Blog
Tips, tutorials, and ideas for worship musicians. Chord theory, leading teams, stage setup, and more.
We Used to Struggle With Song Timing. A Metronome Fixed It.
Our worship team had a timing problem. Songs would speed up, slow down, and the drummer and guitarist were always slightly out of sync. Here is how adding a metronome to our rehearsal changed everything.
Read article →Why We Play Some Songs Simpler Than the Original Recording
When I first started leading worship I wanted our team to sound exactly like the recording. It took a failed service and honest feedback to understand why simplicity is not a compromise. It is actually the better choice for live worship.
Hymns for Communion: The Songs We Return to Every Time
Communion is the moment in a service where the music matters most and needs to say the least. Over the years our team has settled on a handful of hymns that we return to again and again for this moment. Here is why each one works.
The First Chord Is Not Always the Key. Here Is Why That Matters.
One of the most common mistakes beginner musicians make is assuming the first chord of a song is the key. It is a reasonable assumption, but it is often wrong, and that mistake causes problems when transposing or communicating with your team.
How We Practice a Song Until It Feels Natural on Stage
There is a big difference between knowing a song and feeling natural playing it in front of a congregation. I learned that difference the hard way and built a rehearsal process that gets our team from one to the other before Sunday morning.
Capo Positions Every Worship Guitarist Should Know
A quick reference guide to the most useful capo positions for worship guitar — and which open chord shapes to use in each position.
What Happens When the Older and Younger Generation Sing the Same Song
There was a Sunday morning where I watched something happen in our congregation that I had never seen before. An eighty-year-old woman and a sixteen-year-old boy were standing side by side, both with their eyes closed, both fully singing the same hymn. Here is what that moment taught me.
I Used to Memorize Capo Positions by Heart. Then I Built This Chart.
For years I kept a mental cheat sheet of capo positions in my head. On stage one night I blanked completely. That embarrassing moment pushed me to finally build the capo reference chart that our whole team now uses every week.
What to Do When You Make a Mistake on Stage
You played the wrong chord, forgot the words, or called the wrong song. How you handle mistakes in front of the congregation shapes the culture of your whole team.
How I Started Writing Worship Chord Progressions Without a Music Theory Degree
For years I felt like writing chord progressions required formal music theory training I did not have. Then I noticed the same patterns everywhere in worship music. Here is what I discovered and how it changed the way I prepare for rehearsals.
How to Transpose Worship Songs to Any Key
Transposing doesn't have to be scary. Learn the simple system worship musicians use to move any song into the right key for your vocalist.
The Chord That Stumped Me for Two Years (And How I Finally Got It)
Bm was the chord that defeated me as a beginner guitarist. I kept placing my fingers wrong, avoiding songs that used it, and feeling stuck. Here is what finally made it click and why a clear visual diagram matters more than you think.