TODAY WAS THE LAST SUNDAY THAT I STRUGGLE!!!!!

[btrue15]

Oh my goodness, I must have overlooked this post!!!! Thanks alot Rafman, maybe I can pull my pastor aside and try to remind him of the melody  :wink: I really appreciate at it!


btrue15
God is good all the time

[fuddrow]

I have felt your pain several times in the beginning...about 4yrs ago, when our minister of music left one Sunday for good. You learn to have FAITH immediately not in yourself but in God. Practice a paticular song or hymn, praise and worship song etc. and LEARN it no matter how long you have to sit down at that piano, but do it by faith and ask God to help u thru it. He always delivers. Your confident level in Him will rise and your learning ability will soar. Your struggles may be there for a season but seasons change.

[btrue15]

ooowwweee!!! your minister of music just left yall hangin :? ???  believe it or not im still running into songs that i've never heard.  but confidence in Him has really helped me through.  knowing that he always comes through.  Lord help me to make it!!!  that's my prayer.  

thanks for your input.....stay blessed :wink:

[dat_maestro]

Hey btrue! First i want to ditto the remarks, encouagement, and well-wishes that have already been extended by the brothas and sistas who are a part of this board. Second, thanks for bringing this subject up! I am in a library reading this, and folks lookin' at me like I'm crazy!!! lol It's got me in stitches!!!! What really makes it funny is I can identify with every situation described in this thread!!!! Some of these folks in the learngospelmusic community could make a prettty good living as stand-up comics!!! Be encoraged, my brother. It'll get better. You're not alone. Even the very best strugggle every now and then. Remember God knows what you're going through and He'll make EVERYTHING alright!!!!!!!

[btrue15]

dat_maestro you are so right, God knows exactly what we're going through.  with prayer and practicing, the Lord has truly allowed for me to move up in my playing.  i thank the Lord for the ability that he has given me.  i'm learning to just enjoy where i'm at, because He has brought me this far.  I appreciate the good words

[musmin7]

listen up to all of the wonderful musicians here there is a calling on your ministry that must be reached for remember putting those things that have passed behind you and pressing toward the high!!! calling in christ Jesus.  One veriy important thing to know is what your goal is if you play in worship your goal should be excellence for God that means doing a profesional job at all times. listen to and incorporate this quote into your thinking the real diff between a professional and an amature is "an amature is allways saying what he/she can do A PROF KNOWS WHAT HE/SHE CAN'NT" there is no shame in not knowing how to play a certain song siting it out can be the best thing so as not to hinder the spirit by playing the wrong thing. the key is comunication between the minister of music/pianist/organist and the worship leader or pastor your job is to be prepared to serve and that takes time meditation and study. let your pastor know if he needs to sing certain songs it would be helpful for you to have a list to study and practice so you can be better prepared to serve.  I know this is a lot and I'm not trying to write a book even though I already have written a book on music ministry I and speaking from over 25 years of experience in music minitry and nothing surprises me any more just remember the calling on your life in ministry is a high on you must reach and somtimes even jump for it Keep your focus on Jesus and he will be your guide

walk with the King and be a Blessing
musmin7

[Crazykeys]

I know what you mean about them A.H.H A.K.A Ancient History Hymns :lol: . Especially with me being a young musician and all. ther were many times when our praise and worship leader would bust out with songs that come out at the same time as hot water cornbread. And when she did, I would try to play very softly, prayin that no one could here it. Be encourage. I will pray for you. God bless.  

[BBoy]

Ha! They said "the same time as hot water cornbread"!  :lol: Stop, y'all are TOO crazy up in here . . .  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Be Blessed . . .  

BBoy  

[Samala]

This happens to me a lot more that I would like it to, especially when we have special services and the guest soloist/choirs don't bring their own musician. Sometimes I get frustrated when I can't catch the song that they are singing, but that's when I decided that I would learn more songs. Not just that, but being proficient in chord progression and scales, that would make it a little easier.
But most of the time, I don't play, because I don't want to mess up the sound of the song.

[jomo7]

 

[T-Block]

Today my pastor got up and sang My Soul Loves Jesus for about 5 minutes and then he sang Shine On Me(2 songs that I absolutely cannot play) and then after singing both of these song, he went back into My Sould Loves Jesus 8O   All I could do was say Lord help me to play this song Lord help me please :cry: I need chords please, or maybe some theory or better yet a midi.  So basically he sang for about 15 minutes and for the whole time that he sang I did not play a single note.  Lord help me to see the light

In my opinion, you did the right thing.  If you don't know what you doing, don't do anything.  Also, don't feel bad because somebody playing a song you don't know.  If you don't know it, then you just don't know it.  They'll make it through the song with or without you just fine.  It ain't nothing worse than a musician playing something completely different than what the singer is singing, and he/she is throwing everything off.  It is better not to play, than to play loud and wrong just to have some music.

When people come to our church singing songs I don't know, I just sit there and look at them.  I don't feel bad not one bit.  They need to have they own musicians there then they won't have to sing acapella.  I'll try to see if I can figure something out, but if not then I won't play nothing.  It's not the end of the world cuz you can't follow every song that everybody sing.

[ES7Mike]

Sometimes people can't pick up songs because they dont have a good ear. some people have the ability to pick up a song real quick. I am the type of person If I hear a song I instantlly know it but sometimes if I can't pick it up well I'll just "Fake it til I Make it"

[soldieranointed]

nah, i agree with the above post...........its better to try.....just sittin there doesn't help anything, its better to atleast attempt to play the song

Yeah, I send the notion...because in your attempts you are bettering your ear.  If you sit there then you won't know to use the keys to ur advantage.  On the other hand it does need to be low b/c if it is a hinderance to the service and you just can't get the song at all!  DONT PLAY!...instead go home and practice it. 

But trying to learn a song on the spot is great "training your ear" practice!

[soldieranointed]

Sometimes people can't pick up songs because they dont have a good ear. some people have the ability to pick up a song real quick. I am the type of person If I hear a song I instantlly know it but sometimes if I can't pick it up well I'll just "Fake it til I Make it"

Sometimes I think that's my middle name!  LOL!

[diverse379]

I hope you are feeling all the love


I have been playing in church for five years and I have my moments this week those two songs should be what you work on he sang them for 15 minutes you should practice them at home so that if anyone sings anything like that song you will be able to play

for every song you learn there are 20 other songs that are similar to it so if you learn five songs you are learning a 100 so

my advice is subscribe to rhapshody or yahoo and punch in shine on me and what ever song you are having trouble with and you will probably get 20 versions of it pick one you like and try to play it by ear

it takes a lot of work but

learn the melody and the bass line first

then work out the notes in between

it will come
dont get fustrated

[Spiritfingaz]

I just wanted to echo all the encouragement that's being said and also say don't get discouraged or frustrated to the point where you want to quit or leave. I can not express the invaluable training you are getting. My advice would be to try to find chords that you already play with other songs and develop an understanding of where they go when your pastor gets up to sing. After you hear certain things for so long you will find out what fits. Just don't give up, your musical breakthrough is coming. Soon you'll be able to change keys with him when he's singing off-key and whatnot. Keep the faith. God bless!