Uhh, I think maybe you misread the title of the thread. The "worship service" doesn't refer to people who play and are in the military service, but rather to people (whether civilian or otherwise) who play during worship services. Like, as in church.

Hope this helps.

I have played all of my gear there, except not as much my bass (which I'd really like to start doing)... We have about 4 or 5 other electric guitarists, and most of the time we have one or two playing, plus an acoustic. We have two synths (though most often just using piano and organ settings), three people to play them (my worship leader included), two or three drummers, one of them being my worship leader's husband, 3 or 4 bass players (2 are my cousins, another my youth pastor, and the other one is an acoustic player's wife)... plus a butt load of singers. We are split up into four teams, each team playing 2 weeks in a row. (For a little while, I was on 3 of them. :/ Phew!)

All of them are quite good, only a few with mediocre talent, and even they learn fast (I've been playing with them for a while, and I am definetly still learning to be at their level of talent, but hey... they're so talented). People have told me, "oh, isn't that the church with, like, the best worship on the Peninsula?" And I'm like "heck yeah!"

I love talking about this. Haha. And it's great, because I can boast in the Lord, amen?

_________________
"Speak the truth, and speak it ever,
cost it what it will
for he who hides the wrong he did
did the wrong thing still."
-Miss Uel

Amen, Mac! Must be quite a large church!

I wouldn't mind having a Sunday off now and then. But that's OK, playing every week is great too,

I play in my worship band and we are one of the larger Churches in the area. We have been blessed with some talented musicians and singers. I have been in this band for 6 years and it has been a blessing. (most of the time... ) It has evolved into quite a group so much so that the singers are rotated on a regular basis. They keep the same musicians for consistency but it is entirely voluntary and unpaid. We use piano, synthesizer, drums, percussion, bass, 2 electric guitars, and the worship leader on acoustic guitar. Occasionally we even add a horn section from the orchestra in the first service. I have learned alot in a short period of time participating in this venue. It is my spiritual service of worship.
Two things I have learned since the service is broadcast on local television weekly.
1. People recognize me that I don't know from Adam and I weigh my comments and actions carefully because they may or may not see Jesus in me...
2. TV adds 20 lbs. to your appearance is a myth. It's actually alot more than that... It has been a motivator in setting weight and fitness goals for myself. The good news is...its working.

Just a preface: I respect your opinion, and believe that you do need different flavors of service. With that being said, onto the usual internet forum discussion-y type nonsense (skip to the very bottom for the gear related stuff). Thankyouverymuch.

At Christian services, can't speak for other religions here, worship is supposed to be Christ-oriented. Viewing older folks as "120-year-olds" and bristling under the restriction that you not do anything to offend them isn't really in line with "love thy neighbor as thyself". Granted, internet postings generally contain far more hyperbole than people would say, or actually truly believe, so I do take the above with the grain of salt that was probably intended to accompany it with.



Again, only speaking from the perspective of Christian worship here, but the "antiquated boring music" is relatively young in comparison to the 2000 year old message of the New Testament, and even more so than the message of the Old Testament. New and exciting doesn't always need to be the standard.




Each song is how you arrange it -- no song requires distortion. No song actually forbids it either. I would argue that if the impact of the song is in the distortion, then perhaps another piece of music might be better suited to the occasion. While I found the Coal Chamber song "Big Truck" to be a very fun song to listen to, it's very forgettable beyond the distortion and the words "BIG TRUCK!!!!" over and over again.




Thinking about it carefully, I've noticed one thing about a lot of modern church music: I don't like it. Not because I don't approve, but because it occupies a sort of compromise middle ground. I think the biggest issue is that you have bands that play religious music, and you have bands that play secular music. Once upon a time, you has acts that truely crossed over: Hank Williams, Elvis, Johnny Cash... these guys sang great secular music and they sang great gospel music. They didn't focus on one genre to the exclusion of others, and they didn't just overlay faith onto music to sanitize it either.

