What do you think is lacking with church musicians?

[kwesi1999]

I saw this on youtube and thought it might
make a good topic 4 LGM.
 What do you think is lacking with church musicians?
My answer is some musicians
treat playing at church as a gig as opposed to ministry.

I'd like to know what other musicians think ?
Is it churches settling for sub par musicians?
Muiscians who just want 2 show off?
No anointing?
pride and arrogance?
what do you think?

[T-Block]

Proper training at the start of their musical journey. Once bad habits are learned, they are hard to break!!!

[gtrdave]

Proper training at the start of their musical journey. Once bad habits are learned, they are hard to break!!!

Yeah, that is a good one. I've got a couple drummers that learned bad habits and bad technique from the beginning and it severely limits what they can do behind the kit. Getting them to break the old habits and develop good technique is VERY difficult, which leads to what I think is lacking with church musicians:
Failure to practice their gift at home and constantly push themselves to improve at what they've been gifted to do.
Seriously, complacency seems to have taken root in a lot of the younger musicians. They learn the basics and then think that the basics are enough to get them by.
I used to be motivational and encouraging to a lot of these basic players, but I find myself getting angry with them more and more.
I'm really tired of the "I didn't have time to practice" excuse. Oh, but you had time to get on facebook, text a thousand texts to your friends and spend time on other super important tasks, didn't you...

[betnich]

Yeah, that is a good one. I've got a couple drummers that learned bad habits and bad technique from the beginning and it severely limits what they can do behind the kit. Getting them to break the old habits and develop good technique is VERY difficult, which leads to what I think is lacking with church musicians:
Failure to practice their gift at home and constantly push themselves to improve at what they've been gifted to do.
Seriously, complacency seems to have taken root in a lot of the younger musicians. They learn the basics and then think that the basics are enough to get them by.
I used to be motivational and encouraging to a lot of these basic players, but I find myself getting angry with them more and more.
I'm really tired of the "I didn't have time to practice" excuse. Oh, but you had time to get on facebook, text a thousand texts to your friends and spend time on other super important tasks, didn't you...

Regardless of levels of ability, talent, anointing, experience, etc...you may not be able to be like {insert favorite Gospel star here} but you can be the best you that God designed you to be...and that takes dedication and WORK!!!

[T-Block]

Once a beginning keys player learn about the transpose button, it's almost a wrap for them. That's why I encourage them to practice on an acoustic piano, if they have access to one. Take the temptation away and forces you to do the work.

[phbrown]

I saw this on youtube and thought it might
make a good topic 4 LGM.
 What do you think is lacking with church musicians?
My answer is some musicians
treat playing at church as a gig as opposed to ministry.

I'd like to know what other musicians think ?
Is it churches settling for sub par musicians?
Muiscians who just want 2 show off?
No anointing?
pride and arrogance?
what do you think?

Access to quality equipment

I noticed playing on sub par equipment can force you to learn bad habits. Mainly you can develop a really heavy touch if your equipment can not produce enough volume.


The other thing that is lacking is professionalism.


Another topic is how to handle business while knowing how the streets work is nice understanding a contract is better


oh last one for musicians Drama ... leave it at home



Now on to the flip side the hosting church tends to have too many chiefs telling the musican what to do, some churches forget that the musican is an employee not a member, or the opposite they treat the member who voluteers their time as an employee...

Unreasonable expectations (learn this new song in the next 3 minutes) , being cheap, Not investing in their technology at the church, untrained sound people, oppressive control issues, letting a bad experience from a previous musican negatively affect your exprience with the current musican, poor concept of ho

[charleybarley]

I just  think it is a lack of appreciation for the gift that they were blessed with and playing for the wrong reasons. I will say for me that playing for money will never be an issue. I play because I love it and I love to use what little talent I am blessed with giving it back to the church. Do I get paid... yes but it is in appreciation for what I do. I would still do it even if I didn't get paid and I have done that in the past. Some times musicians get so much praise that they lose their focus and it becomes a me mentality.

[docjohn]

a brain, a heart, and courage!!!! lol-just kidding,just saw a blip for the wiz of Oz

[hands5]

Most of these are valid critisisms,however Brother ph brown touch on something that I've notice of a few churches that I've served and currently serve and that's the lack of commitment of sound engineering and  good solid equipment, now as far as the material is concern, what frustrates me is that we rehearse songs on thrs and then on sat.  there will be a whole different set of song for us to play on Sunday's service, and to me this set's a bad example,and in some cases can ( an has) discouraged a musician from truly learning the material as well as they should because a precedent (of what may be seen as inconsistent) of an undiscipline musical approach for preporation has been tolerated and this has really started to irritate me because :
1. These tunes have not been rehearsed and so it sounds like we're wingin it !
2. Time was wasted on tunes that we practice and rehearsed on thrsday,but were not played for the upcoming service on Sunday.
Now mind you I do know that there isn't a great deal of emphasis put on rehearsal also with some musicians "REGARDLES"' of the of the situations and as said there are other factors that come in to play,family,school, job

As Far as the sound engineering is concerned to me this what seperates the churches who are commited and the churches who say that they want to go the socalled next level and believe that can be a whole different thread but this my 2 min rant for now.

[Manofchrist101]

THEORY THEORY THEORY!!!!!!!!!!!

