Guitar Workshop Worship Tips, Handles and Guidelines

Song Dynamics

Following is the example of Song Dynamics in number percentage representation

Intro:                10%

Verse 1:            20%
Pre-Chorus:      30%
Chorus:            40%

Verse 2:            30%
Pre-Chorus:      40%
Chorus:             50%
Chorus:             75%

Bridge:             25%
Bridge:             50%
Bridge:             75%
Bridge:           100%

Pre-Chorus:     25%
Chorus:           50%
Chorus:           80% or 20%

Lesson 1

WORSHIP

Applying Chord Progressions to Free Worship

- Play in the same key as per the current song or continue with the key of the previous song - Vary the dynamics of the playing with the worship intensity

- Not necessary to follow a fixed tempo

- Fading down for prayer

- Watch the people, don’t keep your eyes closed all the time.

Song Selection

The DOs and DON’Ts of Song Selection for a Worship Set

1. Don’t select songs you like it very much but not familiar with the song and expect some members know it

2. Don’t select more than one new song that the CG cannot sing. A ‘new’ song might also be an old song that

no one is familiar with.

3. Don’t select songs with key higher than your own range, change the key.

4. Don’t rush through singing one song after another, dwell in a song and flow with the Spirit

5. Do ask your CGL the theme of the CG, choose between following your spirit vs following CG theme

6. Do select song with the same key if possible

7. Do select songs with same theme if possible (Eg. God’s grace focused, God’s love focused or a mixed)

8. Do worship at least once through before you lead

9. Do select songs that are easy to sing

10. Do select a combination of old and new songs

11. Do select a balance of “God focused” vs “Me focused” songs

12. Do get Worship vocalist or joint guitarist to rehearse through with them before Worship

13. Do try to use Capo so that 2 guitarist can play in the same key but different chord family

Key Selection, Key Transposition

1. Play in original key or need to transpose?

2. Recognizing original male/female key

3. Lead by male/female worship leader?

4. If there is a need, transpose to a middle key that is within the vocal range of male and female

Example of - “Me Focused” songs Who You Say I Am Search Me O God

Example of - “God Focused” songs In Christ Alone

Jesus Shall Take The Highest Honor

Example of - “Mixed Focused” songs Jesus Loves Me

Good Good Father

Preparations

From lesson 2 onwards, each student will take turn at the start of the group session each week to lead a short worship with 2 songs.

Criteria of the 2 songs – must be of different tempo/style and different key.

Lesson 2

WORSHIP

Worship Flow & Dynamics

Worship Flow

This refers to the songs sequence in a worship set that identify the worship theme, to enable the worshippers to express their thoughts, ideas, feeling through the song lyrics.

Examples of Song sequence:

1. Start with praise songs -> High Praise -> Worship songs -> Intimate worship songs 2. Declaration songs -> Praise songs -> worship songs

Study the lyrics of the song selected as it is usually the lyrics that hit a special connection with the worshipper for the moment, and that allows the worshipper to flow into the flow of the Holy Spirit.

The lyrics of the songs selected must also be in line with our church teachings. It’s therefore a good idea to use NCC songs for your worship set.

Worship Dynamics

This refers to the varying intensity of the worship set during the actual playing and singing.

In most cases, the song will start from either soft or moderate and then build up to a high at the chorus. This is particularly so at the second chorus.

It is important to flow with the Holy Spirit during worship. He will guide the worship leader as to which point to introduce the free worship. Learn to be sensitive to Holy Spirit’s guidance during worship.

At the technical level, for guitar playing, a typical worship song starts with plucking, then build up to strumming at the chorus, and then play the chord progression for the free worship. Then again, there is no fixed formula.

Ver 2.0 (181219)

1. Knowing the locations of notes will help you build up chords quickly. Chords are made up of notes:

Major Chord: 1–3–5                     eg. C = C,E,G

Minor Chord: 1–b3–5                   eg. Dm = D,F,A

Dominant Seventh:1–3–5–b7      eg. G7 = G,B,D,F

Minor Seventh: 1 – b3 – 5 – b7   eg. Am7 = A,C,E,B

   

    

Lesson 3

WORSHIP

Worship Sessions in CG/ Small Groups

1. The worship leader will need to discuss with CGL on the worship theme and based the songs selection towards the theme. The worship theme may be based on the topic the CG may be covering for the session. In some CG, the CGLs may also be the worship leader.

2. As a musician, the main role for the guitarist is to support the worship leader. It is vital to flow with the worship leader. Do not 'overtake' the worship leader or take over the worship.

3. In case where the guitarist is also the worship leader, then he or she will then have greater control over the song selection. Do remember you are there to lead the people into God’s presence, so it’s not an individual worship time. Be mindful and conscious of the people around, guide them gently into God’s presence with the songs selection.

4. Remember that we are stewards of talents. The guitarist is not there in the CG to perform but help facilitate worship. Always focus on Jesus, on God.

5. Flow in the spirit as the spirit leads. It can be a simple song that is not prepared but if prompted to sing, please do so. The musicians need to provide necessary support for the impromptu song. Just play the simple chords without the minor or sus. It might not sound perfect musically, but we are vessel of weakness & “when we are weak, He is strong”. (We’ll cover this topic for guitar playing – Transcribing)

6. The musician need to feel at ease & right frame of mind. Our daily grind of life can be at suffocating pace. Hence, we need to learn to “unhurried the hurry“ before worship. We need to deliberately slow down - in our frame of mind.

7. Feel free to include moments of silence in worship, the “Selah” moment. You don’t have to play or sing all the time. It might be uncomfortable at first but such moments are precious can be deliberately timed to create an impact.

8. If the CG has more musicians, explore all ways musically to sound great but always remember worship is only One of the way to draw closer to God. There’s always still the reading of the Word and prayers.

Lesson 4

WORSHIP

Playing Guitars With A Group of Guitarists

It is a common situation where you may have more than one guitar in a small group setting. In such situation, it give the guitarists good opportunity to play differently to complement one another instead of everyone playing exactly the same chords for the song.

At best, if the different guitarists are playing exactly the same strumming patterns, it will help increase the overall guitar music volume. However, if every guitarist plays differently and worse still if they are not in time with one another, it simply become noise.

Here are some pointers on how to play if you have more than one guitarist in your CG or small group.

1. If there are two guitarists, have one of the guitarist play lead and the other guitarist play rhythm.

2. Play layered rhythm. Have the second guitarist coming in at different part of the song. Especially useful for the song chorus

3. Another reason for using Capo is when we have two guitarists or more guitarists playing together, we can play in different keys but use the Capo to capo on different frets so that we can all sing in the same key but achieve a different voicing on the guitars. For example, one guitarist plays the C family chord which is the key of the song, while the other guitarist can play the G family chords to provide an overall fuller sound.

Experiment and try out among the guitarists on the different possible music and guitar playing arrangements. There is no right or wrong way about it. If we follow some of the proven working guidelines, it will help enable your guitar playing in a group to sound richer and smoother. Good music will always contribute to the better flow of Praise and Worship.

Lesson 5

Setting up for the worship leader: Fixed tempo setup & free tempo setup

As shared by Dn Jen during the Worship Workshop,

For fixed tempo setup, some of the tips and techniques includes playing the intro chords of the song or playing a simple chord progression

For free tempo setup, tips and techniques includes playing behind the singer, spacing out your rhythm (using less notes), catching the flow and push the song into correct time.

Worship Styles Appreciation

(eg. Songs in other form, working with other musical instruments like cajon, keyboard, language, different music styles, etc.