I've been to some churches were the focus seems to be a bit more on the entertainment aspect, and the one thing I've noticed is that I focus too much on the performance. Music should be there to compliment, but not be the reason you show up that week.

At the end of the day, I'm not against having modern music, but I just think that it should be done in a manner that seeks to include those in attendance. You wouldn't play country-music style songs in NYC, and you wouldn't do a jazz number in the Ozarks.

Lest I be accused of being a crazed-old person, I'm actually 34.



Good question!

I've just recently switched from an Ibanez PF5 (dreadnought sized) to a Martin OMC sized guitar (their new PA4 model) since the dreadnought was bothering my shoulder. I'm actually in the market for a good direct box that won't break the bank, so suggestions are welcomed.

For our upcoming revival, we're breaking out the electric guitar for the evening services. I'll be playing an AVRI '57 strat through a '57 Champ reissue. Tested it out last night, and even just playing straight from the amp, the acoustics were amazing. People were asking if I was playing with reverb, but it was just the acoustics of the sanctuary!

Actually, I wouldn't say it's very big, compared to your churches down south. We really just have a ton of musicians- some of them (the younger ones, around 20) have gone to IHOP to study music (International House Of Prayer in KC- you know what I'm talking about? If not, check it out!), or other ministry schools. One guy, actually our senior pastor's son, is in Redding, California studying music ministry. Another went to Hillsongs College in Australia. Both of these guys only come in the summer, as they are still in school, :/ haha.

So yeah- we just have some great musicians.

_________________
"Speak the truth, and speak it ever,
cost it what it will
for he who hides the wrong he did
did the wrong thing still."
-Miss Uel

hey good news: I'll probably be playing electric for my churche's "Spirit Song" worship, so I'll be in that as well as the youth praiseband.

What stinks is that one of the leaders who's a great friend and mentor will be leaving, but he's got the chance to direct a contemporary worship for a new church, which is pretty great

_________________
Kid: "Hey Smokey! Where did you get your name?"
Smokey the Bear: "Well..."
(former user jimbo612)

Congrats!

You know, honestly the people who were staunchly opposed to things like drums and electric guitar in church music at my old church weren't 120 years old (kind of wish they were). I've literally known some teens who were like that. As well as people of all ages who are just completely opposed to any sort of modern music in a Christian context. I don't understand it, I don't know what's in their hearts, I don't know why they're so dead set against it. Maybe they think they're doing the right thing, but music is a really powerful thing and it's supposed to be something which allows us to connect with God. Everyone has different musical tastes, and God didn't create us all the same so why should we all have to play the same music? We should have the freedom to use any sort of music we want for worship. Whether it's traditional or not, whether it has distortion or not, whatever it is that you like and whatever it is that will bring you closer to God. It doesn't have to be the same for everyone. Anyway, that's just my opinion. No one has to agree with me, and I'm okay with that. I have two parents who were extremely involved in the church since I was in elementary school and this issue has come up enough times in my life that I've been able to think about it quite a bit and know where I stand on it. Anyway, I don't want to turn a thread about gear into a theological debate or anything, so let's get back to the fun part.

What I play in church has evolved over the years, from a Les Paul copy to a Strat, from my Peavey Classic 30 to my Fender Deluxe VM and many, many pedals in between. Right now I'm playing something identical to what I play with my alternative rock band, but I'm just getting a different sound by tweaking some things. The praise band I'm in now is one with my Dad (he plays bass) and some of his friends. They started at a church but now we aren't affiliated with a church and just play for retreats and things like that.

I play one of my Strats (surprise! lol), through a pedal board with a wah (which I only use on one song, a funky one), a distortion and two overdrives (less distortion than with the rock band, and one of the overdrives I use as a clean boost), two delays (one for effects like reverse, the other as an slight echo which stays on most of the time), and a tremolo. Being more of a blues player, I'm actually not much of an effects person usually, and I can do with them. But the other guitarist plays acoustic guitar and he strums pretty hard so playing rhythm makes the band sound muddy. I like turning a little echo on and playing some little melodic licks in the upper register between the vocals. That way I've found my own space and I'm not stepping on anyone's toes. Playing in my own space and not overplaying were two of the most important things I learned from playing with church musicians.

