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In this series I try and address different aspects of the practical side of playing electric guitar in church music. This week we’ll talk about overdrive and gain pedals worship bands.
What is the best overdrive pedal for a worship guitar player?
The question is asked constantly on Google searches, blogs, forums, and even people who find their way to this blog.
Continue reading “The Electric: The Best Overdrive Pedal For Worship”
For someone out there, this is going to be a mind blowing, revolutionary thought. So by all means, feel free to sit down for a moment and catch your breath.
For the rest of you, who hopefully get the playful spirit in which I wrote the above sentence, this is a valid conversation for us to have.
In some church traditions, this is a pointless conversation with an obvious answer: of course not. But for many evangelical churches, the question I posed would mean a complete paradigm shift. The worship leader is ALWAYS the person singing. Whether they sing on their own, or if they are also the piano player, guitarist, or even bass player, the worship leader always sings. I’m going to propose that maybe this thinking is why your church’s music ministry is struggling.
Someone is going to read the title of this post and think to themselves: “Of course not! Who would think that is a good idea”. While someone else will think: “Why not? I know someone who did this or that and it worked out just fine”. The answer to this question really does not depend on what you think, or what I think. As with all things, our answer to this or any question should be ‘What does God think?’ This is why having the Bible, God’s word to humanity, as our final authority is so important. So let’s talk about this. In a day and age when churches hire musicians from outside the church, some who aren’t even christians, does God have anything to say on the subject of Non-Christians and Worship Leading?
Continue reading “Can A Non-Believer Be On The Worship Team?”
Last week I was at a Pastor’s Conference where many different worship bands and leaders served leading us in worship before the sessions. Almost all of them fell victim to the trap of overusing vocal cues in their leading. What is a vocal cue? Why would someone use them? How can someone overuse them? Well, let’s talk about it.
Continue reading ““Let’s Sing That Again”: Vocals Cues In The Worship Service”
In this series I try and address different aspects of the practical side of playing electric guitar in church music. This week we’ll talk about chord voicing and how they can be used when playing in the church band.
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO PLAY THE G CHORD
A while back I was asked to play electric guitar at the last minute. The church had an electric and an amplifier and that was it. No overdrive pedal, no delay, the amp had some reverb but the options were pretty much just “on” and “off'”. What’s a guitar player to do?
I try and address different aspects of the practical side of playing electric guitar in church music.
This week we’ll talk about setting up your electric rig for the first time or upgrading it to something better, specifically amplifiers. This is part 2 of a 4 part series. Part 1 can be found HERE. Part 3 can be found HERE. Part 4 can be found HERE.
The Most Important Thing
As I said in the last post, I believe the amplifier is the most important part of the guitar rig. I didn’t always think so, I used to think that the most important thing was to get the right guitar. This thinking stemmed from years of acoustic guitar playing where the guitar is everything in getting a good sound. For years I barely gave the amplifier a second thought beyond how loud it could get. Then one day I was in a guitar shop trying out a reverb pedal when it struck me that this pedal will never sound as good in my rig because my amp wasn’t as good. It wasn’t a bad amp, but it just wasn’t able to compete. So I sold some gear and bought a very good mid-priced amp, and switched my long term gear savings plan from a high end guitar to a high end amplifier which I hope to get in a few years. Since that time I have not regretted that decision. A great amp can make so/so guitars and effects sound much better, while a great guitar will be hamstrung by a low quality amp.
Continue reading “The Electric: Setting up a Guitar Rig for Worship. Part 2- Amplifiers”
How do you prepare for a Worship Set? In this post I will focus on preparation for leading worship as it pertains to the Band members.
Preface
I started playing bass when I was 12. When I was 14 I picked up the guitar. I’ve been playing both ever since. I led worship for the first time at age 14. I learned to practice by playing in bands in high school, and worship teams in my teens and 20′s.
Not everyone who plays in a church band has that kind of background. A lot of good folks learned to play their instrument on their own and don’t know how to play and practice with a band. The following series of posts will be thoughts on how to serve God and His church well, by learning how to practice well. Here’s a few thoughts and musings on “Finding A Place” in the band for you and your instrument.
