Playing the saxophone Been asked to play at my local church!

[cappers]

My wife attends our local Anglican church. She's not particularly religious but finds it comforting, especially in current times.
Like most UK churches they have moved from traditional Victorian/Edwardian hymns to more gospel praise and worship type songs, although they do bang out some trad hymns on the organ. Mostly it's acoustic guitar, piano and flute.

The vicar heard that I play or rather am learning to play the sax and asked if I would like to join them occasionally! I am an atheist or possibly an agnostic but don't have an issue with those who believe and don't object to playing for a church congregation.

Thinking hard about this. Am I 'good' enough (won't have a full band to cover my mistakes!), is a sax 'appropriate' and if so would tenor or alto be a better voice?
It's been suggested that 'Cornerstone' might be a good start. It's in C maj so D or A major on sax. Nothing too complex, less so than many of the jazz standards I've been playing recently. It would be a different direction for me but might enhance my repertoire and performing skills.

Any thoughts appreciated.

(As an aside, a gentleman turned up at last week's rehearsal. Sat in but didn't play anything. Thought he was a relative or friend of a band member. Turns out he is the vicar from our local church. He plays flute, studied music at uni and is interested in joing our band! His wife (guitarist) said he was very impressed by the band and musical abilities, better than he thought an amateur band would be).

 

[dexdex]

Nice project anyhow.
My relation to religion and churches seem pretty similar to yours.
I played once at an important local ceremony, as I was asked and couldn’t reasonably escape.
I tried to convince the organist to accompany the song based on a typical chords changes chart, but she said she didn’t know how to do that. It wasn’t Shirley Scott.
I ended up walking through the central aisle playing Careless Love a cappella, on tenor saxophone.
It had it’s impact, and the organizers were delighted.
Playing a predefined book with others needs more preparation, I wish you full success.
Be prepared to play very soft and straight. Churches are very quiet places.

 

[mizmar]

As I mentioned in another thread, the singing group I'm in sang for a May Day breakfast - what I didn't mention was that we where also scheduled for one song in the local church.. I strolled along to see what's what, was handed the service scheduled, saw us somewhere in the middle and made a discrete exit. Even my inner anthropologist couldn't overcome my discomfort for that long.

enjoy.

 

[Grumps]

A gig is a gig. Enjoy it!

 

[Vlad]

Do 'Always look on the Bright Side of Life'... 😉

 

[cappers]

A gig is a gig. Enjoy it!

It's all tentative at the moment. They asked if I could play at a confirmation next month but I can't as I have a prior commitment that day. So maybe later on in the year. They do an Xmas family carol concert which might be a possible.
I never imagined 18 months ago that I'd be playing in a band nor be asked to play in the local church!

Do 'Always look on the Bright Side of Life'... 😉

Great! Also 'Jesus On The Mainline', 'Spirit In The Sky', 'God Only Knows', and for balance 'Sympathy For The Devil'!

 

[Pete Effamy]

Church acoustics are usually fairly reverberant and you'll sound nice whatever you do. I recently played a kinda Garbarek / Hilliard Ensemble thing for a friend. I'm surprised the church catch fire, so I'm sure if it didn't for me then you'll be ok too. He loves us anyway, apparently.

 

[cappers]

Church acoustics are usually fairly reverberant and you'll sound nice whatever you do.

Thanks, I'll need the help of the Almighty!

It's a Norman church ~1120, modified over the centuries, much of it rebuilt in the VIctorian era. The Norman chancel, tower, and semi-circular apse remain.

Much bigger than the more modern church hall where the band practices.

I'll update if anything comes out of this.

 

[kamak]

If they welcome it, go for it! I played the Christmas Concert with full orchestra (flute, clarinet, 3 violins, cello, piano, organ, trumpets, trombone, and full choir) alongside my wife this past year, it was a wonderful experience. I played on my Martin tenor and it was alot of fun (I basically played oboe parts).

Now that my C Melody is done I play alongside my wife at home playing through our hymn book and other worship songs we have that are all conveniently in concert pitch. She already plays violin at church and I'll be stepping in to do some sax-violin duets occasionally during offeratory or other times too.

Some congregations prefer some instruments to others. Some may not like sax or brass, others won't mind. Depends on the church, the congregation, and its traditions. Some songs will most certainly be better on alto than tenor and vice versa.

