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Hey Rob. Yes, many churches in the LA/OC area are presenting contemporary praise music. I see some fantastic gospel praise groups on cable tv, the styles I'm into have more of an R&B/jazz influence and that is my background anyway. Many of the keyboard players that get these gigs are also playing secular sessions, touring, etc. When I hear Luther Vandross on the radio singing the song, Here and Now, if the lyrics were changed, that style could be in a sense a praise form.

I really got interested when I started checking out guys playing the B-3 organ in a gospel style on youtube and at the NAMM show in Anaheim. There is a definite sound and a certain segment of chord progressions that the music follows. Anyway, I'll keep picking up ideas and try to find a church where I could work into or maybe a sub if needed as an alternate. Some players here have posted some good links of church musician openings and that is a good start.

katt

For what it's worth here is my experience:

I currently play at a church in the San Gabriel, CA area. I play organ for the traditional service and then play piano in the band for the contemporary service. I am the rehearsal pianist for the chancel choir and the praise team so I'm at the church 3 days a week besides the time spent practicing and preparing my music selections. I've played in churces for all my life - beginning in Jr. High - and eventually got paid positions about 25 years ago.

Having been raised in church afforded me the opportunity to learn all the basic hymns along with the creeds and different styles of worship. Because I can sightread (which is an almost absolute must - you never know when something will be changed at the last minute) I have been able to get many other gigs like weddings and funerals. This has also enabled me to accompany the choir in rehearsals as directors are notorious for throwing music at us and expecting absolute perfection the first time out. A bit daunting, but with practice and intestinal fortitude one can rise above the nervousness and sweaty fingers.

The church I play at pays really well and I realize I am fortunate as this is not always the case. I believe with all the years of practice, money spent on lessons and music that this is fair compensation, although some "powers" in churches don't see it that way. These same people wouldn't have the audacity to seek a senior pastor and expect him to volunteer his time, etc. yet they expect us musicians (who have trained longer and harder) to do exactly that. I believe a worker is worthy of his efforts.

If you aren't well versed in Christian music there are a few radio music stations that play Christian music. There are scads of CDs available online and in bookstores as well as loads of books at the local Christian bookstore. Oh I almost forgot - if you have DirectTV there are some gospel and Christian music stations that you can listen to.

One thing that a music director will look at is your commitment to the Christian faith. If you are looking for a permanent position and not a Christian you will not be taken seriously. If you're hired on a performance only basis (i.e. for a Christmas program or Easter service) you may get hired for that one particular occasion.

One more thing to learn: I've found it most beneficial to have memorized Jesus Loves Me in the key of C and Happy Birthdayin the key of F. I can't tell you how many times I needed to play these 'on the fly'.

You may also want to contact a local church and get the name(s) of the keyboard players and/or organist and arrange to meet with that person and inquire further. Most musicians are very eager to share their experiences and pass on what they know.

I hope this helps. Don't get discouraged - just listen and make your presence known.

When I was in high school I was "in the rotation" to do both the piano playing of hymns for the church service while the congregation sang and 'special' music (more of a 'performance') during offerings, communion etc. I wasn't given much choice ...if you knew piano enough to play hymns it was considered your obligation. This was a small rural church and they still do things that way. The minister and the church secretary got small salaries. Everybody else donated their time for everything that got done.

I have several acquaintances among the graduate piano majors at the university where I work. A few of them have church jobs. They are very definitely just gigs as far as they are concerned, done for the money. In fact, one of the pianists is a Bhuddist, and smiles when she says how nice the people at the church were when they asked if she wanted to take communion. These jobs seem to be in the more old-line traditional churches, and involve traditional if not classical repertoire, although appropriate (slow, meditative) classical music is used to fill in during offerings, communion, etc where the choir is not singing.. I get the impression you have to definitely have a resume as a musician to get the gig. I am occasionally in the music department and see flyers posting part-time jobs for different instruments.

I'm guessing you are interested in playing what I call Praise and Worship style. I did a bit of that before I moved back to a liturgical church with classical organ playing.

First be aware that much of this music is not particularly good quality. It's also not all that difficult, but has to be played smoothly and fluently, and with as little dead air as possible.

Resources: http://www.greghowlett.com/freechristianpianomusic.aspx
Look at Greg's site, it helped me a lot. It might be too basic for you but it's a good starting point.

