:: Welcome to Gsus Net ::

Gsus Net 是一個收集各種關於敬拜讚美教學資源的網誌。希望能夠幫助大家在敬拜上有更深層的認識與學習,技巧的增長,靈命的加強。最重要的是讓我們專注於 神的身上,將最好的獻給祂。

Gsus Net is a blog with collections of Chinese Christian Praise & Worship songs, tutorials, sharings, Bible teachings, etc. We hope this can encourage everyone's understanding and experience on worship, and also enhance skills, and most importantly a closer relationship with God.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

鍵盤手在敬拜團中的角色



by wenshian

今年初教會辦了一場慈善演唱會,請來了兩位職業歌手。但樂團是由教會成員組成。我有幸參與了此團中的一位鍵盤手,學習甚多。也讓我重新思考鍵盤手在敬拜團中的角色。

鍵盤手的角色,其實是很重要的,雖然在現代音樂中,大多強調吉他、鼓和貝斯。但當其他樂器手不足時,鍵盤手能夠提供的乃是多元化的音色。因為即使是 一個最陽春的Keyboard,至少也有兩三種不同樂器的音色。而音樂中最重要的架構:節拍和旋律,鍵盤都可以包含在內。為什麼最常用鋼琴和弦樂?在這一 次專業演出中,我們的音樂總監給了幾個tips,學以致用後很有效,在此分享一點心得。

在現代教會敬拜讚美中,鍵盤手大多提供鋼琴和弦樂的音色。若只有一台鍵盤手,通常就得捨弦樂只彈鋼琴。但若只有鋼琴,仔細一聽,是否有種很單薄的感 覺?鋼琴的音色可以有節拍,也可以有旋律,但是厚度不足弦樂團的音色,而且這些由吉他以可以提供。在那次與專業樂手同台的學習中,我學到Keyboard 最快決定的兩種音色就是鋼琴和可製造厚度的Pad,例如弦樂就是可以製造厚度,或說空間感的音色。最近一次敬拜團練習中,只有我一台鍵盤手,於是我嘗試以 Pad為鍵盤配樂主軸,結果效果很好。比起與吉他搶音色,反而可以填補空間,讓整體音效很飽滿。

我知道很多鍵盤手的背景都是鋼琴。所以對於彈弦樂或Pad這一類的音色,彈法是有差別的。鋼琴會要彈比較多音,但弦樂相較比較容易,要注意的是指壓 要能cover每一個聲音的空隙,彈下一個音時,上一個音的指頭先不要放掉。也多用和絃,三度,五度,八度,或有sustend的四度或二度音。另外增加 一些層次Layers,像有很多把提琴在拉,想像指頭下是一個弦樂團吧。

總而言之,最基本的進步原則,就是多練習。還有多注意聽CD裡配樂,先都照本宣科,這種學習在每種樂器中都很有幫助。多練習就能進步!

Monday, June 1, 2009

如何購買電吉他 Buying Guide for EG (English)

by 小非

Most of the websites are having a memorial day sale now, so I think it's a good time to buy (although they usually have some kind of sale everyday anyway). Please note some of these sales require you to call their 1-800 numbers becasue they claim the prices are too low they cannot advertise it publicly online. I think all of the websites below are no-tax and free-shipping (except for guitartrader.com).

WEBSITE:
The websites I go to most often are:
www.musiciansfriend.com (same company as Guitar Center)
www.americanmusical.com

Some other websites you can use for price comparisons:
www.samedaymusic.com (sometimes have good prices)
www.samash.com (sometimes have good prices)
www.music123.com (same company as musiciansfriend.com & guitar center, but might have different promotions)
www.zzounds.com (same company as americanmusical.com, but might have differnet promotions)
www.guitartrader.com (in CA so have to pay tax, but sometimes may have good scratch&dent deals)

The website I recommend the most is musiciansfriend.com because they have largest selection and usually better prices. Perhaps you can use their site to look for the appropriate guitar, and then check other website for price comparisons.

GUITAR:
There are two kinds of electric guitars, one has single-coil pickups (thinner sounding), and the other has humbucker pickups (muddier but fuller sounding). Single-coil pickups are closer to Chris Tomlin's rhythm sounds, whereas humbucker pickups are closer to Hillsong United hardrock sounds. I believe our English congregation is geared more towards the humbucker style.

I personally own about 10 guitars, and only use 4 of them for worship (2 humbuckers and 2 single-coils, depending on what kind of music).
They are:
1. Epiphone Dot Deluxe: Humbuckers, very versatile, can play jazz and hardrock
2. Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty: Humbuckers, pefect for hardrock. I use this for United songs.
3. Fender Standard Stratocaster: thinner sound but very versatile and clean sounding (and bright). I use this for mandarin worship.
4. Squier Classic Vibe 50's Telecaster: very clean thin sound, I use it for worship leading where I only strum and no solos

There are plenty of good guitars priced between $300 to $400. I personally would avoid anything below $300 (unless it's a scratch&dent guitar that is originally above $300). I would also avoid any "starter's packs" because they don't have good quality and usually don't have any room for future upgrades (for example, change pickups to better ones).

Of all the brands that produce Humbucker guitars (and between $300 to $500), I highly recommend Epiphone, Ibanez, Schecter, and ESP LTD. I especially recommend Schecter and ESP LTD, they have good humbuckers and really high quality. Their more expenssive models ($500 and above) carry active humbucker pickups, which are designed for very heavy music... probably not necessary for worship team purposes. So cheaper alternatives are good enough.
Epiphone is a sub company of Gibson (very famous), and it plays like a real Gibson. But since it's a sub company, young people may think that he would "lose face" if his friend owns a real Gibson (not likely, but possible). If that is a problem, then Ibanez is another good choice due to its versatility and playability.
AMPS & PEDALS:
Regarding pedals and amps, there are several options. First, most of the entry-level guitar amps have built-in digital effects, which gives you effects like delay, chorus, reverb...etc. While they are not superb in any way, most of them work well and is enough for church settings. Therefore, buying an amp with built-in effects can be adequate. Second, if you happen to have a keyboard amp at home, you can then invest all your amp money on a good multi-effect pedal, and plug it directly into the keyboard amp (it's actually recommended to do this because keyboard amps are full range flat response amps, which work better than guitar amps if you have a multi-effect unit). The last option would be buying an amp and a multi-effect pedal at the same time. This option is more costly...

OPTION A (AMP ONLY):
High wattage is not necessary. Usually amps are 15watt, 30watt, and 60watt or above. 15watt is good for home use. 30watt is good for onstage monitoring. 60watt is good for onstage monitoring if you are standing close to a drummer.

Roland, Line6 and Peavey usually make really good fancy amps with built-in effects. Good examples are here, here and here. These amps model different famous amplifiers, as well as some basic effects.

More options here, they are all pretty inexpensive.

OPTION B (MULTI-EFFECT ONLY):
If you have an existing keyboard amp, then you can afford a good multi-effect unit. Here is a complete listing of what they are. You really can't buy a bad one because they are all very well-built and all have good reviews online. I highly recommend Line6, Digitech, and Rocktron for their user-friendly interface. Boss is way too hard to use (I have a Boss GT-10). Vox has a tube inside therefore is high-maintainance.

OPTION C (AMP AND EFFECT):
You can buy a keyboard amp to go with the multi-effect because they work well together. Or you can also look at some cheap tube amps that don't have built-in effects (because you have your own) that offer a very good non-digital, analog tone.

ps: you can also try craigslist.com for some good deals. There are lots of people selling their used guitars/amps/pedals, can be a good place to start before you invest too much money.

hope this helps.