Helix 3.0 vs Kemper for praise and worship?

    Quote from Nikos

    Sorry for OT..


    But out of pure interest..do you get paid for these worship gigs?And if yes..how much?:/

    In the states, *some* churches pay their band members. But it certainly isn't the norm. Personally, if a church is paying to have a band - and they aren't on staff or at least comprised of members of the congregation - I'd be a bit wary.


    I've served on my church's worship team for over 5 years as a volunteer. It's not every weekend (nor would I want it to be).

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

    I have only been paid as a worship pastor, but I do know that other larger "mega" churches will and can pay some musicians. I played for several months in a large church where they had 2 session players who played keys for Michael Jackson and electric guitar for Ray Charles. Our team suspected the keyboardist played the Thriller intro... so these guys were getting paid, but some of us weren't. Plus what I noticed is that the paid guys would be given prepared materials from the worship director, and could literally could come in, sight read the notes and just play as if it was no big deal. True pros - especially compared to my sorry @$$ (who needs a LOT of that reverb and delay to make up for my shortcomings, haha).

    Around the 2000' in germany I had a a little (but very nice) studio and out of the sudden it developed into a "for musicians from xyz big names"-thing mostly from the afroamerican community from the east cost.An artist named Onita Boone helped me a lot with this.And then one brought the other guy..None if these people had much money.They played and most of all did (backing) vocals for the biggest german acts but their wage was rather okay..but much higher than what they got in the states..actually the reason they left the states for a while and came for work to Europe.


    Anyway..long story short..


    All of these lads did the playing/singing in the (surprisingly very big) evangelical community they had there in western germany.All for free.None of these guys took money for that.Not even compensation.All of them very,very religious..

    I’ve always done it for the pure joy of being able to share my gift in a positive way. The folks I play with are like family... most I’ve known for many years. That outweighs any pay I would ever get out of it.


    Not my day job of course and if it was, I may feel differently.

    Quote from Lpcustom

    The folks I play with are like family... most I’ve known for many years. That outweighs any pay I would ever get out of it.

    This!


    I never ever again experienced such a "family like connection" with musicians like this one.They were totally supportive to each other without to deny their big egos.Very important.


    In my experience indeed Americans in general have a completely different mentality of doing music than we Europeans.They have a much better understanding that without cooperation..sooner or later everything will become difficult.

    Quote from Nikos

    This!


    I never ever again experienced such a "family like connection" with musicians like this one.They were totally supportive to each other without to deny their big egos.Very important.


    In my experience indeed Americans in general have a completely different mentality of doing music than we Europeans.They have a much better understanding that without cooperation..sooner or later everything will become difficult.

    Sorry, but this is not only a big generalization, but it raises a lot of questions to me. First, how do you define "Americans"? Especially since it is such a huge country!


    In this world there are many different reasons to make music. Some just play for fun and entertainment, some for money and "fame" or to support an ideology... Often it is a mixture of various things. But there are people in every country that not only "play", but create art. They have a clear vision of their music and put everything else behind. There are groups that share such a vision, but we also can see band leaders, band dictators that reach their goals without cooperation. I can name a big list of successful "american" musicians that create(d) true art, but are not the nicest guys in the world, betrayed their friends, have a big ego and give a sh*t about piece and cooperation. Still brilliant musicians and artists - but how have these americans understood, what you claim they have in their blood?? How many famous american guitar players struggle in life and go a very difficult road, cause cooperation is not one of their characteristics at all. Or they had to learn the hard way first and grow wiser with age.


    But that is part of Rock 'n' Roll history all over the world - excesses, canceld concerts, unprofessional behaviour, expressing yourself and going too far sometimes. Some become adult and wiser, some never will and keep rockin and rollin down a dusty road as a lonesome cowboy. But you are saying not in the US?


    O.k., perhaps the worship scene has nothing to do with Rock 'n' Roll at all - more like commercial folk and popular music in europe. But I don't believe the "love, piece and harmony" usually. But you can not transfer your experience to "Americans in general". Just my opinion.

    These afroamerican folks I met..As I said..there was a huge ego thing going on..many of these people "knew" and "played" with the Jackson clan or did work for prince,Aretha Franklin,Tina Turner etc..but no..I cant say that they behaved like "super stars" at all.They knew perfectly fine that one moment you are "on top" and in the next you are "out"..I can't say that most musicians I met in my life (and I live "in europe") knew how to handle their "status" once they achieved "something".Once the ego is blown out of proportions..it is to difficult for most to tame it down.


    I know it is a "big generalization"..and I am ok with this.It is my experience.


    And yes.you are right with what you say about "rocknroll buisiness" ..no matter from where we are..since this was always and will be always a circus I did not want to comment on this.I did not met "american rockers" in the same quantity anyway as I did with this afroamerican "immigrants" in Germany.


    Sorry for generalizations.I did not want to do this.Just happened.And it us wrong in any case.


    PS


    I stand with my opinion that the musicians from the USA I know (!!) are more cooperative.Maybe they have to.Who knows.

    I understand what you mean now. But you mention the Jackson clan (Joe Jackson titled "the most monstrous father in pop"), Aretha Franklin (an often used example of sexual violance and abuse in the black community), Tina Turner (sexual and physical abuse from husband Ike Turner) and the list goes on. So what you unintentionally did is listing a history of violance with a lot of egocentrics behind, destroying their families.


    I did read a lot about Blues musicians in my youth and a lot of our heroes totally "failed" as humans. Sad but true.

    Yes I know what you mean.All I can say that most of these folks were nice persons who really loved music and also (to my huge surprise) loved to experiment a lot.It was really a great time.


    That's all..;)


    PS

    interestingly I heard nice anecdotes..but no "scandal stories" or negativity about big names.Never.They really had a big deal about "positive energy" while doing music and they loved working with people who "got soul" (biggest compliment ever)and the only folks they talked about in a negative way were people who had "no soul".... ?