guitar solos in worship, anyone? November 5, 2007
Posted by Phillip in Guitar, Music, Worship.trackback
I don’t know about you guys, but I get asked to do guitar solos pretty regularly. It’s usually at least two songs per service. I love playing solos, but there are a couple of issues that I have with the whole concept.
One problem that I have is that solos can tend to place the focus on the soloist, depending on what the soloist decides to play. The solo should always serve to take the song somewhere. I’m not a shredder or anything, but I can play kinda fast if I want to, and sometimes that just takes over. If the solo is phrased melodically, then there’s no problem. Unfortunately, many times the guitar solo only lasts about 8-16 measures, so I feel this need to cram as much in as much as possible. Usually, you can “say” so much more emotionally with a long, sustained bend than you can with a couple of measures of 32nd notes.
Another problem is that most P&W chord progressions are not fun to solo over. Seriously, G-C-D is such a lame progression to play over. I usually try to do some chord substitutions to spice things up a little. It’s almost always more fun to play the changes than just run pentatonic licks. Many times, I’ll choose to forgo the whole single-note solo thing and just come up with a chordal/interlude type thing, kinda like something from R.E.M. or Tom Petty.
How about you guys? Do you use solos? Do you have issues with Satriani, or worse yet, Stevie Ray Vaughan wannabes?
solos can be a valued part of the worship experience. Some people sing to praise God, others play guitar…still others play guitar solos.
There is a line that can be crossed by both the singer and the player, that can really upset the focus of a worship service, but I convinced that there is a place for the occasional shred.
Psalm 150 says it best. And if there was 110 power back in David’s day, they would have praised him on the electric guitar.
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like all good musicality it’s hard balance between what’s going on in the individual heart and what the Lord wants, as well as what the congregation is used to versus what might be distracting to a large group of people.
musical interludes, like a solo, can be really helpful for cultivating an attitude of worship, but they can also completely shut off participation…just hard to gauge most times. so, i generally try to do fewer rather than more solos.
i personally would be pretty distracted if eddie van halen got saved and was playing guitar during a worship service i attended, but that’s just me.
interesting post.
blessings and maranatha
It is hard. i am a worship pastor but lead guitarist at heart. i like the energy in worship that a good solo can provide. I am not a fan of shredding guitar, but something more melodic. I think a good tone with some catchy “chord” solo works a lot better in modern worship than an eighties chorus/distortion solo.
I think there’s a place for them. As a guitarist I have something to say during worship that sometimes words cannot express, so I play them.
In a corporate setting, this can be difficult because it’s about worshiping as one body, and not about you or what you have to say, but us and we as a unit. However, sometimes what you have to say may help others open up and freely enter in.
The other effect is true though. People sometimes need to be directed constantly in worship. LIft your hands, sing this, say this, repeat here. This part saddens me. We should be able to worship without needing a drill instructor.
I don’t get to solo often since I tend to stick to the chords. However, I have a friend who’s a saxophone player and really good and he worships through his horn. Same thing and Idea I think.
Ok, well, I’m done. I think I’ve rambled on long enough, I hope it makes sense.
Indeed a tough one. I think moderation is the keyword here. Guitarists that come to mind are Lincoln Brewster and Phil Keaggy. Monster players in their own right, but definitely know how/when to break loose as a complement to the core song structure.
We do many Brewster songs and his excellent songwriting and corporate worship hooks allow room for some equally worshipful (short) solos that raise the energy level and I believe, add to the worship experience for the congregation.
Much of what we are talking about is highly dependent on the age and demographic mix of the congregation. For the younger crowd, many of them grew up on guitar-rich music, and have a certain expectation and appetite for occassional solos in the corporate setting.
Bottom line, as has been said well here before — if it brings glory to God and lifts up praises, then it’s goodness. One last plug for Brewster that connects the dots on this thread, listen to “All to You”. It is all about focusing on Him and not ourselves. That song also has a sweet breakdown section if you haven’t heard it yet!
http://www.christian-lyrics.net/artist/lincoln-brewster/track/all-to-you/
Well, part of my response has been said already, in that it really depends who the congregation is. I personally have no problem with it so long as your purpose isn’t to please people, but please God.
In speaking about this recently, I heard a gentleman say that it wasn’t all about the music when I said that if it adds musically, there should be little or no problem. In one sense, he was right. It isn’t all about the music, but lets face it. If the band is way off in every way, can you join into worship easily? Some can, but musicians especially have this problem.
Psalm 33:3 is (among many other things) a call to play well. I see no problem with using the skills that God has given you to worship Him. Otherwise it’s like telling a contractor that his houses are too good looking, and he should stop being so self centered.
I hear you, Justin. Someone recently told me that I’m too focused on the quality of the music. Well, I am a musician after all - isn’t that what I should be focusing on?
