The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club

[joelamosobadiah]

So, are you a hired professional musician? Why does the church do such an audition process?

Not a hired musician. Our church is fairly large (1,300-2,000 Sunday attendance across services) and probably 30% of those are college students, so we have a lot of musicians show interest. Our approach is anybody who wants to serve on the worship ministry (as long as they fit fairly basic requirements) can serve. However, we obviously can't put just anybody on an instrument in a Sunday service without knowing their ability level. We have auditions 2-3 times a year and usually have about 40 people show up each time. Anybody who's serious about being a part of the team gets a spot to play in one of our bands or in the choir, etc. We also do some development activities to help those that are interested, but need to learn their instrument better.

 

[ExaltBass]

Interesting new song this week - Grace Like A Wave by Elevation Worship. It is a rock/techo song and is fun to play - you can check it out at:

The other songs are:

• Nothing is Impossible
• Come As You Are
• Glorious Day

Since I am playing two weeks in a row, I get to play with the other drummer this week. We are blessed to have two really superb drummers - and I am picky!

Also, I subbed at a new plant last week and was asked to bring a small rig for a monitor for me (offshoot of a much larger church I sub at). I took an EA 1x10 cab and totally amazed them with the amount of good sound the cab put out - they just ran the bass amp through the house system at a very low level. I took my Darkglass amp and continue to be amazed at the capability of the head - just in case anyone is looking for a new head. I am NOT missing my Glockenklang head after buying the Darkglass!

Enough rambling!

Dan

Great song! I'm sure we will do it too at some point soon. We do What a Beautiful Name from the same album.

The new Class Ds are amazing. I'm blown away by my Genzler too. It replaced an Eden WT800 and I don't miss it a bit either... especially at load in/out

 

[SteveC]

Oh yeah.

That story is a trip.

Hmm. I check in all the time. Must have been a "quick scroll" day.

 

[joelamosobadiah]

Since I'm playing with the youth tonight, I decided to run through the set a few times with my new Squier Fretless. It went well with practice and I really wanted to, but I don't trust the sound I'll get going direct into the PA without a preamp. I'll hold off on it until I get my Le Bass and then I'll feel better about giving it a shot. Until then, the reliable G&L L-2000 gets to continue being the workhorse.

 

[SteveC]

Oh yeah, I vaguely remember that.

 

[jefff100]

But... What is hip?
Tell me, tell me, if you think you know.
What is hip?
If you're really hip,
The passing years will show.
You're into a hip trip.
Maybe hipper than hip.
What is hip?

No disrespect to Jaco or the oter members of the Tower of Power (what a horn section)

But I really dig...

The Tragically Hip

 

[Dwitt33]

I have a praise report! My 2 oldest kids (17 and 15) both made public profession of faith in church this morning along with 5 others. God is good!

Fantastic! Also praising God with you!

 

[Dwitt33]

As a community of bass players can we all just take a quiet moment of quiet reflection and celebration to mark this momentous occasion.

We may never see a time such as this again in our lifetimes.

 

[Dan Waineo]

No disrespect to Jaco or the oter members of the Tower of Power (what a horn section)

But I really dig...

The Tragically Hip

Not Jaco - it's Francis Rocco Prestia

 

[Nightman]

Not Jaco - it's Francis Rocco Prestia

Keep him straight, Dan! But there were so many musicians who played in the T.O.P band through the years, maybe at one point (a) Jaco played with them, too. ONK!

You'd be hard pressed to find a tighter drummer and bassist duo than David Garibaldi and Francis Rocco Prestia. Those two kept everything together!!

Okay, so now I'm inspired to load my T.O.P. CD's in my car's player and take a long, funk-filled drive around 285!!

 

[Dwitt33]

Now that brought back memories!! I was in the Air Force stationed at Udorn Thailand Air Base, just before USA bombed Hanoi, walking through the barracks area blowing a Thai stick when I heard this very tight backup vocals, a funky beat and with those horns!!!! A brother man had his stereo component set thumping in his bunk area, and it was pumping hard!!! Then I heard 'BUMP CITY'!!!!
I was totally blown away and found my way to where this music was being played.
I was immediately hooked on that sound and this funky band like a junky!!! I own more T.O.P albums, tapes, CD's than any other band/artist/group... period!

...And then I discoverd 'You're Still A Young Man' 45 was in the jukebox at the little eatery on the flight line. I wore it out!!!! I still get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I hear those horns on the intro!!

