May be playing as praise band acoustic duo this summer

Our praise band historically has taken off every summer from sometime in May until sometime in September; I’m not sure why, but it was this way when I joined. When we are on "hiatus" the church music director has to play (huge pipe organ) every mass. There is usually a cantor who sings. We have six services on the weekend (the praise band plays just one service).

This year the band director asked us all how long we wanted to play this year. I responded “I’m in church every week anyway, why not play music while I’m here?” Our new female singer stated the she would like to play all year. Everyone else decided they wanted to quit in May.

Our band leader and her husband didn’t seem too enthusiastic about the two of us continuing on our own through the summer. Her husband said he didn’t think it would sound too good with just the two of us. The band leader said she would talk to the church music director about it, but didn’t seem too excited about it.

I can just hear the conversation now: “Two of our members want to play this summer by themselves, but they’re not very good and you probably wouldn’t go for it but I told them I’d ask. So, I’ll tell them I asked you but you didn’t think it was a good idea, ok?”

The woman I would be playing with is absolutely fantastic. I could just strum some old hymns and she could sing and it would be great. I hope I am up to her standards. Maybe we could mix it up with some newer CCM stuff, but I know anything with her singing will sound great.

With a seven person praise band, if someone is out for a Sunday, it’s easy enough to fill in the gaps. With a duo, we’ll just have to make sure neither of us is out.

I already put in a call to the church music director to talk to her about it directly instead of getting the conversation filtered through our band leader.

It may be a little nerve-wracking being responsible for all the music instead of just playing what someone tells me to. But what’s the saying “God doesn’t choose the prepared; He prepares the chosen.”

As a break or to mix it up, I would love to do worship with an acoustic guitar and a female vocalist with talent.
Yes, there is more responsibility and with it some stress in music selection etc. but that can also lead to more freedom. As far as playing ability goes, if you can play the chords, you're there.

It would definitely work. We've often had P&W at smaller meetings with just acoustic guitar and vocals.

I'm trying to bite my tongue but I'm wondering what sort of band leader decides not to bother playing for four months of the year? We occasionally find ourselves short on musicians in August but we just get creative with the people we have.

I love Sunday morning worship with just a guitar and one vocalist. While I piano and multiple voices/harmonies...there is something so pure about this sort of combination.

That combo is an awesome format. I hope it works out that you guys get to go for it.

Do you sing as well? Because acoustic guitar and some nice harmony vocals would sound pretty sweet.

(Or teach the singer to bash the drums, stick on electric and do Praise and Worship White Stripes-style!)

Do you sing as well? Because acoustic guitar and some nice harmony vocals would sound pretty sweet.

(Or teach the singer to bash the drums, stick on electric and do Praise and Worship White Stripes-style!)

Yeah, I can sing, but I'm your typical folk/rock troubidor bar singer, not a pro-level songstress like she is. I'm sure we could find something to work, but she's definitely a few levels above me.

Yeah, I can sing, but I'm your typical folk/rock troubidor bar singer, not a pro-level songstress like she is. I'm sure we could find something to work, but she's definitely a few levels above me.

The great thing about backing vocals is that you don't need to have a star-quality solo voice. The ability to harmonise and keep in tune and time should get you to something sounding good. Try it - it may give your sound that little extra to convince you that you can do this!

Go for it...it's huge to play regularly with good musicians-your own ability will grow by leaps and bounds. And so will your confidence.

Go for it, my brother! Remember it is a song unto Him!

I've left three voice mails and sent one email to the church music director with no call back. Either she's busy preparing for Easter week or the band leader got to her first...

I've led worship all by my lonesome manning the guitar and drum kit at the same time. Jangly guitar in my hand, kick and hi hat with a tambourine stuck on top :) Lots of fun, kids really seemed to enjoy it. :)

I've led worship all by my lonesome manning the guitar and drum kit at the same time. Jangly guitar in my hand, kick and hi hat with a tambourine stuck on top :) Lots of fun, kids really seemed to enjoy it. :)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qEF6pQy0fWI/Ta-Z48nxrQI/AAAAAAAAAIA/WcOOAGf888I/s1600/Bill+OneManBand.jpg

I can't think of anything any cleaner that allows people to praise and worship than a wonderful female voice singing "as unto the Lord" with an acoustic guitar for accompanyment. Gives me chills just thinking about it. Can I play with you?

