[powerchordguy]

Whats the best setup for a worship team in your opinion? How many instuments should be used? How many guitars are necessary? What's too much? Any odd instruments you've ever used? I dont really want to know about the effects pedals you use or what mics sound good. I just want to know what your band looks like.

[bobthecockroach]

There is no best setup.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by powerchordguy

Whats the best setup for a worship team in your opinion? How many instuments should be used? How many guitars are necessary? What's too much? Any odd instruments you've ever used? I dont really want to know about the effects pedals you use or what mics sound good. I just want to know what your band looks like.

Along the lines of what Bob said, there is no best setup. The best setup is entirely relative to the congregation and community. The best band setup for a youth group who's favorite musicians are John Mayer, Taking Back Sunday, and Dashboard Confessional is going to be very different than a congregation who listens to adult contemporary radio or a congregation who listens to motown classics. Likewise, the Chris Tomlin band might be a big hit in the suburbs of the US, but they probably wouldn't resonate so well in house church in China or a tribal village without electricity.

[thesteve]

well...i guess i'm going to actually throw out my personal opinion...

right now I really like the setup my church is running musically. We've got two electric guitarists, an acoustic player, drums, bass, piano and synth (two different people). In terms of a playing situation, I really like it.

one of my favorite local worship bands had a similar setup, though I don't recall them having any keyboard instruments.

I think one thing that'd be cool to have is a violinist that could also play another instrument that wasn't necessarily critical...say a background vocalist that also played violin on certain songs.

the line between perfect and too much is subtle. basically I think it should be generally limited to what is needed and what can be noticeable. I don't understand some of these bands that have three acoustic guitarists and three electric guitarists, but only 3 total guitar parts. when musicians become superfluous it's time to make multiple teams and put them on rotation.

[Fandrew]

What's gone over remarkably well at my church, particularly for the youth is a Praise Band with one Electric, one Acoustic, one bass, a drummer, one male vocalist, one female vocalist.

[telecasting]

right now I really like the setup my church is running musically. We've got two electric guitarists, an acoustic player, drums, bass, piano and synth (two different people). In terms of a playing situation, I really like it.

one of my favorite local worship bands had a similar setup, though I don't recall them having any keyboard instruments.

I think one thing that'd be cool to have is a violinist that could also play another instrument that wasn't necessarily critical...say a background vocalist that also played violin on certain songs.

A guy called Mark Tedder uses that setup with a violinist, except for only having one electric guitarist.

[gtrdave]

The "best" setup is one that, regardless of size, has musicians who know how to work together and do not trample on top of what everyone else is doing.
They are of one accord (and I don't mean Honda) as the Bible might say.

We're currently a 6 or 7 piece (guitar, bass, drums, 2 keys, 1 or 2 horns) with an average of 6 singers (not including me) and I'd love to have a skilled percussionist join us...maybe a sax...violin...occasionally an acoustic.
There's room on the stage.

[nate95366]

The sitar player is the key part of a good band. All the other stuff is just gravy. My band has been without a sitar player for a long time, and I think that does a lot to explain our difficulties.

Nate

[ibanez_dude]

Yeh, I don't think there is a best, but here is what I think works best, at least in my church setting.
First all, talented musicians who don't trample on top of each and who know how much to play and when. Also people who have a fair degree of musical save, so to speak. I have played with musicians who don't have either of these areas down, and it is a bit of pain at times.
I like this setup:
Acoustic guitar/lead singer/worship leader
Piano
Bass
Electric guitar
Drums
1-2 more singers somewhere, so you end up with one singer of each gender, plus maybe one more female singer.
A serious percussionist. If it's just going to be some kid kinda fooling around w/ percussion, I'll pass in general, but it's really awesome to have a percussionist who is completely serious about his playing, knows what to play when and where Our church has one, and he is just awesome.

[gtrdave]

Originally Posted by nate95366

The sitar player is the key part of a good band. All the other stuff is just gravy. My band has been without a sitar player for a long time, and I think that does a lot to explain our difficulties.

Nate

Man, that's rough. I'll be praying for you guys.

[everyman]

Doesn't the Variax have a Coral sitar setting? Might have to settle for that until you can get a real sitar player.

Then again, what's the use of getting a sitar without a tabla player?

[niangelo]

Learn to use what you have to the absolute limit of its technology and capabilities. A mediocre soundboard, speakers and mics can be not bad if you know what you're doing.

My point is, many churches go big-bang with thier soundsystems, and never properly use it. Check out the boards at proaudio web, they're rife with horror stories. Million dollar systems running with blown subs, total lack of EQ and volume control etc. Use what you have well, and slowly upgrade.

[Rainer.]

My favorite setup that I will use involves piano, bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, a string trio (violin/viola/cello), a handful of singers, and me playing my harmonicas, flute, congas, tambourine, keyboard, mandolin, or whatever else is at hand (which means my guitars as well). Though, I've only used that setup once, and I put some pretty hardcore time into arranging all the parts.

It really works with whoever you got availible, though, as long as the musicians are good. Last Friday, I played in a band that consisted of two acoustic guitars, a piano, 3 singers, and myself on harmonica, flute, and keyboard.

[crazychu]

personally, 2 bands, one with me leading, one without (possibly rotating between sundays/fridays)

i would be leading with an acoustic for one and playing lead/backup electric for the other.

each team consisting of an acoustic, 1 or 2 electric guitars, keyboardist, a bassist, drummer, 1 or 2 lead vocals, at least 2 backup harmony vocalists, and occasionally(more often than not) a violinist.

so far we have one electric, one acoustic, a drummer, a keyboardist, 2 backup vocals that dont know how to sing harmony, actually they dont sing at all which makes it a little frustrating sometimes, and an occasional violinist, who will be leaving us to Juilliard.

[Big_Mike]

it really does depend on the situation. the band i lead had 2 guitarists (one fulltime acoustic, and i switch between acoustic and electric), a bassist (who also sings), a keyboardist (who insisted on having a mic, but almost never sang), 2 percussionists, and 3 full-time singers. it's worked fairly well for our purposes, but it's a little heavy on singers, especially given that, of the 5 people with microphones, 4 of them sing mostly in alto range, and the fifth, the only male, almost never sings. the keyboardist graduated, and the main percussionist isn't playing with us next year due to starting graduate school. my plans for the coming school year include having the bassist concentrate on playing bass (she is one of the the weaker singers in the bunch), recruiting a new drummer/percussionist (depending on who i can find. hand drums work pretty well, but i'd really like to have someone play set), and having the other percussionist (who isn't really a percussionist, so much as a clarinet major who plays piano and learned how to play hand drums) switch to playing keyboard.

so, last year's lineup:
2 guitarists, 1 bassist, 1 keyboardist, 2 percussionists, 3 singers

this year's lineup:
2 guitarists, 1 bassist, 1 keyboardist, 1 drummer/percussionist, ? singers

i've also played in a praise band that was a drummer, a bass player, and 2 electric guitars. it was a lot of fun. i like simpler groups a lot (ideally a power trio), but making that work requires a fair amount of instrumental expertise from all 3 members. a larger group has other benefits, too. i'm really not picky.