You Play Your Thing, I'll Play Mine

I filled in today for the vacationing worship leader at our smaller, satellite campus in a nearby town. Had to stop at our main campus on the way up to grab up some music. Before heading out I caught the tail end of the worship team’s practice session.

Since I wasn’t going to be there today, they found a drummer to fill in. A talented young man, capable of playing just about anything. Really gifted. Still a student at a local conservatory I think.

Sat in the back and watched him change every tom position, flop the ride and the crash at the processor, change where the high hat sits, adjust the pre-sets and tinker with just about every nut, bolt, allen key and screw on the set. That meant, of course, that I would have to find some time during the week, or come in extra early next Sunday, to change it all back. Not sure why, but it bothered me. I didn’t pay for the set, and just because my bottom typically occupies the bench behind them on Sundays doesn’t make them mine.

I listened to them play through a couple of songs. Kept noticing the drums. Man that kid was banging the cymbals like he was mad at them. Frankly, just from the way he was whacking it, the sheer aggression, I’d say the crash owed him twenty bucks. He hooked up the double bass pedals too. Gentle readers, this is just my opinion, but the double bass in a worship setting is about as useful as athlete’s foot fungus. Well, unless Pantera or Anthrax decides to do some Tomlin covers that is. Then I laughed at myself. Not only was I sounding like an old fart, I was sounding like a know it all old fart.

So I decided to take my judgmental arrogance right up the road and do my own thing, reminding myself all the way there that there would be several people watching me wondering why I chose open E for that song, how come I can’t play a simple F sharp bar chord, and just what the heck is Dad-Gad tuning anyway.

(I also prayed for forgiveness in advance…cause I’m pretty sure the double bass pedal is going to wind up “lost” as soon as I get back. He-He)