Wussup Good People,
These are some things I find unfavorable:
1. Luggin' all your equipment around. I thank God that I even have gig bags for everything now, but I still look like a ninja turtle walkin' in with cymbals and sticks strapped to my back and pedals snares and a bench in my hands.
2. "Country boy" set-ups (no offense country folk) but it's crazy when you play at the churches where the seat is all low and the snare is tilted towards you at a 45 degree angle, and it's got a towel in it. I actually played on a set where the bass had a cut up egg crate (bedding), and a quilt, and some more foam to muffle the inside AND some kind rubber practice pad pushed up against the outside. And then the toms are facin' eachother and are all spaced out, not to mention all the heads are from like '72 (probably the same set they used on the chitlin' circuit) What gets me is that someone actually put a lot of time and effort into settin' it up like that. I mean have U ever thought of how much time it takes to put a towel in a snare?!?!?!? But the big thing is that most of the time, they're decent sets, they just need new heads and need to be set up properly. And whats really messed up is that if I set the drums up properly, the usual drummer will act like I just messed their set completely up. Thats how a lotta drummers grow stagnated and play the same way for 30 years...they dont wanna learn.
3. The time it takes to set everything up after you've lugged your stuff in.
With us, when they call up another choir, theres not much time to set up at all. I mean I dont even bring that much stuff but theres a few times we coulda sung a nice acapella praise first for the musicians to get hooked up. Dont just look at us crazy and try to start the song without us thats not decent or in order.
5. Lack of help with equipment from your choir or group. We're trying to get a little committee together in my college choir to help our musicians get our equipment around. I mean, if we're playing personal gigs and events, then we can handle it ourselves, but if you're gonna look at us funny for not bein' set up when you're ready to stand up and sing, then give us a hand.
6. Other drummers breakin' up your sticks and not offerin' to pay for em. I mean even if the owner of the sticks aint standin' behind you, you know that the stick U just broke aint yours. Atleast try and find out who they belong to and pass along 4 or 5 dollars to em...somethin'.
7. When folk at with these lil' country set ups overtighten their stands, it's one thing to be set up WRONG...it's another thing to be WRONG and so tight that noone can fix it for you.
But all in all, I thank God for all these ups and downs, I mean we're the rhythm of the worship. We play the rhythms that flow through the hearts and minds of God's people. Now thats favor.