Giving up a church gig...

Maybe you'll get some good karma out of the whole situation for taking the high road.



I'm just making stuff up. Seen too many Hollywood movies.

In which case I'm very relieved that you didn't go with either of the other obvious solutions...

1. A makeover montage or

2. A light sabre duel.

Personally I'm disappointed that this all seems to have been worked out before the light sabres were unholstered.
 
In which case I'm very relieved that you didn't go with either of the other obvious solutions...

1. A makeover montage or

2. A light sabre duel.

Personally I'm disappointed that this all seems to have been worked out before the light sabres were unholstered.

Lol. My second idea was a dance off, but it sounded too cliche. I much prefer your light saber idea!
 
Hi tcspears,

I've been playing drums at my church in the Northeast US (Massachusetts to be exact) since 2004 and I know of many other churches in the area where drums are being played regularly too. There are some churches here, one very close to me, that is almost like attending a rock concert, with a light show and everything. I personally don't like it when the music is real loud and when church feels like a "show." But others seem to like it. It's just not for me.

Wow, who knew?! I always thought that was a South Eastern thing... I've never come across anything like that in New England (I'm in MA as well)... I think that has to be a little more engaging than just solo organ pieces, especially for kids. I was always bored to tears by the music in churches growing up...
 
Wow, who knew?! I always thought that was a South Eastern thing... I've never come across anything like that in New England (I'm in MA as well)... I think that has to be a little more engaging than just solo organ pieces, especially for kids. I was always bored to tears by the music in churches growing up...

Forgive me for going off topic, but I just wanted to mention this one thing. My dad, who passed away several years ago, used to attend a church here in MA that had a drummer that only hit the drums hard all the time. The rest of the instruments were turned up real loud to compete with the volume of the drummer. My dad complained about it, as well as many others, but was basically told "Sorry, that's just the way we do it here." My dad eventually came to my church where I played the drums. The only complaints I ever heard was that I was too quiet! Haha!
 
Forgive me for going off topic, but I just wanted to mention this one thing. My dad, who passed away several years ago, used to attend a church here in MA that had a drummer that only hit the drums hard all the time. The rest of the instruments were turned up real loud to compete with the volume of the drummer. My dad complained about it, as well as many others, but was basically told "Sorry, that's just the way we do it here." My dad eventually came to my church where I played the drums. The only complaints I ever heard was that I was too quiet! Haha!

That's why most of the churches around here have gone electronic, so the drummer can bash away, but someone else controls the volume. I'm not real fond of the e-drums, but like the fact that I DON'T have to hit hard to be heard, or have to be in an acoustic cage with a-drums.
 
Continuing off topic....lol...

I made my reputation as a "quiet drummer" who can still keep the songs "exciting". Those are quotes of people in their 70s and 80s who typically struggle with drums in church in the first place, let alone having to be subjected to insenitive praise teams who take a "our way or the church up the road" attitude towards things.

For years I endured e-kits because it was just "what you did" if you wanted drums in the church. I have played "behind plastic" and with out it, and once inside "the box". By far my preference is for an acoustic kit without a cage and with a bd and snare mic and two condensers overhead fed into my monitor to give me a good idea of my overall sound in the mix.

By using good judgment and technique it can be done successfully. Last bit of advice I have for an aspiring "praise drummer" would be to lay off that god-awful "bash the daylights out of your cymbal for the ENTIRE song" ride pattern so popular nowadays.
Man how I hate hearing that! (Sorry for the rant! Lol)

Now where were we?
 
Cholly, maybe now would be a good time to speak with your new contacts at the church where you subbed about some other project you have in mind.
 
Heh heh...Already working that angle. They also play some local festivals or events. They have already given me about 3 set lists they regularly perform and have asked me to play with them. I think their next one is in February.

(And I won't have to use e-drums! YAY!)

This Sunday will be my last at this church. As things have evolved since I started this post, I'm glad that it's coming to an end. The pastor is micro managing the worship team and tells them what they can and can't play; and was trying to change the music 15 minutes before the end of our rehearsal Wednesday night to something we'd never played before.

In every other band I've always been in, the drama came from somewhere within the group, not from someone outside.
 
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