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Ive been wondering lately, I there is any fiddle style violinist that play christian music professionally? Because I want to play in my church youth group, when I get a violin.
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There is a fiddler player that plays at my grandmother's church in old town Albuquerque. I cannot remember his name. If you want I can ask her?
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There is a young woman in our church that plays with our praise band now and then. She doesn't play professionally but she is very good. As I'm singing the songs on Sunday I can hear where the violin can bring a wonderful flavor to worship. Psalms 150:4 comes to mind
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I get hired to play in churches from time to time, especially around Easter and Christmas but pretty much any time of the year. It really does add flavor as Paul put it.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Thanks a lot!
Thanks again, Jaden
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I do, Jaden. Mostly by myself at the moment, because most worship teams use chords instead of notes. (which does not mean I didn't collect most of Citipointe and Hillsong's leadsheets
) For now, I am recording my worship team so that I can make my own arrangements based on chords, and by ear. I strongly suggest getting your fundamentals right before trying anything of that sort(not to discourage you, but to save you from embarrassment) I suggest you Google, "Playing violin with a worship team, which will lead to many interesting articles about that matter. And for sheets, well, I'm always here. Learn also how to use Finale, because you might end up transposing sheets, depending on what keys the team will be using in the future.
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Daniel, are you writing any of this stuff down? I mean the music? I am in the same boat. I find it exceedingly difficult to look at the chords and instantly be able to play something beautiful in praise and worship. In fact, as far as I'm concerned it's impossible. I keep asking around....is there some magic formula to know what to play? I feel like there is just some key bit of information I am missing. And, uh, about embarrassing yourself....you hit the nail on the head. LOL. Have done it several times. "whoops, guess that note doesn't go there so good." LOL. Help! Anything. Two years I"ve been muddling through with this, waiting to figure out how this works. I don't play the piano, I know scales, etc. I just don't know how to improvise, I guess. I bet we're playing the same stuff, which is why I"m thinking maybe I don't need to reinvent the wheel if you're writing it down....
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Actually it went so far as the mixer tech coming down and telling me I was pulling everyone off pitch 
You've been playing for two years with your WT? Nice! I had better success with a Baptist Orchestra for a year, but I joined a worship team, so it was like, okay, back to square one. Honestly, even with high-grade floor monitors, it's so hard to hear myself play, so unless you've got the ceclio e-violin or some decent in-ear monitors...well, you get the idea. But anyway, back on topic,
http://www.violinist.com/discu.....m?ID=16923
http://www.violinist.com/discu.....m?ID=10489
These guys have the tips which I needed, but sometimes I let myself "fall into" the music (I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you had in mind). I usually have leadsheets printed out with the soprano melody on it(they're almost impossible to find unless you know where to look: Think Partituras Cristianos...) and I slip in a few triplets, and 2nd voicing. Always keep a pencil in your back pocket to make notes.
Side note, use these search engines for the sheet music:
http://www.docs-finder.com/ind......php (you need sibelius scorch/sibelus)
Use keywords like: (song title) lead sheet,songbook,song book, finale, .pdf, sibelius, sheet music. You'd be amazed at what you find online.
Ps, good luck finding anything from the Planetshakers 
Anyway...
To be honest though it's tough when they play in BMajor(5sharps), but it can't be helped because most of the modern songs are in B, A, C, D, and G. I hardly see a song with flats in it in the modern worship scene.
And...
It really needs a lot of effort on our part, because we have to write our own scores for each song. Sometimes it can be as simple as letters, or complicated notes. Just go with what works for you. I'll share whatever I can make for myself, of course. Do research, youtube is a very good resource. Find piano covers and play along with them. A lot of people are making violin covers of worship songs like Still, Amazing Love, Amazing Grace... to name a few.
You can actually get sheet music from MIDI files with Sibelus/Finale, so Google up a few tutorials how you can do it(very easy really)
Just PM me what you need. Sometimes I can only give you a leadsheet, depending on the song, but it's better than nothing right? Oh yeah, I fixed the FB link on my profile too, just don't forget to mention that you met me here....so many friends on FB you might get lost 
Good luck, and God bless you!
