So very typical @Jenn_L…. Most worship music has no bass tabs and as such, most all music directors will hand out nothing more than Lead Sheets showing the chord progressions along with the lyrics of the songs… As such, most bass players in Worship groups find themselves playing nothing more than simple root notes. You’d be amazed at how many church bassists have mentioned to me after hearing some of my secular music covers saying that I was a “Real” bass player…
. Kinda sad actually because there is quite a bit that can be played on bass for many of the worship songs. Personally, I tend to incorporate octaves into my bass lines since they don’t take away from the essence of the music and can add a bit of soulful highlights to certain sections of a song. With worship music, simplicity is your friend, and feeling of the attack is essential in that well fingered notes with just the right touch of timing and sustain go a long way into the expression of bass notes in worship music…. Just my personal opinion though…… Good Luck with the B2B course!! A great course!!
Thank you for the idea for this thread @Lanny … I picked up the bass again after a long hiatus because our worship team was short at that position. I was never really any good to begin with- but got into B2B- filled in at rehearsal mid-way through the course when our starter was sick- and never looked back. I only ever played a handful of live gigs in my misspent youth- but playing regularly on the worship team has helped me improve exponentially. There really is no substitute. I also have a keys background- so now getting roped into that. Knowing some basic theory through the keyboard side is a plus.
Someone mentioned last minute (or second) key changes- yeah- I’m not great with that but improving. Our new director is all about improvement and growth over time and trying to get us on numbers. That will help.
Keeping it simple on the bass lines is the order of the day. Although I’ll try to be true to whatever version of the song we are doing. If it’s an older song or hymn-based, you can stick to the root/octave, root/fifth, but there is some room for basic level creativity with your bass lines. Just don’t over do it. haha…
As far as lead time in prep- one of our guys posts the songs a couple weeks in advance and sticks to them. The other- well, let’s just say, Sunday rehearsal is a wild ride. No songs until late in the week and then always key changes as service starts. I stay away from that.
Lot’s of fun stuff to talk about on this topic though!
I’ve been playing in our worship band about once a month for the last year (a few months after starting B2B)… I feel REALLY fortunate with my team! We do have a worship leader who posts the songs/keys at least 2 weeks (sometimes 3) ahead of the service. The key may change on some songs, but never without at least a week’s notice. We all rehearse on our own, then do a run through 2x on Sunday morning before church. We use something called Planning Center and the WL posts the lyrics/chords, but also mp3s of the songs. I would download the mp3s and upload them into BandLab and reduce the levels of everything but the bass to take notes and practice the bass lines. Then I’d raise the other levels, and lower the bass playback, while playing the bass line myself. It works really well. I don’t have to make up my own bass lines, and I’m not limited to playing roots/fifths. The players on the recordings are pros and often add interesting flourishes and runs and rhythms, and if they’re not too complicated I can challenge myself to imitate what they’re doing and grow in my skills. If it’s too much, I just keep it steady. Recently the WL gave us all access to “Worship Online” which has thousands of worship songs available along with tutorials for all the vocalists and instrumentalists. It’s been great!
So true @bdumais15…. I do typically stick to simple whole/half/quarter root notes when any of the old time hymns are being played. I do find that there’s a bit more freedom in playing to the more modern worship songs.
I guess that would depend on a person’s definition of “Typical”…… and “Worship”.
Would be like asking Alan Jackson, Willy Nelson, Carrie Underwood, Kid Rock and Jelly Roll what their “Typical”… “Country” songs would be. 
Ah, Kid Rock … never! 
If am inclined to gospel though…
First, WELCOME to the forum @hammandave777…. If you get a chance please visit the Introduce Yourself! (2025) thread and tell us all a bit about yourself.
Really great that your Worship Leader has given the worship team all access to such a resource!! I can only imagine how well your team must sound during service!!. Gonna have to check out “Worship Online”…. Right now I use Moises which allows me to separate tracks so that I can isolate the bass lines. The challenge is that many if the old hymns and old worship songs that I sometimes play have no bass lines at all, and some of the more modern songs have synths incorporated which can at times prove difficult to transcribe into a useable bass line…. Sounds like “Worship Online” may be a great resource…. Thanks!!
. Kid Rock…
I too love many of the Gospel songs. The history of many old gospel songs is quite interesting. It is truly music from the soul…
Oh man love this topic. I’ve been bugged/begged to join our worship team and a lot of my concerns are echoed here.
Here’s my list of excuses:
My biggest reservation right now is I still have to learn a lot of songs for my cover band. That and my kid’s activities are off the chain busy.
My other reason is if I’m going to play for church it’s a lot more important than cover songs for drunks in the bar. I need my playing to be on point if it’s for God. 
I also know that there will be little to no tabs for the songs and while I’ll have chords and can root it out that just seems like faking it to me. I think they get the songs a week before too which would be crazy to learn 4 in 1 week even if they are less complicated.
I know our band practices once during the week and then does a run through before the service. They cover 4 songs each service but it’ll usually be 2 or 3 months before we repeat anything.
My church plays both praise music and hymns.
How do you guys deal with not being flashy? Not that anyone would really mind, but I can’t see my usual dancing to the beat fitting in 
I think I’ll probably have a go at it in the next year. I know our current bassist is retiring and wants to get out so I also don’t want to be the reason he’s stuck. Plus getting stage time once a week would be amazing experience.
