Need advice

[IAMREDEEMED79]

Hello all, I am new here and am looking for some advice because as I am sure we are not the only church who's worship team got hit hard by COVID-19. We once had a full team, healthy and able to rotate members around each week in both production/tech and on the worship/band. When COVID-19 hit almost everyone left the team except the vocalists (5), a beginner guitar player and my family (*The NEW production team lol) became my new worship/production team.
We moved to playing with MP3 tracks of recorded music simply because up to that point we did not use any IEM's or click tracks or any kind, nor do we have the budget for them. We also used the MP3 tracks because the guitarist is a beginner and is not confident (Skill level) enough to play as a solo guitar and we had no other instruments. Now my problem is we have a new drummer and the guitarist (He is a beginner and still learning) are rehearsing and are wanting to play on Sundays, but with them both playing the mix is too muddy with all the extra instrumentation and no matter how much I tell them and explain it...the message does not get heard.
Last night at rehearsal, I asked the guitar player and drummer to stop playing so we can run through one of the songs without them to see how it sounds and he got angry and packed his guitar and left rehearsal early. As a musician and sound tech I can totally understand his frustration, but at this point do I just make a call and say no to all instrumentation in order to preserve the sound, or do I allow them to worship and try to mix the sound in a way that is not so muddy which means pulling them way back in the mix? I am conflicted....please help!

 

[andreha]

It sounds like the guitar/drummer don't have the congregation's best interests at heart, and you do. Perhaps they want to play their instruments for their own purposes, and not be in unison with everybody else. They need to understand that this is not all about them, and if they are not serious about serving the Lord with music in unity, then they may want to reconsider. People need to co-operate with mutual understanding, and division will get them nowhere. Do pray about this, but they need to decide where they stand.

 

[Mayflower1]

Hello all, I am new here and am looking for some advice because as I am sure we are not the only church who's worship team got hit hard by COVID-19. We once had a full team, healthy and able to rotate members around each week in both production/tech and on the worship/band. When COVID-19 hit almost everyone left the team except the vocalists (5), a beginner guitar player and my family (*The NEW production team lol) became my new worship/production team.
We moved to playing with MP3 tracks of recorded music simply because up to that point we did not use any IEM's or click tracks or any kind, nor do we have the budget for them. We also used the MP3 tracks because the guitarist is a beginner and is not confident (Skill level) enough to play as a solo guitar and we had no other instruments. Now my problem is we have a new drummer and the guitarist (He is a beginner and still learning) are rehearsing and are wanting to play on Sundays, but with them both playing the mix is too muddy with all the extra instrumentation and no matter how much I tell them and explain it...the message does not get heard.
Last night at rehearsal, I asked the guitar player and drummer to stop playing so we can run through one of the songs without them to see how it sounds and he got angry and packed his guitar and left rehearsal early. As a musician and sound tech I can totally understand his frustration, but at this point do I just make a call and say no to all instrumentation in order to preserve the sound, or do I allow them to worship and try to mix the sound in a way that is not so muddy which means pulling them way back in the mix? I am conflicted....please help!

If you have a YouTube subscription, you can perhaps use instrumentals from there and just sing that way. The instruments can play with the music too maybe. Sorry to hear about them getting covid. Prayers for your team.

 

[Mayflower1]

It sounds like the guitar/drummer don't have the congregation's best interests at heart, and you do. Perhaps they want to play their instruments for their own purposes, and not be in unison with everybody else. They need to understand that this is not all about them, and if they are not serious about serving the Lord with music in unity, then they may want to reconsider. People need to co-operate with mutual understanding, and division will get them nowhere. Do pray about this, but they need to decide where they stand.

My only caution on this is age. Some younger Christians, like teens, and even some adults, I can understand their interests a bit off. It doesn't mean they have completely impure motives. I just know I was singing on praise team as a teenager and my motives have since been more purified over the years. I can sing anywhere in congregation and still "lead worship" worshipping the Lord. So I would be careful to judge motives, but more help them understand the situation more.

 

[andreha]

My only caution on this is age. Some younger Christians, like teens, and even some adults, I can understand their interests a bit off. It doesn't mean they have completely impure motives. I just know I was singing on praise team as a teenager and my motives have since been more purified over the years. I can sing anywhere in congregation and still "lead worship" worshipping the Lord. So I would be careful to judge motives, but more help them understand the situation more.

