Hamers and 'church' musicians...

[blackfbiv]

So I see quite a few guys are playing some kinda church 'gig'.

I have just started using the newly converted FB bass exclusively and am loving it. (Hamer content!!)

What I would love to know is... What songs and 'artists' music are you playing?

I'm always looking for new tunes.

I lead worship one Sunday each month and we are 'guitar oriented'. We rarely have a keyboard player involved.

We do a ton of Paul Baloche's stuff. Chris Tomlin's bigger songs (Not To Us, Enough)

Ten Shekel Shirt (Meet With Me)

Robin Mark is popular with the congregation (most of Revival in Belfast, + 3 or four from Revival II...The Wonder of Your Cross is a GREAT song)

Been digging the new CD by Jars of Clay (Redemption Songs) a bunch of hyms redone in a more modern style. I know that seems to be the next wave and there are probably too many cd's out there with this kinda content but I find this one pretty catchy. We'll probably work a couple into the Sunday service...

Kutless has a pretty decent album of worship tunes out now too.

We also do a monthly evening service that is a little more footloose... we get to do the more youth oriented stuff...(United...Planetshakers etc.)

What are you guys doing out there?

Dion

[Jamie K]

Dion-

I'm a guitarist and worship leader in our church, and we do a lot of Tomlin, as well as Matt Redman, some David Crowder, and stuff from Hillsongs, Robin Mark, Delirious, Baloche, Vineyard, and others. I find the music/materials available from Worshiptogether.com to be the most useful for what we do. I write a few tunes myself, but mostly rely on the more gifted and prolific songwriters out there.

Speaking of Robin Mark, he did a concert at our church in late July. He was sick as a dog with some sort of stomach virus that hit him during the first song, but he managed to play two sets and totally electrified the place. He is friends of some folk in our congregation (transplants from Belfast), so we were able to snag him.

As for Hamer content, I use a newer USA Duotone into a Dr. Z MAZ Junior (heavily attenuated with a Dr. Z Airbrake, but still too loud at times!) and running the acoustic signal straight to the PA. A great combo, especially when there is only one guitar in the mix.

Jamie

[Guest galejt]

Dino.

The music director is after me to play Kottke's version of "Jesus, Joy of Man's Desiring" while she accompanys on piano. Not there yet, but working it. Plug my 555 into an Ultrasound 50 for amplification.

Jim

Edited to add: No Hamer content. I am so ashamed.

[savethematches]

I'm not in the worship band any more, but I'm in a Christian rock band with guys from the church. We cover several Third Day songs, some of which would be good for worship service--"Sing A Song" comes to mind. We also take old hymns and amp them up a great deal. We do a punk/metal version of "Nothing But The Blood," as well as a power blues version of Amazing Grace.

As for Hamer content, I did the children's sermon one Sunday and my main prop was my 86 TLE.

[ZR]

Does anyone know of a site for basic praise and worship type songs... tab, music whatever? Thanks!!

[Jimbilly]

I know we do Tomlin stuff, I guess I've gotta start paying attention, I don't really know who writes them, - I just play the songs!

All my basses get regular rotation, the '89 Chap 5 (iridescent w/ bartonlinis) is the favorite, followed by the Kubicki ex-factor.

It's cool to be playing in such a tight band, really great/nice/talented people and a really good drummer (but I often use at least 1 earplug). I'm now the old guy for sure (in my old church I was the young guy), I'm 38 and the 2nd oldest guy (w/ Centaura in granite) is about 34, everybody else is mid or early 20s.

[Guest JackButler]

I'm play in the praise band at Cascade Hills Church here in Columbus Ga and am also the minister of music for the high school and middle school programs here.

We mix contemporary christian/christian rock with secualr musics.. Everything from Jeremy Camp, Third Day and Chris Tomlin to Santana, Train, Eagles,etc..

There's some stuff out there..you just gotta look for it..like any of the Spin360 stuff or check out Worship Musician Magazine...there used to be a site out there called christian guitar as well.

[JohnnyScarp]

Jars of Clay, Point of Grace, Philips,Craig&Dean(country styles), some older Vinyard, - all have good songs for P&W. The new music director at the church where I play is a pro jazz drummer, he is a great musician, plays keys for the service. The guy writes his own songs, does remake of old and/or traditional hymns, and we do parodys of just about anything that's suitable - somtimes it's really fun. He scores the songs for easy rehearsal. It's a great gig.

The other band at the church is more of a guitar based rock type band that does mostly contemporary christian - we learn the songs parts from CD's and rehearse like a cover band.

If you look around, and think outside of the "tradition" you'll come up with some great stuff, have some fun and honor our Lord!

My three hole Duotone, TM60 and Yorkville do a great job in the church setting.

Try looking here:

http://www.sharesong.org/most_used.htm

[blackfbiv]

So basically we are all doing the same sorta stuff...

I had a membership with the Canadian Distributor for 90% of this stuff(CMC)... $250.00/year got me 10 CD's every 3 months plus a matching folio for one of the releases.

They would slip in some different stuff (Martha Martuzzi, Terry McAlmon) along with the 'big name' music... stuff that I would NEVER just pick up and buy. But there are always diamonds in the rough hidden in there. The program has ended so I'm not being inundated with P&W anymore. I hope they start it up again.

www.1christian.net/guitar/ has Christian rock stuff..I think i'ts a pay site now. My guitarist uses it.

http://www.praise-worship.net/ was a good site

http://www.pwarchive.com another I think both of these have had trouble with licensing (Integrity Music mostly)

http://www.higherpraise.com/index.htm is still pretty good..lots of older stuff...

Google it!!! lol

We've been doing some writing too. I was never a great songwriter and didn't develop that much. I find that as I sing more and more that it's growing.

If any of you want to share your songs, please do. I would love to introduce 'em to the folks here.

Dion