Leading Worship With Larrivee

[bing4sons]

"Don't follow leaders, watch the parking meters."
Okay, how about "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows."

Those must be Canadian sayings.   :lol:

Down here in the south we say things like, "fine as frog's hair", when asked how we're doing.   :D  

Or "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush", although I've never really quantified that one.

Or step on a crack, break your mama's back, or something like that.

[ducktrapper]

Hey, Hibbing IS very close to Canada! That might explain a lot. All those cold Canadian air masses. Oh,  speaking of worship, has anyone ever played a Larrivée at an Air Mass?  

[hsojeel]

Yeah I have been doing worship for over 6 years and I am learning new stuff all the time especially about what real worship is.  I used to use my takamine for worship cause it had a good live sound but now I use a J-10 with a K&K pure western mini and man does it growl.  Those of you who know, know my dad bought the j-10 from me but he lets me use it.
Also check out my thread here about worship songs.
http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index....t=ST&f=9&t=4678

[laughingskunk]

Sounds like you are a member of the Church of Dylan , ducktrapper.

[brimc76]

Okay, how about "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows."

Wasn't that the motto of the old SDS underground movement from California back in the late 60's? I think their nickname was "The Weathermen".

[MaRio]

Prior to that I played a Takamine Santa Fe model that is now for sale.  

I still have my '95 Takamine Santa Fe-my first acoustic. In need of a new nut and neck reset(not worth the money), I still pick it up sometimes.

[wyodeb]

I play in the praise band at First Presbyterian in Great Falls, and we are lucky if we can get everyone a mic that works!  I play guitar (usually a Larrivee) and sing, and we have another guitar player, a drummer, piano player (used to be keyboard player, until it died), and a couple of young singers.  It is fun, but we are light years from your setup.  Our church was slow to accept the praise band, but now we have two services, one for traditional and one for praise.  During the summer we did combined services, and unfortunately we had more than one aged congregation member get up and leave during our songs, saying "TOO LOUD!".  Hopefully we'll become more accepted by the older parishoners.  Jason

Take heart, Jason. That's how we started 10 years ago. We now have 5 guitars, several vocalists, and a conga drum. We used to have a string bass, but he's in the military (my daughter's best friend, his name is Jason, too) right now. Between us we have my Larrivee OM, my husband's Guild Jumbo 12-string, a 70s Martin D-18, a sweet Gibson dread, and a Yamaha nylon string. The Gibson player sometimes plays her banjo or mandolin, depending on the song. We are still looking for a keyboard player. We play lots of newer P&W stuff, as well as at least one old classic hymn per service. Some of the people who walked out on us in the beginning are now our biggest proponents.

Deb

[Mikeymac]

Also, Jason, those people who are complaining that you are too loud...I bet they never said that when they heard a pipe organ played full blast!!!  It's all about what you grew up with...and we try to be sensitive to everyone's tastes, while keeping the overall worship experience coherent (tough to go from "In the Secret" to "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"!!!).

We try to use at least one/two hymns each Sunday as well; we have found some good hymn arrangements at hymncharts.com; they'll let you download a copy of All Hail the Power of Jesus Name, which we used again last Sunday; good arrangement.

[J-Max]

Well, I've had my L-09E for a few weeks now.  I use it for contemporary worship every Sunday morning.  We play a lot of Passion stuff (i.e. Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder, etc.)  I really just look for and pray about the best lyrics for that weeks topic & run with it.

Actually, this is the 1st week of a church plant I'm heavily involved in.  The church I was attending (about 1500 strong) has planted 3 different services in the past 3 years.  It's awesome to be a part of it.

[davidsowk]

Hi Everyone,

What a great series of topics!

Playing in a Church group with a "trained" piano player who is used to doing it all (finding the songs, teaching the harmony to the singers, playing the music etc) makes it is difficult to get her to stop playing the chords, the fills, the melody - the whole darn song!  I appreciate the comments of other players with similar experiences.  Since I have been playing my Larrivee, more and more people have approached me to comment on the nice sound -two parishoners have asked the group leader (piano player) if we could play some songs with just the guitar!  I have adopted a very low key approach to playing in this group.  I view my role is to be helpful, not to cause egos to be hurt.  I'll just keep on playing as well as I know how, but I sure wish the group leader would pick a few more guitar friendly songs.  I can relate to the comments about chord changes on every note and always playing in Eb.  Why is it that so many hymns have an F#m7?

I find it interesting that many of our Churches are playing the same songs, Catholics, Protestants etc.  I think that it is wonderful that music brings people togther in joy.

[rrgguitarman]

Great topic! My wife and I do the worship music for our bible study that we have in our home. I just got my D-09 and it's a sweet thing to worship with. Prior to getting the Larry i've been using a Seagull, actually several birds. It's such blessing to read all of you worshiping the Lord with your God given talents. PTL.

