Why have I never seen a male keyboardist in a church band?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Something that just struck me. I never have. A little weird.

For that matter I've never seen a female drummer either, but the only bands I've ever seen a female drummer in are all girl riot grrl type bands.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Because most men prefer to play pipe organs.

My father was a church organist probably from the 1980's, if not earlier, up until 2010 (not that this is of any relevance at all).

I am only half-joking. I've seen very few men playing keyboards in church bands, but almost all of those few are organists. My original guess was that the high proportion of women on keyboards only reflected the high proportion of women involved in church activities generally, but maybe something else is happening here.

Not in bands. As noted I've never seen a female drummer, and guitar/bass players tend to be about 3/4 male.

Possible explanation: Keyboardists probably originally learned to play piano, and amongst Millennials that's far more likely for females to do.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Ha. I make this thread and look what happens on Sunday:



Granted he's really only sort of a half keyboardist since he's only playing it in relevant spots and guitar the rest of the time, but I guess it counts.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Church...band...? Oh my.

We prefer to call it the "music team" or "praise band," but this is normal in Protestant churches.

it really isn't

My parents' church has a band and it's a Lutheran one.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The only music I've ever had in the churches I've ever been to (CoS mostly which is Presbyterian; some CofE as well which is Anglican) and they either had a piano or an organ: the CofE one had a choir as well.  The idea of a full band at a church service just seems really odd: I mean why do you need it?  That could be a bit of the Scottish sentiment shining though though; I don't know...

Uh, do you expect songs like this to be played on piano or organ? That song is of course by a guy who played in influential post-hardcore band Thrice, who recently did a reunion tour with La Dispute, one of my favorite contemporary bands. You think he's going to compose piano and organ music? Or for that matter, this?

Besides it's a church where people have times gone dancing in the aisles and even crowdsurfing. How do you do that without a full band?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Why would I listen to different music at church than I normally do anyway? I've never understood that.