Question:
I normally lead with my acoustic, but I had a red "vester" electric guiatr given to me a while back and I'm thinking of using it when I lead again in a few weeks. The problem is that I won't be able to use it to it's full potential because I dont have foot pedals for effects. When I lead I will already have an electric guitarist on stage with me, but then, no acoustic.

Any pointers for a first timer leading with an electric guitar? Just general ideas and advice would be great.
Answer:
The full potential of the electric guitar is NOT in the cool effects that you can use with it.
In any event... my advice would be to get an amp that sounds good ('cause a lousy amp can make even the best guitar sound like crap) and make sure that you don't overdo the volume. Besides that, just be cool and don't freak out.

In His love,
Nate
Answer:
I have about 6 effects I use on a constant basis with my lead setup... when I lead worship on my electric, I use only delay. Keep it tasteful and basic I say. If you're soloing it just looks like a rock show.
Answer:
DEFINITELY watch the volume. Our worship "leader" is the lead guitarist in a hardcore band, and he seems to have problems adjusting between the two. We can't hear what they're singing, even when he turns his amp totally around. Then you throw drums in there....yikes. So, yes, watch the volume levels.
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I lead with my electric and my acoustic...definitely watch the volume...but just play like you would play an electric...there isn't any special way to play
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If you're used to leading on an acoustic, it's easy to fall into a somewhat predicteable yet effective strumming/rhythm pattern. What works on an acoustic doesn't necessary sound good on an electric. In other words, less is often more on an electric. I've tried both, and must say that I do prefer leading from an acoustic (by far) simply because it lends itself so well to being a "worship leading" instrument. Not to say that electrics are bad by any means, but just to say that they put out a completely different vibe. They really do have to be played in a different style than does an acousitc. Simply practice alot before hand, and try to remember that you'll likely have to play a bit less than normal in order for it to sound clean. Those tips about volume levels are priceless, too.
Answer:
I would have to agree with ryanspeer about the acoustic. I lead only with my acoustic, I have an electric but I wouldn't trade my acoustic for anything. If you already have an electric player then there would be no point to you leading with another one. The acoustic gives everything a richer sound and even raises the overall energy of the people in the room.
Matthew
Answer:
what's the line up of your praise band? What other instruments are there? As stated, if there's already an electric and you don't have anything really good or new to offer stick with accoustic. It will fill out the sound a lot more. Also, as stated, it's a lot different from an accoustic. You can't just go up there and play the same way you play accoustic and expect it to sound cool on electric. It's a completely different style. I also find it a LOT easier to lead with accoustic. You can just strum whatever and focus on leading instead of guitar. My two cents, take it or leave it.
-shane
Answer:
Ok, guys thanks for the info!!


The full potential of the electric guitar is NOT in the cool effects that you can use with it.
In any event... my advice would be to get an amp that sounds good ('cause a lousy amp can make even the best guitar sound like crap) and make sure that you don't overdo the volume. Besides that, just be cool and don't freak out.

I realize this about the effects, I was just wondering how important it would be to have effects or could I just use the built in ones?

Now what if I don't have an amp and can't exaclty afford one at the moment either?


I have about 6 effects I use on a constant basis with my lead setup... when I lead worship on my electric, I use only delay. Keep it tasteful and basic I say. If you're soloing it just looks like a rock show.

If I do end up leading with an electric, I won't be soloing but rather just the rythym side of things.


DEFINITELY watch the volume. Our worship "leader" is the lead guitarist in a hardcore band, and he seems to have problems adjusting between the two. We can't hear what they're singing, even when he turns his amp totally around. Then you throw drums in there....yikes. So, yes, watch the volume levels.

Good point for any instrument, but I doubt I would have a problem there as 1) I don't have an amp and 2) I don't like the hard stuff very much, it has to be tasteful for me to like it


I lead with my electric and my acoustic...definitely watch the volume...but just play like you would play an electric...there isn't any special way to play

Yes, this is probably the way I would go... strumming only and leaving the nice solos for the other electric guitarist

If you're used to leading on an acoustic, it's easy to fall into a somewhat predicteable yet effective strumming/rhythm pattern. What works on an acoustic doesn't necessary sound good on an electric. In other words, less is often more on an electric. I've tried both, and must say that I do prefer leading from an acoustic (by far) simply because it lends itself so well to being a "worship leading" instrument. Not to say that electrics are bad by any means, but just to say that they put out a completely different vibe. They really do have to be played in a different style than does an acousitc. Simply practice alot before hand, and try to remember that you'll likely have to play a bit less than normal in order for it to sound clean. Those tips about volume levels are priceless, too
What if the other electric guitarist played acoustic and I play electric? How many well known worship leaders are out there that lead with an electric? Matt Redman is one isn't he?
I would agree, that I would prefer to lead with an acoustic, but I won't to get out of being comfortable and do something differant and stretch myself a bit.


