Things I've learned playing at church

[Rip Topaz]

My biggest thing is not making a face and mouthing the "F" word when I screw up.

Yup. I'm just glad I have long hair and no one can see it!!

 

[nutdog]

Ability to learn new music quickly – Each week a P&W band will get 5-6 new songs that were not played the week before. Sometimes they come in on Wednesday or Thursday and have to be ready by the weekend. Sometimes you get the songs the day before or the day off and have to be able to sight read on the fly and make it good. You get good as learning new songs fast and playing new songs on the fly.

It helps that almost every CCM song is a slightly altered version of "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High". Sometimes slower, sometimes faster, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, sometimes a different key, sometimes identical, but almost always I, IV, V, VIm. If they get really creative they'll toss in a IIm or a bVII. A IIIm puts it in the Gospel category.

 

[Jarrett]

It helps that almost every CCM song is a slightly altered version of "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High". Sometimes slower, sometimes faster, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, sometimes a different key, sometimes identical, but almost always I, IV, V, VIm. If they get really creative they'll toss in a IIm or a bVII. A IIIm puts it in the Gospel category.

So basically your are saying that music includes every chord in the key

 

[jmbjandfam]

I have served in both roles in P&W bands, leader and follower. I believe the greatest key to success for the team is personal preparation time.

I have seved on teams where ALL the individuals assigned for the week come in prepared and know the music and their particular role in each song. It all fits together so easily and is so much fun. It makes it a real joy to play all the changing and new songs each week.

On the flip side, I have served on teams where one or more members did not understand the importance of personal preparation or believed they did not need to prepare and it leads to major frustration, poor blending of instruments, poor dynamics, and basically hacked up sounding music.

Personal prep time is the ticket.

Flexibility is also important as with changing vocalists, you need to be able to change keys, sometimes just before the performance.

 

[skwee]

What a great post. I think these are things that good bands understand, either through experience or thinking things through and planning for self-preservation. I agree with the idea that you are there mostly for others. This is very firmly in mind when I or my group does our programming and season planning.

 

[mikegug]

But there is way more drama than is necessary. And that stupid warm pad is going all the time on the keyboard.

I don't see how God can take it.

LOL! I almost had coffee coming through the nose!

 

[mikegug]

One thing I've learned is that as your member roster grows, the leader has to be that much stronger: transposing, teaching, filling in the gaps, encouraging, disciplining when needed...

 

[cableguy]

Great post Jarret, pretty spot on.

I have served in both roles in P&W bands, leader and follower. I believe the greatest key to success for the team is personal preparation time.

I have seved on teams where ALL the individuals assigned for the week come in prepared and know the music and their particular role in each song. It all fits together so easily and is so much fun. It makes it a real joy to play all the changing and new songs each week.

On the flip side, I have served on teams where one or more members did not understand the importance of personal preparation or believed they did not need to prepare and it leads to major frustration, poor blending of instruments, poor dynamics, and basically hacked up sounding music.

Personal prep time is the ticket.

Flexibility is also important as with changing vocalists, you need to be able to change keys, sometimes just before the performance.

This has been what I have found. It's hard to do your best when you know 1/2 the team won't know the music when you practice or play. I just keep telling myself I'm there to serve.

 

[nutdog]

So basically your are saying that music includes every chord in the key

Well, no, that wasn't what I was saying at all. Usually it starts with the I. Along comes the IV or V and then...wait for it...the VIm. Then it's just a matter of what order they're in.

It's the same for pop music in general. But in the CCM setting it's not too difficult to appear to have played the song before, because in essence, we just played it.

It's when they toss in the old hymns with chord and bass note changes on every beat, accidentals and modulation to the choral ending that things get crazy for me.

 

[Jarrett]

I guess we are playing different songs at our respective churches.

 

[nutdog]

I guess we are playing different songs at our respective churches.

Whatcha playin? Most WL's are pulling out Tomlin, Hillsong, old P&W and the like.