Okay....I think that's everything I have in my head at the moment 
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Oh, about being able to hear myself....I have a silent Yamaha violin and I use (excellent) earphones through an aviom. Even then, I find myself either completely inaudible....or during the quiet parts (when I'd like to be playing) I am so loud that it startles me, and it sounds really thin but super loud and it embarasses me, so I want to stop playing. I don't catch the reverb that the congregation hears, which sounds really nice. I just sound LOUD in my ears. LOL. Then I have to stop and adjust the volume. We have really good equipment, I just need to figure out how to use it.
Monitors are useless!!! One time they tried to point a monitor at me "here, use this to hear yourself." I got NOTHING. Sorry, I am not THAT good that I can play without being able to hear if I am in tune or not.
I am super glad to hear that going on youtube and playing along is what you do - that's what I do too! I couldn't figure out what else to do! Of course then at church we NEVER play in the same key as the original but....whatever. At least I get some ideas.
Lately they've been giving me the lead sheet....but I don't want to play the melody. I want to find those little riffs in between....and everyone is fond of patting me on the back and saying "just play in the spirit." and I'm like, "well, if that's all it takes, here, you do it." Pfff.
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PS that violinist.com discussion....I found that a long time ago and did the suggestions....that part I got....I guess I just expect more. Like I want to really confidently know what I'm doing....but what can I do? I was classical for years and years, it's hard to just switch that off and be like "here, make up the notes yourself". I feel like I'm not creative enough, but I know I am because I can hear it in my head....I just don't always find the notes in time, if that makes sense. You know what I mean, probably.
Maybe in two more years??
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Jauniba said:
Oh, about being able to hear myself….I have a silent Yamaha violin and I use (excellent) earphones through an aviom. Even then, I find myself either completely inaudible….or during the quiet parts (when I'd like to be playing) I am so loud that it startles me, and it sounds really thin but super loud and it embarasses me, so I want to stop playing. I don't catch the reverb that the congregation hears, which sounds really nice. I just sound LOUD in my ears. LOL. Then I have to stop and adjust the volume. We have really good equipment, I just need to figure out how to use it.
Monitors are useless!!! One time they tried to point a monitor at me "here, use this to hear yourself." I got NOTHING. Sorry, I am not THAT good that I can play without being able to hear if I am in tune or not.
Glad we're in agreement over that fact 
I am super glad to hear that going on youtube and playing along is what you do – that's what I do too! I couldn't figure out what else to do! Of course then at church we NEVER play in the same key as the original but….whatever. At least I get some ideas.
Lately they've been giving me the lead sheet….but I don't want to play the melody. I want to find those little riffs in between….and everyone is fond of patting me on the back and saying "just play in the spirit." and I'm like, "well, if that's all it takes, here, you do it." Pfff.
I agree on that part. I really wish someone would point to me and say, "You, come here, this is what I wan't you to play" instead of, "Just play along XD"
Lead sheet are usually for reference, and for us, a way to do some special 2nd voicing, or at least that's how I do it. I sometimes find myself doing arpeggio variants for stanzas and chord 3rds. Each player is unique in their improvisation, so I suggest recording yourself(your technical team should be able to do that for you) and check with the chords if you're making sense. What type of worship do you have in your church?
I noticed that you mentioned a history in classical. Have you ventured into the contemporary classical remixes of today? Like the over-exposed Canon, for example. Those will help to get rhythms and riffs in our memory.
Check out what happens in 1:49(Improvisation)
and an example of what it sounds like when played by chords
Hey Pierre, anything you'd like to add for us?
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Hey Daniel,
Sorry for messing with your post. The video didn't work for me so I tried to fix it. Can't really get it the way I want it. I wanted to change the frame size but ended up not seeing any of the videos. Don't know what is wrong with it but will try to figure it out later.
Wonder if that is you in the second video? Nice seeing you having fun with your fiddle. I guess if that is you, the family is yours as well. 
