i think im in over my head here (Praise band content)

[brenner182]

So you ever answer those texts you know you shouldn't after a long night of drinking? Yeah i did that.

And i ended up agreeing to playing a Christmas ever show witha praise and worship band. Needless to say, i could not even tell you the last time i was in a church. Long story short, I got a text from my moms friend and she asked me to come fill in because her praise teams bass player has to have surgery for her breast cancer and will not be able to play the gig now.

Here is the problem, it seems like every time i try and find a recording of the songs i cannot hear any bass except for piano parts. and every tab i look at requires me to pay for it. Funny how i can find tabs for satan worshiping music for free but to play gods music i gotta pay 4.95 a tab.

So if there are any of you worship/praise band players out there, Can you hook a brotha up? or point me in the right direction as to how i can learn these songs? (yes i know listen to them, but at this current moment all i have available is a laptop. Not te best at bass freq if ya follow my drift)

here is a list of the songs.
Silver Starlight---Caedmon's Call
Come, Emmanuel---Twila Paris
Hallelujah---Darlene Zschech
Light In The Stable---Selah
Glory In The Highest---Chris Tomlin
O, Come Let Us Adore Him---Parachute Band


Side note, yes i know playing with them would be ideal, but i get to play with them once before the show because stupid me forgot that my moms friend lives a hour and a half away.

[robbotbass]

Most church worship groups use cord charts, and most of the time they don't play songs in the same key, or tempo, or style, or structure as the recording. Honestly if you can read a cord chart and sorta improvise your way thats what most church bassist do. And of course there is always palying the root with the bass drum.

[brenner182]

thats kinda what i figured. I think as long as i have a sheet i can bs my way through it. but from messing with it tonight i would be totally lost haha

[robbotbass]

the music at church is hit or miss. I've seen killer musicians and killer bands at church. I've also seen the worst musicians ever at church. I saw a guy playing some pawn shop fender p knock off probably worth 50 bucks with a SM58 in front of his strings. No amp not plugged into the house just a mic and a ele bass. By the looks of the bass however thats probably the best way to get the best sound out of that hunk.

That being said if your a good musician and you can at least play the song through once or twice you'll be just fine!

[MikeBass]

I hoped you looked, but Youtube has pretty much all of them. And often they have ones that show you the chords or at least close ups of people playing.
Also try to just google and look for an image. I've found a few charts that way.

Check here as well:
Christian Guitar Resources - Worship Songs - Christian Guitar Tabs
It's all tab, but it's better than nothing.

[brenner182]

Originally Posted by MikeBass

I hoped you looked, but Youtube has pretty much all of them. And often they have ones that show you the chords or at least close ups of people playing.
Also try to just google and look for an image. I've found a few charts that way.

Check here as well:
Christian Guitar Resources - Worship Songs - Christian Guitar Tabs
It's all tab, but it's better than nothing.

Thats where i was listening to them so far. Thank for the link to the site though. i will have to check it out later tonight

[MikeBass]

I looked real quick and didn't notice silver starlight, but search under song. A LOT of P&W stuff is done by multiple artists.

[Jhengsman]

Silver Starlight seems to have been recorded under Cliff and Danielle Young rather then their band, Caedman's Call. From the snippet on iTunes the bridge seems to be based off of O Come Let Us Adore Him part of O Come All Ye Faithful

[oldcatfish]

I play for several church bands. First off, don't panic, you are a sub...as stated, if you can keep time and read a chord chart, you'll be fine, just stick to the root notes if you aren't sure what to play.

Different praise teams have different general approaches to the music---one that I play at gives me total freedom, while another one wants the songs close to the cd. My policy is, if you provide the music and with accurate chord charts a couple of weeks ahead of time, then I'll play it close to the cd if they want it. No music and accurate chord charts provided ahead of time--then I'll improvise a line. None of the churches has ever had an issue with my policy.

In your shoes, I'd look up the songs on youtube and listen to all of the different examples (use headphones). Then I'd look for free chord charts--which will likely only be partially accurate, but will save you some time...just correct them as you go. Once I had the overall feel of the songs, I'd play along to the youtube songs with an improvised bass line. If it fit, I'd repeat it a couple of times so that I could remember it later. Then fool around with the line in a couple of other keys, just in case the praise band gets any "funny" ideas. Repeat with each song. Then, except for playing through each song maybe once every couple of days until the church service...I'd be done.

I agree with robbot bass regarding quality of musicianship in churches. I've played in over a dozen local churches over the years. The musician's range in ability from beginner level to very high pro level, and everything in between. My guess is that your situation won't be pro level---if they were, they'd likely have at least one other bass player within their church. One pro level church band that I played with had over 40 musicians in rotation. I was one of 4 bass players, they had 6 drummers, etc. Beginners did not get put in rotation at that church. At another church that I subbed at, their only regular bass player was intermediate level at best. Both churches were about the same size, just one of them hit the musician lottery in their congregation.

So relax. Just do the best you can with the free available tools (youtube and chord charts) that you have access to. You could ask your mom's friend to get you the actual chord charts from the church. Other than that, just keep it simple and have fun.

[Jawshco]

I've played many, many church shows with only one practice that included songs I'd never heard before, with a worship leader who liked to switch keys mid song and switch to playing other songs we hadn't practiced. Ha! I just kept thumping that beat and listener and watching those root notes, and occasionally throwing in a fill here and a walk there when I could. As long as the worship leader isn't unrealistic, you'll be fine.

My worshipleader has me switched to lead guitar for our Christmas show and sharing a note for note solo with a Mandolin! It's a bit rough. Ha! But at least I also get to play my bass that night as well- I have some crazy FNM style bass licks I'm working into O Holy Night.

[LowEnd88]

Originally Posted by robbotbass

Most church worship groups use cord charts, and most of the time they don't play songs in the same key, or tempo, or style, or structure as the recording. Honestly if you can read a cord chart and sorta improvise your way thats what most church bassist do. And of course there is always palying the root with the bass drum.

^This^

Become familiar with the songs, but it reality they will probably all change somewhat. Best thing to do is get the chord charts from the person coordinating it.

[brenner182]

Thanks for all the advice guys. i should be able to fumble my way through the set (i hope)