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Any Opinons on Praise Music?


MissouriPicker

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I asked what is Praise music on the AGF and my thread got deleted .... I was curious as its a world away to mine. I find it somewhat strange and weird, dont really get it ... just feels, odd.

 

Does Marilyn Manson classify as Praise music ... ?

 

Yes it does..but praise to the other guy.

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I do now, and have done for about 20 years, play in a "Worship Band", "Praise Team" or whatever you want to call it. We've played everything from classic hymns to old-timey gospel to folk, country, rock, pop, jazzy stuff, etc., etc.

 

It's what I would refer to as a "church music band"; I hate to get too label-y with these things.

 

I think I understand Missouripicker's original point quite well, and -- overall - I agree, or at least, can sympathize with that perspective.

 

We used to 'kid on the square' about this when a certain song came up, "I could play these Four Chords Forever" -- worship music guitar players will know which song I mean! [biggrin]

 

My wife -- the musician -- critiques a lot of contemporary worship music in the same way as some have expressed it in this thread: It can be overly-simplistic, rhythm-driven, a-melodic, and devoid of rich and fulfilling harmonies. I would prefer well-constructed and well-executed music any day over some of the stuff that is being presented in churches for general consumption now (Boy, I must be getting old!).

 

A year or two ago, at Easter, we played "O sacred head" (with the Bach harmonies) -- just guitar (okay, 12-string Rickenbacker) and flute. Two weeks, ago, introduced a completely different version of the song -- yikes! Harmonies gone, tune quite weak, huge difference!

 

I'm not sure that I accept that the music needs to be dumbed down for general consumption in churches, or anywhere for that matter. Good music is good music, from a technical standpoint -- in church, hopefully good music enhances the experience for those who are there. (Taylors or Gibsons notwithstanding!)

 

Fred

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A meditation master was walking with his students. As they passed a pond, one of the students noticed a stork and remarked to the teacher, " look at that stork, so calm, so serene, standing on one leg. Still, focused, in perfect meditation." to which the teacher replied, "Yes, but there is one great difference. The stork is meditating on FISH, while we meditate on the Divine!" Likewise, in a sense, all music is praise music, all depends on what you are a-praisin'!!

 

 

Love that quote OWF ! I for one find that all organized religion fails simply because as it is carried on over time and administered by us humans......the organization quickly takes on all the flaws we humans have. This human flaw is the same with religious type music. Surely there are some truly inspired and perfect religious songs (Amazing Grace comes to mind as a song that transcends). But so much (especially these days) falls victim to the same problems that Pop Music, New Country, Rap or any music that becomes commercialized. The machine needs to crank out more and more product to try and make more and more profits and quickly that which was good becomes pablum for the masses.

 

It totally cracks me up when I hear some hard rock "Christian" bands with electric guitars hard strumming and screaming lead solos that sound just like those "other" metal bands that have pentagrams and Satanic Themed lyrics and albums. Huh? Then they try and make it right because they have a positive message ... Huh?

 

As a true agnostic (although I have to admit to reading a few books by The Dalai Lama recently that have me interested) I do love some old time gospel music and would probably start going to church if I could go to one of those old time black southern baptist churches down in the deep south like what Zombywoof was saying he lived next to.

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As a true agnostic (although I have to admit to reading a few books by The Dalai Lama recently that have me interested) I do love some old time gospel music and would probably start going to church if I could go to one of those old time black southern baptist churches
Check what Dave Bromberg has to say re those churches
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I have to say I'm more of an old traditionalist. There is some very good Christian music being written today, but IMO most of it is week or trite musically and lyrically. I'm glad to hear some on this forum play in church. Most of the church praise bands I have heard have been below par. The quality of music performance in churches is a struggle and at times a balancing act.

 

chasAK

 

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I played Praise Music for 10 years but everthing was an orchestrated arrangement and loved it. I played with some very talented musicians. At one point we had 4 retired band directors in the group. Was the first time I got to play with horns. The band director would show us off and let us improvise our solos.

During that time I also acquired an appreciation for Southern Gospel.

I still love my old rock and classic country.

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The challenge I have with Praise music is wondering if it contains enough reverence to belong in church. I grew up singing in church choir in a very typical Anglican church with stained glass windows and a full Casavant pipe organ. To me, if one is to harness faith through music, a certain amount of control and respect is in order. When I later in life attended a modern church, I remember the feeling that a set of drums and a stage were an odd fit for my personal perspective on worship - and I finally settled on atheism as a solution for me.

 

So, to answer you -- I think volume is driven by ego, not faith, and praise music probably has a place for some people in worship - but only if they are responding to the way it is presented. It also sounds like you might be a better musician than the other people in the band as you are seeking complexity the others are happy to push past with the amps on 11.

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Praise music has actually torn churches apart here in the hard core south. My wife's church (I rarely go myself .... I'm a twice a year guy, Christmas and Easter and then only because she makes me) which if pretty large solved the problem by offering a praise service complete with Taylors, drums, and jeans. No neck ties or suits allowed! It has another service at 11:00 am, as God intended, for old farts. It has a medium sized band complete with baby grand, strings, acoustic and electric guitars. Even that service has gotten a little praiseeee.

 

I love the old time church music 'cause that's what I first learned to play as a teenage. After all it's just a matter of taste .... it's all good. But I still hum and strum "When the Roll is Called UP Yonder" and "Shall We Gather at the River" just 'cause I love them and they take me back to a simpler time and place.

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I'm a twice a year guy, Christmas and Easter and then only because she makes me

This is what we call 'Church Lillies'. They pop up only on holidays.

I'm not making fun of you, I'm falling into the same routine.

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