passing the torch

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mentoneman

mentoneman

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i've been playing guitar at my church since 96 and mixing FOH since 00, and A.V. director since 04, and have seen many changes and styles come and go

always knew one day i would make way for younger guys and the greatest thing is i have been taking part in and encouraging that process, seeking out players and soundmen and video techs who have the right heart and attitude, and can PLAY, and mix and execute live video production.

last night i got to enjoy watching two guitarists i helped find and bring into the worship team. one guy has been there for a while now and i have seen him grow in so many ways, and he is a KILLER player with an early 70s marshall PA amp and 335, and the other guy got to play for the first time last night, after trying to make it happen for months, and he was awesome plugged straight into his marshall haze 15 mini stack with a paul..not even a tuner!

then as i stood in the back of the church i watched one soundman i helped develop into a very competent FOH mixer teaching a new tech the ropes, and things were sounding great.

finally i jumped upstairs to help a new guy set levels for the CD recorder, and watched the 3-person media team i developed execute the live video switch for the web and closed circuit TVs and IMAG screens in the sanctuary, lighting cues, powerpoint presentations, web streaming, etc...

i cut out quietly and was just really at peace and happy
 
great of you to give young guys opportunities to grow and learn.. sure wish i had friends like that!
 
The quickest way to success in any endeavor is to model someone else who has achieved what you want to achieve. Having someone like you be a mentor most certainly does not suck ;)
They should be very happy and honored that you are as giving as you are. It's a trate that I don't often see these days. :rock:
 
Gainfreak":2da38i6k said:
The quickest way to success in any endeavor is to model someone else who has achieved what you want to achieve. Having someone like you be a mentor most certainly does not suck ;)
They should be very happy and honored that you are as giving as you are. It's a trate that I don't often see these days. :rock:
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Well said. :thumbsup:
 
i've always told the music director and worship leader to feel comfortable bringing in new people to take the guitar spot i normally fill if it is an opportunity for that person to grow musically/spiritually, so that it doesnt become an awkward unapproachable musical "clique" like many churches develop. even at our church people get too possessive about their musical "chair", especially the old guard, and it's just wrong to me because it creates zero room for developing new generation talent and maintaining a contemporary fresh musical approach.

however there is a certain level of ability the player needs so it's not a trainwreck/nervous breakdown situation because the music is very guitar driven.
 
The sage of tone taking his apprentices under his wing hoping to only embrazon his wisedom upon them, to go forward and continue the journey he has been on for years on end only hoping that they are strong enough to burden their own journey.

When the time comes for the knights templar of tone to stretch out infront of a warm hearth weary of his years of protecting what is historic the future of tone and commitment is intact and strong with Mentoneman's house of worship.
 
what's also really cool for me is i get to jam with a killer player and talk tone, and generally be musically inspired!
we have a really good drummer coming to play with the band this weekend so i'm super stoked!
 
mentoneman":1ntkoqvd said:
i've been playing guitar at my church since 96 and mixing FOH since 00, and A.V. director since 04, and have seen many changes and styles come and go

always knew one day i would make way for younger guys and the greatest thing is i have been taking part in and encouraging that process, seeking out players and soundmen and video techs who have the right heart and attitude, and can PLAY, and mix and execute live video production.

last night i got to enjoy watching two guitarists i helped find and bring into the worship team. one guy has been there for a while now and i have seen him grow in so many ways, and he is a KILLER player with an early 70s marshall PA amp and 335, and the other guy got to play for the first time last night, after trying to make it happen for months, and he was awesome plugged straight into his marshall haze 15 mini stack with a paul..not even a tuner!

then as i stood in the back of the church i watched one soundman i helped develop into a very competent FOH mixer teaching a new tech the ropes, and things were sounding great.

finally i jumped upstairs to help a new guy set levels for the CD recorder, and watched the 3-person media team i developed execute the live video switch for the web and closed circuit TVs and IMAG screens in the sanctuary, lighting cues, powerpoint presentations, web streaming, etc...

i cut out quietly and was just really at peace and happy
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I have been playing in church since 2000. Been doing pretty much the same thing. At our church the lead guitar stands on the same side of the stage so the sound man can watch for fills and leads and kick them up in the FOH. The congregation has become aware of this over the years so it has become an honored spot somehow. It is so rewarding to take the rhythm spot so a guy/gal you have worked with can take the leads for a Sunday. I am not sure I see it as a "changing of the guard" since at 48 I still have 50-60 years of shredding ahead of me :D However, sharing the stage and developing new blood is part and parcel of the mission and it is cool to see many of us doing similar work. Rock on mentoneman :rock: :rock:
 
geez yesterday was rough.

found out the piano player at our church passed away in his sleep after a 2 year struggle with brain cancer. he left behind a wife and 2 young boys.

then i also found out yesterday another friend who has made his living as an underwater cinematographer was in tahiti working on a dive video, and another new diver started to panic and sink, so he went after him but in saving the inexperienced guy ended up with decompression sickness and now he is paralyzed from the waist down.

here is a video he shot and a link to his story
http://espn.go.com/action/surfing/s...e-prickett-recovering-us-dive-accident-tahiti

while i was in south africa in 07 shooting a show i ran into him at jeffrey's bay, a famous surf spot, during the billabong pro, and he had just come out of the water after being nudged by a great white while shooting water footage during the event!
 
