Worship Band rant... (Full Version)

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drnick -> Worship Band rant... (9/8/2008 12:03:59 PM)

Just letting off steam here, please forgive me.

Been playing in our worship band for quite a few years now, and for some time been uncomfortable with some of the things we do, or don't do.

When the "new" overall leader took over (although he's been in post for at least 5 years), he cut practices from weekly to fortnightly.
Then 2 of the 4 worship leaders stopped attending practices.
When we have weddings, we don't schedule extra practice time, we just turn up on the day.
Until this week we had 2 bands, with a rotating system of vocalists and bass players (too many).

This week, we've been presented with his new "vision".

3 bands, each with a designated leader, and bringing in a few new people (2 drummer, 1 vocalist, 1 guitarist). Good stuff.
And one husband & wife team are to lead a band (she's a great singer + pianist, he's an OK singer and guitarist, but they work well together).
But-
My band is led by the 2 leaders who don't make the practices, and they have decided not to hold any, just Sunday mornings before the service.
And 3 vocalists have been dropped, to "streamline" things. Which doesn't make any sense to me, and has rather upset them, one in particular.
So that just feels like a backwards step to me, and I feel extremely uncomfortable.
Spoke to one of "my" leaders, who says he only accepted the job on condition that there were no practices, as he can't spare the time.

My own view is that if you can't spare the time, why be involved in the first place...although he's an extremely gifted singer/songwriter/keyboardist.

Praying hard, but struggling to know what to pray!

Anyway, rant over, thoughts most welcome: even if it's to stop being picky!



uncabeeil -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/8/2008 12:43:02 PM)

quote:

My own view is that if you can't spare the time, why be involved in the first place...although he's an extremely gifted singer/songwriter/keyboardist.
Gifted or not, how are you supposed to learn new material, by osmosis? I have to agree, why be involved if you don't have the time? Should do you all a favor and back out.

A rant of my own:
Our worship leader recently left the church, and they replaced him with one of the board members' daughter. She's a decent enough rhythm guitarist, but can't sing on key if her life depended on it. It's so bad (to me) that I can't begin to enjoy the worship time. I have a feeling I'm not the only one as it's awfully quiet compared to a few weeks ago when the other guy was there. End of rant.



Stratplayer -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/8/2008 7:01:25 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: drnick

My own view is that if you can't spare the time, why be involved in the first place...


Some leader.



rlj -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/9/2008 10:02:19 AM)

I don't know that our worship team practises all that much except on Sunday. I don't notice anything really but the drummer if the drummer of the day is way out of time. I'm participating though and I'm not paying all that much attention to the players anyway.

As for not practising for weddings and such that I think is a shame. : /



MusicianDad -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/9/2008 10:15:48 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: uncabeeil

quote:

My own view is that if you can't spare the time, why be involved in the first place...although he's an extremely gifted singer/songwriter/keyboardist.
Gifted or not, how are you supposed to learn new material, by osmosis? I have to agree, why be involved if you don't have the time? Should do you all a favor and back out.

A rant of my own:
Our worship leader recently left the church, and they replaced him with one of the board members' daughter. She's a decent enough rhythm guitarist, but can't sing on key if her life depended on it. It's so bad (to me) that I can't begin to enjoy the worship time. I have a feeling I'm not the only one as it's awfully quiet compared to a few weeks ago when the other guy was there. End of rant.



That's where the sound man is supposed to hook you up; give her lots of herself in her monitor and nothing in the house.



uncabeeil -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/9/2008 10:32:09 AM)

Unfortunately, the house is small enough that that particular strategy won't work. [&:]



drnick -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/9/2008 5:41:20 PM)

Thanks folks.

It's a tricky situation. The "main" leader was made an elder last year, married less than 2 years, young baby, so quite a few things to consider, but I do wonder whether he should hand over leading the worship team to the husband & wife - especially the wife, she's a gem.

But he likes being involved.

Another worship leader (another elder) sings like a wind-up toy: he starts low and slowly ascends the scale until he hits the correct note.

Sort of.

At least this new arrangement means I won't encounter him.



DreadPirateRandy -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/10/2008 7:18:37 PM)

Our band never practices. Ever.



Stratplayer -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/10/2008 8:58:20 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: DreadPirateRandy

Our band never practices. Ever.


Do you guys ever do new songs? How does that work? In every church situation I've been in, there has been some level of practice "required". Usually if you are not able to attend, they'll work with you especiall if you had a good attendance record. But no practice at all is rather extreme; are you all that good?



gtrdave -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/11/2008 2:10:14 AM)

We have a 2 hour rehearsal every Thursday night.
For the primary instruments (guitar/bass/drums/keys), you don't show up to rehearsal and 9 times out of 10 you will not play on Sunday morning.
For us, rehearsal is as much about being of one accord mentally and spiritually as it is musically.
This was modeled to me at my former church, where the majority of the team was made up of professional live and studio players and singers, all Christians, and they rehearsed every week.

drnick, going only by what you've shared, it sounds to me like you've got a lot of leaders but not a lot of leadership.
My thought is that the returns will be based on the investments.
Is God and His people not worth the investment?



DreadPirateRandy -> RE: Worship Band rant... (9/11/2008 2:34:09 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Stratplayer

Do you guys ever do new songs? How does that work? But no practice at all is rather extreme; are you all that good?


We "hymn it up" a lot. We do some contemporary, but it's a huge list, so a lot gets recycled while the occasional "new" one is brought up.

As for if we're "good", that's up to a viewer's perspective. We was recently booked to play at an outside festival. Next month, we're having a concert because someone mentioned that our band is just "so good" that we should do our own, so its being worked out. Over a year ago, we also performed in an amphitheater.

So, we're obviously not bad, otherwise people wouldn't be asking us to play all over the place.



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