Do you play piano or guitar

[carguy1]

So, how many of you folks play guitar and/or piano. Currently all I play is saxophone. Now I am not asking this question becuase I think that playing one of these instruments is required, but I do think it could be helpful and I personally would like to learn both. Anyways, I would also like to know if you are full time music minister, paid part time, or volunteer. Thanks.

[dan_tone]

Volunteer. I play Electric guitar. I play both of our services on Sunday 3 out of 4 Sundays a month (I made a deal with my wife that I would take one weekend off a month).

[Stevie Nature]

I can play both piano and guitar. I lead from acoustic, though. I used to play piano exclusively for my last church, but haven't played consistently for like three years so I'm a little rusty. Personally, I like knowing that I can play both, but I'd never step on my pianist's toes and "show her how it's done." I did that once with my drummer and it just came across the wrong way.

I'm currently a volunteer, though my church has mentioned starting to pay me. We'll see.

[carguy1]

I would certainly never tell a real guitarist or pianist how to play, but I would find some comfort in knowing that if I was the only person to show up one suday I could play well enough to get through the service.

I also would like to write some music, but it is very difficult when all you play is Sax.

[Stevie Nature]

If you're musical and have access to an instrument you should be able to teach yourself. That's what I did. I'd just get a chord book for either piano or guitar and just spend a little time with it everyday. Eventually you'll get to a level at which you'll be able to lead from that instrument. With piano I'd recommend learning chords as opposed to playing with sheet music simply because this tends to work better in a worship team setting. Most of the chord books I've seen show the root chord then its inversions. I'd recommend learning the root and the inversions. Not only does it sound better, but you eventually get to the point where you can play and sing without having to think about the chords. Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

[carguy1]

That is what I am currently working on. I have a chord chart for guitar and a beginners book from when I took lessens for a short time. I have been working out of this book and also using the chord chart to try playing along with some of the chord sheets I have from church.

For piano I have a couple of beginners books that my younger brother used when he was learning to play. I am using those.

Thanks for the advice. Maybe it is just me, but I find it very frustrating to be at a certain level on the sax and then having to start at grond zero on the guitar and piano. It's difficult to not be progressing as fast as I would like, but I guess I have to remember that when I first started playing sax I practiced for about 2 hours 4-5 days a week on my own, not to mention the rehearsels as school.

[Stevie Nature]

What's even more frustrating is being good at an instrument then not playing it for a while then being really rusty. I used to be pretty good at piano and drums, but I haven't played in forever. I tried playing both when we got in our new building setting up the system...it wasn't pretty. :eek:

Just hang in there, though. It will come.

[twc_admin]

Hey,
I'm 100% piano player, but I can play a little guitar ... it helps sometimes to be able to play a few chords!

[garyhodges]

Both my wife and I are keyboardists and have led from them our whole career. However, a few years back we both at the same time (in our early 40's) decided it was time to learn to play guitar. It took about 6 months before we could even attempt to try and lead from the guitar, but now we can fake our way through a set (Paul Baloche is a great resource).

So now, we trade off every week to give each other a chance to consistently lead from keyboard and guitar.

Status? Part-time at our church as worship leaders.

[russhutto]

I do both...depending on the set list and who is on the rotation for the week. We're a growing church (over 300) the last 3 weeks, so we're hoping to find more and more musicians as we grow.

Right now our main guitarist is on break (his wife just had a baby), so we have a 20 year old phenom who is filling in (which is great, except his heart isn't really in it). On occasion, I play drums. When our main guitarist is back in rotation (he also leads).

I'm full-time media/music.

[Kevin E.]

I play niether :) I am right now mastering the art of drumming and once I have learned that fully and been playing for a few months I am going to start gutair!

[fretguy]

I have tried to learn piano, but I relate it back to guitar chord structure. I think leading from sax would be pretty cool. You would need to structure your team so that you have the flexibility to actively lead the congregation when needed.

[carguy1]

I hadn't concidered "leading from the sax." I can see the possiblities of that. I am not sure how well it would work in the classic service that I am currently leading, but I could see it in more contemporary services. I might be able to work it out in a classic style service. Hmmm, the wheels turneth.

[alhilgendorf]

Some Sunday's I play acoustic guitar, some Sunday's electric, some Sunday's piano. Different set lists lend themselves to leading from different instruments for me. The congregation also appreciates the variety, and yes, there have been times when I was the only musician, so it has been helpful to be able to play an accompanimental instrument.

I'm a volunteer.

[bethoumyvision]

I'm a wind player as well -- flute, mainly. I can play a little piano, but I don't feel like I'm 'there yet' to lead the majority of praise songs on piano. I have myself wondered--could one lead, & also cover some of the wind parts? I agree that it would be a structuring thing with your team. We've had people lead just from vocals before as well, which is what I'd probably end up doing. Currently, I am only taking on our choir (& the traditional hymn service they sing at), since I also have conducting skills (funny how that was my least favorite music class in college!) In our contemporary service, I usually sing & play flute or whistle, & sometimes do a few little things on keys if no one else is covering it, but not often.

I think it'd be great to lead from saxophone! & how much more versatile than flute... I sometimes wish I doubled both! :)

Matt, you & I seem to be in a similar boat. I feel I've been called into worship ministry as well, as of this past summer, & now our worship pastor is moving to another church! Not how I had hoped I'd get into it (at least for some temporary experience), & I feel I have a lot of work to do in learning, gaining experience, etc., particularly if I wanted to feel more equipped to lead contemporary services.

I also read in one of your posts about the confirmations you've been getting about your call. I think that's an important thing -- hold on to those, & even write them down for future remembrance! The devil will use anything he can to distract & discourage us, but by remembering God's affirmations, we can get out of those times more easily!

