[Playing and Preparing for Worship Guitar]

17 hours ago, DianeB said:

Mark, what a wonderful testimony. It reminded me of the 2014 documentary, Alive Inside.

Diane,

I never heard of that documentary.

So I just looked it up, watched the trailer, and ordered the DVD.

I will be sharing it with our music group to encourage them too.

Thank you for telling me about it.

[Metronome Settings for Level 2 Course?]

Thank you DianeB and Plantsman13 for your help!

The pdf is very instructive for learning the fretboard patterns of each scale.

However,  the examples are 99% of the time written only in eighth notes.

In the video workouts, Steve makes double use of each fretboard pattern in the pdf.

He sometimes starts the exercise counting the notes as quarter notes (slower than what is literally written in the pdf)!  Then, he later reuses the pattern and counts it as written in the pdf (eighth notes - doubling the required playing speed). 

His reuse of each scale explains why each workout table in the pdf can have "Quarter/Eighths" in the "NOTES" column.  It signals that we are to play once counting as if example was written in quarter notes and then again at double speed counting as the written eighth notes.

Providing examples in both quarter and eighth notes would simply have doubled the size of the pdf without a corresponding doubling of usefulness i.e. Steve's method of integrating the video with the pdf works great!

I look forward to completing this course!

 

[Playing and Preparing for Worship Guitar]

Hello colder!

Over the past couple of decades, I have played guitar on a few worship teams and led at times as well.

My current church is fairly large and has some very talented and professional level musicians so I have only been able to play for evening services.

Because of this, I joined a little group which uses music to minister outside the walls.

For the past three or four years I have been part of a group who visits assisted living facilities every month.  Some of these people get zero family or other visitors so we have an impact by playing, singing, chatting, hugging, etc.  They are blessed and so are we. 

I would like to share a true story which I witnessed in a memory care unit late last year. Nearly every time we played and sang at this place, a lady I will refer to as Jane, would come into the day room with big smiles, sometimes giggle, and occasionally hum but not a word from Jane's lips.  Over a period of months, Jane became more animated and would walk around us as we played and sang.  Again, just smiling, giggling, and humming.  The staff occasionally would gently help her back to her seat as her sense of personal space didn't exist. She would get within inches of my face while I was seated playing guitar.

One particular day, my fretting hand was hurting so I laid down my guitar and sat next to Jane.  As our pianist started into the next song, I grab a song sheet and proceeded to smile back at Jane and point to the place we were at as the group sang.  About mid chorus, suddenly, Jane is singing!!!  She isn't even reading the lyrics.  She knows the tune and the lyrics by heart.  The staff and our group could barely contain ourselves.  This went on for a few songs. Then, she went back to just smiling and giggling and I got back to my guitar. Later, I learned from the staff that Jane had never spoken a single word to anyone since she was brought to the facility.

We had been singing and playing for about two years in this "memory care" unit. I never had a clue how God was going to impact my life when I walked in that day but I walked out about ten feet off the ground - God had blessed my socks off with what is the most miraculous event  I have ever experienced.  I had the most peaceful sense of being right where God wanted me, when He wanted me, and how He wanted me.

If your church has a hundred or more people in attendance, there are likely other instrumentalists sitting in the pew you can connect with.  If you have several hundred attendees, I guarantee you there are other singers and instrumentalists on the sidelines willing to join one who stands up and takes the lead in a new or revived music related ministry. 

Step 1. Pray. 

Step 2. Share your heart for worship with your pastor as well as other musicians. 

Step 3. Ask your pastor for information on other ministries where music is or could be  utilized. 

Step 4. Ask for names of people who also enjoy playing and singing.  Then initiate personal contact.  

Step 5. Keep practicing with ALL types of Christian music.  (I never expected to be playing hymns every month versus contemporary Christian music)

Step 6.  Make yourself available to every opportunity. Post an advertisement on the bulletin board to start up your own group if no other opportunity presents itself.  This will be a powerful learning experience whether the group thrives or dries up on the paper.

Step 7. Practice resting in God and meditating on His word as His timing is perfect.

 

[Metronome Settings for Level 2 Course?]

I'm starting Level 2 and am asking for some clarification.

For the Basic Workout, the third goal on page 2 is: "To play 1-2-3-1 pattern at a tempo of quarter notes at 90bpm."

On page 10, I find the first 1-2-3-1 open position pattern is written in eighth notes.

If I have this right, the 1-2-3-1goal is then to play 180 eighth notes per minute on the 1-2-3-1 exercises i.e. I set my metronome to 90 and pluck 1+2+3+4+

When I get to intermediate workout, the 1-2-3-1 goal is to play at 115 bpm or 230 eighth notes per minute i.e. I set my metronome to 115 and pluck 1+2+3+4+

When I get to advanced workout, the 1-2-3-1 goal is to play at 140 bpm i.e. 280 eighth notes per minute i.e. I set my metronome to 140 and pluck 1+2+3+4+.

A steady 280 notes per minute sounds way out of reach for me on my acoustic this lifetime.

Is this interpretation correct?

If not, what is?

My confusion may be tied to the column labeled "NOTES" on page 2 because it states "Quarters" for the 1-2-3-1 exercise but the actual 1-2-3-1 C example is eighth notes. 

Some later exercises state "Quarters/Eighths" in the column labeled "NOTES" which really has me puzzled as I do not see examples of such mixtures.

I'm guessing someone can quickly unlock these mysteries for me.

THANK YOU in advance for helping me!

 

 

 

 

[I cannot locate the PDF for Jazz Chord Course]

I purchased the Jazz Chords downloadable course in December.

I am currently downloading the videos.

The email states to start with the pdf.

But, the link for the pdf in my email takes me to the new forums page.

I tried searching "all content" for "pdf", "download" and other related terms but found nothing.

I need your help.

Thanks!