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[under13]

Like one Pastor who told me not to play any Minor chords because they were 'depressing'...

 

Our old guitar player said that our Pastor doesent like for the musicians to play minor chords because they sounded....well depressing or sad. Now me personally, being from NY its impossible for to not play some minor chords here and there, (thats just our style)......and the pastor has never complained about my chords........

But I have to agree that minor chords can sound depressing

[churchyreal]

I'm with LaRue on this.

I also think it's about how you approach the musician.

[sjonathan02]

I can see it from both sides.

I hate when people try to tell me how to administrate. Half the time, I end up looking at them like   what??? You're not even making sense.   Because they have absolutely no idea what they're talking about, have no experience with church administration and want to tell me how it was done at their last church, how they think it would work better, what the Lord revealed to them in a dream, or some other foolishness. I'm completely open to GOOD ideas that make sense, but I hate when people come up to me with stuff that doesn't even make sense, or is impossible or imprudent or inadvisable for the particular church... and like most church administrators, I can provide example after example after example of this happening. Not a week goes by that someone doesn't have a "better" idea for something we're doing... and these are usually people who (a) can't even run their own ministries, or (b) aren't even active in the church unless "active" is defined as telling others what to do.

On the other hand, just because someone isn't an administrator doesn't mean they don't have good ideas. Likewise, just because a person isn't a musician doesn't mean they don't have musical intuition or a musical ear. That's me. I couldn't use the correct vocabulary, but I know what I want to hear.  A lot of times, I know what sounds good/bad, and what would sound better. I just can't communicate it well because I'm not a musician. And RJ, I remember in PT rehearsal, we were really struggling with coming in to a particular song on time, and I asked the MD if he could give us a chord or two that would tell us when to come in.  It wasn't to question his expertise as a musician, it was because we couldn't tell when to come in and were wasting a lot of time trying to "feel" it. Bump all that. Just give me a chord, man. LOL

This.

[LaRue1212]

I'm with LaRue on this.

I also think it's about how you approach the musician.

Although I'm all for approaching people peaceably and respectfully, for some reason, whenever you say that, I always picture a very sensitive, prideful, egotistical person who doesn't like being corrected and can't take being wrong.

I don't know why, I just always get that... whenever you say "it's about how you approach" the person.

[churchyreal]

Although I'm all for approaching people peaceably and respectfully, for some reason, whenever you say that, I always picture a very sensitive, prideful, egotistical person who doesn't like being corrected and can't take being wrong.

I don't know why, I just always get that... whenever you say "it's about how you approach" the person.

Yes very sensitive but the DIRECT opposite of prideful and egotistical. I have been corrected thousands of times and still being corrected. I can admit when I'm wrong (something that God has and still is working on me with) and while it's hard to take being wrong I've been wrong and can admit when I'm wrong.

[Incognegro]

Like one Pastor who told me not to play any Minor chords because they were 'depressing'...
 

He was probably trying to say don't play in a Minor KEY.

It's almost impossible not to play Minor CHORDS unless you 1-4-5 every song to death.

And RJ, I remember in PT rehearsal, we were really struggling with coming in to a particular song on time, and I asked the MD if he could give us a chord or two that would tell us when to come in.  It wasn't to question his expertise as a musician, it was because we couldn't tell when to come in and were wasting a lot of time trying to "feel" it. Bump all that. Just give me a chord, man. LOL

In my instance

1) The intro to Donnie McClurkin's version of Total Praise is pretty straight forward.  After that intro piece it's easy to hear when to come in.

2) Nobody was having trouble knowing when to come in.

3) The Elder wasn't even in the choir.   

I've had instances where the Praise & Worship Team or the Choir couldn't tell where to come in and I'd try to simplify the intro a little to make it more clear.

This gentleman, who is in his mid 60's, isn't familiar with the song (can you believe that?!?!).  He simply didn't know what he was talking about.   

