5 Reasons we don’t need electric bass in church.

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The electric bass has become an unquestioned staple of modern Praise and Worship music, but maybe it’s time for us to take a hard look at its place in the worship environment.

#1. No one can hear even hear it.

Can you describe what a bass guitar sounds like? Can you tell if the ‘bassist’ starts or stops playing? No, because the Bass lives in a frequency range that for the most part is not detectable to the human ear. So why even use it? Why does every church band have a guy who just stands there for no reason other than to fill the stage?

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‘Is he even playing anything?’

#2. The Piano has it covered.

The piano has all the bass notes you could ever need. Why do we need an extra person on stage when the piano has all the notes we can even hear?

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Whatever notes you need, the piano has you covered.

#3. The bassist is probably living in sin.

What kind of person plays an instrument that no one can hear? A liar, thats who. Do we really want liars leading us in worship? Also many of the world’s most sinful secular bands feature bass guitarists.

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Popular secular bassist, Jean Simms.Would you let someone like this lead you into worship?

#4. It’s too LOUD!

The bass notes you CAN hear are always way too loud. I’m surprised the church is still standing with all that racket, and some of us have pacemakers which I’m sure cant handle that kind of abuse. Have you seen how large the bass speakers are? There is no way thats not the loud thing that is bothering all of us.

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Why does and instrument we can’t hear need so many speakers? why don’t they plug it straight into the PA, we spent a lot of money on that PA.

#5. Bass and the Bible?

Ok, bass isn’t in the New Testament or Old Testament, but in the recently discovered Gnostic Gospel of ‘Entwistle’ the author reveals the possibility that Judas Iscariot planned to use his 30 pieces of silver to buy a 15″ speaker cab.

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Who wrote the Gnostic Gospel of ‘Entwistle’? we may never know. 

69 thoughts on “5 Reasons we don’t need electric bass in church.”

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  1. LMBO I know you tried to be serious about it. Love the article but in that respect, you failed 🙂

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      2. U people are stupid every Stupid that’s why people hate u in church every body loves the bass only fools can’t hear the bass instrument

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    1. Maybe not banned, but not allowed to play inappropriately in a band situation. Playing with both hands all over the keyboard, especially down low is inappropriate. Just like electric guitar playing heavy, loud distortion all the way through every single song would be inappropriate.

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      1. Any over-driven or distorted guitars in church is sinfully wicked… And other effects like flanger, delay, phaser and chorus too, because it twists and adds dimensions to the guitar sound, thus corrupting it, thus it is no longer pure to use it for Praise and Worship, because it attracts the attention away from God… And I don’t even want to begin with the whah-pedal… Some evil guitar-players in rock-bands can make their guitar sound utterly demonic. Thus, it is better to just leave the electric guitar out of P&W bands altogether, because to play such an instrument in the house of the Lord is just to invite yourself into temptation. I had a dream where the Lord told me that He dislikes the electric guitar… , and 666 is the number of the Anti-Christ, and we don’t want to be tainted by anything from the devil. The guitar has 6 strings. God still appreciates the acoustic guitar, but without any amplification. If the amplified sounds are louder than the congregation singing, that church is in error. I will not even begin to explain about the utter-wickedness of drum players. NONE of them should ever be allowed into a church unless they have been delivered and all their demons been casted out. Also remember… Jimmy Hendrix and Jimmy Page were both devil worshippers, so electric guitar-players cannot be trusted…
        (Oh, sorry, it’s a day late, the 2nd of April… Of course I am joking!!!!) The Bible says praise God with loud noises, with stringed instrument… Play skillfully… Carry on doing it… and don’t let this stop anyone… There will always be some stuck up critics, demanding that you submit to them… God gave you the talent, develop it and use if for His glory…

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      2. Audio Engineer here. Piano can play wherever it wants, the engineer just needs to make sure that certain frequency ranges (particularly the low end) aren’t too filled up. Generally a low cut is a good idea for the piano. There should be little-no sub bass frequencies (80Hz and below) coming from the piano unless it’s playing solo.

