Church is Stressing Me Out.....

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Just did a rehearsal where we've gotten the songs last minute with no time to go over them. Then the day after I've gotten a text with at least 9 songs on top of the 4 we already did. This is literally giving me high blood pressure.

Yeah, I try to have our worship leader at least send us a list of the songs on saturday, so I can have a heads up. Usually though, we get handed the chord charts an hour before church, and run through them very quickly before service starts. I've also been trying to get a designated practice day started, but me and one other person are the only ones that ever show up. I think that's just how it is man. Dont worry about it though. Just keep it simple, and follow the charts. Next time you do those songs, you'll be a little more comfortable with them.

 

[Phalex]

You can only be as prepared as they will allow you to be. Sounds like leadership needs to get their poop in a group.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Jeez, if playing music is literally causing you high blood pressure, than you probably shouldn't do it. Music is supposed to be fun, and happy. Unless the pay is absolutely outstanding, it isn't worth it.

 

[Steadfast]

I am so glad I am at a church where only professionals perform.
You don't get anywhere near the stage without an audition and several months of shadowing at rehearsals. No music allowed on stage during services. No clams. EVER.

Introduce Planning Center to your leader.

 

[MrLenny1]

Time for another gig ?

 

[lfmn16]

Time to step away. The reason this nonsense happens is that no one will stand up to it.

 

[gln1955]

The job of a leader of anything is to put those being led in a position to succeed. The WL in this case is failing to do that and that situation should be addressed by the church. I know from experience that might not happen until it reaches a critical point.

The OP should not stress about it. Just go in and play the root on one and call it good. No one should expect anything more under the circumstances.

 

[stringtapper]

I agree that if this is an all volunteer band then the WL needs to get it together. And even if it’s all paid it’s still rather unprofessional of them.

That said, it is good experience to have to deal with stuff like this. It’s trial by fire and it will make you better even though it might hurt now.

I’ve been fortunate to have a paying church gig for a few years now. Did it on bass for several years and then moved to a different church and started playing keys. At my current gig myself, the drummer, and lead guitarist are the hired guns and the rest are volunteers, so it’s nice to have a core of solid players to make up for some of the rough edges. They’re working on the budget to start hiring a regular bassist (fingers crossed). Nothing quite as frustrating as playing with someone who is on your main instrument (bass) and doing it poorly. (“Wait, you don’t understand inversions??? That’s kind of important for a bassist…”)

 

[JRA]

This is literally giving me high blood pressure.

good luck finding a gig more suited to your current abilities!

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Okay, I’m going to be the jerk here...

Assuming this is a volunteer situation, this is simply unacceptable. If your worship band is made up primarily of volunteers and the worship leader paid in any capacity by the church, this is way too much to ask. However, if you guys are all paid then this just may be the way this gig is with this particular WL.

Is it possible to talk to the WL privately and voice these concerns? Frankly, learning a group of songs and then changing up the songs at the last minute is way too much to ask of anyone not paid the local market rate, and it sure sounds like the WL is taking advantage of the worship band. I could be wrong though, and maybe this is the way that churches function where you live, but if this were me I’d be having a serious “come to Jesus” y’all with the WL about this blatant disregard for your time and preparation.

When I played at our congregation, it was about one service a month, and just one song at that service. Each month, the song would change.

The music coordinator was a paid position and the musicians all volunteered. The reason we only played once a month was that that was the best way to be fair with volunteers and be respectful of their weekend time. And even at that, if a musician couldn’t make it, it was cool. And if someone had trouble learning the material, or was a beginner, that was cool as well. The group was formed so anyone would feel welcome, and never pressured.

OTOH, there was a pianist that played 4 services a weekend, every weekend. And he had to be an accomplished musician as he was leading the hymns as well. That was a paid gig for him, the pianist was a music teacher at a local high school, and this was his weekend job to supplement his low teacher pay. He played approx 4 songs, the opening and closing were always the standard opener and closer, and two songs in the middle were new each week.

In addition to that, during summer, the paid pianist and volunteer band were cut loose and it was just the music coordinator who would perform at just one service a month. Again, this was to be respectful of people’s weekend time and vacations.

Never was there any pressure or guilt tactics used to compel any volunteer to show up and perform. We were all adults, and knew what was expected, yet as adults, we also knew it wasn’t a perfect world and s#%t happens.

To the OP: Sounds like your band is all volunteer. Don’t get all worked up over it. If it ceases to be enjoyable, there is no risk whatsoever to stop.