I would have to agree with ryanspeer about the acoustic. I lead only with my acoustic, I have an electric but I wouldn't trade my acoustic for anything. If you already have an electric player then there would be no point to you leading with another one. The acoustic gives everything a richer sound and even raises the overall energy of the people in the room.
Matthew
Yes the acoustic is better for richness and fullness of the music and at the end of the day it's number 1 on my list to lead with, but as I mentioned before, what if the electric guitarist had the acoustic and I had the electric?


what's the line up of your praise band? What other instruments are there? As stated, if there's already an electric and you don't have anything really good or new to offer stick with accoustic. It will fill out the sound a lot more. Also, as stated, it's a lot different from an accoustic. You can't just go up there and play the same way you play accoustic and expect it to sound cool on electric. It's a completely different style. I also find it a LOT easier to lead with accoustic. You can just strum whatever and focus on leading instead of guitar. My two cents, take it or leave it.
-shane

We have a keyboardist, electric guitarist (sometimes 2 at a time), acoustic (lead) acoustic drums, base, saxaphone, 3-4 backing vocalists and 1 lead vocalist. Sometimes we don't have the sax player and sometimes not even the keyboardist, I kinda wish we had less BV's though
Answer:
I don't think it's an issue SO much as acoustic vs. electric, as it is just altering the way you'd play it. I know that Redman plays electric frequently as do others, but it just requires altering the way you play. Having two electrics up there ain't bad at all (even if there's no acoustic in addition to the two electrics), but it'll just take kind of a "re-learning" process in which you learn to lead from an electric in a way that it flows smoothly, and doesn't make the music muddy/over-processed sounding.
In complete honesty, I never really mastered it and never really had the incentive to, as we have always had at least 1 backup electric guitarist in our worship team. It's just been easier and more natural to lead from an acoustic from me. Leading from an electric can certainly be done however. Just play LESS (in general), strum full chords alot less, play more single notes, etc. Things such as that help clean it up quite a lot.
God bless!
Answer:
I would play barre chords rather than open chords if I played the electric.
Answer:
I have led with me playing my electric almost exclusively for probably a year now in our more contemporary service. (There have been a couple exceptions)
What the others have said is true. I have found i to be quite a different animal than leading with acoustic guitar. Acoustic I have found to be a lot more rhythmic, at least in a full band context.
As I have come to be more relaxed and comfortable with the switch from acoustic to electric, I have found that it allows me to do a lot more with less. I rarely play full chords (open or barred) unless dynamically the song needs it. Partial chords (triads or whatever they are called) have given me more colours to work with, in a sense.
I think one of the keys is having control of the dynamics of what you are playing. Hammer on the strings hard all the time and it turns into mud. Play too softly and I might as well be playing air guitar. ;-)
I have seen a number of worship leaders that I respect using electric to lead with very positive results. It takes some time to get used to, but it can be done.
EDIT: By the way: only once in a month do we have an acoustic only player on the team (along with the bass, drums and my guitar, and the occasional keyboard) I love what it adds. The rest of the time we usually have another electric player. In that situation, I really like each guitar to have complimentary but different tones.
Answer:
How many well known worship leaders are out there that lead with an electric?
I know of a few...Tommy Walker, Matt Redman to name a few.
... I would prefer to lead with an acoustic, but I want to get out of being comfortable and do something differant and stretch myself a bit
I play my electric for a few of the songs and my acoustic for the second half of the songs. It makes for a great change in dynamics.
My advice: try it out [leading with electric]. if it goes well and the response is good then keep it...if not, you decide from there.
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I used to lead with my Strat from time to time. Generally, my playing isn't very different then with acoustic. Although the comments about not needing to strum as much are good thoughts. Take advantage of the sustain that electric provides.
Answer:
Don't play a crazy-looking electric, like a B.C. Rich Body Art or something. Try to use a plain-looking guitar, if you're leading with an electric. You might not think it makes a difference, but it can really distract the guitar players you happen to be leading in the congregation. Trust me, I've been distracted...
If you're playing clean, you should either play soft barre chords, or single notes of open chords. That can sound nice too. If you're using an overdrive/distortion, don't use a high-gain setting (unless of course you're looking for a heavy sound).
Take King of Majesty for example. The way to go about leading that song on electric is to rhythmically strum the barre chords softly for the verses (clean of course), and you could probably cut in with some distortion during the chorus, since it is a more up-beat song. At least, that's the way we play it. Our group enjoys the heavier sounds, and it's a youth group. So that might not apply to you. But it's the best example I can think of right now...