Why are guitar players so hard to find?

[Spiritfingers]

Dumb question but leads are rare to find...I ain't like you know five people who play the leads.  I put a spot in the paper here in Japan and no one plays leads.  Crazy!


FINGAZ

[mt_spiffy]

Two reasons, but they're really the same one.

The two instruments every church needs are organ/keys and drums.  Bass can also help a lot.  Guitar is nice to have but you dont NEED it.  Most people are taught instruments that are needed, and also they're more likely to pick up what people around them play . . . if there arent any guitar players around . . .

Second of all, think about it.  Every touring gospel band, they have drums, bass, two or more keys . . . but many have no guitar.  Again, you dont NEED guitar, but it's nice to have.  Of course *I* would say you need guitar . . .

[Spiritfingers]

Let me tell it, you need guitar because it's like another language.  If we as musicians are playing a song and the we are speaking as your playing sort of speak, then you have to have guitar because whether you're playing chords or rythm or just talking over a track, it's nice to have.  I think it's need more than we think.  


Thanks for your response!

FINGAZ

[mt_spiffy]

Oh I certainly agree.  Guitar adds a lot.  That's one of the reasons I play a lot more guitar than organ these days.

I think others realize it too, it's just not as much of a priority.

[chapd]

In a keyboard world, guitar players don't get no Luv!!!
Guitar players are treated like step children.
I learned to be sneaky.
Find a space, play something real quick and move on.
Space is at a premium when there are multiple keyboard players.

It ain't about me.
I'm just praising with my guitar.

[Bizzy]

Spiritfingaz,the guitar as you know is a different beast , I've played Bass since I was 13 and Im 37 now.But the guitar I've always wanted to play and I just picked it up 3 months ago and I like it more because you can do so much with it. I let one of my partners take over the BASS spot at my church because I wanted the guitar that bad..I think MT_SPIFFY
may agree that some people that are interested in playing the guitar may choose BASS because for me its eazier to play than the lead/rythm. MAN I LOVE THE GUITAR...I look at this way too, not to many churches have a guitar player most of them have a BASS but not a guitar and that leaves room for us

[trackman]

Most Gospel bands don't know how important a lead guitar can be in music. It can speak on it's own and it can fill out a conversation of music. It can make a song cry or it can make a melody dance in your soul.

You really don't know uless you hear it...

[Rown]

Music is used as a tool,to help get Gods presense in your service.I donot think it matters to him,if it the keyboad,drums,bass,guitar or what.The guitar do play a VREY important part of music.It takes time to learn.If you go back into the history,of the black church,i think the keys was just there first.You would be really surprise of the people who wants to play the guitar They pick it up,for about a month of trying to play it,they see it is not easy to learn,then they put it down.What if Prince,Jimi,BB,Stanley J.all our great blues players,back in the days,what if they have done that.It is a great instument,and you can do so much with it.I think guitar players are rare,because of the history of the church,and it is hard to learn.

[Spiritfingers]

or...and we're just talking here.  The type of music the church as embrace hasn't had much use for it either.  I mean who sits down and writes music with guitar in mind.  Well except for "Let it rain," oh my bad a contemporay Christian Group (rock) wrote that.  I think that's why I love Israel so much...They take songs from contemporary artist like Hillsong and introduce to the black church.  White churches have no shortage of guitar players.  I think the type of music we write has a play on it to.  I like Hillsong, Jeremy Camp, Michael W. Smith and a few others that I can't think of now.  I'm really feeling the life (soul) gospel.


FINGAZ

[funkStrat_97]

To expand a little on what has been said, the guitar does not hold the same significance in black gospel music as an organ or even bass.  There was a time during the 90's when the guitar was all but ignored.  Then somebody rediscovered the wah-wah pedal and the guitar gained some respect among gospel musicians.  The wah opened peoples eyes to what the guitar can bring to a song.  Today, the guitar is looked at as being nice to have buy not neccesary (pray that those musical directors to be delivered from the darkness).  CCM is based more on rock and as we all know, you can't have rock without the guitar.  Some of my favorite CCM-guitar driven songs are "In The Blink of an Eye" - Mercy Me, "Just The Way I Am" - Big Daddy Weave, and "Living My Life For You" - Lincoln Brewster.