Thank you for all of your sharing in this journey. It's been wonderful for me to see others on this journey as well.

[csobalvarro]

I'm a big proponent of using an instrument to lead worship. Three reasons....

1) playing an instrument, particularly a rhythmic one, really helps in leading a band. With keyboard or guitar I find I can more easily take the band along with me as the spirit moves. Vocally alone, it's harder.

2) virtually all songs have vocal downtime. Intros, endings, transitions, etc. It's nice to be a part of that instrumentally.

3) it's another layer of personal worship. Another means of expression.

That said, obviously, there are great leaders that break the molds. I saw someone lead very effectively with a sax -- and he didn't even sing. You have to find what works for you, for your band (and choir if you have one), and for your congregation.

[mwwebb8]

I only recently (2-3 weeks ago) became the praise team leader. I lead with guitar (electric or accoustic depending on the set). Unfortunately, it has been many years since I had picked up a guitar, and even then I wasn't good. I am the only musician who has stepped up (we are a small church, attendance usually +-100), so it gets "interesting" on occasion. I started taking a self-course to improve my playing. It was funny, about 2 months ago during a men's retreat God told me to get up and lead the worship. I told him I thought he had the wrong number. I guess not, 'cuz a few weeks later our leader resigned and the pastor wanted me to take over.

I volunteer, but fortunately my job allows me to set my own schedule.

Mark

[Joseph]

volunteer Praise & Worship Leader. I mainly play Lead/rythym Guitars. a little keyboard. My wife is The Pianist/ keyboard/synthesizer specialist, who is also a Praise & Worship Leader. Her and I and The Pastor are the Lead Vocals as well as 2 back up singers. I set up all the equipment as well as make repairs/modifications to any sound, effects, lighting, monitors, etc. On occasion I`ve used the bottleneck and the brass slide so as to bring a delta blues to some of the old hymns. Actually, I just picked up one of these Alvareze Guitars. I`m not sure what I think about it yet. but it has a Life time Warranty on it that includes all the electronics as well. does any one own one?? looking for some feed back about them. Ahhh A Sax, are you a tenor or alto, Either one causes me to sit in stillness before the Lord. What a wonderful gift.

[carguy1]

I actually have a Soprano, tenor and baritone. I am saving up my pennies to get an alto to complete the set, but that will probably be a bit.

[Joseph]

WOW!!! thats amazing! I wish I had the Pipes for it. I`ve always loved the sax and Flute.

[Johnny B.]

I play guitar,Bass sometimes but I have been wanting to incorporate the instruments from my childhood. Cello, and SAX!!

I'm a volunteer at my church that leads out as well as gets asked to take over the program in the abscence of our full time paid leader. I also get asked to help nuture in any newbies and help to get them up to speed with what and how we do things when its needed. I enjoy being a servant!


I was thinking you might really enjoy the sax part!

Johnny B. Have fun with your guitar..

[tobywan]

Im a volunteer. I head up the sound dept as well as play the keys for the choir, a worship team and on March 30th, I am leading my first service.. so please keep in prayer for that day. I love playing the keys. I know that it can be a little disheartening some times when you are at a certain level in something and then have to move to something else and it is not there and you have to "start over". I approached two people whos keyboard playing have touched me and said that I wanted some of their annointing and please pray for me. The did that. However... I found that I had to play and think creative and try and play in that creativity even though I was no where near where I wanted to be. If you were to drop me a private msg, with a contact number, I would be more than happy to pray for you and bless in that regard. I remember how frustrating it was for me to step outside my comfort zone and be stretched and have to grow into that place. Keep me updated.

[stephen_can_man]

I am a full time worship leader for my church and I play acoustic and electric guitar. It took me about 6 months of learning the acoustic before I was able to lead a worship song and now it has been 8 years of happy addiction. I would like to learn piano to help people with learning harmonies and basic chording, but lets face the facts, all the cool guys rock a guitar! Just kidding. I would love to sit down and play a song on a baby grand and just pour my heart out in a ballad, but, I have been stigmatized into thinking leading from keys is old fashioned.

It has only been in the last 10-15 years that a worship leader could lead worship from a guitar. Every church used keys or nothing and guitars were for the background or small groups. The shift to leading with guitar has been swift in churches and I think it has been fueled by the Passion movement. In college it was so easy to whip out my guitar and play anywhere that I didn't even touch a piano and here I am without any formal music training leading worship. This grass roots kind of movement has worked it's way from campuses into the church and now it is a force to be reckoned with!

[worshipthruitall]

I play piano. I am a volunteer worship leader. When i first hired on, I didnt play anything so i took about 1 month of piano lessons and they guy tried to get me to read sheet music and i knew that it would take me way to long to learn that so I told him that i just wanted to learn enough to play chord charts with the band and put simple music to songs, so he taught me my chords. Since then I have embelished on the simple chords and can now play better. but my point is, it took me one month.

[hefdaddy42]

I play acoustic guitar. Currently, my mainstay is a Guild D55.

[julzhef]

I'm on staff at my church as the worship/music ministry leader. Right now it is part-time with the hopes of growing into full-time.
I took band in high school and can play the trumpet. With having that little bit of music background, I have been working (a little at a time) on learning to chord on the keyboard/piano.
So, at this moment, I lead with only my vocals. God has blessed me with a GREAT praise band that follows my lead with ease. Hefdaddy 42 (above) is my husband and plays guitar for us at the moment, but as soon as we grow a little more he is moving back to drums - which is where his passion lies!! My present keyboardist plays by ear, so I find the key that is comfortable vocally, and they both work magic!