Picked the guitar up about a year ago and decided to give bass a try earlier this year. I mentioned to the worship team leader I was teaching myself bass and now I think I have a weekly gig. I had been playing sax, but he would rather me on bass. With me on bass, it frees up the keyboard player who was covering the bass lines to play viola. Today was the second week that I have played bass and my sax is gathering dust.
I've only been playing bass since about February. The first piece we worked on all I had was a lead sheet to play from :shock: After playing sax (and reading treble clef) for over 25 years, reading bass clef and playing from a lead sheet has been challenging . . . and a lot of fun.
Nothing like a regular gig to improve your chops. :wink:
Tom
Congrats on the regular gig! ;)
I started playing bass in the praise band last summer, though I didn't have nearly as much musical background as you do.
Have fun!
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
8)
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Congrats on the regular gig! ;)
I started playing bass in the praise band last summer, though I didn't have nearly as much musical background as you do.
Have fun!
Cool. How big is your church? What kind of music do you play? traditional/contemporary? We play a bit of a mix. I think the leader would like to go a little more contemporary over time. Our youth group planned and lead the entire service a couple of weeks ago (one of the high schools seniors even preached a good sermon!). Everyone seemed to like that, so we'll see. I just enjoy playing, so it doesn't matter much to me.
Just because I've played sax for a number of years doesn't mean I'm more accomplished or a better musician :wink:
Tom
Cool. How big is your church? What kind of music do you play? traditional/contemporary? We play a bit of a mix. I think the leader would like to go a little more contemporary over time. Our youth group planned and lead the entire service a couple of weeks ago (one of the high schools seniors even preached a good sermon!). Everyone seemed to like that, so we'll see. I just enjoy playing, so it doesn't matter much to me.
We get around 200 to 300 per service; 300 is jam packed. We play two contemporary services every other Sunday (the early service is traditional, as are all three services on the days we don't play.) We're building a new sanctuary, which I think will hold over 400, and we will probably start playing every week in the Fall.
I'd say we are "adult contemporary" - lots of Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman songs, plus some Hillsong, Brenton Brown, etc. No "Christian metal" though we are working on one of Kutless' slower tunes. I like the more upbeat stuff, but we do a fair number of ploddingly slow tunes ... as you said, I just enjoy playing too so it doesn't matter much.
Yeah, playing from lead sheets or simple chord charts has been a challenge. I didn't realize how much of a crutch tablature had become, until I was forced to play without it. Of course with some songs you really don't need to do more than thump the roots and fifths, but for others you're forced to learn to play by ear pretty quickly. I started taking lessons recently as well, with the goal of learning to build better basslines. All for a good purpose! 8)
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
I've only been playing bass since about February. The first piece we worked on all I had was a lead sheet to play from :shock: After playing sax (and reading treble clef) for over 25 years, reading bass clef and playing from a lead sheet has been challenging . . . and a lot of fun.
Nothing like a regular gig to improve your chops. :wink:
That great we normally only get the chords and lyrics. Our keyboard and bass player are going to school in the fall. I've been taking up the bass. The ministry needs it more then a 3rd guitar player.
I didn't realize how much of a crutch tablature had become, until I was forced to play without it.
The first week, I took a couple of tunes and made TAB cheat sheets to help catch all of the changes. The second week I just marked up the rough spots on the lead sheets. I guess I'm getting better.
Of course with some songs you really don't need to do more than thump the roots and fifths, but for others you're forced to learn to play by ear pretty quickly. I started taking lessons recently as well, with the goal of learning to build better basslines. All for a good purpose! 8)
My first week there were a couple of tunes that I only played roots. I'd like to take some lessons, but I just don;t have the time or the $ right now. Maybe this fall.
Tom
