Church bassists: How did you join the band?

20db pad · #1 08-15-2007, 10:03 AM

I'm curious as to how TB church bassists got invited to play on their praise teams. Some churches seem to have few prerequisites to playing with the band, where others require auditions, meetings, and required readings and such. It'd be interesting to see how it's done in different areas.

JKT · #2 08-15-2007, 10:08 AM

There was no formal audition process for me. I go to a medium size evangelical church in a semi rural area. While there are a couple others that have been available from time to time, there wasn't exactly a ton of competition for the slot.

It is not required to be a formal member of the church, which I am not but have attended there since '94.

JKT

jtkennedy9 · #3 08-15-2007, 09:19 PM

No auditions here either. I think I got it because no one else volunteered.....lol

**Pacman** · #4 08-15-2007, 09:22 PM

When I did it, I got hired. First as a sub, then as the regular guy.

Sorax · #5 08-15-2007, 11:51 PM

I showed up to church one week, they found out I was studying music, I was playing next week

. Now I play 2 weeks on, 2 off.

Rattman · #6 08-16-2007, 01:07 AM

Ditto... no auditions.. no competition either. But most of the time they were/are more interested in my lead guitar skills than playing bass. Begging does not change things either.

At least on this 'praise' CD that we will start recording in Sept., I was asked to fill in both bass & lead on all tracks as they aren't too happy with the new church bassist.

Incognitus · #7 08-16-2007, 01:51 AM

Well, I have been on multiple bands and normally it was me being the sub then replacing the guy who was the regular, then it becoming my spot, or they had a vacancy and I filled it.

So basically God putting me in the right place at the right time. Right now I am getting ready to fill the spot of the churches main service player, as he is going to Iraq soon. so...

iamthebassman · #8 08-17-2007, 06:54 AM

I'm in a pretty popular band and when my wife and I joined a new church several people in the church recognized me. The next Sunday the praise band's bassist approached me after church and said several people had mentioned to him that I was a good bassist and he asked if I wanted to replace him. I said I'd love to. So I was in.

Philbiker · #9 08-17-2007, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 20db pad

I'm curious as to how TB church bassists got invited to play on their praise teams. Some churches seem to have few prerequisites to playing with the band, where others require auditions, meetings, and required readings and such. It'd be interesting to see how it's done in different areas.

I just walked up after a service and said "I play bass and some guitar and I just moved here. I played in the contemporary chior at the last church I was a member of and I would love to join your group!".

theLimeyBrit · #10 08-17-2007, 09:12 AM

I started as a vocalist, and taught myself how to play bass in my spare time. Then the bassist moved on, and I stepped up. Now all I need to do is learn to sing and play at the same time - I find it really hard to sing one line and play another. I always drift into either singing the bassline or playing the vocal line.

iamoldschool · #11 08-17-2007, 12:29 PM

We had a church-wide program called 40 days of Transformation. The program taught us much about ourselves and what we could do to serve the Lord. Conviction got the better of me and I mentioned to the Pastor and Youth leader that I play bass. I've commited to play for them as long as they need me. I leave one of my basses @ church and play through a DI box, so I don't even have to move equipment!

As it appears now, the praise team business is looking up! We are looking at the long term possibility of two services, one traditional and one contemporary.

MichaelVee · #12 08-17-2007, 12:36 PM

I had worked with our worship leader in 2003 for a music theatre production in Knoxville, so she kept my contact information on file. One day in May, 2005, she called me up and invited me to attend and possibly play down the road, as they did not have a regular bass player. I started playing in September that year.

laboitenoire · #13 08-17-2007, 01:18 PM

My sister was the lead singer, and they needed a bassist. However, the band fell apart as my sister went off to college, our drummer has hockey year-round on Sundays, and our guitarist had a crush on the new lead-singer (she high-tailed when she found out). It went from being a band with a lead singer, two backups, three guitars, a drummer, and a sax section, to just me on bass and my friend the guitarist. Though I can sing really well, I can't sing and play at the same time. Maybe this year we can get it going again, as it was quite fun.

joninjapan · #14 08-17-2007, 07:04 PM

easy- I'm the worship leader.

BetterBottomEnd · #15 08-17-2007, 07:32 PM

My teacher asked me to play one Sunday so he could play some guitar. It's gone from there.

**embellisher** · #16 08-18-2007, 12:42 AM

At the church that I went to in Dallas, when I started going, they didn't have a bass player. I mentioned that I played and asked if I could bring my bass and amp, and the rest was history. I played with them for almost 10 years, and really miss it. Our worship leader, who is also the pastor, is the most phenomenal musician that I have ever worked with. He has a Bachelor in music, majored in Alto Sax, and minored in violin. He is an orchestra teacher in the public school system, and is an amazing piano player. And piano is his fifth instrument! I was fortunate that he loves my playing too. We had a blast playing together. His brother is also a pretty good pianist, and plays tenor sax. Some of our best times were when we would arrange some instrumental numbers for special services with the two of them harmonizing sax lines, me wailing on fretless bass, and their dad playing piano.

At my current church, I got the job by being faithful. There are 4 or 5 other guys there who play bass, but they are not reliable. I am there every service except when on vacation or something, and make every rehearsal. We have some great vocalists, but unfortunately, we do not have a strong pianist. We have two that are OK, but I miss Bob from Dallas.

But I always love playing for the Lord, under the anointing of His power and Spirit, no matter the surrounding cast.

rfclef · #17 08-19-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by embellisher

But I always love playing for the Lord, under the anointing of His power and Spirit, no matter the surrounding cast.

I have not been at my OWN church for almost 2 months... a brass camp, a woodwind camp, and me and the kids driving to Texas for a month to see my mom n dad... Was FINALLY there this morning, though I did not play, and look forward to practice this week and being back up there next week. They had a keyboard, a guy playing some hand percussion, and an acoustic guitar sometimes... I mentioned to a few people and after a couple months, someone asked if I wanted to play... YES!

Today, I am sitting here trying to 1)- think of how to word a Craigslist ad saying "Christian bass player wants to find some hacks like him to play with." Doesn't mean I necessarily want to play exclusively "Christian music", but that'd be fine too.... I hesitate to say "looking for a band", cause not sure if I can really hold my own... Though I would love to do some gigging, whether for $$ or just for someone's little shindig. and 2)- trying to get the courage to actually post it if I write it... (I have gig experience, but in the "legit" realm... as a relatively new bass player, this is a scary step...

heymelbs · #18 09-14-2007, 09:26 PM

I was originally playing acoustic guitar, and the church was in need of a bass player so I switched. That was 6 years ago, and I have been playing ever since. Bass players are in short supply in our small town, so I get plenty of other opportunities.

Nappa · #19 09-14-2007, 09:30 PM

I was asked to play with guy who plays with an electric-acoustic and he really sucks. I said no because 1) i do not like going to church 2) the guy thinks he is the best player in the world because he plays for the church.

iamlowsound · #20 09-15-2007, 10:55 AM

Easy, my mom is the head worship leader and when I started playing bass I started going to practices and within about 6 months I would play about one Sunday a month. About a year into playing bass, the other bass player took a leave because his wife just had a baby and I have been the main bass player there for the last 5 years with a year off while I was away at school. I play anywhere from 40 to 50 weeks out of the year and I rock my church with my fbass.

lowsound