Part 3: Finding Your Place In The Style
“Style and expression in worship are always secondary things when compared to the heart that is looking to worship Jesus”
People in the church come from a wide range of background and experiance and bring with them a wide range of expression. As an individual memerber of a church family, I don’t want to come expecting my preferences to be met every single Sunday, but I come to seek God, and serve Him and His people. The flipside is that as a worship leader, part of how I serve God and His people is by helping them express their worship in song to God. This means that a church with a healthy music and arts ministry should have a wide range of expression to match a people with a wide range of expression.
If you play in a normal band you generally only play in one style of music. People in a church band generally need to have a familiarity with several styles of music including, Pop, Rock, Country, CCM, Classical, Chorale, and Folk. This can be stretching. But stretching can be good.
How Does This Work Out?
“I had to play something totally out of my zone and I really grew because of it”
Let’s say you’re a bass player with a background in alternative rock and you’ve been asked to play on Sunday. You get the set emailed to you a few days before and it’s heavy on Country Songs (I’ll Fly Away, Tis So Sweet, He Touched Me, etc). If you show up to practice and start throwing down aggressive bass riffs it’s probably not gonna work out well. If you’re seasoned, you might throw “Live at Folsom Prison” or “Comes a Time” by Neil Young on to your iPod to get a feel for how a bass part works in that kind of music.
Another example, this one from my own mistakes. One Sunday I was playing lead guitar for the church band and the leader had a song on the set that I’d done many times before. The problem? I just started playing what I had always played (it was very U2-ish with lots of delay). The Problem? He wasn’t doing the song that way, he was doing a really straight forward, no-nonsense arrangement. I should have known better, but I didn’t, and I kept thinking “why isn’t he doing this right?” until the 2nd time we practiced it and I realized that I was the one who was off. Could the band leader have been better in explaining what was going on? Sure. But would all this have been avoided if I had just followed my own advice in Part 2 of this series and stopped and listened to what was going on? Absolutely.
What if I Just Don’t Play That Way?
“If I can learn how to play my instrument with skill, and to do so while playing well with others, then I think I’m giving my best offering.”
This is a good question. What if you’re a musician with a background in country and blues and the church band is really heavy on Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)? Or Visa Versa. I think there’s three ways to look at it.
1. For Band Leaders: I try to know the strengths and weaknesses of those I serve and play with. If I’m thinking indie rock, I’ll probably not ask the blues guitarist to play until next week when we do a set of songs that have a roots/country feel. But then at some point you also have to come to the realization that you won’t always have “the sound” you are aiming for and there’s more important things going on, and you ask the blues guy to play because that’s what’s important.
2. For Band Members: It’s always good to learn. If you’re church plays a certain style that you’re not used to, it’s usually not a bad thing to learn something new. I can think of a few times where I had to play something totally out of my zone and I really grew because of it. If the band leader asks me to do something a certain way, and I don’t try because “that’s not how I play” then am I there to serve or be served?
3. For The Times You Just Have to: Sometimes things are thrown together at the last minute. Someone is sick. Someone can’t make it. We need a drummer, and can you help? In those times when I’ve had to do stuff out of the ordinary for me I’ve just tried to do the best I could, do a lot of listening during practice and remembered less is more.
Why Does This Matter?
“I come to seek God, and serve Him and His people”
It does and it doesn’t. Style and expression in worship are always secondary things when compared to the heart that is looking to worship Jesus. So in that sense all the stuff I’ve written about isn’t that important. But, Psalm 33 tells musicians to play “skillfully” for God, and in the Bible our offerings are always to be our “first fruits” or in other words: our best effort.
The point of this series is to encourage musicians in the church to serve well. If I teach Kid’s classes I want to learn to communicate in a way children will understand. If I go to Mexico to build a house I want to learn the basic terms and tools of construction. If I felt lead to feed the homeless, it might help to know how to cook.
If I can learn how to play my instrument with skill, and to do so while playing well with others, then I think I’m giving my best offering.
Communication + Patience= Success.
“practice makes perfect”
If you find yourself in a situation with a church band that’s doing music that’s different from what you are used to then be patient and communicate.
-Be patient with yourself: You’re learning something new. That always takes time. Remember when you first picked up your instrument? It takes time.
