Two weeks until my first church gig....what should I do?

Fassa Albrecht · #1 11-04-2007, 02:55 PM

I need some help. I've just had an email asking me to play two gigs at church with the full worship band. What should I do in the two weeks I have until the gig to make sure that I go into the gig well-prepared?

Apart from practice of course!

Eublet · #2 11-04-2007, 03:09 PM

Get a set list and learn the songs?

Fassa Albrecht · #3 11-04-2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eublet

Get a set list and learn the songs?

Already know them!

RIZ · #4 11-04-2007, 03:17 PM

I am going to assume you know the mat'l? Are you going to have a practice prior to the days worship service?

Get in touch with your worship team leader and ask questions...find out what's expected of you etc...

How about a little prayer time? Find out what your heart is telling you - that's your main line of communication in a worship band experience.

I hope I am not going over the complete obvious here. fyi I have a little experience in worship music....I was the bass player in my church worship team for almost 5 years '97-'02.

Best of times to ya in this, it is very fufilling ministry to be involved in.

Fassa Albrecht · #5 11-04-2007, 03:20 PM

The way it works is that we meet roughly an hour and a half before the service and then pray and practice/set-up equipment. We then play the service which lasts between 1 and 1 1/2 hours.

Incognitus · #6 11-04-2007, 03:31 PM

Sounds like you have it all down already. Just practice, have a good attitude, and remember the real reason you are doing it. Bringing people to the throne in worship is truly an awesome and fulfilling ministry.

Fassa Albrecht · #7 11-04-2007, 03:43 PM

It's not the tunes or the actual service that are worrying me, but being up on a stage infront of people I know, playing worship music that I might not see until I go to band that day.

fenderhutz · #8 11-04-2007, 03:44 PM

Get drunk. SO if you mess up you won't care as much

Fassa Albrecht · #9 11-04-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenderhutz

Get drunk. SO if you mess up you won't care as much

I don't think my bandleader would be too happy!

Baryonyx · #10 11-04-2007, 03:58 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb_gKY9At7A

Just get the band to learn this and you'kll be fine.

Mad Tango · #11 11-04-2007, 04:12 PM

In my 17 years of playing on worship teams w/many team leaders, here are some tips that might help.
* Don't play too loud for attention, instead let them (if needed) ask you to turn up. It took me a long time to learn this lesson being from a rock band background.
* Don't bring a big 8X10 rig that takes up the floor and takes 45 minutes to set up.
* Don't overplay- make the groove count to move people.
*Google "praise charts" Ex. pwarchive.com, higherpraise.com
for songs.
*Be ready to change keys at a moments notice for singers/guitarists.
*Have an extra copy of music to take notes on.
*** Have a tape recorder of practice to here team leaders instructions, changeups, and practice/practice to the tape.

Fassa Albrecht · #12 11-04-2007, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2112

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb_gKY9At7A

Just get the band to learn this and you'kll be fine.

I might have a Shergold but that's no reason to try and turn me into Peter Hook!

Munjibunga · #13 11-04-2007, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

The way it works is that we meet roughly an hour and a half before the service and then pray and practice/set-up equipment. We then play the service which lasts between 1 and 1 1/2 hours.

Well, if you're not going to practice, I'd work on the prayer side.

stingray56funk · #14 11-04-2007, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Well, if you're not going to practice, I'd work on the prayer side.

Ha! That doesn't work that well either...honestly. I truly believe that God wants excellence so you have to put excellence into it...I've tried only the prayer thing...

I've played worship music for almost 10 years in everything from high school to traveling worship christian rock bands. My main thing is being prepared to play the music and providing absolutely the best playing that I can so that I and the congregation may worship God through the music. That is the best advice I can give...to give excellence!

mkrtu9 · #15 11-04-2007, 05:45 PM

good advice here, so I'll stick with wishing you good luck.

capnsandwich · #16 11-04-2007, 05:56 PM

I'd say get to know the worship leader and band members a little more. Ask him/her to go out for some coffee or hang out sometime. That way when you're up on stage you already have some personal chemistry going on and you can kind of understand him/her a little bit better.

Learn hand signals. Every church has a different set of signals that they use to communicate to each other with. I learned this really fast going from playing in my church for 7 years to playing at a newer, bigger church down the road. They had an entirely different thing going and some signals were the same but meant different things. I still play at both churches but I have to remember which church I'm at when I see those hands go up.

Also, learn about the equipment you'll be using. I'm not sure if you're bringing your own rig or using theirs. If you are using the house rig I'd say you better know how to tweak it.

Alot of other stuff can be learned after the first gig. You really don't know how you'll be with them until you play with them. Once you play with them the first time, listen to that drummer really well. You and him are the engine behind that machine and you'd better be tuned up or it just won't run right.

jimbob · #17 11-04-2007, 06:51 PM

#1 Stay in the POCKET!!! The band (and He) will love you for it.

#2 Smile and have fun! Bring a little swagger and professionalism to the gig...dress cooler than the congregation...look like a musician. Interact with your bandmates, make the drummer and the rhythm guitarist smile...try to look like you are having fun up there.

**Howlin' Hanson** · #18 11-04-2007, 10:15 PM

We don't have a worship band, or a contemporary service. It's a small Presbyterian church; we would have to create a committee first!
However, we just did a Dixie Chicks song title "I Hope" for a recent service, and I was honored to play bass with the pianist and a set of shakers backing a lead singer and the choir. The congregation clapped, which was a bit unusual.

The director just asked if I would play again for the Advent season. Sweet!

How to prepare? Prayer is good. I'm also fond of rehearsals and practice, and playing the piece ad nauseum on my car stereo.

Khronic · #19 11-04-2007, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

The way it works is that we meet roughly an hour and a half before the service and then pray...

You've answered your own question.

JansenW · #20 11-04-2007, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

It's not the tunes or the actual service that are worrying me, but being up on a stage infront of people I know, playing worship music that I might not see until I go to band that day.

Prayer always is worth doing!

You might want to observe and listen to the band before hand to discover how to fit in with them spiritually and musically.