There is a data base of music called CCLI (Christian Copyright License...) if the song is in the data base it is covered by your license (the cost of the license is based on congregation size). Depending on your level of license, it covers songs played live, the written music the musicians use, paper/digital display of lyrics for people to sing to, and if you stream. It's pretty pricey...ours costs about $300+ a year. Songs in the public domain (older hymns and self written songs) do not need to be covered by the license and can be used without cost). You are required to be a reporting church every couple of years and report all of your usage to keep track of royalties.
There are some songs that become very popular and most churches play them regularly. You can call them "covers". We often re-write hymns (either write completely new music, or just change the original music up a bit)...we also play songs we write. Other churches do the same...and, of course, the bigger churches arrangements become quite popular.
Most large churches have paid staff and also pay their musicians. But, I think, many church musicians are hobbyists who now have an outlet...or, they played in bands when they were younger and stopped once they married and had kids.Veitchy wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 9:43 pm
That seems like some serious kit to hand over to volunteers. Not saying that volunteers are inherently inexperienced, or likely to break/mess up the rig, but if you're investing that much in your sound system wouldn't you want to ensure a consistent degree of quality in the end product?
Is this why a lot of worship guitarists in particular (at least the ones who talk about it on TGP and the like) seem to like higher-end gear? So that it matches the overall level of the setup of the house of worship?