Guitar /worship music advice

[Randy Semic]

Hello all, I very much need some help and advice! I attend a very small church and recently have begun leading worship there. Prior we had the sing-along DVD worship. My need for advice is in the area of songs / sheet music, based on simple one guitarist / singer arraingment. I was given a copy of a music CD that I was told was a sing-along demo type thing which had just one guitarist / singer performing numerous popular worship songs. There are 40 on that CD to be exact. If this CD sounds familier to anyone who can tell me what it is so I can get the original and the music, pleast let me know. In addition, anything else in this style is what I need. Thanks in advance for any consideration to my need. God Bless

[fmckinnon]

Randy -
Welcome to TheWorshipCommunity.Com ... I think you'll find some great resources here and make some great relationships. Regarding your CD ... is it a "burned copy" of a CD, or does it have printing on it, or a jewel case - anything that suggests who the publisher is?

One great resource for the most popular worship songs is CCLI's SongSelect. This is an amazing resource that allows you to login, print leadsheets, chord sheets, lyrics, etc., and most importantly, it's LEGAL.

I'd love to help you try and find what you're looking for, but I'm not familiar w/ a CD like the one you're mentioning. In the meantime, checkout "SongSelect" at ccli.com (http://www.ccli.com).

[El Ben]

Hey Randy, I don't know about that CD, but I do know that when it comes to leading worship with an acoustic guitar, there are a couple of things to remember:

1.) Practice unmercillesly. The guitar is somewhat of an unforgiving instrument in that if you aren't fluid in your chord changes, there's no hiding it. Knowing your songs inside and out is the only way to keep this at a minimum. Also, you'd be surprised how many people neglect to practice singing while playing at the same time and when it comes time to sing, they choke or are lost in conflicting tempoes.

2.) Finger your chords for quality of sound, not ease of playing. Some variations and fingerings of chords just sound better than others. For instance, a mid-neck chord progression in E sounds TONS better than the same progression at the bottom of the neck. I don't play guitar, but I lead worship in several venues where we are currently in the same boat you're in. My main kick in those venues is to keep the guitar sounding FULL. The fuller the sound, the better.

3.) Mid-tempo and slow songs are your friends. Fast songs are nice if you have some bongos or congas to back it up, but that lack of percussion will kill you on those fast songs. My favorite songs for an acoustic set are usually written by guys who play acoustics (i.e. Tomlin, Crowder, Brenton Brown, ect.). The most versatile song in my repetoire when it comes to an acoustic set is "Holy is the Lord." It can be fast, it can be slow, it can be whatever the heck you want it to be. It's like chocolate, it's good with everything.

4.) Arrange your songs to suit YOUR voice and YOUR playing style. Don't throw in a great guitar riff just because it sounds good on the CD. Keep in mind what you have to work with right now and make it work for you. Also, never be afraid to change the key of a song so you can sing it better. I was listening (rather painfully) to a worship leader do "Everlasting God" the other day when it was about three or four keys too low for him (and about five or six too low for me [ and i'm not even a true tenor! ]).

5.) Pray for musicians. I've been leading worship at a particular venue that used to have a full band. When I picked up worship, it was just me on the keys. I began to pray for musicians and I got a bass guitar player, an acoustic guitar, two electrics, and some BGVs. I'm still praying in that ever-ellusive drummer, but God help me, I've always had to pray in that one.

Can I just pause from my post for a moment to comment on how UTTERLY ridiculous the amount of effort it takes to find a good drummer is? It's almost overwhelming. Not just a good drummer, either. Heck, I'd settle for ANY drummer in this particular venue.

Anyway, enough of that...

6.) ATMOSPHERE, ATMOSPHERE, ATMOSPHERE!!! Practice playing chord progressions like 1-4-6m-5 or 1-7dim or 4-1-6m-5 or whatever comes to mind. Focus on polishing your licks until the transitions are smooth and pretty. When you can create an atmosphere musically that makes it easier for people to connect with the Holy Spirit, then it greatlly decreases the difficulty of your job.


Hope those suggestions help!

-Ben

[JimBusch]

Several years ago I worked for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. My primary job was working in a counseling department, but I also lead worship on my acoustic guitar once a week for a 40 person department. We only did hymns, and several things I learned in doing that were:

1) Make sure that the key you use is a comfortable key to sing in not only for your voice, but for the group also.

