HOW DO YOU ALL VIEW THIS?

[gospelmusicplaya]

Hello my name is David. Im 17 years old and I have been playing for about 1 year. I have a question. How do everyone feel about musicians that take advantage of churches? This person played for my church and they would come in late and try to charge double for playing because they knew that there isn't many musicians that would play for a church our size. What should my church do for this problem? Have anyone ever experience this before. The person was suppose to teach me and help me but he'd charge $150 to teach and he would work with the choir and say he taught me. He is no longer my teacher but he still wants to play for our church. I don't think he will. I wonder if I should tell them about him not teaching me well, and him charging so much

[monalisa]

yes i have had  that happen to me also-the pastor hired this woman to come in and help the choir and me also.she came in for about three months--i didnt work--she would write down about 2 or 3 chords and say
you play this or that--it made me so mad--because the choir was learning new songs but what was the use
when i didnt no how to play it--after i talked to the pastor,she was gone

just pray and keep praying it will all work out

be blessed
monalisa

[chevonee]

This recently happend to me and in my opinion churches should learn to be patient with what they have. Especially if you have a young musician that's in the process of learning how to play. I know folks won't agree with me on this but if your church is small like my church what is the rush? Work with what you have. My church hired different people to come in and to tell the truth they did it because they were not willing to be patient with me. Needless to say, every single time that they brought someone else in to supposedly help me....it always failed. Don't get me wrong, its not wrong to bring someone in to help out...if they are truly there to help out.   Around here in this small town these musicians don't want you to learn because they don't want you to get better. They want you to be dependent on them because they want to get paid.

[gospelmusicplaya]

I feel you all on that.....I personally want to tell but they enjoy his playing very much......How do you all feel about musicians getting paid.....I feel that they should not get a salary but if a offering is offered than it should be accepted....My church wants to pay me but I don't accept it because we are small and it isn't my career.......I think that a professional should get paid how do you all feel.....

[chevonee]

I don't mind musicians getting paid if its your way of making a living.  But around here in this town, bad things happen when money becomes too overly involved. I don't worry about the money factor at my church because I play for the love and passion that I have for  for God and music. I play from my heart so if I never get a lot of money, pleasing God is all that really matters to ME.I emphasized ME because this is the way I feel about the matter, I'm not trying to influence or change anyone else's point of view. When they give me an offereing, I accept it.....but if they don't, I'm still going to play. Other people may run to drugs or food during trying times, but I run to music. Music and God  is what kept me sane while I was paralyzed and in a wheel chair for a year. So music is not about money to me, its about my passion and determination.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get all poetic but its just the way I feel!

[ucja2008]

I dont get paid either. I dont need to get paid to play, I love playing, Praising God, if God call u to do it , You dont need to get paid doing it.

[gospelmusicplaya]

THATS GOOD. SOME PEOPLE WON'T HELP YOU UNLESS YOU PAY THEM HOWEVER AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. I PLAY FOR FREE AND DO IT FROM THE HEART.

[drums2keys]

Forget paying anybody. i use to play drums in my church and dude that was playing just bounced. i stepped up my game learned all my chords and all my keys and never had a teacher except god. i havent been playing more thena year and im already playing for  several big churches and im in a group you have to practice thats it