[DreadsRCool]

I use my D-70 or D-10 when leading at a small home study. For now I'm using my Taylor Windom Hill with a Ultrasound AG-50DS2 through the PA System on Sundays when I get to play. However, I want to start using my D-10 and use the Ultrasound as a monitor being that I just purchased an Ultrasound Ultra PDI.

1 Chronicles 16:33 "Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the LORD..." My sitka spruce and indian rosewood sing as much as they can to the Lord. :D

David

[danerada]

I view my role is to be helpful, not to cause egos to be hurt.  I'll just keep on playing as well as I know how, but I sure wish the group leader would pick a few more guitar friendly songs.

davidsowk -

That's right...It's not about us anyway...but it is fun to play those guitar songs for Christ! Be patient and I am sure you will be rewarded with some guitar led songs...your attitude sounds great and will not go unnoticed by the Lord.

[ducktrapper]

Sounds like you are a member of the Church of Dylan , ducktrapper.

Nah. Like Groucho, I wouldn't join any church that would have me. And also unlike Dylan, devil or the lord, non serviam. At least not without representation. ;)

[bing4sons]

I can relate to the comments about chord changes on every note and always playing in Eb.  Why is it that so many hymns have an F#m7?

I find it interesting that many of our Churches are playing the same songs, Catholics, Protestants etc.  I think that it is wonderful that music brings people togther in joy.

Hymns are generally written in keys for piano.  If it's in Eb, you can alway capo up 1 fret and play in the key of D.

Many of the remakes of hymns that are being done today, particulary by Passion, are in very open chord voicings with less chord changes (it gives a more modern feel to the songs).

F#m7 - one way that I like to play this, that sounds better for open voices choruses than the barre chord, IMO, is like this:

....E...A...D...G...B...E
....x...o...o...o...o...o
1
-----------------------
2................X
-----------------------
3
-----------------------
4.......X...X

I tend to emphasize the A-G strings, moreso than the B&E strings on this.

[danerada]

A lot of the newer worship songs and re-done hymns sound great with a Cut-Capo...

[All4Him]

I aslo lead worship at church with the larry and love it!

I have adopted a very low key approach to playing in this group. I view my role is to be helpful, not to cause egos to be hurt. I'll just keep on playing as well as I know how, but I sure wish the group leader would pick a few more guitar friendly songs.

Our church worship was very traditional at first, consisting mostly of a pianist who fills the whole song with chords/arpegios/melodies/scales/kitchen sink, you name it.  So when we formed praise bands it was difficult to fit in that pianist and not have her encroach on say the bass parts or rhythm parts on the piano.  It didn't help that she's a piano teacher not used to people giving her advice on her playing.  On the other team where the other pianist wasn't as headstrong, after talking with her she learned to play keyboard and has become an integral part of that team.

davidsowk I understand your situation and I think that's a very good and humble attitude you have.  Hopefully the pianist lead would take people's suggestion and be more open to other intruments.

Here's a good article by Rick Warren of the Saddleback church and of the Purpose Drive Life fame on targeting your praise/worship

[davidsowk]

The replies and comments on this thread have touched my heart, thank you for taking the time to care!  and thank you for the suggestions.

I play my larrivee as a part of the musical group at our Sunday evening church service, the morning services have a very traditional (read, old) choir singing all the organ hymns.  Last year, a new Pastor asked that the music at our service be "toned down" and be more "prayerful".   In a very short time we lost half of our audience as people went to other services or other churches.  We also lost some of our best singers.  Happily the Pastor has realized "A song often can touch people in a way that a sermon can't."  and we are now back on track.  I completely believe "It's the message, not the music"  but music deliver the message in a way that can be more powerful than the best sermon.  When the singers and the musicians blend together just right, I can get goosebumps!  and my Larrivee is an important tool in this process.

[jimi thing]

When the singers and the musicians blend together just right, I can get goosebumps!  and my Larrivee is an important tool in this process.

I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!

just came back from practise..... more less a jam session. it was a ton of fun, learnt a new song for sunday, and had some good laughs!

the goose bumps and the hair standing on the back of your neck while you're laying down a killer rhythm, and the words and voices fill the gym.... what a feeling!

love it when sunday comes around  :lol:

[KenS]

I play service music several times a month for a Episcopal church (we Episcopalians don't do "praise" music as a rule).  I usually use my Collings as it is my standard tuning guitar - my OM-09 is used for open D, open G, and drop G (DGDGBE).  Both guitars have McIntyre pickups which I run through an LRB Para-DI.  Most of my playing for them is fingerstyle instrumental.  Some recent selections:

In the Bleak Midwinter
Silent Night
We Three Kings
St. Patrick's Breastplate (the 6th verse which was composed by Ralph Vaughn  
  Williams)
Simple Gifts (done in Drop G on the Larrivee)
In Christ There Is No East or West (performed as a voluntary; the John Fahey
 arrangement)
Several other things from the 1982 Hymnal which I know only by number.

Ken S.