2)I learned to use a capo on my acoustic guitar. That way, if the original key of the song did not work for voice or playing, I would just move the capo up or down the neck until the right key was found.

3)Be able to sing an play at the same time!

4)Be able to play the chord progression almost on auto pilot. That way you can concentrate on singing and leading without being distracted by the mechanics of playing the guitar.

5)Stick to open chords or barre chords no higher than about 5th or 7th fret.

6)Be prepared to move the capo up or down the neck on the spot if you find that the key is not working for the goup singing.

7)Over a two year period I kept a log of what songs I did and in what keys on each week so as not to "wear out" some songs by over-use.

Also, once a week I played on a worship team playing the bass guitar, along with piano (my daughter played!), drums, acoustic guitar, Jembe, trombone, and 3 vocalists. This we did for a group of several hundred. This was a little more relaxed for me in that I was not also leading, as I did the other day during the week on acoustic guitar for my department. We mixed contemporary Christian worship songs with hymns. Sadly, headquarters moved from Minneapolis to Charlotte and I did not move with them due to family ties here in Minneapolis, but it was a wonderful experience to be able to work for a great organization and also be involved in worhip music there.

[bobthecanadian]

Acoustic guitar and leading worship are a great combination. By being able to do both you have a lot of freedom in worship.

So far there have been a lot of good suggestions. I only have one more. Sing and play play guitar in your own worship time. Get so familiar with the songs that you can stop looking at the song sheets and just worship. By doing this you will accomplish many things.

1. You will be musically competent.

2. You will be spiritually "in tune" with how the Spirit is moving.

3. Your worship to God will be genuine and not a performance. I am not suggesting that it is, I am just saying that authenticity and sincerity are easily felt/acknowledged by the congregation.

4. You will be ready to 'lead' well. You can only do in a worship service, on a Sunday for example, what you do on the other days of the week. So, keep it real.

Good luck my friend and enjoy the Lord!

Bob

[Klampert]

great advice. also pick up a cut capo. I think it is an invaluable tool. great drone tones make the worship set smooth and airy. Makes for an awesome worship sound with one guitar

[russhutto]

Something I've done with great success in some of my worship sets are alternate tunings. Sometimes, I'll arrange the entire set in DADGAD, especially if it's just me on guitar, and maybe a percussionist.

DADGAD is a nice open, sounding tuning, and it's relatively easy to not only strum along to accompany voice, it's also good for playing a little lead/drone-ish stuff.

I've done songs like How Great Thou Art, Wonderful Cross, I Can Only Imagine, I Exalt Thee, and definitely a bunch of originals in this set-up.

It's also a nice tuning to teach beginners as well...maybe after you've covered a good key of E, G ord D chord vocabulary. I've taught many people to strum along using DADGAD a lot quicker than standard tuning.

But I guess it depends on what you're looking for stylistically.

A lot of the "drone" open sound that some of the "re-mixed"hymns use this tuning, along with a wide variety of folk and celtic style music. I find it's great for worship sets.

[Klampert]

I find alternate tunings difficult on the fly...so i guess i makes sense you do the whole set like that. Im gonna have to try that. Once I started using the cut capo it kind of supplemented my need for alternate tunings

[El Ben]

I've got more than a little respect for a person who understands using capo and cut capos together. I just can't make it all work out in my head. Take, for instance, Shane Barnard. Does he ever play a song in standard tuning without a capo?

[bobthecanadian]

Please forgive me for asking, but why do so many players want to switch to alternate tunings, capos and cut capos before actually learning how to play their instrument well?

I have played for a very long time, and although I understand and have used these things at times in the past, I find that knowing how to actually play the instrument is the key to making it all work. I guess what I am saying is that some of this stuff just seems gimmicky to me.

Bob

PS - Am I starting to sound like an old man "You know, back when I was a lad..."

[humblehammys]

Hi Randy:

Congradulations on being chosen. Any song can be re-arranged or rewritten for worship...whether you are transposing the key to fit your voice or to simplify for easier playing (e flat to e for example). The "key" to great worship is this...what songs hit you where you live? what songs stir your heart?