-Be patient with them: They may be speaking another language musically then you. They may not realize it. Patience and grace can be two way streets. Extend it to them and you’ll most often find it extended to you in return. The blunt flip side is that if you or I are hard to play with then we might not get asked to serve with the band again.
-Communicate: If you’re in the band and unsure: “What do you want here exactly?” “This is the way I’m hearing it, is this what you want?” “Is this what sound you are looking for?” If you’re the band leader, head off problems before they start.Personally, I write arrangement notes on the chord charts for the band. I try to communicate the sound and style we are going for, etc. Generally speaking communication makes the world a better place.
How Do I Learn?
“People in a church band generally need to have a familiarity with several styles of music”
Mostly by doing, practice makes perfect, the more you play the better you’ll be at this. Also by listening (new music is a good thing) and by asking (see communication above). You can see it as a chore or you can see it a fun to explore and learn. It’s all how you view it. I learned about country music because of playing in a church band, and I had to learn about things like sustained chords for the same reason. I’m glad I did, and I’m a better player and musical servant for it.
Preface
I started playing bass when I was 12. When I was 14 I picked up the guitar. I’ve been playing both ever since. I led worship for the first time at age 14. I learned to practice by playing in bands in high school, and worship teams in my teens and 20′s.
Not everyone who plays in a church band has that kind of background. A lot of good folks learned to play their instrument on their own and don’t know how to play and practice with a band. The following series of posts will be thoughts on how to serve God and His church well, by learning how to practice well. Here’s a few thoughts and musings on “Finding A Place” in the band for you and your instrument.
Part 2: Finding Your Place In The Song.
In this 2nd part of the series I wanted to talk about what you’re doing as a musician in the song itself. When you show up for band practice do you just start playing along right away or do you listen for where you’ll fit in the grand scheme of things? Figuring out where you’re supposed to be and some tips on how to get there.
“One of the most freeing places a musician can come to is the realization that I Don’t Have To Play Right Now.”
What are you playing?
It sounds simple, but the instrument I’m playing effects what I play. Let’s say there’s more than one guitar, if I’m the 2nd acoustic guitar and the electric is doing “lead work” then the band doesn’t really need me to play the same thing as the main acoustic guitar, and it really doesn’t need me compete with the electric for solo work. In this case I would probably just do some light picking or do some sustained chord work to “fill in the sound”. If I’m the keyboardist or guitar player who has the “lead” responsibilities, maybe I’ll back off or just not playing during any parts of the song with singing. Knowing what my role in the song is (which is determined by my instrument) affects where, when, what and how I play.
Should I be playing?
It’s the hardest thing for a musician to do: not play your instrument when it’s in your hands. The flip side of this is that one of the most freeing places a musician can come to is the realization that I Don’t Have To Play Right Now.
If the song is a sparse ballad, then maybe it doesn’t need a driving drum beat. If we are going “all out” on the chorus or the ending, then maybe in the 2nd verse I could just hang back. In other words, sometimes less is more. If I’m the drummer and it’s an uptempo song, maybe its the first song of the Sunday church service, then I need to be ready to rock from the get go. It’s all about being aware of where you’re at, and what’s going on around you.
“Knowing what my role in the song is affects where, when, what and how I play.”
Sometimes I just need to listen
I’ve found that sometimes, when I’m practicing, I just need to drop out for a second and hear what’s going on around me. I want to hear what the band leader is doing, etc, and then jump back in when I have an idea where I fit in. Recently I was doing backing vocals on a song, the first time we practiced it I didn’t sing, I just listened and I figured out where I should jump in, which I decided for this song was the 2nd verse, singing only on every other line and then coming in a bit stronger on the chorus. It gave a nice feel to the vocals on the song. I knew what my role was as the backing vocalist. I didn’t have to sing every line and I learned more by listening than doing. Sometimes it’s the other way around and I figure out my bit from messing around for a minute or two, but even that requires some listening and the maturity (gained over time) to know when and where to just try something out and when to step back and listen for a moment.
We serve by thinking
The key to all of this is using our brain and being aware of what’s going on around us. Luke 10:27 tells us to love God ‘with all our mind”. I take this very literally: God Wants Us To Think. Finding my place in the song by using my brain to know what my role is, what my instrument is supposed to do, and what kind of song it is (ballad vs. uptempo), are all acts of spiritual worship to God. I serve the band I’m playing with by being aware of what’s going on. The band serves the church family by being well practiced. We all serve God in praise, worship, and adoration to Jesus and about Jesus through our God-given ability to express thoughts and feelings through music.