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  3. Thought of the woodwin, percussion and brass sections of a symphonic ensemble. Each person expressing the music through their instrument. In church if we limit one instrument then I guess it would wittle back to the harp and tamborine. Or we could look at each instrument playing to bring honour and glory to our Heavenly Father. For those who are pedantic and semantic maybe just a piano – an old one that does not attract attention. Best of all to please every one just voices but no choir there may be some with deep bass voices.

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  5. Ha the Gnostic Gospel of Entwistle!! Great touch!! (WHO’s that?) This made me laugh all the way through! Thanks

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    2. And then there’s this…

      base (adj.)
      1.morally low; without estimable personal qualities; dishonorable; meanspirited; selfish; cowardly.

      Coincidence? I think not…

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  8. #1 – Low frequencies induce a primitive impulse to shake your bottom & move your feet, We all know we can’t have that in church, the pews would get in the way!
    #2 – Not only does the piano have it covered, It does so with only one hand! Leaving the other free to play REAL Worship Music!
    #3 – Liars, Cheaters & Thieves! In total contempt of the worship Team! How else could they pretend to make music!
    #4 – Not only are the notes you CAN hear too loud, But they make the rest of the music sound Muddy & Dark!
    #5 – Didn’t Judas know that two 10’s would deliver more punch, With 30 pieces of silver he could’ve bought both!

    P.S. I am the bassist at our church, Thanks for the smiles 🙂

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  10. You MUST be an electric guitarist! I have had run-ins with guitarists who THINK they can tell me how to play my bass! 😦

    However, I play a fretless, so guitarists can’t pick it up and even PRETEND they know what they’re doing! And you do know that if you bend strings, you’re distorting musical notes, and that is the work of Satan. 😛

    I knew a session guy who was told not to bend notes on a country gospel recording for that very reason [seriously!]

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  11. ok this was obviously written by a drummer or electric guitar player maybe a pianist so….. let break it down!
    1) no one can hear it becasue the sound folks wont turn up the sub to the proper levels, and blame it on the “elderly” in the church (yet have no problem cranking up the electric guitar)

    And while we are at it lets face it…. bass isnt meant to be heard…. but felt, in the soul!
    2) the piano can cover on the bass, but it cant groove like a fretless or a bassist with soul, they are too busy with melody and pads and stuff
    3) ummmmm ok well all sin and fall short….. so that means that a bassist is first in our fathers graces, which means we are important and awesome! and…. hello who wouldnt want someone crazy and energetic leading worship? Also, WAY too many great bass front men out there besides Simmons.
    4) See number1, I mean make up your mind.
    5) a) judas would have been a solo guitarist, or drummer. b) of course bass is in the bible! some of the string instruments were of the 4 string type, AND people dance in the bible therefore they needed bass….. its science too.

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  12. 1. The bass is for the band because the bass helps to keep rhythm as the drums is for tempo.

    2. When the bas is heard it sounds awesome when played in the pocket with the drums. And what if the church dies not have a pianist?

    3. Seriously? So what if you can’t hear it. You are really going to assume that someone is a liar because YOU CANT hear the bass???

    4. A 15″ speaker cab…. Really…. They didn’t even have electricity back then…

    5. I am originally a bassist, everyone heard every note I ever played, I was and still am a true Christian. Who ever wrote this article is not quite right in the head.

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  15. ROTFLMBO!!!! I’ve played in our church’s worship band, and my wife & I are in a Christian blues band… And don’t get me started on drummer jokes…

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  17. Back to this “Jean Simms”…why are you using a picture of Gene Simmons? And yes, who in the world IS “Jean Simms”, secular bassist? I would expect more from one versed in the gnostic Gospel of Entwistle.

