I should have mentioned... I only take the top rack (wireless gear) with me to church. I don't take the whole rack with me. The rest is for practice, rehearsals, our just jamming with friends. All the cable managed cables remain connected to the X32 mixer rack. It makes setup at easy when I get home. Just stack my wireless rack on top, and connect the hanging cables from the X32 back in.
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The Praise and Worship Band Bassists Club
- Thread starter j-raj
- Start date
I need better cable management.
Hey guys! Christmas season is upon us! (Well, the worship team anyways, in preparation for Christmas season.)
I love the classic Christmas hymns, and we do a lot of them, but I'm on the hunt for more musically complex and fast Christmas music.
For some examples:
One of our go-tos is Israel Houghton's Hark:
This song slaps. But we've done it like twice every year for like the last 7 years.
A couple years ago my wife did an interpretive dance to Matt Maher's He Shall Reign Forevermore (In the Bleak Midwinter) and we adapted it later on as well.
Last year, the keyboard player and I finished charting Rascal Flatt's Go Tell it on the Mountain:
But we didn't get a chance to pull it out for a service. So that's on the docket this year.
Do you guys have any favorites for modern "opening songs" interpretations of classics?
I love the classic Christmas hymns, and we do a lot of them, but I'm on the hunt for more musically complex and fast Christmas music.
For some examples:
One of our go-tos is Israel Houghton's Hark:
This song slaps. But we've done it like twice every year for like the last 7 years.
A couple years ago my wife did an interpretive dance to Matt Maher's He Shall Reign Forevermore (In the Bleak Midwinter) and we adapted it later on as well.
Last year, the keyboard player and I finished charting Rascal Flatt's Go Tell it on the Mountain:
But we didn't get a chance to pull it out for a service. So that's on the docket this year.
Do you guys have any favorites for modern "opening songs" interpretations of classics?
For my office, it makes it a lot easier to clean up dust on the floor. On stage.. I just want my playing area free of cables... Outside of my playing area, I don't mind how the cables look.
Jazz versions of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
140 bmp, instrumental:
Second part, 150 bpm
A little more complex:
I was invited to play for the community carols event this year, First "practice" was on monday evening. Herding cats, would be easier! In all my years of playing I've not met a more disorganised group. Hopefully it improves before our performance!
Did anyone ask if mayonnaise is an instrument?
Nice you were invited! Well intentioned, I'm sure. Yet the gifts that make musicians good are often not the same that can organize large groups of creative people
Thanks people, pray for a great outcome! I've, at least, now got the setlist in order and in key. I use NN so it;s just a matter of inserting the Root note in the header so I know where I'm starting. 
We have a fun set list this weekend.
All About You
Hope is Awake
Abandoned
For Abandoned, I've been playing around with throwing in some three string whole note bass power chords in the chorus after the bridge. Sounds great at home, not sure how it will work at church until I try it.
All About You
Hope is Awake
Abandoned
For Abandoned, I've been playing around with throwing in some three string whole note bass power chords in the chorus after the bridge. Sounds great at home, not sure how it will work at church until I try it.
Question to all: What do you gravitate towards when interpreting new music first:
A. Original recordings
B. Video
C. Your own arrangement (or that which was created by your WL).
Second, how do you approach a key change when the vocalists can’t perform in the original key? Is it too chaotic or a small thing to adjust?
A. Original recordings
B. Video
C. Your own arrangement (or that which was created by your WL).
Second, how do you approach a key change when the vocalists can’t perform in the original key? Is it too chaotic or a small thing to adjust?
A - original recording is the easiest in my experience. It’s what the congregation and most musicians may be familiar with. If there’s time, sure, do whatever tweaks you want but the original is generally easier.
The key is a small thing to adjust when you have experience and folks use the numbers system. But there’s no reason why they shouldn’t tell you in advance so it’s easier. This Sunday they changed a key on the run through, not the end of the world but it would have been nicer to know ahead of time
Original recordings, or whatever was sent to the team as reference by the WL if they're organized.
I make transposed audio in the new key to practice with if the WL hasn't provided it. It takes just a couple minutes per track on transposr.com and the extra level of comfort is well worth it. Even though I can transpose on the spot I would rather have one less thing to think about so I can be more present with the congregation.
I learn the original and adjust as I need to. I also use numbers so it matters not what key a song is in. I do prefer to know in advance, but that does not always occur.
I discovered the hard way that if you keep planning center open and they upload a key change, planning center won’t show it until you exit the set list and go back into it.
I prefer key changes early but I can usually make them work on the fly.
I prefer key changes early but I can usually make them work on the fly.
Get the Christmas edition of the Real Book, and make sure people know how to read the chord notation (e.g. E^7 vs E7 vs E-7, what E-7b5 is)
New monitor wedge arrived at church - just for me.
We have what appears to be a baby grand piano, acoustic guitar (unless he is out of town), and me on bass (unless guitar is out of town).
This saves me lugging a cab. It also means that once I unpack my rack system, I can use it again. Alembic preamp and Alembic super filter.
We have what appears to be a baby grand piano, acoustic guitar (unless he is out of town), and me on bass (unless guitar is out of town).
This saves me lugging a cab. It also means that once I unpack my rack system, I can use it again. Alembic preamp and Alembic super filter.
We get the keys in advance, but they are subject to change at Wednesday night rehearsal. When I practice at home, I play the recorded version for reference and leave the key in the one that we are going to use and work on my transposing skills when I practice. I don't use the Nashville Number System, but do know it. I transpose in my brain to the numbers.
If we get to rehearsal, I am ready to go to whichever key they want. The only problem is if there is a signature part that uses an open string as a pedal tone.
I have a bass playing friend that used to tune down a half step all the time and then capo at 1 when the song was in normal tuning. He also would move the capo for songs that use an open string for a pedal tone. Looked kinda weird to me, but he is a great player and it works for him.
I like it! Mostly because I get sick of electric guitarists talking about how you "should" play everything without a capo. (Who cares as long as it sounds good, especially in the context of a worship service where there are so many more important things to be concerned about?) Then imagine their chagrin if the bass player shows up rocking a capo and nails it...