 

[joebar]

I’ve been experiencing this all year as a sideman-
It’s stunning at how many people don’t give you any heads up at all.
I’m a solid bassist in demand and can function on the spot, but it’s not ideal and it is stressful- I’ve left two potentially good gigs recently because of the lack of courtesy/respect in the very things you’re pointing out. It’s amazing how much better I feel.
I do play a few times a month at a friend’s church. The pastor and his wife are seasoned pro musicians. We rehearse for an hour before the service; but the charts are always ready for us.
We are all at a similar level of ability so it comes together easily. They are the first ones to admit they don’t have the patience to keep going over stuff; they expect players to do their homework and come prepared.

 

[Bubble]

I'm near sighted, I can take my glasses off, blur the audience's faces and see my fretboard better.

 

[thewildest]

When I first read the OP’s post I thought he was going through a crisis of faith, and felt the need to come here to help. Then I remembered this forum’s rules about topics to avoid, and abstained, obediently, from proceeding.

Then I read it was about songs and practice and I was grateful.

 

[thewildest]

When I first read the OP’s post I thought he was going through a crisis of faith, and felt the need to come here to help. Then I remembered this forum’s rules about topics to avoid, and abstained, obediently, from proceeding.

Then I read it was about songs and practice and I was grateful.

 

[EastCoastThump]

You and the guys will do your best and it'll probably be fine. Interesting how musical necessity makes people step up their game.

A lot of truth in this thread about rising to challenges.

I'm with the OP, though, in wishing some leaders wouldn't habitually let their procrastination and sloppiness create needless and unproductive challenges for the team.

 

[PauFerro]

Spend time on the structure so you aren't getting lost in the chart, and then learn the chord progressions...and then get up there and hope. I have no desire to play gigs like that, however. Tired of that. I want excellence. Your band leader/client needs to serve the band better by giving more notice to learn songs.

 

[glocke1]

Just did a rehearsal where we've gotten the songs last minute with no time to go over them. Then the day after I've gotten a text with at least 9 songs on top of the 4 we already did. This is literally giving me high blood pressure.

that kind of stuff stresses me out and also kind of irritates me.

For me it just reeks of indecisiveness and poor management/decision making. Granted there is a lot to be said for being able to learn tunes quickly or to come up with a bass line at the spur of the moment, but I think it's safe to say that most of us here are day jobbers/hobbyists (hate that term but it's pretty accurate) who do this for fun/recreation and that we'd prefer to show up to a gig prepared.

Theres been a few times this year where a B/L sent me a song list or changes to a setlist the day before or the day of a gig and it pretty much resulted in me dropping everything for that day and working on tunes I didn't know/hadn't heard before.

Im some cases the songs were easy, in other cases no. Sometimes all I had time to do was print out the changes and go to the gig and hope for the best.

With one group it got to the point where I had to tell the B/L that last minute changes/additions that contained stuff I didn't know just caused undue stress for me and that going forward I'd like a set list the weekend BEFORE a gig.

Good luck O.P. and remember, when in doubt, lay out.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Just did a rehearsal where we've gotten the songs last minute with no time to go over them. Then the day after I've gotten a text with at least 9 songs on top of the 4 we already did. This is literally giving me high blood pressure.

Sounds like you have some leadership issues. Time to have a heart to heart with the Worship Leader. 13 songs in a worship service seems a little excessive, unless it is a “concert” type praise and worship service, featuring mostly music.

We are 6-8 weeks out to prepare for the concert type services. Sunday services are usually 90 days ahead of schedule. On occasion, our pastorial staff will request a special song to better mesh with his message, which has been modified due to an unforeseen event, or devine intervention, but that is rare.

One other point, we are not paid. If you are paid, I’d still have that conversation, as I have had with numerous praise and worship pastors over the last 22 years I’ve been the band leader at our church. What I’ve found is we all want the same thing in the end, and that is a worshipful environment. It’s fairly certain you are not in a worshipful state if your focus is hitting the right note.

This may not work for you, but I’m not afraid to step out of the rotation when the stress gets to me, and it does from time to time. Keep that line of communication, and be frank with your leader, and let him/her how you are feeling.

 

[4dog]

no!... is not a 4 letter word and you can use it when needed..i have.. to worship leader and pastors alike...they arent any more gifted or holy than you...its a lot to ask...
that being said do your homework.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Are you getting paid? If not, that's a lot to ask. I also feel it's unprofessional to lay that many songs on musicians at the last minute. It's not cool.

Kind of got to agree with this, particularly for a worship band. I don't see any reason why a worship band should not have the details 95% planned out and everything prepared somewhat ahead of time(or maybe churches can be a total unorganized mess, i wouldn't know). With that said i am usually perfectly fine playing a new tune live as long as i have a chart or someone tells me the changes/key/style(if they aren't too complex). But i know for others the idea of playing a song unrehearsed is just plain terrifying.