Not saying that every1 must know how to play classical or anything but i noticed many church pianists (espcially the younger ones) like to modify and "jazz up" a song to the point where you cant even recognize the song because they have deviated from the melody and drowned it in a sea of "phat chords."

I think there is a need for appreciation of the oldies-but-goodies because many of them are full of very common chord progressions.....


I personally dont see a need for church musicians to try to emulate the neo-soul sound, but thats just me....i think many young musicians need to actually understand the numbers system they use....then they will be able to avoid the transpose button that T-block and Soungofjoy hate

[jonesl78]

THEORY THEORY THEORY!!!!!!!!!!!

Not saying that every1 must know how to play classical or anything but i noticed many church pianists (espcially the younger ones) like to modify and "jazz up" a song to the point where you cant even recognize the song because they have deviated from the melody and drowned it in a sea of "phat chords."

I think there is a need for appreciation of the oldies-but-goodies because many of them are full of very common chord progressions.....


I personally dont see a need for church musicians to try to emulate the neo-soul sound, but thats just me....i think many young musicians need to actually understand the numbers system they use....then they will be able to avoid the transpose button that T-block and Soungofjoy hate

There is a time and place for things. However you dont want to limit yourself. They're some songs that require a neo-soul type fill. (I will bless the lord-byron cage; You dont know my story- John P. Kee) In addition, some singers  can change the "feel" of a hymn all together and you want to be able to accompany them.

Actually, gospel is a gumbo of influence. CCM, jazz, blues, salsa, smooth jazz, metal, alternative, blue grass, classical, R&B, hip hop, etc. You can probably find several "gospel" songs to fit each one of these genres. 

[Manofchrist101]

There is a time and place for things. However you dont want to limit yourself. They're some songs that require a neo-soul type fill. (I will bless the lord-byron cage; You dont know my story- John P. Kee) In addition, some singers  can change the "feel" of a hymn all together and you want to be able to accompany them.

Actually, gospel is a gumbo of influence. CCM, jazz, blues, salsa, smooth jazz, metal, alternative, blue grass, classical, R&B, hip hop, etc. You can probably find several "gospel" songs to fit each one of these genres.

My point is that too often the younger musicians rely on that neo-soul, sound to be cute during the times when they havent actually mastered a song....i have no problem with playing a hymn in different ways but i feel like its important to at least have a foundation on the chords of the song

[jonesl78]

gotcha!

[SavnBass]

I just  think it is a lack of appreciation for the gift that they were blessed with and playing for the wrong reasons. I will say for me that playing for money will never be an issue. I play because I love it and I love to use what little talent I am blessed with giving it back to the church. Do I get paid... yes but it is in appreciation for what I do. I would still do it even if I didn't get paid and I have done that in the past. Some times musicians get so much praise that they lose their focus and it becomes a me mentality.

This.. only we do not get paid.. and the fact that it is such a privilege to be playing for the congregation. I would gladly accept something.. even a token offering from the church but that is not why I do it.

[Learning2Play]

For me,  I want to learn theory and how to play by ear.
When you have a beginner like me striving to learn the theory, and to be able to hear and play by ear and at the same time get "THROWN" on the keyboard when it is time for service. 
The congregation is struggling to sing the songs because most of them they don't know, and I have yet to see songboooks in some of the apostolic ministries, so they are lookin at you.
Then at practice I try to remind the leader that the team is learnin the song in the wrong key, and that we can use the piano to keep them in the right key,and that is not always allowed. And then you practice, practice, practice, and the songs you practice are not the ones that get sung, because the "spirit has shifted". It wears me out...and no this learning to be a musician is not paid, I don't I just want a pure worship/praise session.

[gtrdave]

And then you practice, practice, practice, and the songs you practice are not the ones that get sung, because the "spirit has shifted".

Next time that happens, remind whoever is trying to lead the change that God is not a god of confusion, but of order.
If the "spirit has shifted"  for one person and not for anyone else, that person is in-tune w/ the wrong spirit...imho.

[GospelEngineer]

For me,  I want to learn theory and how to play by ear.
When you have a beginner like me striving to learn the theory, and to be able to hear and play by ear and at the same time get "THROWN" on the keyboard when it is time for service. 
The congregation is struggling to sing the songs because most of them they don't know, and I have yet to see songboooks in some of the apostolic ministries, so they are lookin at you.
Then at practice I try to remind the leader that the team is learnin the song in the wrong key, and that we can use the piano to keep them in the right key,and that is not always allowed. And then you practice, practice, practice, and the songs you practice are not the ones that get sung, because the "spirit has shifted". It wears me out...and no this learning to be a musician is not paid, I don't I just want a pure worship/praise session.

I've been in similar situations. What I did was practiced and improved as much as I could, but I told the ministry leaders beforehand that if they sang songs we had not rehearsed and I could not pick them up on the fly I was going to let them go acapella. I have no problem giving my time and talents to playing in church but I refuse to be used and abused by a disorganized and disorderly ministry. That was one of the reasons I left one of the first churches I played in.

My point is simply to keep improving but don't allow yourself to be pressured and pushed into doing more than you are able.

[T-Block]

My point is simply to keep improving but don't allow yourself to be pressured and pushed into doing more than you are able.

THIS!!!

[Mysteryman]

A prayer and worship life.

[betnich]

A prayer and worship life.

And to have others in the ministry and leadership pray for and support you...makes a difference.