The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club part 23

[Samsound]

Originally Posted by Starflyer59

Im surprised no one's mentioning Hillsongnitis. The cases of Hillsongnitis in worship leaders have reached to pandemic proportions!

If that's the one where the WL decides to pull down to just ambience and let the congregation pour out their hearts on every song (even though no one ever sings), then yeah - we've been coming down with that!

[steve_rolfeca]

I've been busy shaving my baby down to a toothpick. Realized that I had a layoff (no citywide worship this month and serving out the waiting period at my new church), so I decided to put mu main bass on a diet.

Aggressive tapering, scooping and thinning has already knocked a half-pound off it, and made it feel more resonant. I think there's still a few more ounces to knock off, before I start oiling it again.

Still no featherweight, it was over 11 Lb the last time I weighed it.

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

... Still no featherweight, it was over 11 Lb the last time I weighed it.

Not to make anyone jealous, but no wonder I'm feeling really fortunate with the bass I have. It appears the bathroom scale is 'generous' (does that mean it over-weighs me too?) as the specs claim my bass is 7lb 7oz (3.4kg). There's only one Dingwall lighter (at 3.2kg) or (if one can call it a 'bass') the basstar pro 5 at, well, 5lb!

Now, here's the giggle, I still want to but a 'comfy' strap!

[MissingHighs]

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

The reason for my silence.

Hmmph! Never mind us; how does the wife feel? Bass widow?

[slaerts]

Haven't played since Christmas eve, as always I arrive at 4 and set up to be ready by 4.15. Get the songs at 4.15, need to finish practicing by 4.50. Service starts at 5pm. Sometimes I wish we did mid-week rehearsals or received a setlist before turning up. How you guys doing?

[SoVeryTired]

It's okay, she's got my mum for company. I've just been shopping with my dad and he's come home with Martin D28...

[5StringFool]

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

I've just been shopping with my dad and he's come home with Martin D28...

Nice.

[Beller]

Nothing plays like a Martin! Congrats to dad.

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by slaerts

Haven't played since Christmas eve, as always I arrive at 4 and set up to be ready by 4.15. Get the songs at 4.15, need to finish practicing by 4.50. Service starts at 5pm. Sometimes I wish we did mid-week rehearsals or received a setlist before turning up. How you guys doing?

The best arrangement I've ever had, was at my first church, shortly before I became a Christian.

The congregation was being racked by "worship wars" over style and content. The Pastor's answer was to train 6 people to be worship leaders on a 6-week rotation, and 1 to be worship librarian/secretary. He put all the musicians in a common pool.

The pastor committed to have his sermon themes ready 6 weeks in advance, and meet weekly with a W/L to discuss each service. The WL would go home and think about songs, and decide on what sort of musical setting they wanted. Then they would issue invitations to the musicians about a month in advance.

Variety was the key, and the WL's were encouraged to change it up. You might have a strong female lead with a single male BGV backed by solo grand piano one week, a raucous praise band the next, and a small choir or organ after that. Experiments like "Calypso worship" or a youth-led service happened at least 3 or 4 times a year.

Rehearsals were Monday nights and Saturday mornings, so you had all week to work on your part if you needed it. There was a hard and fast rule that if you didn't make at least one rehearsal, you didn't play on Sunday. Sunday mornings were limited to a brief rundown of intros and endings, starting about 30 minutes before the service.

Committing to be a WL was tough, because it meant 2 rehearsals plus a meeting with the pastor per service, but OTOH, they only had to do it once in 6 weeks. They were also free to be in the music pool in between leadership opportunities if they wanted.

Life as a musician was unhurried and low-pressure. You could commit as often as you wanted, or offer up as little as one service, or even just 1 special song per year, and only had to get up half an hour early on Sundays. Your schedule was always known at least a month in advance, and there was time to arrange "shift swaps" if something came up.

[Skeeter1]

Howdy folks. Can I join the club? Someone give me a number and show me the secret handshake.

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by Skeeter1

Howdy folks. Can I join the club? Someone give me a number and show me the secret handshake.

Standing, place a twenty dollar bill on your right hand, arm extended, fingers together and palm up. Raise your left leg, and tuck your foot behind your right knee.

Shut your eyes, wait patiently, and someone will be along to help you shortly...

[throughthefire]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

Standing, place a twenty dollar bill on your right hand, arm extended, fingers together and palm up. Raise your left leg, and tuck your foot behind your right knee.

Shut your eyes, wait patiently, and someone will be along to help you shortly...

He's in. I got $20!

[steve_rolfeca]

We hooked another one... Don't forget about my cut!

[JebDude]

Set List:

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus - 2 verses
What a Day That Will Be
Victory Chant (Yes this is actually in our hymnal)

Then after announcements and offerring we do:

Hosanna - Hillsong in Bm
Glorious Day - Casting Crowns in G
10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman in Eb (I think) with violin solo

A short explanation. A few years ago they did a survey and decided to do a mix of songs. My personal feeling is that they give too much to the hymn crowd, but of course, they feel we do too much contemporary.

I'm on 'soprano' bass, and we'll have our extra 2 vocals and acoustic guitar. I'm looking forward to it.

JB

[Beller]

I guess there's always room to complain, there is for me anyway, but after reading your post slaerts I'm counting my blessings. We rehearse Sunday afternoons at 4pm for app. 2 hours. (1½ after everybody shows up) We work on the coming Sunday's set list and new songs for future dates. We meet at 8AM Sunday for an hour of that day's set list. Worship service at 11AM.
Just about every complaint I've read on this forum is also true for our group, no shows for practice, keyboard on top of bass, uncooperative sound man, incessant noodling during rehearsal by lead guitar and drummer. Am I leaving out any? I've been playing with this group for 3½ years and I love it. We praise the Lord our God and lead others to do likewise. Not sure it gets any better than that.
Tomorrow's set list:
Forever Reign
Shout to the North
10,000 Reason (Bless the Lord)
Surrender (Marc James)

Praying for all of you of a kindred heart.

[english4bw]

Originally Posted by JebDude

Set List:



Hosanna - Hillsong in Bm
JB

Theory Nazi says this is actually the key of D or A if it's a Bmin. It's a 6 in D, and a 2 in A.

[SoVeryTired]

Originally Posted by english4bw

Theory Nazi says this is actually the key of D or A if it's a Bmin. It's a 6 in D, and a 2 in A.

I'm calling D, given that when we play it in E we start on the C#m. When someone quotes a minor key I take that as being the 6th of the major key.

[SoVeryTired]

Our setlist tomorrow:

Our God is love (D#m)
Evermore (Em)
In Your Freedom (Bm)
Power In The Name (C#m)

[papilgee4evaeva]

Set for the next two weeks:

To Our God - Judith Christie-McAllister (B -> C -> Db)
Lord I Lift Your Name On High (F, modulating if I say so )
How Great Is Our God (Db -> D -> Eb)

[SoVeryTired]

Originally Posted by papilgee4evaeva

Set for the next two weeks:

To Our God - Judith Christie-McAllister (B -> C -> Db)
Lord I Lift Your Name On High (F, modulating if I say so )
How Great Is Our God (Db -> D -> Eb)

So you're not keen on staying in one key...