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  18. The kind of post where the obvious humor went over the heads of some commenters. But a few subtle touches verging on truth. (Guitar player old enough to have run into “but not in the sanctuary”, with a wife that bans me from using phaser on the pedal)

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  20. Never learned how to translate bass into the words of a human language. I also wonder what is the difference between what a praise band is performing on Sunday and what the same band was performing at the local drinking establishment on Saturday night. “There’s a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning!” Jimmy Buffett

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    1. well, for one thing, when i found Jesus, i quit playing in the bars on Saturday night. as a matter of fact. i play Saturday night at…..the church. we have a Saturday night service. as well as Sunday morning. so i don’t have that to worry about. my God given talent is given back to him, in my worship of him.
      as for a difference. i played some pretty edgy music back in the day. now, i play some pretty edgy music to praise him. i suggest the people who think there is certain kinds of music that should not be played in the sanctuary, read Psalms from 100 to 150.that stuff about using pedals and effects, or not playing loud or certain types of music is a lot of hooey. and , for those who think this way, i say this….. SHOW ME IN CHAPTER AND VERSE WHERE IT SAYS THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF MUSIC IS NOT ALLOWED!!!! i am so tired of people spreading this false testimony and wrecking young peoples worship because it doesn’t fit some stick in the mud frozen chosen’s idea of what worship music is supposed to be.i will save you a lot of trouble . THERE IS NO VERSE IN THE BIBLE THAT SAYS THIS!!! but Psalms 100-150 does say to play joyously and LOUD.. i suggest they read it.
      and, yes, i know the author of this is joking. and i liked the joke. but a few of the comments here comes from people who need to read the Bible more and judge less.this is why there are so many youth leaving the church. because what they do to worship God in their way is condemned, and judged by a small group who think the church belongs to them because they throw a few bucks in the plate and come for an hour or two a week to worship.and have been doing that for a few more years than everybody else. if you really want to get technical about it. there are groups of Christians that believe that there should be NO musical instruments in the sanctuary. if music bothers you, go to their church. if they will allow you to. they are called AMISH.another group who thinks like that will be easier for you to join. they are called Jehovah’s Witnesses.be my guest and join them. but stop telling young people that their music is wrong. you have no Biblical proof of this. it has little to do with God’s likes or dislikes and more of yours.and we know what people say about opinions, so i won’t take that any further.
      and, by the way. i have been playing bass guitar since i was 8 years old. i just celebrated my 60th birthday playing in a praise team last Sunday.so you can save the”youngin’ stuff. i am probably old enough to be some of you out there’s daddy. maybe even grandpa to some.and i bet some of the praise music i and my band have written would drive some of you up a tree.but that’s okay. i do it in praise of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.just like he asked me to.
      https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/67225_865177973495372_2437189319360845208_n.jpg?oh=9ca2426537f9ee49adf258eea8876c9e&oe=598FEFDF

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  21. Best way to get a bass or electric guitar player to turn down is to put staff music in front of them. Or tell them to just play the 1st trumpet parts…

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  23. I don’t know whether to be offended or laugh. I think I’ll laugh.

    But as far as the “liar” tag goes, what about those prima guitar players with a jazillion pedals? Who’s hiding behind a shroud of mystery and deceit now?

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      1. Well, if you’re making a list… what about tambourines??? Once attended a church that had a whole row of them! Couldn’t even think if you sat near them with that chinky chinky trill setting your teeth on edge! 😦

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      2. actually, a post on percussion (distinct from the drum conversation) would be awesome. You could make a point on each different percussion piece – they all need attention. Cowbell already mentioned. Like the triangle- with its pagan shape. The shaker alluding to dance? .. it’s all bad. .. except for the rain stick which ushers in the holy spirit.

        I’ll leave the post to you. I have ideas but i suck at funny. You, however, have that gift. On Apr 11, 2016 11:57 PM, “60 Cycle Hum: The Guitar Podcast!” wrote:

        > 60cyclehumcast commented: “Great point Jeff. We need to make sure we cover > cowbell in the future” >

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  25. Late to the discussion, but wondering what a fish has to do with this discussion. And how do you play a bass? Is it of the striped variety? Or is it sea bass?

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  26. When Satan was taking over our house because of me listening to Buddy Holly and CCR he let me know on no uncertain terms he did not like electric instruments because he was going to start the GO GREEN movement and considered them wasteful of energy (hell uses lots of juice to keep it hot down there, propane is too dangerous). I have no problem with electric instruments now.