_________________
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I'm actually starting to slow down a bit... although I still think that Beats Per Minute are like ketchup: if a little bit is good, an excessive amount is better still.

Yeah, that's how we play at my church too. I often play rhythm, and my friend Mike (or whoever is playing electric, but mostly him) plays a solo when he can. I definetly have learned to play in my own space (for the eventual little solos I might do, depending on the Sunday), and continue to learn that all of the time.

_________________
"Speak the truth, and speak it ever,
cost it what it will
for he who hides the wrong he did
did the wrong thing still."
-Miss Uel

thats good of course i will be the first young electric guitar playing girl ever in PCC history

_________________

Liandra "guitargurl"Smith

Hi! I know, I quote a year after this post has been written, but
Yes, go for it if, you’re still not decided to go.

Since 2004, I'm a worship service harmonica player in our church in Switzerland (French speaking part).
Elderly people appreciate the "little more" sound that harmonica gives in the harmony of our old and new songs.
With harmonica you can give so many feelings through to the congregation.

I play diatonic harmonicas and use a Blues Blaster (Hohner) Mic that goes straight to the mix-table.
Our worship team :
1 leader vocal (Male). He plays acoustic guitar.
2 to 4 more vocal guys
3 to 6 vocals (female)
1 piano
1 synth
1 drums
1 electric bass guitar
1 electric guitar
1 flute
1 violoncello
1 violin
1 harmonica (at the time )

But we don’t play all together the same song.
Lots of variations.
Some instruments are just perfect for one song played during the worship service.
They are played only for that song.
Another time, we do respond between the flute and the harmonica or the violin.
And so for other instruments (piano-synth, guitar-gutar, ...) .
We play all kind of christian musics : Hymnals, Country, pop, Rock, Celtic, Folk, African, Magalesy, etc. and from various artists : Hillsong, YWAM, Iona, ICC Gospel Choir, Jason Upton

With my harmonicas I play riffs or a higher melody or solo during bridges or so.
I never play the same melody than the vocals as they are singing (it's hard for them to keep pitch as long as I do with harmo).
I do play bending and overblow.

I just got a Fender Mustang 1 to enforce my skills in Blues on my own.
Coul you help me ?

GBY

http://www.HarmoBlues.ch

Deitrick Haddon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLx7fHiq ... re=related
Hillsong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-08YZF87OBQ
Iona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdNcckhJ ... re=related
Jason Upton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXwpSrvHag4

_________________
Le Souffle, C'est la Vie ! Breath, It's Life !

Just went back to the beginning of this link and read all the posts. I've played in a number of worsip/praise/whatever bands. Honestly the exprerience left me with a bad taste. Someone asked earlier how you ran your sound, mic'ed, amp, direct.

In my area, amplifiers are taboo, everything is direct to the board. Drums are either electronic or enclosed. The one common thread running through all the teams I have dealt with, and by no means do I lump every team into this. You have a number of people who couldn't make it in the realworld as a musician or singer, and are completely full of themselves.

As I said, this has been my experience. Don't anyone get their panties in a knot.

My schedule has been such that i couldn't play if i wanted to, recently my weekends have opened up where I can. Today I spoke to the worship leader and will start making practices, which I'm looking forward to.

I expect it to work with this guy.

Please don't take it that I'm anti-church music. I hope all of you that are happy in your situation you'll remain that way. For those of you in a not so happy situation, let your heart lead you.

I apologise, yes I missed page 1.

But are you playing harmonica now ? (I'm not sur to enderstend it well, my english is far not perfect). Is that the practices you're talking about ?

_________________
Le Souffle, C'est la Vie ! Breath, It's Life !