Power of the Gospel

BENharperROX · #1 August 10th, 2006

Been working on this little number for a long time!!! It is time to unvail it to the world!!!

Anyways, it's around 6 minutes long with the intro and then the song, hopefully it doesn't feel that long

I am planning to play this in front of my Church soon (around 3000 people) so I need some honost feedback to let me know if I am ready or not or if I need more practice. All my parents do is say they love it no matter if I know it sucks or not so they are no help!!

As always, if the recording sucks, I'm sorry

So without further introduction here is my version of Ben Harper's "Power of the Gospel"

allthumbs · #2 August 10th, 2006

The main part of the song is dead on in every way. The intro needs a little time with a metronome. A couple of places, it sounded like you were playing behind the beat. Try to keep the beat during the transition between the intro and main part even though there is a rest in there. Really minor things. It is good as it stands. Good work, great vox. Your church will dig it.

scotty_b · #3 August 10th, 2006

Great stuff Ben

Jim · #4 August 10th, 2006

Excellent Ben!

Your church will love it!

Jim

BENharperROX · #5 August 10th, 2006

thanks for the listen allthumbs and scotty b! really appreciate it.

Allthumbs, I've never really used a metronome before. I've heard everyone say use it to stay on beat but how do i use it? I can never seem to get the right "beat" count down coming from the metronome. It's either too fast or too slow for the song, so i just never use it. Is this just trial and error or is there another way to go about it? Like what would be the "bpm" for this song? Thankss

Lee

allthumbs · #6 August 10th, 2006

The simplest way for you to keep time is to just count. Forget about the metronome. The main tune is in 4/4 and the rest is in 3/4 time so just count 1234 and 123 in a consistent manner and you will spot any places that need tightening up. Your playing is really fine just the way it is. In fact, on a lot of music scores, the places you play off the beat are sometimes marked as play freely so it is ok to do it that way if you so choose.

BENharperROX · #7 August 10th, 2006

Now how do I sing and count at the same time?

allthumbs · #8 August 10th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENharperROX

Now how do I sing and count at the same time?

You don't have to.

The main part of the song is dead on. Just count out the 3/4 parts

joe_strummer · #9 August 10th, 2006

Nice one Ben, keep them coming

John Burr · #10 August 10th, 2006

Nice job BenRox! Dude, that was really nice. Do it during the collection, they will have to get bigger buckets man. I love that song, I'm a big Ben Harper fan myself, and you did it great. No rush to perform but I wouldn't worry about getting it perfect yet, what you have is fine. Get up there as soon as you feel comfortable with it. Everyone will get it, I'm am sure of that.

Before you get up in Church practice playing and singing to a mic a bit. It's a freak when you go to play and sing onstage and you realize you can't look at your fingers to fret while you are playing. Work on it a bit before you go up in front of that kind of crowd, the pressure is bad enough without having to suddenly instantly get used to working with a mic and stand. I did my first couple of open mics with a headworn mic. It worked fine but I like the one on the stand now. Just took a little practice

BSR

BENharperROX · #11 August 11th, 2006

Man I never thought of that!! Thanks. Thank goodness there are no words during the intro cause I don't know if i couldn't look at the fretting hand!! haha. The main part I should be ok though. Its not that bad. I will definitly go up there Sat afternoon to practice. I'll also try to get someone to tape it so I can upload my first gig here!! COOL. What a first gig!!

3000+ Hope they like it. but i mean, it's church so Its not like they are going to start booing....

BTW - Allthumbs, I FINALLY got that Bm bar chord down to where it will sound decent. I never thought i would get there. Your advice helped. Thanks man Also, is 3/4 suppossed to sound like 1 and 2 and 3 and 1?

fly135 · #12 August 11th, 2006

BHR, it sounds great! Wish I could be there to here ya play it live.

allthumbs · #13 August 11th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENharperROX

Man I never thought of that!! Thanks. Thank goodness there are no words during the intro cause I don't know if i couldn't look at the fretting hand!! haha. The main part I should be ok though. Its not that bad. I will definitly go up there Sat afternoon to practice. I'll also try to get someone to tape it so I can upload my first gig here!! COOL. What a first gig!!

3000+ Hope they like it. but i mean, it's church so Its not like they are going to start booing....

BTW - Allthumbs, I FINALLY got that Bm bar chord down to where it will sound decent. I never thought i would get there. Your advice helped. Thanks man Also, is 3/4 suppossed to sound like 1 and 2 and 3 and 1?

The way your playing it,just 1,2,3. Three beats per bar.

BENharperROX · #14 August 11th, 2006

CanuckTodd · #15 August 11th, 2006

Hey Benharperrox....
You are ready for prime time man! 3,000 people for a first gig? There are probably only a handful of folks in this place that have played before a crowd that big! That's one big church! You've got a great singing voice and that will win the crowd over. Have fun and make sure to post the video!