I read the first part and that's cool, but then you start talking about great white's and I lost all focus. I went paddle boarding last weekend in Newport Bay and all I kept imagining was a huge shark coming up and taking me in. Yes, I know I was in the bay. :doh:
 
mentoneman":aramw6ns said:
i've always told the music director and worship leader to feel comfortable bringing in new people to take the guitar spot i normally fill if it is an opportunity for that person to grow musically/spiritually, so that it doesnt become an awkward unapproachable musical "clique" like many churches develop. even at our church people get too possessive about their musical "chair", especially the old guard, and it's just wrong to me because it creates zero room for developing new generation talent and maintaining a contemporary fresh musical approach.

however there is a certain level of ability the player needs so it's not a trainwreck/nervous breakdown situation because the music is very guitar driven.
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I've done sound at my church since we've had a sound system. We have younger guys coming up now that are learning, and that's great. I offered to play bass for our worship band a few years ago , after the regular one left for college. He was the son of the worship leader, so nothing ever happened with that, and the band just died. Two of the main guys in the worship band joined another guy, to form a band. Then they ask me to join, later on. We play 50/ 60 times a year, for the last couple years, so everything turned out great, but those cliques can hurt a church.
 
here's my two buddies jamming that night, the first solo is the new guy Chris playing for the first time with the band, and the second solo is Neil, who used to work at suhr and wild west guitars---
shre--dder!



the second part is neil and me jamming on a little thing sunday night..he hit the hermida distortion for his bit and i'm in low gain knopfler mode on the peacemaker with the arc furnace overdrive; new person on video cameras/switcher wasn't ready for the impromptu jam so pardon the empty mic stand shot :D
 
Cool. Sounds good. It's great to see others picking up where you left off. Keeping it going. :thumbsup:

It seems on the 2nd part, the jam, that Neil has delay going on before his gain. Pretty muddy. His tone seemed better during the solo in the 1st song.

I used a zendrive for years and it seemed cleaner that what he was getting there. Never played the Hermida Distortion.

Anyway, it sounded great and congrats. :)
 
Badronald":2tewtg48 said:
Cool. Sounds good. It's great to see others picking up where you left off. Keeping it going. :thumbsup:

It seems on the 2nd part, the jam, that Neil has delay going on before his gain. Pretty muddy. His tone seemed better during the solo in the 1st song.

I used a zendrive for years and it seemed cleaner that what he was getting there. Never played the Hermida Distortion.

Anyway, it sounded great and congrats. :)
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thanks man-
yeah you're right about neil's tone..i thought the same thing. the first deal sounded fatter and more like he normally goes for, and the last thing was not so much and had that blurry delay before crunchy amp thing. but he still blazes with taste and cool tones.

when i mix him i notch out some high mids so i can mix him hotter overall without being abrasive.

the hermida distortion is more for adding edge to a fatter looser amp and when he played a gibson falcon combo it was perfect. now with the marshall PA it's a bit raspier.

my tone is always hit/miss depending on the night and FOH guy. the wet/dry thing leave a lot to interpretation in the house. and i set the arc furnace for as much tone as i can achieve with as little gain as i can get away with and still be able to solo, at a medium tempo, for dynamics sake.

if i have to get shreddier i use my ethos OD with way more liquid feel.
 
Pat as usual I am inspired by your choices! Seems that when my life is in need of some lifting....Pat speaks of grace, humility and as someone has posted..paying it forward. BTW first guy tasty clean smooth feels the song! Your tone is unmistakable!
 
Jeff Hilligan":1yop6xgc said:
Pat as usual I am inspired by your choices! Seems that when my life is in need of some lifting....Pat speaks of grace, humility and as someone has posted..paying it forward. BTW first guy tasty clean smooth feels the song! Your tone is unmistakable!
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Jeffrey!

thanks buddy-
we had a great day with the new drummer, Gooch

he played at Harvest for years and is so tasty-musical-and had his volume under control-what a breath of fresh air! i was inspired today and had a bunch of people saying nice things about my playing as a result of cool drumming

even my son who is normally typical 17 yr old "dad's a old nerd" came up to me after the last song and had that goofy "my dad rips" face and for a minute was his hero again

little victories :)
 
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