General Music Chat

Ok, so...I'm a worship pastor of a church in Pelham, Alabama, and I've been using bandmix to seek musicians that are looking for intense and radical music to play with. We us in-ear monitors with an Aviom system and click-tracks. One would think that would attract great musicians, but i can't find any at all willing to give it a try. Yes, I think it probably has something to do with us being a church...but the music is NOT what you think it is. We are extremely diverse in style ranging from Planetshakers, to Hillsong Young & Free (Electronic mixes), Rend Collection, River Valley Worship, Elevation Worship, and the list goes on.

So what could I do to attract advanced & professional musicians OTHER than pay them? This is ministry and ministry is very difficult due to the sacrifices made to do what must be done and what you love to do...but not expect anything in return.

I think part of the problem (sadly) is most musicians want to be rock stars and don't even attend church. The other thing is they want to be PAID. I don't believe people should be paid to play at church. I do know folks that make really good money playing in church. I wouldn't do it unless I were donating my time. The church I attend (New Hope) in Pearland Texas has unbelievably good singers, players, P.A. and equipment I thoroughly enjoy the music part of church almost as much as the sermon. Good luck Brother.

Other than pay them? That's kind of a conundrum isn't it? Unless you are doing all original and shooting for a record deal or something there is not much incentive. I don't recall Pelham as being very large so the pool of folks who just feel like throwing together some cool music for fun is probably low.

I play in a church band but we're doing Christian music - a new turn for a metal head like me but I am enjoying it. I have heard of churches that pay musicians or music leaders but that is the real big ones. We've drawn our players and singers from the congregation and while we are a small church we lucked into a lot of good people. Sadly, some of the younger ones are heading off to college.

I've been pleasantly surprised by how skilled the younger ones are, although it is a bit amusing that they find me kind of eccentric, like when I praised a good rehearsal by saying, "Ain't nobody gonna throw beer bottles at us for that one!" I do forget sometimes they haven't played any joints...

If you can't find skilled pros in the church, you may have to grow some and that takes a bit of work. Might be worth it though on several levels. Maybe combine your music ministry with a youth ministry? Lots of kids want to play.

Good luck and God bless.
Talbot

I have been doing worship in one form or another most of my life. I currently play guitar in a church that has grown from 3000 to a crazy 25,000 members in the last 10 years and we have over 100 musicians involved in the worship program. One of the best sources for dedicated worship leaders here is the local Bible colleges and APU. They have great music programs that train these young adults who are hungry to lead worship on Sunday.

We have some worship leaders on salaried staff to help keep everything organized and if a musician leads worship 3/4 weekends they earn an honorarium for devoting their time and effort to the program. All of my efforts are purely in serving the church and if given an honorarium I will use it as a gift to help a young member afford to go on a mission trip or camp.

I have heard of churches that pay musicians or music leaders but that is the real big ones.

That is no coincidence

We have some worship leaders on salaried staff to help keep everything organized and if a musician leads worship 3/4 weekends they earn an honorarium for devoting their time and effort to the program.

Honorarium (for the unchurched) means they give you something that doesn't really honor you, so they can say they paid you.



Here's the bottom line that no Pastors want to hear: The TITHES mentioned in the Bible that they all preach about every Sunday.......it went to support the MUSICIANS serving in the Temple. Not a single preacher in the bunch.

I totally understand someone wanting to serve and give to their local congregation with no expectation. That is a noble thing to do but it's not biblical, nor right to be free labor taken for granted. What I don't understand is why the "church" is so cheap that they force musicians to go play in the world to be truly "honored" for their gift by really bad paying bars that are still better than churches.

Oh...don't get me started!!!!???!

But there's your answer. Read it and weep.

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Ted

When I joined the church I pledged my time, talents and treasure. Happy to do it. Particularly since I don't have much in the way of treasure these days!

Talbot

You know the older I get, the more I think like the
Church of Christ, where all music is done acapella
with no instrument backup, that preacher really
backs up this claim with Bible references

As a musician that has visited many churches in an effort to "donate" my time the problem I keep encountering is that the music ministry usually seems so inaccessible.

Suppose I were to visit your church next Sunday, how does your church facilitate the process of me getting tied in with your music ministry? Should I just approach any random person who was on the stage and ask if I could jam with them next Sunday? That comes off as very awkard ... Should I just stick around attending church service for a few months until the right opportunity appears to strike up a conversation with someone important? How long should I have to 'pay my dues' attending services until it is appropriate for me be on the stage?

These are the thoughts that cross my mind when I do happen to attend a new church service with a desire to play

WOW The gentleman that started this thread didn't leave his name.

This is one of BEST TRHEADS AND REPLIES POSTED IN YEARS!!!

Oh one other question YOD...
Did you have a cold in your nose when you recorded AMAZING TOGETHER?
Not my favorite song but I also note WHAT A STRONG VOCALIST YOU ARE!!!!!

Oh and please don't ever bring any of those flat rubber asss tire kicker beers around here again. (LAUGHING))

I poured them down the sink. Big mistake . Rotted out my pipes and wrecked my cesspool.

Never happened before with simple bud light.

Love, Hope you are OK!!!Glen and Gwen!

Ted

When I joined the church I pledged my time, talents and treasure. Happy to do it. Particularly since I don't have much in the way of treasure these days!

Talbot

It's one thing to donate your talent as unto the Lord...but do they even give you a tax receipt for your work like they would if it was a cash donation? No, they expect you to do it free AND still tithe. You're a "pay to play"musician and it costs you more than any "showcase" bar in LA.

You are noble to do so.

But it's quite another thing for churches to expect free labor out of musicians. Let's see them do that when they need a toilet fixed, or replace electrical wiring, or when they build their new sanctuary.

I'm telling ya (and convinced) that the best musicians in the world were people that the "church" drove out by being so cheap that they had no option to use their GOD given ability except to leave the "church. Especially if they ever want to be paid for their specialized trade.

Oh one other question YOD...
Did you have a cold in your nose when you recorded AMAZING TOGETHER?
Not my favorite song but I also note WHAT A STRONG VOCALIST YOU ARE!!!!!!

Thanks, bro. No I didn't have a cold but it was about 3 AM when I got around to singing that in my little demo studio.

And I was trying to find and create the melody while singing it, so it's not a confident vocal like it would be after playing the song out live a time or two. You may not like it, but when I sang that first line in a couple of places I've played it around here, people perk up to hear the rest of it.

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Ted

You must have encountered some pretty hinky churches...

Talbot

Ted

You must have encountered some pretty hinky churches...

Talbot

no...some of them paid their musicians and flourished.

Texas is the land of the mega-church, and all those places know if you want to fill up a building fast, you need an excellent music team. And if you want the best musicians you should pay to keep them.

If you aren't going to pay the musicians, then no one at the church should be getting paid.




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Zenith - I got my job as bass player the easy way. I was sweeping the floor of the church and heard the band rehearsing and stopped to chat with the players. The music director was playing bass and I didn't know it at the time, but he was deathly ill. He asked me to take over the job which I assumed was temporary. Sadly, it wasn't.

It never hurts to ask. Nobody will walk up to you and say, "Hey, are you a musician? Do want to play in the band?" Let it be known and if there is an opening they'll let you know.

Ted - I think you are dead wrong on this issue. It's an honor to play for free for love of Christ. I was frankly surprised at how well the congregation reacts to our music, many have told me it enhances their worship experience. We're not playing new-agey baloney and it goes over well.

We don't get paid for sweeping the floor either, should i join a union or something?

Talbot