Instruments7 articles · updated on
Guitars, keyboards, pads and the rest of the worship team's instruments: how to choose them and get the most out of them.
Amp or modeler: electric guitar on a silent stage
The three ways an electric guitar reaches the console with no amp on stage: modeler, amp-sim pedal or isolated amp. Cost, latency and what you give up.
You're the only guitarist: how to cover without filling everything
What one guitar plays when there's no keys and no second guitar: acoustic or electric per song, voicings that stay off the vocal, and when to hold back.
Worship guitar pedalboard: the 6 pedals that cover almost everything
Which pedals a worship guitarist actually needs, the right signal order, and three pedalboards by budget ($300, $800 and $1,700) without overbuying.
Acoustic guitar in the worship team: how to sound good amplified
Pickup, DI or preamp, EQ settings and feedback control: the guide to making the worship team's acoustic sound clean through the PA, not just at home.
How to play electric guitar in worship: the role, section by section
What the electric plays in each part of the song, how to leave room for vocals and keys, and the tools (high capo, swells, dotted-eighth delay) that define the sound.
Worship keyboard: how to choose one and which sounds to use
Keyboard guide for worship teams: 88 weighted or 61 light keys, models per budget, and the 4 sounds that cover 95% of the service.
Ambient pads for worship: what they are and how to use them well
What ambient pads are, why they make small worship teams sound full, and three ways to use them: free packs, live keys or backing tracks.