Create, not Replicate.

Let's all take a ride in the time machine back to the early 2000's. Before the advent of the Kempers, Axe-FX or the Strymons. When Line 6 was ruling the guitar effect game and Behringer's "V-Amp" was hot on it's tails as the go-to, all-in-one solution for amp modeling and effect modeling.

I still remember my old v-amp like it was yesterday. Oh the sweet tones that manifest from that ugly blue box. What shape would you even call that thing?

It was shaped kinda like a blue continental USA if you squint hard enough....

Luckily, DSP processing and manufacturing has come a long way in the past 10-15 years and we are able to get some of the most amazing and creative tools to use when we perform on stage. However, I've noticed a trend when it comes to pedals and effects for guys in the worship guitar sector. It seems that we're all in the same rut with types of effects. Myself included, I've noticed that we've all been limited to the requisite overdrive (excuse me, TRANSPARENT overdrive), delay and reverb core choices with maybe a chorus and compressor, or pitch shift thrown in.

Has worship music become that boring where we can't experiment with different effects or arrangements without making someone angry? Or has the musicianship just dwindled over time so that people are relying solely on delay and reverb to make themselves sound like James Duke rather than themselves?

Now, I am not perfect in all of my ways when it comes to breaking the guitar-pedal archetype. I use a pretty standard setup myself, but I think what sets my playing style apart is the fact that I am able to use those effects to supplement what my hands are doing, rather than using my delay and verb and a crutch in which all my playing leans on. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my RV-5. I LOVE my Timeline. However, there comes a point when you have to step back and say "Do I really need this?" or "Is this adding anything constructive to this arrangement?", you know? Let's make worship guitar interesting again!

This brings me to my next point; what do people have against misfit effects in a worship setting? I can't even recall the last time I've seen a wah-wah used in church. Phase 90? Probably back in the 90s. If someone can use that Korg Miku-Stomp pedal efficiently in a church service, then they win. They literally win at life. I say lets get a little more freaky with our effects and break free of the box that we've built ourselves into. Not only will that encourage guitarists to have more fun on stage, but it can encourage creativity in the local church. If you listen to the guitars on Chris August's "No Far Away", brilliantly demonstrates a tasteful use of the wah-wah pedal in a modern way.

I am a huge advocate for creating, not replicating. You can train anyone to play "How Great is our God" exactly like Tomlin does on the record. However, it takes a real musician to hash out an original arrangement, maybe with a few chord changes and tweaking dynamics. Not only does that give ownership to your team for that arrangement, you are working out that "creative muscle" so to speak 10x more that if you were to just regurgitate whatever you're hearing on K-Love that week.

Wrapping up, I would challenge you and your team as you're preparing for your weekend set to take a step back and think about how you're arranging your music. Think more critically about what parts you play and why you play them. Do your parts add anything to the arrangement? Are you taking up too much sonic space? Is it better if I sit out this verse? The biggest struggle that I had when first adapting to this paradigm was not thinking so highly of myself in a mix. I was always wanting to be the instrument or voice that was the most dominant, and truth be told, that way of thinking only really works if you're into solo athletics.

My favorite teacher ever, Mr. Bartlett, always said "There is no 'I' in the word 'band'". You need to be willing to sacrifice your pride and self arrogance for the greater good of the ensemble. This means that you're not always going to be heard. It may not be the best idea for you to have a solo in this arrangement. It may not make sense for you to even play during this verse, but you need to realize that for the group to go to the next level, you need to think less of yourself and more of the ensemble as a whole. Read John 3:30.

When its all said and done, you'll find that when your team is spending rehearsals lifting each other up musically and creating rather than replicating, your musical worship experience will only drastically improve. You will have more ownership and pride from your team as they have put dedication and hard work that they are not used to into their rehearsals. They have a product that they can put their names on and be proud of.