[ShaunzNoiz]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, the great debate continues over this subject!  My friends and I have had this disscusion for years, and here is my take on this subject from personal experience.

First, there is a "stigma" in some churches that go along with the guitar.  I remember being a kid and wanting to play piano.  People at the church were too busy to give a kid lessons.  Then I gravitated to guitar when I saw Prince and Eddie Van Halen back in the 80's when I was a kid.  I wanted to play in the church, but I was told that the guitar sounded too much like "blues" music.  Some "churchfolk" still feel this way about the instrument today.

Second is the fact of support for the instrument.  I can go into any church and there is a piano, organ, drum set, and to some extent a bass amp.  Nothing for gutar!  My current church has a membership of 10,000 people, but no equipment for a guitar player.  I have to supply my own.  Not an issue, but if I have to go out of town or to a different church to offer up some praise, you better believe I am the only on that has to haul his own equipment around!

[Spiritfingers]

....I hear ya man loud and clear.  Those were some very valid points to about how ppl feel about the blues.  They don't realize when ppl play shout music, that the blues to a different tempo.  


Anyway...I'm feeling you about dragging your gear around.  I love going to do different venues but I can't stand to drag my gear around.  Oh yeah, and I'm a bassist. :wink:


FINGAZ

[axeman1]

Let me tell it, you need guitar because it's like another language.  If we as musicians are playing a song and the we are speaking as your playing sort of speak, then you have to have guitar because whether you're playing chords or rythm or just talking over a track, it's nice to have.  I think it's need more than we think.  


Thanks for your response!

FINGAZ

You are so right Spirit. At times I used to think that my playing was being lost in the mix and mostly drowned out by the organ. Then one day I was playing at a mass revival with a very good band and a very accomplished organist that I have known for many years commented on how much the guitar added to the full sound. The next sunday while playing back at my church along with our organist, bassist, pianist and drummer, I was just strumming the chords and decided to stop playing for about half a bar and take note of the difference in the overall sound sans my guitar. I was surprised at the difference. This completely changed how I felt about playing after that and changed my approach to playing as well.

As a side note, I just decided to start playing with that church again after having left for about 4 years. Every time I would visit over the years, everyone would tell me how much they missed my playing. I'll be going to the first rehearsal tomorrow.

[Spiritfingers]

Axe...not only am I applauding but congrats and welcome back to the company of Levites.  Sounds like growth not only musically but spiritually as well.  I wish I had a guitar player man.  Our band would be almost complete.  We have trumpet, percussions, drums, bass, keys.  I just want sax, bone and a guitar.  I only have 10 more months here hopefully it'll happen in my time.


FINGAZ

[spoon_21]

Well since my dad and uncle's played the guitar and 3 of my uncle's still play. I see guitar players a lot. but music don't come to mind when you say Japan that might be another reason, your location. Hang out with us and we'll all play good music soon, I'm really learning here, I'm new my self

[mr_layback]

I'm a bass player and I feel the guitar is very important.  Guitar players are hard to find.  The interplay between guitar and bass is a good thing

[mt_spiffy]

The interplay between guitar and bass is a good thing

You're right.  Back home, there's a bass player I work with that's a good friend.  He's no a professional though, plays purely for fun and for ministry.  Often times when he's offered a gig, he'll call me to see if I'll do it.  If not he wont either.  The "interplay" is equally important to him.  Often times we'll boucne things off each other in the middle of a song-- one of us will play a rhythm and the other will copy it, or harmonize with it.  Makes for a very tight rhythm section.

This works best when you have a really FUNKY syncopated rhythm guitarist.

[gtrdave]

WHO'S hard to find?! I'm right here, yo! 

[funkStrat_97]

I find that on projects that have lots of keys or other digitzed sounds, a live bass or guitar can breathe life into a track.  There is something organic and alive about a guitar tone that is not overly processed.

[fenstrat]

As a guitar player,I find people have the wrong impression on what guitar players are to play. For example the instrument has six strings . Therefore u need  to learn chords first. 
After u get a handle on chords . Then u need to work on your lead and solo skills.
I find alot of new guitar players will do it the reverse way.When i show a new guitar player how to play . i start them with basics, and that's where you lose alot of guys.In other words they are not willing to put time and effort in,and that's why they are hard to find.
And the ones that learn lead first are limit in skill and in style.