Since you may not be familiar with the songs, listen to some and learn them. Sing along with them to help you get the rhythm and feel which will help you translate to sax well. It may also have another good side effect as well.

 

[mark_addy]

I have to do this kind of thing from time to time, which is a bit of an irony as I am a Christian who doesn't like new church music. It's a service to others, I suppose. I really wish someone had forced me to learn piano when I was young - I'd love to be able to play the organ.

 

[ESJohn]

Like Mark, I am a believer. Music has been my favorite form of worship for some time. The tunes and the words that go with them really help me. I played my horn only once at church but am hoping to do it once again sometime this year. Church music that is played at any particular location depends on the worship style. A friend of mine calls contemporary Christian music "7-11" meaning (in jest) the same seven words repeated 11 times. I prefer the traditional hymns, myself.
It's a great experience to play anywhere. Your audience will appreciate you, as I would guess that most of them can't sing or play a note. Congratulations on the opportunity!
You may wish to check copyright for the piece you play. Our church uses their CCLI license for any tune performed, including audio and video recording, for all of the music played. There are times when a song is blocked out of any live or recorded broadcasts.
Your music will be a blessing to many, and it may begin a new spiritual journey for you. If it is You Tubed, post your performance here! We'd love to see and hear it.

 

[kamak]

I have to do this kind of thing from time to time, which is a bit of an irony as I am a Christian who doesn't like new church music. It's a service to others, I suppose. I really wish someone had forced me to learn piano when I was young - I'd love to be able to play the organ.

Me either, as a believer, I am not a fan of 7-11 Christian music. I love hymns and many other well written songs. Newer stuff that's good that I really enjoy are by Keith and Kristin Getty and those who also do well written lyrics and melodies/harmonies.

 

[PigSquealer]

@cappers time to buy a C Melody. But then again @lukehuang77 (aka Pastor Luke) plays alto & tenor at services. Just practice and you’ll be fine.

 

[skeller047]

I am anti-religious, meaning that while I have a healthy spiritual life, and tremendous respect for who- or what-ever created the universe, I’ve got no use for organized religion.

That said, I was once commissioned to write a mass, and i had a weekly gig in a Catholic church which had a “jazz mass”. That tradition went on for several years, I did the gig for 6 months but had to quit because a band I was in got a 2 months stretch in Hawaii. I remember it fondly.

So my advice is to take whatever gigs they offer you. Church gigs are, in my experience, both easy and uplifting. And church people are usually very nice, and very thoughtful. I completely understand your wife’s attitude.

 

[Tuppertn]

@cappers time to buy a C Melody. But then again @lukehuang77 (aka Pastor Luke) plays alto & tenor at services. Just practice and you’ll be fine.

Yes, yes. You need a churchophone. You have here a ready-made excuse to exercise some unrestrained GAS.

I play every week locally. A couple years ago I switched from sax to an EWI because it just fit better with the modern worship music. Now I make guitar sounds, cello sounds and other various noises as appropriate.

 

[mark_addy]

Yes, yes. You need a churchophone.

I like it 🙂

 

[cappers]

I am not a fan of 7-11 Christian music. I love hymns and many other well written songs.

I'm not a Christian but sung hymns at morning assembly at school and I liked them. I find them quite rousing and uplifting.

 

[mark_addy]

I'm not a Christian but sung hymns at morning assembly at school and I liked them. I find them quite rousing and uplifting.

Have a go at a tune called 'Aberystwyth', usually sung to 'Jesus, Lover of my Soul'...there's music, boyo! 🙂

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvnJ6lthE8s

 

[Vlad]

I'm not a Christian but sung hymns at morning assembly at school and I liked them. I find them quite rousing and uplifting.

Remember that well, at one primary school I went to they had one of those massive 'book' things with the words on that was large enough for all the kids in the hall to see. it looked like it originated from the 19th cent by the lettering etc.

ps.. what about 'Jesus built my Hotrod' ... be a bit of a marathon tonguing exercise on tenor..😛

 

[Tuppertn]

Yes, yes. You need a churchophone.

C-melody would fit right in, actually. Since it's an Anglican church you could say it's a χ(chi)-melody.

Chi-Rhophone, maybe?