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Worship Bassists Unite

#521
Easter bass story:

So - I did not play on Easter but I helped set up....the praise band was doing two distinct sets of music (one a little more traditional and the other more contemporary)....the other bassist is also a decent guitar player....

practice went well.....all around....

He did the first set (on guitar) up in the balcony along with the other guitarist, the drummer on tympani and the organ....

For the second set, the praise band moved down to the "pit" on the first floor, the bass player picks up his bass and.....NOTHING!.....no sound what so ever! The praise leader is "playing air bass" trying to get the sound guys up in the balcony to "turn up the volume"....the bassist starts to fool around with the DI box, the chords etc...I am in the front row, but I am turning around and trying to get the sound guy's attention without being TOO conspicuous (right!)...

One of the sound techs comes down and they fool with the chords....he gets sound for about 2-3 bars (in the mean time, the tech leaves to go back upstairs) and then - NOTHING again....again, the tech appears and in between songs, the bass player, the guitarist and the tech are all on the floor seeing what the problem is....

Then - it dawns on him.....check the battery! He has a Conklin which, I believe has screws....it takes almost another song before he replaces the battery....he then stands straight up and, laughing at himself, looks at me (who is also slightly snickering) and mouths the word "b-a-t-t-e-r-y"....pretty funny!

after the service, I went up to him and said he never sounded better and we all enjoyed a good laugh!

moral of the story - if you are active, ALWAYS change the battery before an important holiday!!!

HAPPY EASTER!

DOUG
 
#522
basspraiser said:
Easter bass story:

Then - it dawns on him.....check the battery! He has a Conklin which, I believe has screws....it takes almost another song before he replaces the battery....he then stands straight up and, laughing at himself, looks at me (who is also slightly snickering) and mouths the word "b-a-t-t-e-r-y"....pretty funny!......


moral of the story - if you are active, ALWAYS change the battery before an important holiday!!!
Click to expand...

I had a similar situation a couple of Sundays ago. Thankfully, it was during practice prior to the first service. Half-way through, my Peavey Cirrus started sounding really distorted, then it stopped altogether. One of the first things I did was to change the batteries for a set that I had in my case. I keep a screwdriver and a spare set of batteries in my case. If anything, that made things worse and eventually no sound came out at all.

We've been having a bunch of technical problems the last few weeks, so I assumed it was something other than my bass. I switched out all my cables and checked everything. Finally, I plugged in a guitar and it worked fine.

I then realized that the "new" batteries that I put in were actually batteries that I had taken out the last time I had changed batteries during a practice before a service! Thankfully, we have a bunch of new 9 V batteries available for the microphones.

Boy, did I look stupid!
 
#524
Lo end PUNCH said:
I actually play for two Churches right now having a great time too. Man gospel is groove music that fills your soul and makes you feel good no matter the mood you're in.:)
Click to expand...

AMEN!!! AMEN!!!!

I was in a "funk" this evening due to a number of issues and I went to practice and it made me feel MUCH better! It helps that we are having an "all call" this next week and we have at least 15 singers and I get a 3-4 bar "solo" in one of the songs.....
 
#528
Easter bass story: the drama went very well; the horn section rocked after just one rehearsal with rhythm section; gospel trained vocalist was spot on; tunes varied in style for a good workout. Got to play a Palm Sunday service at the second church where I play, making for a very full month.

Christmas bass story: a new "pit" configuration putting the praise band in the choir loft with vocalists on main level. Christmas tree lights, floodlights, and amps were all on one circuit. First tune begs full bass EQ on my 5-string and Bass Boost on my WTX260 + 210XST. Trust me, this combination puts out the most righteous organ tone. Until we hit the chorus where I dig in and the WTX goes into protect mode...20% power. Talk about a letdown. Way too much stress on an old circuit. I reset the amp using more normal EQ and got thru the rest of the service with full power. New grounded circuits were just installed prior to Easter.

No power problems at the second church where I play. A fretless duet with the vocalist/guitarist inspired me for several days afterward.
 
#533
Anyone in the Salem, ORegon area...

Cry of Stones has our first engagement on May 4th at a Sunday Afternoon Luncheon at First Christian Church in Salem, OR... Starts around noon, and we will be splitting the time with their worship band... we will be playing some covers and 4 of our own originals... We are pretty excited... Come and hear and tell me what a hack I am...
 
#534
I have been playing bass forever, but want to get involved at church.

2 Things:

Song suggestions i must learn and....

I CAN'T SIGHT READ MUSIC!

I can learn and play most contemporary christian tunes, but my church wants us to be able read charts.

Any suggestions from the veterans?
 
#535
robertusf said:
I CAN'T SIGHT READ MUSIC!

I can learn and play most contemporary christian tunes, but my church wants us to be able read charts.

Any suggestions from the veterans?
Click to expand...

what kind of charts are they?

I come from the Vineyard music school of charts where it's merely just the changes typed above the lyrics... lucky to get chord symbols (although they're mainly sus2's and 4's and the odd 'mi') :smug:
still, if that's the charts they're wanting you to read then there are lots of resources out there to breakdown reading chord symbols (and it's pretty quick and easy once you get the hang of it) the first couple pages of Rufus Reid's "The Evolving Bassist" is a great quick reference guide.

if it's actual notated lines and what not, then I'd say at first try to see if you can get together with one of your guitarists or the keyboard player to see if they can't help you along and get you going in the right direction.


...and that's my 2-bits :)
 
#537
jmcgliss said:
Christmas bass story: a new "pit" configuration putting the praise band in the choir loft with vocalists on main level. Christmas tree lights, floodlights, and amps were all on one circuit. First tune begs full bass EQ on my 5-string and Bass Boost on my WTX260 + 210XST. Trust me, this combination puts out the most righteous organ tone. Until we hit the chorus where I dig in and the WTX goes into protect mode...20% power. Talk about a letdown. Way too much stress on an old circuit. I reset the amp using more normal EQ and got thru the rest of the service with full power. New grounded circuits were just installed prior to Easter.
Click to expand...


That will teach you Jeff! (Just kidding)....I BET it does a good "righteous organ tone"......

Take care:

Doug
 
#538
robertusf said:
I have been playing bass forever, but want to get involved at church.

2 Things:

Song suggestions i must learn and....

I CAN'T SIGHT READ MUSIC!

I can learn and play most contemporary christian tunes, but my church wants us to be able read charts.

Any suggestions from the veterans?
Click to expand...

Hal Leonard has started making some Play-along's for Bass. I think the First one is called Holy is the Lord...

Has both notation and Tab... CD's with demo tracks and Bassless tracks.
 

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