Playing in Church.

[Dad3353]

2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

For my church’s Contemporary Carol service in a couple of weeks, we have been asked to wear black, gold and red, I found this on Amazon….I’m tempted 😂 .

.

 

 

And then you wonder why you get ousted..! 

 

...

 

 

[Richard R]

On 02/12/2024 at 12:53, SuperSeagull said:

Quick non-bass related question - what presentation software are your churches using? ProPresenter, Song Pro - anything else? Particularly interested in how they work with a non technically minded operator please.

 

An old version of Easy Worship. Which I routinely refer to as Evil Worship, due to its little foibles. 

[Rosie C]

We're playing "Great Big God" for the first time in tomorrow's service. Unable to contact the BL today, I'm wondering what key others typically play it in? No guarantees that's what we'll use of course, but E seems common in online charts, and I'm thinking to prepare a chart in E is better than no prep!

 

[LukeFRC]

19 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

We're playing "Great Big God" for the first time in tomorrow's service. Unable to contact the BL today, I'm wondering what key others typically play it in? No guarantees that's what we'll use of course, but E seems common in online charts, and I'm thinking to prepare a chart in E is better than no prep!

 

E typically, but I’ve found the structure is familiar enough you should be able to change keys fairly easily depending how you play it, all on the busy rhythmic playing in the chorus and picking out the melody at end of line and then simpler in the verse so it doesn’t get in the way of the actions - dancing is mandatory

[Nice Guy Rich]

I don’t think you can wrong with planning it in E, that’s what I sing Great Big God in 😁👍🏻.

[Rosie C]

E it is then, thank you both!  😊

 

[Rosie C]

On 07/12/2024 at 11:07, LukeFRC said:

E typically ...  dancing is mandatory

 

Thanks again, it WAS in E. A simple bass line, but a lot of fun to play. Before the service I thought it highly unlikely there would be any dancing but the new vicar was indeed dancing in the aisle and waving her arms around, so there you go! We played "One More Step Along the World I Go" for the first time too, things are definitely getting more up-beat lately!

 

 

[SimonK]

We did "This Little Light of Mine" this morning which is quite fun on the bass - both slap (verse) and walking (chorus) in one song!

Edited December 8, 2024 by SimonK

[Richard R]

42 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

Thanks again, it WAS in E. A simple bass line, but a lot of fun to play. Before the service I thought it highly unlikely there would be any dancing but the new vicar was indeed dancing in the aisle and waving her arms around, so there you go! We played "One More Step Along the World I Go" for the first time too, things are definitely getting more up-beat lately!

 

"One more step along the world I go"  - I haven't heard that since the kids were in infant school 20 years ago!😲

[Nice Guy Rich]

I have made the decision to focus solely on playing bass in church and, to step back from playing acoustic guitar, and singing.

 

Bass is my passion, it's my forte and I know it's where I can best serve the Lord and my church.  I only ever played guitar and sang in my last church because the Worship Leader left and I fell into the position, I did it for 3-4 years but never really enjoyed it.

 

I know that I've made the right decision because I genuinely feel like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

[LukeFRC]

10 hours ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

I have made the decision to focus solely on playing bass in church and, to step back from playing acoustic guitar, and singing.

 

Bass is my passion, it's my forte and I know it's where I can best serve the Lord and my church.  I only ever played guitar and sang in my last church because the Worship Leader left and I fell into the position, I did it for 3-4 years but never really enjoyed it.

 

I know that I've made the right decision because I genuinely feel like a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

This sounds positive. Sometimes it’s easy to do things because they are good things to do rather than them being the right things to do

[Nice Guy Rich]

@LukeFRC It’s definitely positive, church were totally supportive of my decision 😁👍🏻.  You were spot on, I was playing acoustic and singing because I could, rather than I should.

 

I can now focus on solely playing bass, happy days 😁

Edited December 11, 2024 by Nice Guy Rich

[SimonK]

8 hours ago, Nice Guy Rich said:

@LukeFRC It’s definitely positive, church were totally supportive of my decision 😁👍🏻.  You were spot on, I was playing acoustic and singing because I could, rather than I should.

 

I can now focus on solely playing bass, happy days 😁

 

...until they can't get a drummer on some weeks and ask if you can play Cajon instead - which has started happening to me at an alarming frequency despite admitting (and demonstrating) knowledge of only one rhythm that goes along the lines of "thump tapety tapety tapety, thump...."

