I do what Ella does, if I am singing a song I prefer to do unaccompanied, I announce it beforehand. That almost always works. When my quartet is singing at a gathering where there are several other groups, and a herd of electric guitarists and keyboardists, I usually introduce us as doing the old style gospel with just a guitar for accompaniment. If we're singing an unaccompanied song, I make a point of wanting it that way before we sing. That almost always works, too. In black gospel, it's the keyboardists who are the biggest problem. They find it hard to believe that someone couldn't be greatly improved by their playing along (with endless showy runs) twice as loud as anyone else. That's why it's best to cut people off before you get to the pass.

I kid people that there are two switches on keyboards. One says Too Loud, and the other says Too Damn Loud. They usually use the second one.

God is not hard of hearing.

Jerry