 

[Jarrett]

Whatcha playin? Most WL's are pulling out Tomlin, Hillsong, old P&W and the like.

Sounds similar, but its not the same chord progression in every song as you suggest. Granted, its not the most challenging much I've played but far from the most simple.

 

[nutdog]

I said almost and slightly altered. Check your next setlist and see if it's not true.

For us yesterday was:

Hear Our Praises-tossed in the IIm on the chorus
Open The Eyes of My Heart
My Faith Looks Up To Thee
My Life Is In You
Before the Throne of God (Shane and Shane)-IIm makes guest appearance in final chorus
I Am Thine O Lord

All songs are I, IV, V with optional VIm unless noted. Admittedly we keep it basic in the summer because people are in and out and we don't do the usual Wednesday night practice to give everyone a break.

A missionary was speaking and asked us to back him on a Spanish praise song. You guessed it-- VIm IV I V and repeat. By the way, ooo's and ahh's work in any language.

 

[jaywa]

Y'all want to hear some monster P&W playing, check out pretty much anything by Isreal Houghton or Tommy Walker. The cats in those bands are on a whole nother level, especially the drummers and bassists. That's material where a lot of times the players are probably pushing the limits of overplaying but it works cause they're all so incredibly good and well-rehearsed. And even when things are really "busy", they're all still listening to each other so they're not getting in each other's way.

A few years ago my church's worship leader (at the time) had us playing a lot of that stuff and while it was way beyond most of our ability to play (translation = occasional trainwrecks) it definitely pushed us to get better at our craft.

 

[N.F.A.]

To the OP: This is one of the better posts I have seen on TB. Thanks so much!

 

[Jarrett]

Y'all want to hear some monster P&W playing, check out pretty much anything by Isreal Houghton or Tommy Walker. The cats in those bands are on a whole nother level, especially the drummers and bassists.

A few years ago my church's worship leader (at the time) had us playing a lot of that stuff and while it was way beyond most of our ability to play (translation = occasional trainwrecks) it definitely pushed us to get better at our craft.

Yes! Man, I love playing Houghton tunes as a bass player. That dude knows how to write.

 

[jaywa]

Yes! Man, I love playing Houghton tunes as a bass player. That dude knows how to write.

Yeah... these days, same church but two worship leaders later, we've put all that stuff on the shelf and we're pretty much same as everybody else with Tomlin, Lincoln Brewster, Jared Anderson etc. Stuff that's not nearly as challenging musically but is a better fit for our talent level and a little more "accessible" to the congregation.

 

[nutdog]

Y'all want to hear some monster P&W playing, check out pretty much anything by Isreal Houghton or Tommy Walker. The cats in those bands are on a whole nother level, especially the drummers and bassists. That's material where a lot of times the players are probably pushing the limits of overplaying but it works cause they're all so incredibly good and well-rehearsed. And even when things are really "busy", they're all still listening to each other so they're not getting in each other's way.

A few years ago my church's worship leader (at the time) had us playing a lot of that stuff and while it was way beyond most of our ability to play (translation = occasional trainwrecks) it definitely pushed us to get better at our craft.

These kind of slip into the gospel realm as opposed to typical CCM. We get to do some occasionally along with Brooklyn Tab type stuff. Kind of funny because whenever we do it everybody loves it, but then it's back to usual. We've got guys with soul in the line up but don't get many chances to let it out.

 

[jaywa]

We've got guys with soul in the line up but don't get many chances to let it out.

Hah... as you might expect from seeing where I live, we had just the opposite problem. A bunch of older, white midwesterners trying to play fusion/gospel and most of the time failing pretty badly at it.

The retired piano teachers who comprised our stable of piano and keyboard players made it particularly painful at times.

 

[Jarrett]

A bunch of older, white midwesterners trying to play fusion/gospel and most of the time failing pretty badly at it.

Hehe, just rub a little funk on it and its all good