Question:
I am starting to practice with the worship team this Thursday, hopefully to start playing with them. As some of you know, I have mountains of gear. If you were to have a new guitarist on the team show up... What would be the best choice to bring? I was debating a small tube amp and my modded schecter, or bring the mammoth rack with delays, effects, and 3 channels. The rack is a bit intimidating to some people, so I was wondering if that would make a bad impression.
I can play pretty solidly, and am unaccustomed to pedals outside of my control pedals, so my choices are basically, a mammoth, pro grade rig that has lots of bells and whistles and is supremely versatile, but is pretty formidable or a modded valve jr with low clean headroom, but a good soft drive. ( I couldn't switch channels mid song, but I would be playing second electric most likely) (I don't plan on flicking the gain switches on, but leaving the bright switch on)
Answer:
This is just my personal way, but when I have someone new play with us, I would prefer them to start out somewhat subdued and not to come loaded for bear and ready to overpower the entire band. Why not start subtle, see how your playing fits in with the team, get a feel for how you mesh with them and then work with the leader to determine if the mountain of gear is going to be a fit based on how it will work with the rest of the group having their sonic space to fill out too.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Joe F This is just my personal way, but when I have someone new play with us, I would prefer them to start out somewhat subdued and not to come loaded for bear and ready to overpower the entire band. Why not start subtle, see how your playing fits in with the team, get a feel for how you mesh with them and then work with the leader to determine if the mountain of gear is going to be a fit based on how it will work with the rest of the group having their sonic space to fill out too.
the mountain of gear would be a better fit. I have my 2 delays and good switchable channels. I was thinking subtle might be better. I have a massive attenuator so I can play at any volume level really through my amp. I build attenuators onto all my gear now so I can keep my tone at different volumes.
By saying its huge... I mean its a 2x12, 6 space rack, and a 3 space rack. Its far more versatile, and to be honest, I feel a bit naked playing without my delays. However, I do want to be somewhat subtle, and not bring the most exotic rigs I have configured before, and all 5 guitars.
Answer:
My PODxt is subtle and powerful.
Personally, if someone was coming into my praise team, I'd expect then to bring what they play through, and what I should expect to hear.
But I'm also a bit biased because I have a bit of a mountain of gear as well, so...
Answer:
i say bring whatever you plan on using on a consistent basis. i think it would be better for you to bring everything so you can adjust to the worship team and also the worship team could adjust to you. i also believe that alot of the small effects and subtle changes in the sound can add a whole different feel to the music so i say bring everything and give it a shot.
Answer:
You might just try bringing only 1-2 pieces of gear from the setup - maybe just your delay gear. I know that I would be in trouble without it because I use it so much. If you can't do that though, you could just save up a bit and get a DD-5 and footswitch to run in there.
Answer:
I don't know if you've worked with this group or spent any time with them before, but my recommendation is to do that outside of a playing context. Maybe just attend a couple practice and determine what their needs are in a guitarist and how you could fill those needs.
Answer:
Originally Posted by thesteve I don't know if you've worked with this group or spent any time with them before, but my recommendation is to do that outside of a playing context. Maybe just attend a couple practice and determine what their needs are in a guitarist and how you could fill those needs.
They are losing both current guitarists to church plants soon. SO thats kind of what this is about.
Answer:
I personally wouldn't care whether you had a mountain of gear or not, although I can't speak for the rest of my instrumentalists - maybe one of the other guitarists would feel a little intimidated at first, or maybe the other guitarist would just think it was cool. Either way, if you normally play with delay and feel "naked" without it, I'd definitely bring along whatever I had to to use the delay effect. Now, when/if the leader says, "Bill, I think your idea on that song would sound a lot better if we just cut out that delay effect..." you should be ready to deal with that.
I wouldn't bring all 5 guitars. It's almost never necessary to have 5 guitars in the same place at the same time for one player and one song set.
Nate
Answer:
Originally Posted by BillSPrestonEsq They are losing both current guitarists to church plants soon. SO thats kind of what this is about. Gotcha...plusin myhead I failed to connect that this is most likely the church you've been attending services at so you'd already be familiar with their music from a "watching" standpoint. Looking at it that way, you already know what they're looking for in a guitar player. I'd just bring whatever you need. I think that if you're the right guy for the job and can do what they need, then what your gear looks like should be secondary.
Answer:
I think that if you're the right guy for the job and can do what they need, then what your gear looks like should be secondary.
Totally agree with that.
Your gear shouldn't be a major consideration -- it's more important to do your usual humble guitar guy thing, i.e., don't step on other folks' musical space, don't overplay, and, above all, watch your volume.
Also depends on the type of practice session. Is it a "full contact" practice or a "getting-to-know-the-songs practice." If the latter, then you just need a minimal set-up. (I bring a guitar and Microcube to practice).
Answer:
My first concern with a new member is that they display humility, a servant's heart, a desire to worship, and that they will commit to learning the songs.
Gear is of a low priority.
That said, if I saw someone bring in a mountain of gear and several guitars on their first or second week and they weren't requested to do so, I would be very concerned that they actually know what they're doing with the stuff and that their attention for serving and worshipping would be overshadowed by their attention for what toy they'd like to play with next.
If the "gig" required them to bring a lot of gear then fine and dandy and maybe that's the case here but I can only speak from my situation and having to deal with something like this before (and probably will again).
Answer:
Do they have a rythm guitar (acoustic)?
If you already have a connection in the band, wouldn't they know you have a mountain of gear? If not, you could just let them know that you do, and I wouldn't think it to be so shocking.
Especially if you use the gear well and sound good, it shouldnt be a problem IMO.
Answer:
Well, as a guitarist, my first concern would be to bring what you can be most comfortable with. Keep in mind if you have not often played with bands that effects that sound great in your practice space will get totally lost in context with a band. I use all kinds of stuff at home but live, I use a little reverb and delay as the song calls for it.
As a leader, I would be very concerned if you showed up with a mountain of gear and something either malfunctioned leaving them with no sound OR if they could not move from song to song quickly because they were "dialing in their sound". Nothing annoys me more. A guitar straight into an amp (especially a small tube amp with nice tone) goes a very long way in my book.
Answer:
As a leader, I would be very concerned if you showed up with a mountain of gear and something either malfunctioned leaving them with no sound OR if they could not move from song to song quickly because they were "dialing in their sound". Nothing annoys me more. A guitar straight into an amp (especially a small tube amp with nice tone) goes a very long way in my book.
This is a huge point. Any guitarist/instrumentalist who is on a stage playing a song set absolutely needs to be able to transition from one song to the next seamlessly if need be, as the set requires. I haven't yet (only been doing this for 6 years or so) had someone who was asking for extra time to "dial in" their sound, but I can see it as a potential problem. If you've got a mountain of gear - on stage, it better be quickly switchable or else you've got to simplify.
This is one reason why my stage electric rig is usually guitar -> overdrive stompbox -> amp. I'm thinking about adding a delay, but it hasn't happened yet. The rig is so simple, though, that transitions are second nature.
Nate