An example is from Hillsongs. The song is a keyboard driven song called Let the Peace of GOD Reign in the key of F. I have arranged it, though I left it in the same key, to be played on guitar and sang by only me. So the song has gone from a Keyboard driven song with a full band, and female lead vocals backed up by a choir. This song hit me so hard in the heart and still makes me cry, that I play it with passion. Petra did Lord I Lift Your Name On High with a funky flavor. At one church we did Awesome GOD (the whole song) with a funky flavor as well. There is a song about the Issiah experience called I See the Lord. I have heard it done country, R&B, and at one church I went to because the Pastor's wife loved my guitarwork, we did a Classic to Hard Rock style of the song, which such success (GOD's not mine), that other churchs' requested the song weekly and in playing this song at two different bars, was able to witness to people in the bar.

If GOD inspires you through songs, then find a way to use those songs so that He can inspire others. Presently I am going through old hymnals to find songs that I am refreshing for the worship arenas I am in. I am also changing some of the lyrics of secular songs to where they now praise GOD as well (three that have had great impact are: Come together (Beatles), JESUS Reigns for Purple Rain by Prince and Holy House of JESUS for Hotel California by the Eagles).

"Good" worship is the roto-tiller of the heart...is softens the soil so the seed of the pastor's message will be planted in "good" soil. Also from Doyle Dykes at the Christian Guitar Conference. "I play for an audience of one, and His annointing falls down upon the people...."

If I can be of service, let me know.

Blessings,

Dave

[Klampert]

ha ha...I've been playing a long time also...and so has billy foote, brenton brown, paul baloche, and phil keaggy. but they like I have picked up this cut capo and are using it. It truely changes the way you play.
It is a tool like any other that can be used to help the sound. It isnt the best in every situation, but when used in worship at different times it can really embelish what you already have.

With the cut capo your D chord becomes your open chord but playing it as a D2. It is very simple and requires only a few string pressed much like an alternate tuning. to change keys you can add a second capo 2 frets behind it and move them up the neck.
An example is playing the G chord in the D shape up the neck. with capo and cut capo. adds new life to a song like Enough.
or throwing the cut capo on 2nd fret and playing through D shape now an E chord. changes the sound completly for a sing like Sing to the king by billy foot.

I agree totally...learn how to play before you touch a capo. But after that...grab any tool you can to accentuate the sound you are looking for.

[russhutto]

Please forgive me for asking, but why do so many players want to switch to alternate tunings, capos and cut capos before actually learning how to play their instrument well?

I have played for a very long time, and although I understand and have used these things at times in the past, I find that knowing how to actually play the instrument is the key to making it all work. I guess what I am saying is that some of this stuff just seems gimmicky to me.

Bob

PS - Am I starting to sound like an old man "You know, back when I was a lad..."

Great question. I think the issue is perspective.

You're looking at "alternate tunings" as something other than what it is. It isn't a cop out, it isn't a way to "fake" chords. It's just what it is. An ALTERNATE tuning.

Many celtic/folk/bluegrass guitarists have been playing in alternate tunings for years and years. It's not some newfangled craze, although it has gained more "mainstream" usage of late.

To be REALLY good, as you say, at any instrument, one should be able to make it speak. The beautiful thing about guitars is there is more than one way to make them speak.

A few of the common alternate tunings are:

Drop D (DADGBE)
DADGAD
Drop C (CGCFAD)
Open D (DADF#AD)

Also, a lot of the heavier side of music, from rock to hardcore to metal, use alternate tunings. Classical guitarists almost always play in an alternate tuning setup. Blues guitar uses a lot of open and dropped tunings as well.

So depending on perspective, I usually use alternate tunings to actually teach guitar, because in doing so my students are challenged to actually learn how chords are built, and that there are more ways to play a chord than just standard.

In fact, I would suggest when taken into the entire scope of guitar history, STANDARD TUNING, is actually more alternate than many of what we call "alternate" today.

Hope this "opens" up the concept of alternate tunings a bit more!

[Klampert]

wow great response..
interesting teaching in alternate tunings...what a great idea

[Stephen Nettles]

Please forgive me for asking, but why do so many players want to switch to alternate tunings, capos and cut capos before actually learning how to play their instrument well?

I have played for a very long time, and although I understand and have used these things at times in the past, I find that knowing how to actually play the instrument is the key to making it all work. I guess what I am saying is that some of this stuff just seems gimmicky to me.

Bob

PS - Am I starting to sound like an old man "You know, back when I was a lad..."

