'Typical' church band line up

[workhard]

I play (and sing) with a variety of other musicians within our Church - sometimes as little as two of us leading the music, me on electric bass and someone else on a single guitar, and other times with two guitars, flutes and fiddles and keyboard, etc., in all their rich variety. We've not had the courage to try a drummer but the odd bit of percussion does get thrown in from time to time.

If you play with other musicians what do you find to be the most effective (and satisfying - both spiritually and musically) line up to have to lead the congregation in worship? What do you regard as the 'keys to success' for playing with other instrumentalists? Is it practise? Shared taste? Common goals? Personal relationship?

Some of us are thinking that we should make the effort to join up as a worship band or group and work more closely together whilst others think this to be something of a waste of time. Any thoughts? Playing (a very little bit) in secular bands makes me wary of all the egos arriving in the choir loft en masse!

[johnquinn39]

An effective line up that has been tried in my parish has been to combine
pipe organ with gently amplified guitar, banjo and tin whistle.
The organist (myself) and instrumentalists play from the same chord
chart and arrange and improvise around this.
I have also played keyboards at a Mass for the Nigerian community
where I was joined by percussionists. This was unplanned, unrehearsed,
but very effective.

[Benevenio]

what do you find to be the most effective... line up?

Rather than widen this out into a philosophical discussion , in my opinion you need:

1. Something to play the tune, either at the pitch the sopranos sing or more quietly an octave above. This gives a clear lead.
2. Something to fill in harmony at around the pitch the men would normally sing. This makes the singers comfortable.
3. Something to provide a solid bass. This gives the whole a good foundation and provides the rhythmic pulse to the piece.

This goes for whether you are planning organ registrations or catering for a multiplicity of melody instruments.
In my parish we use bass guitar, guitar, clarinets, violins, piano... occassional African drum and trumpet... but this is because those are the instrumentalists we have. When I arrange songs, I apply the steps above and it holds together pretty much (though it should also be said that I ring the changes so that not every verse is orchestrated in the same way). The guitar is amplified, as it is the only way to get it to fill the space in our church. It doesn't take much, but it does make a difference to the quality. But what does your parish want? Mine would shudder at the sight of a drum kit and choose to pray the mass elsewhere or at an alternative time.

But the most important instrument in the line up is the human voice. I'd give up all other instruments before loosing any person who could effectively cantor and lead the prayer.

What do you regard as the 'keys to success'...

SSG Summer Schools - there's a workshop for instrumentalists this year, I read

Prayer. Planning. Practice. Community - and communion with the assembly. The ability to listen and implement instructions from whoever is running the show. The ability to listen to gentle criticism and suggestions made from those whom you lead. A desire to serve the Church with no real thanks, appearing invisible whilst leading (so leaving ego at the door of the church). Goodness the list is endless.

[SOP]

I used to sing with a University Chaplaincy music group which included a full drum set! It was fantastic and I would guess that there were at least as many graduates there as under grads. People came back for years and the sight of a baby in the pews was not unusual. Sometimes the music group consisted of 5/6 guitars, 3/4 flutes, drums, violins, anything that played. It was so lively.

Sigh.

The Jesuits sold the church. The Diocese was quite alarmed at all this liveliness. The Chaplaincy became a couple of rooms in a building next door to the church. It was restricted to students and staff.

Sigh.

Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end ....