Please don't get me wrong, and appreciate my background on this, I grew up in Italy in the 60's, moved to London UK in the 80's most of my life has been lived here in UK.
Strangely enough... I hear you guys talking about worship and music in churches, I just can't get my head around music being played in a church, where I come from in Italy there never was such thing, actually the very thought could also be considered heresy by the Christian church, all that is allowed in our churches is those big pipe organs that go up to the ceiling.
As for London, actually almost similar scenario with the protestant Church of England, the only churches where music is played and worship takes place is in African community churches, they are very big on the subject.
That's it, here end my observation, it was only a thought based on the amount of time I hear you guys talking about worship. I respect you all wholeheartedly by the way, so in no way I condemn it, I just find it weird because it constrasts the way I was brought up. Thanks and keep on worshipping.
I know exactly what you mean, GW. I grew up in a Catholic church. Let's just say that there was a never a need to learn the bass line for Avi Maria.
I'll avoid the whole G.O.D. thing for a moment and offer my opinion solely from a musician's perspective. And I promise that Dingwall ties in to all of this, at least for me.
Never in a million years would I have ever thought I'd play CC/PW. My wife was out of town and I when I told I was going to play with the church, she literally choked on here coffee. And she is a godly woman.
Wife and I had been looking for a church, so I checked it out. The band uncorked. The lead guitar player was killing it. You could set your watch by the drummer. Man I had the meanest case of drummer envy EVER ! Singer was amazing. Other singer was playing acoustic and ripping. I was just flat blown away. Never thought of the genre as drawing these type of musicians. I expected a bunch of music theory nerds lacking.......wait for it.............SOUL!
So I agreed to help out for 90 days. My material is sent to me Sunday night with key notations and Youtube clips of appropriate arrangements. You roll in to rehearsal and it never takes more than an hour. Everyone is so professional. Everyone knows their trash, learning it note for note. Any changes are made and noted at rehearsal.
Quick run through day of service and then game time. Then you shelve that material and do it all again the next week.
There are no difficult people compared to what I have to deal with in secular bands. No attitudes, drunks, divas, or people chasing heinie. As silly as it sounds, and setting aside pure talent, it is the most professional environment in which I have ever worked.
None of this is the right reason for getting involved with a church praise band/worship team, but it is a pleasure from a musician's perspective.
If for no other reason than being a musician, you should put some feelers out and check out a couple of churches in your neck of the woods where CC is part of the foundation of the church. I think you'll be shocked, especially with your background.
Now here is where Dingwall falls in to all of this. Prior to the church bands, I had never viewed Dingwall basses as a critical/necessary tool. In bar bands, a Fender P can take you anywhere you need to go. The Ding was awesome, but again, not a true NEED.
In CC, The SJ and now the SP are critical to my tonal needs. I wont even bring up not being able to funtion without Low B.
I played a single Sunday on the Fender P and I was miserable. The biggest issue was loss of dynamics and touch.
Can you play CC on something other than Dingwall? Sure you can. But overall, it's pretty clear to me while you see so many high end basses in CC/PW.
My 2 cents. Your mileage may vary.