I started playing guitar at 15... I didn't even own a capo until a girl gave me one when I turned 18. I'm with you.... before you use capos, alternate tunings, and ESPECIALLY cut capos... you should get familiar with the guitar in its natural tuning

[willie]

Acoustic guitar and leading worship are a great combination. By being able to do both you have a lot of freedom in worship.

So far there have been a lot of good suggestions. I only have one more. Sing and play play guitar in your own worship time. Get so familiar with the songs that you can stop looking at the song sheets and just worship. By doing this you will accomplish many things.

1. You will be musically competent.

2. You will be spiritually "in tune" with how the Spirit is moving.

3. Your worship to God will be genuine and not a performance. I am not suggesting that it is, I am just saying that authenticity and sincerity are easily felt/acknowledged by the congregation.

4. You will be ready to 'lead' well. You can only do in a worship service, on a Sunday for example, what you do on the other days of the week. So, keep it real.

Good luck my friend and enjoy the Lord!

Bob

Brilliant! The Worship is the most important aspect of "worship guitar"

I'm with Russ .... I love DADGAD
I just wish there was an easy way to transition from standard to DADGAD and back smoothly.

I hate a capo like I hate me some Khaki pants hahaha

[travisvwright]

I'm with Russ .... I love DADGAD
I just wish there was an easy way to transition from standard to DADGAD and back smoothly.

Go ask JS_280 about his new guitar.

[NickAlexander]

I'm with Russ .... I love DADGAD
I just wish there was an easy way to transition from standard to DADGAD back smoothly.I do this all the time. Tune your guitar a full step down, and employ a cut capo on the second fret. To return to standard tuning, put a regular capo on the second fret. I recommend one of those "rolling capoes".

I have been spending the last year and a half examining music in a worship setting, and as I wrote in another post, I believe wholeheartedly that guitarists have hurt their effectiveness by neglecting alternate approaches to chords and tunings.

In short, every basic chord has at least three notes, and the note that is most dominant is the last note one hears: (I.e., the 6th string). How a song is received is largely dependent upon where that last note is in comparison to the song's key.

Case in point: a song where the 6th string matches that of the key (E songs or G songs), are songs that work best when the congregants is singing an action-oriented song, or a praise song with forceful overtones (like how God is King). A song where the 6th note is a 3rd (C and D songs) are usually best for teaching songs. And a song where the 6th note is a 5th (A songs) are best for resting in God's presence.

Usually song keys are chosen to fit within the boundaries of how high/low the pitches are (D-sharp is the absolute highest I go). But from there I experiment among the myriad ways to play a song, based upon the intent of the song's lyrics. Which is why capos and alternate timings are mandatory.

Hillsongs' The Stand is written in A, but as a song espousing a personal commitment, it plays much better in capo 2-G. And Jerry Sinclair's Alleluia (x8) from the 70s is written in G, but it plays a ton better in the key of A, with the guitar tuned down a full step, and a cut capo on the second fret.

Try it out for yourselves. Don't take my word for it.

[Uriel]

I`ve been a Lead Guitarist for 40 years. have seen and used many different styles of alternate tunings, used cut capo`s, bottlenecks for slide and even wayy back in my secular band days before Jesus chose me and Pink Floyd was easier played drunk than sober, have played with other Rock/metal band guitarist`s that couldnt tune normally, everything was a drop D' C' or strictly Slide. Have Been Saved 30 years and serve as a Praise and Worship Leader for over 15 years and I gotta say, I`ve seen and played with alot of great Guitarists over the years, but! no Anointing. Played with Worship leaders and Rythym Guitarists who could only play 5 chords? and the Holy Spirit was layin them out in the aisles. My point! Anointing is everything and the simplist guitar progressions always seems to be the best way. Keep it simple and go with what your comfortable with and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.


United With Jesus
Joseph

[fccworship]

Check out the "how to" series from worship together. I am the bass player, and worship leader for our band, but I play acoustic for small gatherings of people too. Times when a full rock band is too much.
I use these all the time. I have all 6 and love them. They have lead sheets, chord sheets, piano sheets, Nashville sheets, word sheets, a cd with the songs, and my favorite...cut capo sheets. I love leading in small groups and these books have hundreds of songs from the oldies to the newer ones. Do yourself a favor and check them out. You will be able to lead a service with new songs for 6 months without having to replay one song.