Leading worship with only a guitar

[madetoworship]

Our piano player has gone away a few weeks ago. And now we have only an acoustic guitar and 2 voices. We used to play the keyboard with its rhythms that sound like a entire band but now we only have an acoustic guitar to lead about 30 persons.

We have now to prepare new arrangements for 9 or 10 songs in each rehearshal and it requires a lot of time.

Please, when you are in a similar situation... what you do? I need new ideas for the transitions and the dynamics of the songs that can be performed easily with just a guitar.  I'm like an orchestraman singing, playing armony, rhythm, bass notes... Some songs are very difficult for playing it with few means.

Any idea or experience you have in this situation is welcome.

[sjonathan02]

You could try using song tracks, if you or anyone within the church's music/media ministry is savvy enough.

[PianoWizard]

Welcome to the LGM family "madetoworship".....Be Blessed.

PianoWiz...

[madetoworship]

You could try using song tracks, if you or anyone within the church's music/media ministry is savvy enough.

We have a large song list and it is not a good solution. We would be very limited.

Thanks for your suggestion

[madetoworship]

Welcome to the LGM family "madetoworship".....Be Blessed.

PianoWiz...

Thank you 

[madetoworship]

Mostly during the songs I am the drummer. My general concern is just to dig in to drive the beat rather then play variations on the chords and fills as the singers will have a tendacy to slow down. Between songs I just fingerpick a transitional chord pattern to next intro.

That's a good suggestion. Thanks,

[t-ent]

I want to learn the guitar so we can do this at my church.  I think it'd be powerful.  Well, easy for me to say, we are loaded with musicians.

Back to you...  I would choose songs around the instruments.  Guitar driven songs, very consecrated.  The focus would be off the music with songs like that.  Get congregation participation for the beat, clapping hand as intro's to the songs.  Just an idea.

t-ent

[1voice]

Well it could be a test...
When we were going threw musicians in our search for a permenant one, we had one for a short while that would show up late for 8:00 service, and then show up late again,or not show for 11:00, yea that didn't last long, but we sang more foot stompers, old accapello hymns, and did fine with a guitar, and a drummer.

I don't know if is your style, but listen to Alvin Darwyn(i think) song "All Night". Or an old one," lillies in the valley", or "hide behind the mountain".

Getting the church involved helps also, hand clapping, standing and joining in with the chior.