Very valid point, I was imagining the band members to be older. So yes, more gentleness would indeed be required here.

 

[pdudgeon]

You choose option #2.
Let them play and at the same time, teach them how to cooperate with the vocalists in order to produce a sound that is pleasing to God.
And if possible, sit them down and explain to them the lesson about the "Harmony of the Body" and how God created our bodies so that each part is not independent from the rest.
Our body parts are designed to have to work together with the other parts, so that no body part is more important than another.
Best wishes!

 

[spiritfilledjm]

Welcome! Yeah, I agree with Pdudgeon ultimately. I mean, it is hard because you want it to sound good, not just for God but for the congregation as well but if the instrumentalists are just not that good, especially as beginners than you kinda need to make that call that they need more practice over the songs before they can play them in front of people. I'd explain that you want them on the team (if indeed you do) but that they need a lot more practice before they're able to perform in front of people.

 

[Tolworth John]

ooking for some advice because as I am sure we are not the only church who's worship team got hit hard by COVID-19.

If you do not have a competent band, go minimalist and use a piano/keyboard, plus another competent instrument and two/three vocalists.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

These days, everyone is a bit on edge. Each person should,imho, realize this and extend a little more grace to each other. The worship team is experiencing some transitional pain. Maybe this can be explained by a mature person, maybe the pastor, to smooth ruffled feathers

 

[FreeinChrist]

ADVISOR HAT


This isn't a debate forum or the place to insult other members.
A clean up was done.​

 

[1watchman]

Hello all, I am new here and am looking for some advice because as I am sure we are not the only church who's worship team got hit hard by COVID-19. We once had a full team, healthy and able to rotate members around each week in both production/tech and on the worship/band. When COVID-19 hit almost everyone left the team except the vocalists (5), a beginner guitar player and my family (*The NEW production team lol) became my new worship/production team.
We moved to playing with MP3 tracks of recorded music simply because up to that point we did not use any IEM's or click tracks or any kind, nor do we have the budget for them. We also used the MP3 tracks because the guitarist is a beginner and is not confident (Skill level) enough to play as a solo guitar and we had no other instruments. Now my problem is we have a new drummer and the guitarist (He is a beginner and still learning) are rehearsing and are wanting to play on Sundays, but with them both playing the mix is too muddy with all the extra instrumentation and no matter how much I tell them and explain it...the message does not get heard.
Last night at rehearsal, I asked the guitar player and drummer to stop playing so we can run through one of the songs without them to see how it sounds and he got angry and packed his guitar and left rehearsal early. As a musician and sound tech I can totally understand his frustration, but at this point do I just make a call and say no to all instrumentation in order to preserve the sound, or do I allow them to worship and try to mix the sound in a way that is not so muddy which means pulling them way back in the mix? I am conflicted....please help!

Perhaps the problem there is a rebellious attitude! First of all we see no where in the New Testament Church about bands, soloists, and entertainment; rather that the saints collectively sing praise to God and worship collectively as a "holy" and "royal" priesthood. One needs to study the Epistles and learn about the Church testimony as a collective gathering. I hope this helps.

 

[iluvatar5150]

try to mix the sound in a way that is not so muddy which means pulling them way back in the mix? I am conflicted....please help!

On one hand, I commend you for appreciating the fact that too many instruments without the proper arrangements can muddy up the mix. Many, many churches seem to not grasp this.

OTOH, as the engineer, mixing things so they sound better is your entire job. It is completely appropriate to pull something back if it needs to be quieter. It would be wonderful if your musicians could adjust their tones and levels to balance themselves, but that's a skill often possessed only by seasoned pro's and if you were working at that level, you probably wouldn't be here asking us for advice.

As to how to manage your team, that's up to you. If you're okay with beginners being part of the group, then you're going to have to be okay with teaching them the process, too. A lot of people have no idea what it takes to put a song together and it's easy for egos to get bruised when their expectations go unfulfilled.

Personally, I wouldn't do karaoke versions of the songs. I know others disagree, but I think it usually comes off as cheesy, especially with anything more up-tempo. With 5 vocalists and a drummer, you should be able to put together arrangements that sound decent. But if you do stick with the mp3's and adding one guitar and live drums muddies up the mix too much, then I would look at your mixing. Unless the guitarist is playing an electric with a really horrible distortion/fx patch, it shouldn't be that hard to get those two additional parts to sit in there.