I say ditto to all the positive comments about how great it can be in that format.

However, maybe you pray hard on it and find God's way of dealing with your band leader and the music director. We all have egos that can get in the way of worship, and sometimes our leaders can rank right up there.So, whatever you do, work it so you are respecting their authority.

Maybe you and the singer could start working on a small list of songs, get them down nice and tight, and then get the leader and director together and play them for them.

I sure agree that I'd rather play than take a hiatus!

**UPDATE**

This is the last week for the praise band until fall, but we finally got approval to go ahead with the praise band duo (I guess it would be called “Praise Duo,” wouldn’t it?).

The music director suggested that maybe we get some of the youth involved for the summer. That could be fun and rewarding. In the meantime the two of us are preparing to do it (or duet?) on our own. There is something to be said for the simplicity of two people learning their parts and performing a song together vs. trying to get 6 or 7 people organized and playing and singing what and when they are supposed to.

One thing about playing with a band is that it’s possible to “hide” if you forget a part or get lost. There will be no hiding now. I’ll be playing all the music (acoustic guitar) and doing some singing.

So very cool! I get to mix in the duo format every month or so. Just me on my acoustic and singing, and my wife singing harmony. Some songs we reverse the vocals and she sings lead and I harmonize. You are going to have a great time and be blessed!

This is actually really exciting. My wife and I went through something very similar recently. We were in an outreach praise band playing at churches, jails/prisons, nursing homes, etc. The band grew to 13 people (singers, guitars, keys, etc.). With the relocation of the leader (at the time) many others decided to leave as well. Long story short, my wife and I would be left to continue the ministry with the occasional help of a drummer. We were apprehensive at first but received a ton of great feedback and encouragement; some even claimed to enjoy our leading much more than the larger band. So we continue to sing, lead worship, and minister to ours outside the walls of our home church.

Please be encouraged and remember who you are doing this for.

This is actually really exciting. My wife and I went through something very similar recently. We were in an outreach praise band playing at churches, jails/prisons, nursing homes, etc. The band grew to 13 people (singers, guitars, keys, etc.). With the relocation of the leader (at the time) many others decided to leave as well. Long story short, my wife and I would be left to continue the ministry with the occasional help of a drummer. We were apprehensive at first but received a ton of great feedback and encouragement; some even claimed to enjoy our leading much more than the larger band. So we continue to sing, lead worship, and minister to ours outside the walls of our home church.

Please be encouraged and remember who you are doing this for.

I failed to mention that my wife sings and I sing and play acoustic guitar.

Our praise band may be 6 to 8 people one week, and two or three the next. It works, you just have to change the arrangements a bit, but it's good. In fact the congregation quite enjoys it and worships just as much when it's just me on my Tele and our drummer, (who is an old rocker), jamming out pure instrumentals. The important thing is having a heart to worship our Lord. Playing praise and worship should be a vertical experience, playing for Him. Not a horizontal experience, playing for the people. That's the key. So if that is your heart, and it sounds to me like it is, I'm sure you'll do great! And btw, that saying, at least the version I've heard, is "God qualify's the called, He doesn't call the qualified". God be with you.

We just had our first rehearsal. The church music director has decided to join us. She's a great singer and piano player, plus she's the church music director. She asked us what songs we had planned, and suggested a couple of others. We ran through them once and were done. A little over an hour and we were done.

A couple of them she added some harmonies and another she added a great piano part. The rest she said, "That was beatiful with just the two of you; I wouldn't change a thing."

I'm a lot less stressed about it now that she's there since she can handle the service music and any other surprises that may come our way Another bonus is that now we're going to meet at 4:00 for the 5:00 service. We had been getting there at 2:00.