I’d love to hear how the gospel folks do, I have a buddy that plays for a mega church and that is wild but gospel music is a whole nother musical animal. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do that!
@Whying_Dutchman, here are a few you might like.
https://youtu.be/_UZSNgcPzzc-Morning has Broken-Cat Stevens
Amazing Grace by Victor Wooten https://youtu.be/zjkFJkbm3vA
This is Amazing Grace by ? https://youtu.be/OKXqaE_txIc
Various techniques - you tube Travis Dykes -https://youtu.be/SwbSNdUNDk0
Only God Knows Why-KID ROCK bass cover https://youtu.be/SiHdl3vQSsc
Thanks! Will look into it.
But Kid Rock? NEVER!
adam neely did a video on the one music he hates, and it is of course modern worship music. a lot of musicians don’t like it. i am firmly of the belief that you like what you like and don’t need to justify it to anybody. but my wife is black and a baptist and i have to say that if i had grown up in a church that played the music that they play i would have been a regular church go’er from early on. i kinda wish that this was modern worship music.
Wow @MattyD!! Mega long list…. So glad you posted…
First, I can only speak on situations I have been involved in over the years, but one thing that I have learned and realized over the years is that as a dad/husband/wife/mother, if involvement in “ANY” personal hobby/activity takes away from family time with your spouse or kids, it’s not (for me personally) worth my involvement.
Playing bass is cool, and playing bass in a band or group setting is even cooler…. but in no way is it cooler than spending as much time as possible with your spouse and children while you can during the time we have here on planet earth….
Even playing in a church worship team can be a tasking situation…. I recently visited my dentist who plays bass and asked if I’d contact his church music director to fill in on bass with their worship team. I asked “why” and his reply was that he was getting burnt out and was missing time in church with his family…. That particular church’s worship team meets for practice on Thursday evenings, and then again at 6:00AM on Sunday morning before the early service to do sound checks and review/practice songs - then two morning services. Said he “missed” sitting with his wife and kids….
My brother in law went through three marriages when he played drums for the band he was in most of his adult life. After lis last marriage failed and he remarried for the fourth time he put his kit in the shed and hasn’t picked up a set of sticks since. So far this marriage seems to be lasting……
I can go on and on…. Let’s face it, playing music is a fun and great “hobby”…. It’s a great way to express ourselves and also helps us focus attention on something other than the realities of life - if only for just a short time while practicing or playing live with a group - and - it doesn’t matter if that’s a gig band playing bars or party’s, or a worship group playing two services on Sunday……
Bottom line - PRIORITIES!!
Oh, and even if you’re playing in a smoke filled bar room to a bunch of drunks, still play as if you were playing to God….
Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny
I think it’s fair to differentiate between “gospel” and “worship”. It seems like gospel bass can get pretty technical.
Worship music that grew out of the Jesus People movement in the early’70’s was more folk/rock based and tends to emphasize simpler easy to remember lyrics. The structure also tends to be more straightforward. I don’t see a lot of jazz chords in contemporary worship music.
That said, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut on the first 5 frets using 1-3-5 arpeggios, short walk ups/downs, and just mostly hanging out on the roots.
Our worship leader seems to think that emailing the set at 5 AM on Sunday morning qualifies as advanced notice. 
. So I end up going with what I know best and try not to overthink things on the fly.
I’ve been playing bass in a worship team for over 30 years, and the rut has become too frustrating for words. Taking B2B is my attempt to break out and expand the palate of tools a bit.
B2B is certainly a great course! I too have played in numerous worship groups over the years but never in the same church for more than a few years at a time - my job moved me from state to state every few years or so…. Hope you find your way outta that frustrating rut…. I’ve found that doing covers every so often helps and allows me the freedom to work at building my own style of bass play…
Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny
Howdy @Lanny and gang!
Here’s a song I covered a little while back which I am learning to play in the church worship team.
Best,
JD
OMG @JDDaniel… JD!!! You’ve gotten so much better and man… Great Job!! So happy for you to be able to have the opportunity to play in your church worship group!! One of these days if Connie and I ever have the chance to venture back down to the Lone Star state, we’ll be sure to drop in and listen!!
Keep on Thumpin’! Brother!!
Lanny
i mean what is justin raines considered? cuz the dude is a monster player. i have no idea how well known he is in worship circles, but he’s always on SBL. and he certainly isn’t standing in the background playing root notes.
Yes, he’s a monster bass player!! Not one to be standing backstage playing root notes……. However, most of us here who do play in local worship groups are probably not in his category of play, and also, we all play in groups with music/worship directors/leaders who have a bit of control (and say) over how “all” instruments are fed into the mix for worship services….
However, if a “Special” song were to be the focus of any service, and that “Special” song required technical bass playing expertise such as his, then by all means,… go for it!!! That’s what “Specials” in a worship service are all about….
I have heard some great worship “specials” that have highlighted different instruments such as guitar, trombone, trumpet, harp,… and the list goes on, but, for “Worship”,…. The focus is never on a specific instrument or vocalist…. “Worship” is a single voice - human vocals and instruments combined…… On Stage and Full Auditorium together as one…… Unexplainable….
