A live track from our church worship band...

[walkbassman45]

Well, it's good to hear that I'm not alone.I started playing bass in our worship band four years ago.It's been a struggle sometimes as I was told I was too loud even when the master volume was off.( yes I tried that just to make sure I wasn't being overbearing. )Please understand that I've been playing for over 20 years in many different genres and that I know how too sit into the mix.I just say this so people don't think I'm a turn it up to 10 and just wank away.The Lead Pastor tells me that he really enjoys my Bass playing. The drummer tells me that he looks forward to our playing. The poor worship leader who is a younger fellow, picks good music like Jeremy Camp etc.. and is hip too playing as we are feeling lead to play but he catches it from the keyboard player and backup singers about volume and we are not at all loud. I have been setting out the last couple of weeks because this started effecting my walk with the Lord.Last week In between my worship I listened at the volume from the back and I had to really try to hear them.I'm being asked by people when I'm going to start playing again.I'm ready too start again as that is the way I'm being lead. I don't know what the answer is as far as what other people think, all I know is God gave me a gift to use as he sees fit and I'll keep doing what I believe he is leading me to do.

[5 string Mike]

First off, welcome to the Lowdown. It's a real good mix of people here.

 

Many of us have been in the exact same boat you are in. And, yes, it does become very frustrating at times to experience that kind of malaize.

 

One hurdle with many churches is that the praise bands/ worship teams are made up of volunteers. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but many of those volunteers have no real musical experience outside of the church. That tends to lead to alot of issues like this.

 

This reminds me of a discussion I had with a worship leader once who was always on me about being too loud at one particular practice, and I was at the point I could not even hear anything I was doing, so I stopped playing for a song. The song I quit playing, she started griping at me big time, and I told her that I wasn't even playing that song, so calm down and let's figure out what is going on. It turns out that they ran the digital piano on a different channel, and someone had the channel EQ really bass heavy, so when the piano's bass notes were coming through heavy, I got blamed for being too loud.

 

In your situation, how is the Pastor's leadership? From your post, it sounds like the Pastor likes how you guys sound, and you have a Worship Leader who is taking flack from people for things. I would like to think your pastor would sit everyone down and say '(x) is the leader. He has been given the authority to lead Worship, and we all need to respect that. He has the final decision on how things are done.' Some Pastors do that, some don't.

 

Some other suggestions, how is the stage arranged with monitors and amps and people? Maybe some different arrangements of people and equipment will do some wonders. it's been my experience that singers, primarily, want to stand right on top of the monitor and then complain it's too loud.

 

I hope things work out for you. It takes alot of perseverence to be a bass player on a Worship team, no matter what anyone says. I hope you continue as the Lord lays it on your heart. He lays this stuff on us, but He never says it will be easy. I have had to humble myself as well, and play with nowhere to sit in the mix, from a dark corner somewhere, standing so close to the drummer I could play the crash with my headstock, but at the end of the day, I did it for Him. I have prayed for guidance and wisdom for you.

 

Good luck,

Mike