Why I Bought A Kemper

In this video I discuss the process which led me from traditional amps to a digital platform like the Kemper Profiling Amp

 

Gear Thoughts: JHS Pulp N Peel V4

I love compressors! I love the Pulp N Peel!

It’s a compressor, a DI, an EQ, a gain pedal and so much more!

This is a great pedal for not only electric players but acoustic guitar and bass as well!

Check out my thoughts here:

Titan Guitars KR-1 Review

 

My review of the Titan Guitars KR-1. It’s a fantastic guitar, handmade here in the USA by bearded wizards. With its swimming pool body route, the KR-1 can be anything you need it to be by switching out loaded Pickguards.

Check out Titan Guitars and see what I’m so excited about!

Gear Thoughts: Walrus Audio RED

I firmly believe that higher gain pedals aren’t used nearly enough by church players. We have a tendency to to gravitate towards “clean” tones for very understandable reasons, but then in the moment when we need that crunch or searing lead line, we try to make our gear work in a way it was not designed to work. If you throw multiple stacked overdrives in front of a clean amp is that the best way to achieve your goal? Wouldn’t it be better to use one pedal that was designed for that purpose instead of using two or three that were not?

Well, that’s some of what I talk about in this video:

 

Gear Thoughts: Klon KTR

 

a few quick thoughts on the Klon KTR overdrive for church guitarists and worship settings.

Should We Ban The Music Stands?

 

This has become a conversation over the past few years in worship ministry. Possibly, it’s even become a battle in some chruches. Should we allow music stands on the stage?

For some, this will seem like a ridiculous idea; how can we know what songs to play without the music? What’s the big deal? Why is this even a question?

While others might say: “yes, and if you don’t get rid of the stands, you’re doing it wrong!” or some other hyperbolic rhetoric.

For this post, I’d like to address the reasons someone would want to ban Music Stands, the pros and cons of those reasons and some practical considerations for you to take into account. Maybe you’ve been wresting with this idea. Maybe this has been an issue in your ministry. Maybe you’ve never heard of such a thing and you can’t understand why someone would do it; but you are going to keep reading to find out.

Thoughts About Credit Cards and Purchasing Equipment

Can I Buy Equipment With A Credit Card?

I see this question a lot. Mostly on forums and gear groups but sometimes I’ll get an email or something about it. With the cost of musical gear and accessories such as PA or computer equipment being so high, doesn’t it make sense to use a credit card to make purchases on high cost items? Won’t it be too late to use it by the time I save up for it?

Sadly, the answers people give are often over-simplified or limited in their scope. People living in one context might not see that the person asking the question might exist in a different situation then they do. In this post I hope to address the central question and give some perspective that might be helpful, not only in deciding when or if to use credit, but how we buy our equipment in general.

My Worship Pedalboard

Every so often I get asked in the comments what kind of gear I use on a Sunday morning. While certain things change from time to time, I’ve been consistent over the years with a Fender Telecaster and a Tube Amp (currently my beloved Benson Monarch.)

Below is a quick rundown of my main rig. It’s a rig made up of compromises. Since it’s not the biggest in size, I can’t have everything I want, so these pedals are compromises that allow me to get the sounds I need within the constraints I have set before me.

Backing Tracks: What I use and How I Got There

What I use and How I Got There

Multi-tracks, Backing Tracks, and Pads have become more and more mainstream in music in recent years. It’s not just in the church, but its not uncommon to go to shows and concerts and see well known bands with Pads or Backing Tracks going on in the background. I remember 2004 hearing it with Coldplay and over the next few years later I started noticing it with smaller bands in at clubs in the Seattle area.

Programs like Abelton and the easy of Apple’s Garage band have put this technology in the hands of church musicians as well. But it’s not just the mega-churches that are doing this. Walk into churches of ranging in size from 50-150 and you could easily hear some form of backing track going on.

I started using ambient Pads in the background about 6 months ago. I want to walk you through my process, how I got here, and why I use what I use.

Spring Q&A: What’s the Best Thing and Other Questions

Every so often I look over the search terms from engines like Google and Yahoo that lead people to this blog and turn them into a sort of Q&A. This one is pretty guitar and musical gear heavy but hopefully it’s helpful to someone. (warning, if some of my comments seem like I’m being snarky, it’s because I am 🙂 )