It don't get better than that!!!! IJS

Great memories! I finally got to hear T.O.P. live a month or so ago. Awesome! Unfortunately David Garibaldi couldn't be there to play drums because he was still recovering from an accident. I saw him at a drum clinic years ago. He influenced my practice (drums) for a few years after that.

 

[tom grossheider]

Wasn't much of a "horn band" guy growing up in the 70's, just different tastes. But being mentored by a phenomenal musician friend is where I learned to really dig them. Saw TOP at the Chicago House of Blues, then again at a casino in Indiana. Shook Rocco's hand afterward and just said thanks. What a humble and gracious guy. He hung out after and talked to anyone and everyone.

 

[SteveC]

You'd be hard pressed to find a tighter drummer and bassist duo than David Garibaldi and Francis Rocco Prestia. Those two kept everything together!!

Agreed. There have been other combinations of bass/drums over the years - for various reasons - but that combo is the quintessential one to me.

Saw TOP at the Chicago House of Blues, then again at a casino in Indiana. Shook Rocco's hand afterward and just said thanks. What a humble and gracious guy. He hung out after and talked to anyone and everyone.

I saw them maybe 10 years ago now at a casino. Hung out after to visit with the guys. Shook some hands, etc. Rocco and the rest are all very gracious and humble.

 

[Dwitt33]

I'm deciding whether or not to get another fretless bass. Currently I have 4 string Wish Bass walnut Lobe that was my introduction to fret less playing. It sounds amazing, yet I tend to look at it as more of a novelty.

I mostly play 5 and 6 string basses. The Wish Bass is a 4 banger and I also have a Fender Jazz 24 4-string. Both sound great. But playing a 4 string seems now to mess me up when returning to the 5 and 6 stringers. I played two Sundays ago at church, but spent a lot of time auditioning all my basses to decide what sounded best. I ended up with my MTD Kingston z6, but made mistakes I normally don't make because of playing the 4 stringers so much

So, on a new/new-to-me fretless I really prefer a 5 string (6 might be O.K. too). For a great low B string Im leaning toward a 35" scale. I think I want to try a lined fretless too. Wide bridge spacing is a must. It has to be 19mm, or 18 at the narrowest. And right now I only have about $560. There do not seem to be any options ... looks like I may have to compromise on scale length, lines or maybe string number.
Options I'm currently considering: defretting my Squire VMPV or Brubaker Brute MMJSC 5; order Warmoth fretless neck for my VMPV (expensive, especially if fretless); buy a local used SX 4 string vtg lined fretless P bass ($159); Order a Sire V7 fretless; save more for a used MTD Kingston Saratoga or Z5 or 6. Start a new bass build (Warmoth Gecko, but probably unlined due to extra cost
On top of all this I'm not certain whether or not I'll want to stick with fretless on a regular basis.
What advise, recommendations do you have? Please, "Help me Mr. Wizard!" ...

 

[micahwc]

I converted a Fender neck to fretless once. My new neck arrives in the mail today after like 8 years of fretless. I'm not a fan. If I want to play fretless I'll grab my upright. As far as lined versus unlined; for me it didn't take that long to get use to no lines on my upright. It took about 2 weeks of solid practice to get anywhere up to the 7th fret and the 12th. If you are not going too high frequently I don't think the lines are particularly helpful. My Fender had lines which was nice, but I had to look at the fingerboard while playing most of the time.

 

[TrevorR]

Interesting new song this week - Grace Like A Wave by Elevation Worship. It is a rock/techo song and is fun to play - you can check it out at:

Dan

Cool song, but... oh dear, those syn drum fills... Fromagetastic! Maybe it's just that I'm exactly the right age to remember these tunes first time round!









...boo, boo, boo, b'yeeewooooooooo...

 

[Xad]

Hmm. I check in all the time. Must have been a "quick scroll" day.

It was last July, if I remember correctly. Right @micahwc? Lotta posts since then

 

[superchicken_VI]

When I was in college, I got to play with Lenny Pickett, the tenor sax player for ToP and was soon to be the band leader for Saturday Night Live. It was a highlight of my music career. To say we were in awe of having him for two days of classes, rehearsals, and ultimately a performance would be fair. I learned a LOT in those two days.

 

[hambonie]

What is the latest Franklin cash update? Did i miss a recent one?

 

[micahwc]

Neck came in today. I have mixed feelings. It was marketed as a direct replacement but it's too wide by about 1/8 an inch. I cut the body to fit the neck, then I had to shave the pickguard to fit. Other than that it seems like a nice neck.