A letter from Uriah to all that want to be good musicians!

[uriahsmusic]

Let’s talk about what it takes to be a good guitarist!
I think first to be a good guitarist you should try to be a good musician. What is that?
I am so glad you asked!...A good musician is a musician who doesn’t just play like they are the only person in the room!  Did you ever see someone who won’t turn down or wont stop soloing?  Maybe they just play parts that seem like they aren’t well thought out.  A good musician takes the time to look around and listen to the others around him or her.  Do they need to play with a full sound or is that already covered by another musician.  Do you as a guitarist strum chords or provide tasty fills?  This sort of thing will make the difference between an annoying rendition and a remarkable one!
   They also take the time to look at the situation they are playing in.  Is it a quiet contemplative time?...Maybe you should undo the distortion pedal at this time!!!
It is knee slapin  bass thumpin praise service? …This is a time to play a beat that allows folks to get their traditional church clap on!!!...So cut the hip hop off beat and go to church on em! Get that walking bass going…Get it?
    Don’t be afraid to think before you play.  Don’t be afraid to follow direction.  Don’t be afraid to show up at a rehearsal on time.  
  Did you know that the people who are your audience also know as the congregation are being ministered to by your music?  Even if you only came to play…and swear on a stack of bibles that you are not a minister…once you hit a note at a church service that is exactly what you are!!!  A minister, ministering with your music.  It is quite serious.
Someone could be contemplating coming to Jesus and you blurt out some stupid note or out of place riff that you just knew would wow the pretty girl in the first row…and disrupted the thoughts of someone seeking God.  Ever started thinking of something really serious and then suddenly something distracted you…and you just never got back to it?
  It’s the same thing.  Hey!...if you are doing this on a street corner…who cares!  But when you do it at church you need to give the consideration that it calls for…because the people in the congregation came to hear about Jesus….not to be disturbed by inappropriate misguided nutbergers that just happen to be the only musicians available.
  So try to take your Ministry seriously and find your place in the musical scheme of your church.  Your Pastor will be more effective …the congregation will be blessed..and so will you!

God Bless ya
Uriah

[saintnick]

When we are giving thanks and praises to God either through the medium of our voices or by instruments we are doing it unto God.  He is our creator and redeemer and we should present to Him the best at all times.
 God is one of order and not confusion, thus all instrumentalist should be in accord with each other when they come together to lead the congre- gation in worship.  That is the reason they all practise together: to present a common front.
Musicians should be reminded that each one should not be trying to out- play the other nor are they on stage to perform for the world. If they are playing before a royal person, they will do their utmost to do their best.  Well, they are performing before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, how much the more, they should give of their best. He desires our best

   God bless,

          Saintnick.

[uriahsmusic]

...unfortunately ...this is just not he case most of the time....I have seen some crazy stuff in churches and I feel like people just are afraid to lay it down like I did.  They are glad to have the musicians that they have and dont want to offend them....but as far as I am concerned...musicians who don't take it as what it is ...need to take a seat!....

[JayP5150]

I agree.  My church playing is totally different from here in the bedroom.  It's not that God won't accept it as worship ('cause I believe the Lord likes a nice, blues-inspired, heavy tune now and then :lol: ), it's exactly what Uriah said--it can be disrupting if I'm on the pulpit throwing out my (sloppy) EVH licks.

Honestly, when I do a song that I solo in (and sing) I'm not quite used to people clapping, 'cause I'm not up there for me.  People try to get me to rip loose when I play the more contemporary stuff (Third Day, etc.), but it still feels odd 'cause I'm in CHURCH, not some smoky club.  The Lord brought me from that, I'd like it to stay diffrentiated (now, if He sends me some band members, that's a different thing.  AND, there are actually some Christian clubs near here, which is great).

The quality we need is DISCERNMENT.  Get it, use it.  How?  Pray for it.  Be led of the Lord.

Uriah, don't worry about layin' it down when you know you're right!  Keep on.

Oh, and it was nice to hear "nutburger."  It's been a while for that one   .

God bless y'all.

[wika2]

Easily the best thread i've read so far.

1 Corinthians 13:1 Amplified says:  If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

As God knows us through our hearts, so must our hearts be right before Him.

[Kelsey]

I agree too,

As gospel guitarists/ musicians we must use discernment when playing in church.  Do not let lustily temptations to show off turn people away from God.  

Nevertheless, you can not please everyone with your music you play.  But you can commit to keeping it holy before God and the people.

I once heard a musician play noticeable James Brown and other worldly riffs and licks during church service and the people sense it and was shock at that an attempt  like that was made.

The real problem may be the musician needs to be saved, themselves.  Let’s pray that God will save all unsaved church musicians, especially the ones we know.

Kelsey