One Trick Ponies & Swiss Army Knives
I saw a really good blues/rock band the other day. They were really good and looked like they were having a lot of fun doing it. I noticed how simple the guitar set up was: Fender Stratocaster into an Orange Tube amp. No effects besides a compressor and the amps gain or “dirty” channel. I was really impressed and kind of ashamed at the size of my rig, until I realized… He’s only set up to do one thing. Church bands don’t work that way.
Even if your church is solely CCM (Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, David Crowder, Mercy Me, etc) that is a wide range of sound. Playing electric guitar would be a little bit different for each of those bands.
The point I’m making is that we don’t have the luxury of being set up for one thing like the blues band. If we want to serve better we need to be set up for variety both short term and long term.
The Short Term
This is nothing more than being aware of versatility. I’ve got more than one guitar playing friend who say they can only do one thing. I know thats not true. I know they are immensely talented and gifted by God.
The issue for my friends is to mentally move past being a one trick pony and become a Swiss army knife: yes I can rock, but I also know how to fill in or learn a new chord past AC/DC power chords.
The short term answer is nothing more than a mental decision to see the world in a little bit bigger way
The Long Term
In an earlier edition of “The Electric” I talked about the 3 overdrive pedals I use. But the truth is that for a long time, I only had 1: the Fulltone Plimsoul. The Plimsoul is by far one of the most versatile pedals I’ve ever owned. It represents my desire for versatility. I want to be set up to play country, modern rock, classic rock, indie rock, pop, U2, and ambient/experimental. I want to be able to come in a create whatever sound is needed by the song and by the worship leader.
This is a long term thing. I’ve built up my rig over the years. That’s why you start short term and work long term.
Working It Out
Guitar
One of the great myths is that you have to have a Fender Telecaster to play country. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great. I have a ’98 American Standard Tele as my primary guitar. But I’ve gotten country tone out of Gretsch’s, Les Paul, and Strats. What a lot of folks don’t realize about the Tele is what a great blues/jazz guitar it is. That being said, for jazz, a Rickenbacker or Jackson might not work out for you so well.
The point I’m making is that some guitars are very specific (Rickenbackers, metal/shredders, etc) in their sound. Some guitars are very versatile. When picking your guitar, look for one that can pull off a lot of sounds. For my money this would be a Telecaster, Les Paul or Stratocaster type guitar. You can get a Tele or Strat with hum-buckers or a Les Paul with tap coils so it can be single coil as well or a Tele or Strat with humbuckers installed.
Pedals
You know the needs of your band and church, but some pedals do one thing really well, some can do a lot of things. I use the TC Electronics Toneprint series for my reverb and delay and I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of the sounds I can get. I have 3 OD pedals for 3 different “levels” of gain/overdrive. Other great options: The DL4 delay from Line6. The GT-500 distortion/clean boost from Fulltone. King of Tone OD by Analogman (if you can get it). The point isn’t for me to have more toys, but for me to have more tools.
Amps
Most of the tube amps out there have their own sounds but will all work. Fender, Vox, Orange, Marshall, they are all used by musicians in all different genres. I’ve used Ashdown, Marshall, Fender and Vox amps. As a general rule I always go with tube amps, although I’ve seen some solid state amps that sounded just fine. currently I use a Egnater Tweaker 15 that is capable of getting Marshall, Fender, and Vox voicings while being all analog.
Digital
If you want to be versatile, then there is no easier way than going digital. I used a POD XT Live and Variax digital modeling guitar for several years, and it was VERY versatile. It also didn’t sound right. It was 70% at best. Digital can be a great short term solution. You can get a lot of sounds and options for a great price. But in the long run (with a few exceptions, mostly delay) you will get better quality and flexibility by staying analog.
The Point
As electric guitar players in a church band, we are musical servants. If we show up just doing “our thing”, we aren’t serving. learning about these different aspects of guitar playing help us Serve better. Have any thoughts? Better ideas? Disagreements? Chime in down in the comments section.
Real World Worship 