it keeps me on my toes and makes me think!

We played with one drummer over three years, and we worked fine. Our new one (Eight months is new? Feels like it.) is still having issues. the whole group is on its collective toes, waiting to hear what will happen next.

[Versatek6]

We've been doing our coffeehouse/music event for two years now. It has grown enough that we are trying to figure out where to move it to in our church that has room and ambiance. No place fits that description. More head-shedding required.

What we are playing:

Set 1
1. Jesus is the Rock
2. 10,000 Reasons
3. A New Hallelujah
4. Dust In The Wind
5. Shout to the Lord
6. Holy is the Lord
7. Better is One Day
8. Take My Life
9. All Who Are Thirsty
10. How Great is Our God

Set 2
11. Blessed Be Your Name
12. Grace Alone
13. Revelation Song
***Prayer Time***
14. Lord’s Prayer – duet
15. Lord I Lift Your Name on High
16. Grace Flows Down
17. Jesus Friend of Sinners
18. God is Good
19. We Will Dance
20. You Are My King

Plus some backups, just in case.

Everyone is welcome! If you're in the Twin Cities and want to come to the NW suburbs, PM me. We'll have cake!

[ExaltBass]

Pic from our recent Worship evening. Awesome worship! (that's me way over on the right )

[BlueLine1]

Originally Posted by ExaltBass

Pic from our recent Worship evening. Awesome worship! (that's me way over on the right )

Wow!!!!!!

[tbplayer2]

I'm part timing for a church plant until they find a full timer. The church is in a bad part of town and has a heart for reaching out to unchurched. A teen w/no church background or knowledge of worship music (but he has been running A/V for them) was invited to bring his bass to practice tonight and play along side me to get comfortable. Sadly he left discouraged because he had never heard the songs, and because the style was completely new to him. I offered to show up early and run through the songs before practice next week, since he plays by ear only, and he gladly accepted.

This whole church thing is new to him and I'm hoping the band can be a witness while working him in. Otherwise, church may not have much part in this kid's life.

Anyone been there, done that? Suggestions?

[english4bw]

OMGosh I'm stoked for this weekend! Here's what's going on in my neck of the woods this Sunday.

[praisebass]

Originally Posted by tbplayer2

Anyone been there, done that? Suggestions?

Nope. Not me. Sounds like a really cool (and challenging) opportunity. Let us know how it goes.

[SoVeryTired]

Originally Posted by tbplayer2

I'm part timing for a church plant until they find a full timer. The church is in a bad part of town and has a heart for reaching out to unchurched. A teen w/no church background or knowledge of worship music (but he has been running A/V for them) was invited to bring his bass to practice tonight and play along side me to get comfortable. Sadly he left discouraged because he had never heard the songs, and because the style was completely new to him. I offered to show up early and run through the songs before practice next week, since he plays by ear only, and he gladly accepted.

This whole church thing is new to him and I'm hoping the band can be a witness while working him in. Otherwise, church may not have much part in this kid's life.

Anyone been there, done that? Suggestions?

Not from the unchurched side of things, but I have helped mentor two of our newer guitarists (one of whom had never played outside of his bedroom and is a relatively new Christian).

What I've done is to write some guidelines on the parts for certain songs, e.g. pointing out the things to listen for in the original recording, giving some detail on the notes to play for important riffs, directing where not to play and also those areas where there's a certain amount of freedom in creating a part. I've done a similar thing for one of our guitarists who's started playing bass.

We usuall know our songs for Sunday a week in advance, with MP3s and chord charts. I'll then often arrange to meet up with the guitarist early in the week for a jam through the songs. We identify the trickier parts and they have time to work on them for the Thursday rehearsal.

As most things in life, it's all about relationships. Start with the music, playing through the Sunday songs (and just jamming in general), and conversation about life and God just comes eventually.