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  29. Ok… my rebuttal

    1. You CAN hear it. Most churches don’t want a loud bass. It’s more of a low end support sound they want. You may not hear it on top of the mix, but if the bass wasn’t there you’d miss it.

    2. The piano doesn’t always have it covered. Much of the time the pianist is playing notes higher than the bass register. And as pointed out in No. 1, the bass supports what other instruments (and vocalists for that matter) are doing.

    3. The bass player may or may not be living in sin. That’s for God alone to judge. But, if he is, isn’t that a better witness? Whether non-christians visit a church or not, they are sick to death of the “Holier than thou” types. It’s good to see someone authentic enough to say; I mess up. I sin. But Jesus paid the dues for me.”

    4. It’s not too loud. A good bass player knows when to step up and have more presence if and when the song requires it.

    5. So what if a bass isn’t in the Bible? At some point the lyre didn’t exist either. I quote Psalm 33:3 “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.” (ESV) New songs require new instruments. Music is God given. No other creature has that capacity. It connects us to the Divine. Man is in an eternal quest to do it better with better instruments as our knowlege increases.

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  30. The Bible not only specifically approves of the bass (“The Lord gives His favor to the upright” -Psalm something something), it also encourages walking lines (He will withhold no good thing from him who walketh uprightly –Psalms or Proverbs something something). The electric bass was not invented in those days of course, but it is clear how things were trending.

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  31. What about an acoustic bass? I see no arguments against that in your article. Therefore I shall play my acoustic bass only from now on! Haha!!!

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  32. Have you ever felt that you took a part of your life that God graciously granted, and thrown it away by watching a stupid movie, TV Show, or even say reading a dumb article? Forgive me, Lord…

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  33. Well thats a big fib. Im a Christian bass player of 72. Ministered in 26 countries. Never had a peer tell me they couldn’t hear the bass. Usually they feel the bass in their hearts and e guitar messes with their heads. Its usually tbe youngsters who mess with the gear. Stomp on pedals while someone is speaking. The worse is when a church lets e guitar provide mood music while preacher etc is speaking. Then theres someone who has to pull their guitar jack out live during the service. It’s always the guitarist in my experience! God bless us all in His service. Amen!

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  34. Long ago, before playing in worship, I played in a ‘soul’ band replacing a Fender-Rhodes piano bass with my P-bass.Sunn tube amp, 2X15 can. Had to be loud behind 5-piece horn section! BTW,my 5-string can usually get below the left hand of our delightful keyboardist! Just sayin!

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  36. Electric Guitars (probably including bass) are CLEARLY part of the HEAVENLY worship REV 14:2 “And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps”. Can you name any other “HARP” that sounds like RUSHING WATERS or PEALS OF THUNDER?

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  40. I would like to say this as respectfully as possible, but seriously…go fuck yourself sideways with a coke bottle. As offensive as this is, this article is even more so.

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  41. I have been playing bass at my church for a year or so, and I’m having so much fun!!! And OMGoodness! This cracked me up. I sent it to my worship pastor and it cracked him up. I texted it to my husband and it cracked him up. I read it to my kids and it cracked them up.

    WHAT is wrong with these people who don’t comprehend humor?! It’s scary! I blame it on the school system.

    BTW, my favorite Kiss song is their cover of the 50’s hit “And Then She Kissed Me,” which is sung by Ace Frehley strangely enough, who is not the bassist thankfully and who is named after a playing card, so at least one knows how to spell his name, although that would mean that one plays cards, which I’m sure I need not say inevitably leads to church discipline and is right up there with novel reading.

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  42. To understand the evil of the bass player you have to look at the rest of the band. You see….typically the lead singer has 4 or 5 girlfriends. The guitar player has 2 girlfriends and the drummer is happily married with kids. The Bass player? He has cats….the ecological axis of evil.

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  43. i think the problem is the tone setup for the bass or electric guitar. I think only a few amang of people knows how to find the perfect tone for worship.

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