I agree with the rest of your post.  There are people who, though they don't play an instrument, they have a great musical ear.  My sister sings on the P&W team while playing the drums (headset mic).  She's the strongest Soprano in the choir, and a very good soloist.

Sometimes she'll try to explain something she'd like me to play, but she doesn't quite know the terminology, so she'll sing the melody to it.

Most of the time I know what she's talking about.  Sometimes it's something she heard in a song.  She has at least SOME understanding of music.  Some other people make suggestions and they're so ridiculous I want to laugh.  And they SWEAR they know what they're talking about.   

[LaRue1212]

He was probably trying to say don't play in a Minor KEY.

It's almost impossible not to play Minor CHORDS unless you 1-4-5 every song to death.

In my instance

1) The intro to Donnie McClurkin's version of Total Praise is pretty straight forward.  After that intro piece it's easy to hear when to come in.

2) Nobody was having trouble knowing when to come in.

3) The Elder wasn't even in the choir.   

I've had instances where the Praise & Worship Team or the Choir couldn't tell where to come in and I'd try to simplify the intro a little to make it more clear.

This gentleman, who is in his mid 60's, isn't familiar with the song (can you believe that?!?!).  He simply didn't know what he was talking about.   

I agree with the rest of your post.  There are people who, though they don't play an instrument, they have a great musical ear.  My sister sings on the P&W team while playing the drums (headset mic).  She's the strongest Soprano in the choir, and a very good soloist.

Sometimes she'll try to explain something she'd like me to play, but she doesn't quite know the terminology, so she'll sing the melody to it.

Most of the time I know what she's talking about.  Sometimes it's something she heard in a song.  She has at least SOME understanding of music.  Some other people make suggestions and they're so ridiculous I want to laugh.  And they SWEAR they know what they're talking about.   

I get that. And what's especially annoying is when they swear they know what they're talking about and try to make it seem like you don't. I JUST had to deal with that a couple of months ago when planning a church trip. Ugh. To be honest, I got to the point with her where if she suggested I bring an umbrella in the rain, I would've said "no thanks, I got this." Some people can really push you to that point. But that's so dangerous because it really can affect your humility and cause your ego to fight battles that you wouldn't ordinarily fight.

[Incognegro]

I get that. And what's especially annoying is when they swear they know what they're talking about and try to make it seem like you don't. I JUST had to deal with that a couple of months ago when planning a church trip. Ugh. To be honest, I got to the point with her where if she suggested I bring an umbrella in the rain, I would've said "no thanks, I got this." Some people can really push you to that point. But that's so dangerous because it really can affect your humility and cause your ego to fight battles that you wouldn't ordinarily fight.

 

[gtrdave]

You're kidding right?

It's like how the King told Mozart that one time, "There are too many notes." 

[Incognegro]

It's like how the King told Mozart that one time, "There are too many notes." 

 

[T-Block]

It's like how the King told Mozart that one time, "There are too many notes." 

HAHAHAHAHA, and u saw how well that went over wit Mozart right? LOL!!!

[Fenix]

Our old guitar player said that our Pastor doesent like for the musicians to play minor chords because they sounded....well depressing or sad. Now me personally, being from NY its impossible for to not play some minor chords here and there, (thats just our style)......and the pastor has never complained about my chords........

Umm...what? 

Dude, its not that you are from NY and thus it is impossible to play minor chords, wherever you are from, you cannot avoid playing minor chords, period!

To really get his goat, play a full-diminished chord and see what he says.

[betnich]

To really get his goat, play a full-diminished chord and see what he says.

It takes a F#/E7 (E13 #11) chord to get the stink-eye from my current Pastor - though I can get away with it if I spread out the voicing or make it more passing...He likes the 'phat' chords...

[Rshay]

The one who started this topic, seems to must have a bit of headiness or 'don't tell me what to do' spirit.      *I had to say that
I was just staring at the topic, and it's what I came up with. LOL*