Also if possible get access to CCLI. Many churches will have a subscription, and most if not all the P&W repertoire will come from here.

Now, the smaller churches, particularly nondenominational Bible churches, will at best pay one organist/musical director, and the P&W team will be volunteers.

The middle size churches, especially if liturgical and/or mainstream denominational, won't be caught dead with this kind of garbage. (hyperbole added for emphasis)

BUT: the megachurches have the funds to pay not only a traditional organist/choir director but a contemporary keyboard player, and sometimes pay very handsomely.

So your progression is probably to join a small church as a volunteer, master the style, and use that as a springboard into a megachurch.

You'll have to be a Christian unless you play very very well, in which case they'll try hard to look the other way. Or if you can sing alto, you can be a practicing Satanist the rest of the week and still get hired! Hee, hee.

Do it for free and I'm certain god will bless you.

Even the birds of the sky are provided for.

that cracked me up. i play for an ensemble at a Catholic church.. we do professional choral work, some contemporary, gospel and whatever. i play the organ or piano.. After a service our director announced that we would sing happy birthday for our pastor gestured toward me to start.

so i played happy birthday in the key of C. for the life of me i had never played it when anyone sang along..

it was quite funny.

Hi Apple,

Most people are comfortable singing "Happy Birthday" in F or G major. You may have had some singers straining for the high notes or groaning for the low ones. LOL!!

Having played piano for the same church for 35 years now I have seen all kinds of music get thrown at me to play on the spot. Must be able to sight read well, at least the lead line and make up the bass. I play the old Stamps-Baxter quartet music one minute and may be asked to play p&w next. Got to be versatile.

I also have played for the college jazz band while in school, college choir practice when the regular player couldn't be there.

A lot of churches in our area are going to the p&w style (central Texas area) and while I do enjoy that style, my personal favorite is the traditional hymns.

If you get the job, be prepared for weddings, funerals, valentines banquets and the like, so a well rounded knowledge of all types of music is good to know. I have had to play Floyd Cramer's "Last Date" at a few funerals. I played it at my moms since that was one of her most liked songs.

At the right church for you, this can be a most rewarding job.

Our church frequently offers to pay, but since I have attended there since I was a kid, it's more like playing for family. I figure it's one way I can give back a small portion of what has been given to me.

Most of what the guys have replied with are accurate. Most jobs found in churches is through friends and family. It shouldnt only be that way though and i have recently launched http://www.christianmusiciansforhire.com to try to bridge that gap. Its a resource to christian musicians seeking jobs in churches whether voluntary or paid and also helps church find musicians through our datbase as well.

Like many others posting here, I, too, have played for services or Sunday school since I was able to do so. As I was a lousy sight-reader in high school the hymns were given to me on Wednesday so I could sort of be prepared. I played for the service occasionally and later for revivals at another church and when someone would not be available for the service.

In the army as a chaplain's assistant I played for the services and some weddings and became more proficient on the organ. And later I played for three services and choir practice at Parris Island (Marine Base) where anything could happen. One chaplain always had Happy Birthday for recuits who had birthdays that week. Bb seemed perfect for that. I have told some that I had be Baptized, Methodized, Catholicized each week (of course there were other denominations as well. One thing necessary to play for church is flexibility--helps a lot if you're Pisces!

Many churches, even if one is not a member, expect free service and to be on call for anything. Some pay and some pay generously and consider the organist/pianist part of the ministry staff.

As you can tell from this thread - the differences in types of church positions varies as much as types of piano repertoire. I have been a paid church musician for most of my career playing everything from liturgical services on the organ to praise services on a keyboard with a band and singers.

So, just start networking, asking questions - all of which you are doing on this thread - and most of all keep practicing as many styles of music from classical and hymns to lead sheet reading and gospel. And work on your sightreading!

Church work has been a lucrative career for me - I hope you can create the same for yourself.

Dr. J - The More You Play the Better Your Day

This thread has provided an encyclopedia of knowledge about working in churches for pianists/keyboard players. Everyone has been so helpful, and not just my request, I'm sure other keyboard players interested in church gigs got some info.

Many churches in Los Angeles have budgets to support music programs and some pay very good salaries. I have been picking up contemporary praise/gospel keyboard styles on youtube, like "See and Hear" and they show you bottom up about learning the styles and playing them at a pro level. When I feel ready to audition for some churches, I'll give it a shot and see if it works out. There is so much great church music out there, old and new.

katt