[Nice Guy Rich]

1 hour ago, SimonK said:

 

...until they can't get a drummer on some weeks....

 

 

Thankfully that problem will never arise, I'm blessed to be part of a huge stable of musicians.  Let's just say that we have our Contemporary Carols service on Sunday and there will be a total of 22 musicians and singers taking part....there are still quite a few that won't be there as they're not needed.

[Richard R]

Our church verse for the year, Isaiah 43:18:

 

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

 

That's going to be my excuse for any "novel" notes on Sunday morning which weren't there at the practice or on the chord chart.

 

 I shall call it "Isaiah Jazz" 😎

 

[Rosie C]

I've just finished preparing for tomorrow's service. Of the 5 hymns, 4 are new, so it should be particularly good experience.

• O Worship the King
• O Let the Son of God Enfold you
• Do Not Be Afraid
• King of Kings
• O Worship the Lord

[TrevorR]

11 hours ago, Richard R said:

Our church verse for the year, Isaiah 43:18:

 

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

 

That's going to be my excuse for any "novel" notes on Sunday morning which weren't there at the practice or on the chord chart.

 

 I shall call it "Isaiah Jazz" 😎

 

I will be filing that one alongside “It’s not a wrong note, it’s ’an arrangement’/jazz!” 😉

[Richard R]

2 hours ago, Rosie C said:

I've just finished preparing for tomorrow's service. Of the 5 hymns, 4 are new, so it should be particularly good experience.

• O Worship the King
• O Let the Son of God Enfold you
• Do Not Be Afraid
• King of Kings
• O Worship the Lord

 

Of those I recognise every title those starting "O" being old hymns. The "Do not be afraid " I know was written by a member of our congregation, so it can't be the same one.

Which are new to you?

[Rosie C]

59 minutes ago, Richard R said:

 

Of those I recognise every title those starting "O" being old hymns. The "Do not be afraid " I know was written by a member of our congregation, so it can't be the same one.

Which are new to you?

 

Oh Worship the King is the only one I already know. 

 

Our version of "Do Not Be Afraid" is in Kevin Mayhew's green "Hymns Old and New: Anglican Version". 

 

I'm taking a punt on "King of Kings" being King of Kings (Lord of Lords) from Kevin Mayhew's orange "Complete Anglican Hymns: Old and New". But there's a version in Graham Kendrick's "The Source" too. 

[Richard R]

We, after a little resistance, enforced the use of CCLI song select numbers to identify songs unambiguously.

 

Where the song isn't part of CCLI we have to purchase the music and send the words round. Or just not play it as they tend to be cheesy US songs 😉

 

[Rosie C]

Our three core band members (keys, cornet, bass) each have the organ/piano book of "Hymns Old and New" (the green book). The congregation have the book of words to go with so that's 80% of what we play. But there's a printed sheet for each week with the readings and a suggested hymn, and that's when it gets interesting. The three of us also play in a big band together, so we're reasonably good at improvising something together. 

 

 

[Richard R]

3 hours ago, Rosie C said:

Our three core band members (keys, cornet, bass)

 

That's a jazz trio, swing low! 👍🏻

[Rosie C]

1 hour ago, Richard R said:

 

That's a jazz trio, swing low! 👍🏻

 

'tis indeed! After services, as people are milling for coffee, our band leader has a habit of choosing one of the hymns and playing it again but in a different time signature, or swung, just to keep us on our toes!

 

No jazz today though, we had violin and 'cello instead of cornet. 

 

[Rosie C]

On 11/01/2025 at 13:03, Rosie C said:

I'm taking a punt on "King of Kings" being King of Kings (Lord of Lords) from Kevin Mayhew's orange "Complete Anglican Hymns: Old and New". But there's a version in Graham Kendrick's "The Source" too. 

 

It was not King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Nor was it King of Kings, the King of Glory Comes. In fact it was King of Kings, Majesty  

 

[SimonK]

7 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

It was not King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Nor was it King of Kings, the King of Glory Comes. In fact it was King of Kings, Majesty  

 

by Jarred Cooper - if so my claim to fame is I played bass for him on a UK tour in the late 90s... and almost killed him when I lost control of my little Rover Metro on a roundabout 😞 !