MMMMMMMMM….definitely needs to be focused on! I just stumbled on your blog and I think it’s great! You and I have way too much in common not to network…if you’re interested.
Anyway, in regard to soloing…
I agree with what has been said already, but I thought I’d add my thoughts. A guy I know says it best: “Everything we do on stage either says Look at me! or Look at God!”
I’m not much for general statements, but I think this one fits pretty well in regard to the worship (through music) environment. I agree that our people need to be led, but that doesn’t sadden me at all. If the worship we live with our lives is in response to who God is and what He as done, than certainly our worship through music on Sunday is no different. So as leaders we need to remember that people are not necessarily walking in the doors ready to respond to the love, grace and greatness of God. They carry all kinds of burdens and they need to be led, to have their hearts and minds directed toward an encounter with Jesus. Every note we play as well as how we play them and the attitude of our hearts is all part of the process. The power of music to speak beyond what words can say cannot be overlooked. It can give wings to thoughts, emotions and deep theological concepts. I think solos are often very appropriate ways of communicating. However, I try not to think so much about “solos” but rather instrumentals. As I arrange the song, I like to actually write an instrumental section where one fits. 1 - 4 - 5 - 4 may be the right prescription to capture the moment, but maybe it needs to be taken somewhere else for 16 bars. Either way, the music needs to serve the song and not the other way around. A few examples: Stewart Gerrard of Delirious on Now Is The Time, The Edge on Vertigo (the song) Mutemaths’ Paul Meany has a very emotive Keyboard solo on Chaos, Daniel Carson consistently lays down tasteful stuff in Chris Tomlin’s band, and finally I think the David Crowder band are masters at owning the moment instrumentally. One of my favorite bands Explosions in the Sky are an instrumental band that I think every worship leader should give critical ear to and go see if you have opportunity.
Anyway, instrumentals vs. solos, just a different way of looking at it. A while back I took it a step further and started adding scriptures, writing excerpts, quotes etc. to the slides that come up during the instrumentals. I chose white text on black for an easy read and a stark contrast to the motion backgrounds and other graphics that are usually there. Obviously I’m thinking short and succinct. I often let the audience know that these slides are there and encourage them to read and allow the words to engage their hearts and minds as they worship. Sometimes, I’ll even pick what’s going to be on screen and let that be the canvas for writing the instrumental.
thoughts…
Nice post, Nathan! Lots of good ideas here.
I like the distinction between “solo” and “instrumental.” Even though it’s mostly an issue of semantics, each word has a different connotation. You could certainly think of a “guitar solo” as being a somewhat self-indulgent exercise in showing everyone how many notes you can cram into 8 measures. An “instrumental” sounds like it should be a composed, singable melody, rather than a succession of sixteenth notes or sextuplets. Altering the verbiage that we use can have a noticeable effect on the outcome.
I love the Explosions in the Sky reference. I have often thought that it would be incredible to use some of their ideas (especially their use of dynamics) in a worship setting - long, slow crescendos over static harmonic progressions, etc. Unfortunately, I don’t think that our worship leader shares my enthusiasm for that particular aesthetic.
The short answer is to do what you feel God is telling you.
It is interesting that you are concerned about playing a solo when the question used to be should we allow electric guitars and drums, etc., and of course some churches don’t allow any instruments.
I started playing electric guitar guitar in church in 1971, so I have been through the whole music debate about instruments and styles of music.
I was still playing in a secular R&B band after I committed my life to Jesus. I asked my pastor what he thought and he gave the most meaningful answer, “If it were me, I could not do it, but you let the Holy Spirit guide you”.
Let the Holy Spirit guide you.
“Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Psalm 33:3
Hi
I just stumbled on this site, hopefully I am not too late to comment.
I used to struggle with this whole thing, and rarely played any lead at all in church. Now I have the minister and congregation asking me to play more lead, which is a lovely sentiment. They see my playing as an extension of the song, and the general comment is that it adds depth to the music, and greater emotional impact. As a musician that is all I could hope for in this context.
For what it is worth, I am a professional player, and studied jazz at uni,and have played heavily improvised music for about half my life.
I dislike the distinction between fast and melodic playing - fast playing can accomodate melody! The lines played are really up to the discretion of the improviser. Sometimes I play fast legato licks ala Satch, other times I play bluesy lines ala Clapton/SRV, or I mix between the two, or whatever else I ‘hear’ at the time. I use the same priniciples when I am playing at a paying gig, that it should fit the song, and I try and maintain the same attitude whether playing at a club or in church.
Re: your comment “fast playing can accomodate melody” I would agree and I would emphasize the can in that sentence. Many players just play a lot of notes really fast without maintaining any sense of melody. You mentioned Satriani - I wonder what he would play if he only had an 8 measure solo in the middle of a song.