I plan on making a bunch of improvisation videos down the road when I find time.
Thanks for the posts.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Almost, but not quite me. I can't find a decent mic for the sound yet. Too much humming
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i love playing christian music... especially when i feel bad.. somehow the song becomes more alive for me.. it becomes more personal..
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I have recently learned how to read chord charts and I am now playing with the praise and worship team at my church. I love it. I love the freedom I have during worship. I must be honest with you and tell you that when I first started to play with our worship team I was terrified. I have aways played in the orchestra so I was surrounded by other violinist, now I am the only violinist up on stage. I ffend myself getting very frustrated b/c I didn't understand the chord charts and we didn't have sheet music. I continued to ask questions and practice reading the chord charts, now I know enough to play at least the chords on the chart. My goal is to soon be able to play freely by ear.
Mellissa Clark
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Could you explain how you did it? Just for everyone else to know how, of course.
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Jauniba said:
PS that violinist.com discussion....I found that a long time ago and did the suggestions....that part I got....I guess I just expect more. Like I want to really confidently know what I'm doing....but what can I do? I was classical for years and years, it's hard to just switch that off and be like "here, make up the notes yourself". I feel like I'm not creative enough, but I know I am because I can hear it in my head....I just don't always find the notes in time, if that makes sense. You know what I mean, probably.
Maybe in two more years??
Oh WOW, If I didn't know better I would think I posted this! I have the same problem with playing with the worship team. Don't get me wrong I love playing but I am not a pro. by any means and it scares me b/c I think people expect me to know more than what I do and I have a very hard time making my own parts!. However, I have started hearing violin parts the more I play, the hard part is that when I hear them I can only humm them I can't figure out what notes I hear though. ROFL I am so not a pro., I just really love playing for the Lord!
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@ Daniel,
To be honest I am still figuring it out. I can tell you that I usually play an octave higher than everyone else so I don't just get mixed in with all the other sounds.
Which by the way is a little out of my comfort zone b/c I don't like standing out, I am use to blinding in.
It does drive me crazy like many of the other people that I don't have set notes to play and that I have to make it up as I go.
I am just now getting to the point that I am getting a little more fearless, and playing freely. I am still waiting on someone to tell me what I am doing wrong, so far they have all be complimenting me. I have had to constantly remind myself of the scripture...
He did not give us the spirit of fear but of peace and sound mind. (can't remember exactly where it is in the Bible, but I know it enough to calm myself down when I get scared on the platform). I will look it up later
For me playing on the worship team is something that I am having a hard time with b/c I know that God is calling me to not play from my mind and what I knew, but from my heart, the songs that He will give me over time.
I hope this helps someone.
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It is important to be familiar with the instrument. Next be familiar with the keys and progressions in the pieces that you will be playing. Try to learn to play whats in your head automatically. Also, try closing your eyes and hear yourself (or imagine a great violinist playing) play the accompaniment while you are actually doing it. Try singing softly or in your head, at the same time as you play. Don't try to get ahead of yourself by playing too technically until you are ready and actually need to. Use a lot of dynamics, and phrasing. Feel the music.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Ok, I don't know what's going on but I seem to be having a major breakthrough lately. A girl from church came up to me after rehearsal last night and said, "I wrote a song this afternoon and I was hearing you play along as I was writing it, wanna try?"
So, as we were rehearsing (this was our second time through the song, and I had NO sheet music, all I knew was the number of sharps LOL) she was clandestinely recording us. I am a bit uncertain and my intonation isn't always the best, and I am definitely dragging as I'm trying to anticipate what she is going to play next….but like I said it was our second time. We even start playing exactly the same thing spontaneously as we were basically in worship. Like right around 3:45.
Fiddlerman….it's so funny what you wrote in your last post because as I was standing there trying to build confidence I literally imagined in my head, "*whatever* just pretend like you are really great and belt something out."
I think another thing is really dug the music and the key she wrote it in. Not common in worship music. A little dark.
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