Find a practice schedule that works for you. Choose a time every day or at least three times a week that you block off to practice. Let your family know : )

Click the link to download and print the check off sheet.  This will be important motivation for you.  Leave it out in the open to remind you what you are working at accomplishing. 

Worship Path Step 3 (PDF)

Here are some important things to aware of when you start the process of playing with a band.

1. Guitar Capo Issues
2. Fitting in with the Band

Extra Credit: Your Role in the Band (YouTube)

This will be a great workout for your right and left hand.  Create harmony (using chords) for the melody with the right hand and choose beautiful bass lines with the left hand.

1. The First Nowell [left hand and melody] (All Videos)
2. The First Nowell [right and melody harmonization] (All Videos)

You’ve made it this far…ya might as well keep on goin’!

Key of F (4/4 Time)

Before You Start

Note: Understanding the Scale and Diatonic Chords below will help “Connect the Dots” as you go through the lesson.  You don’t have to perfect them…just know what is going on : )

Review: F Scale
Review: F Diatonic Chords

Chords Used (Dm, Bb, F, C)
*Similar to the chord progression in songs like “Let it Rain”

Checkpoint 1 – Grounded in Prayer – Basic Chords and Guitar Picking

Hello! Let’s take a few chords and make them sound great.

Videos:

1. Prayer
2. Basic Chords and Jam
3. Guitar Picking and Jam

Checkpoint 2 – Bigger Chords, Add Notes, and Bass Drum

Take your chords out of the “Basic Chord Zone” by making them a bit bigger and then moving them around.

1. Bigger Chords and Jam
2. Bigger Chords and Add Notes Jam
3. Bass Drum

Checkpoint 3 – Patterns and Fills

Patterns make you sound awesome…and develop your hands & ear.

1. Pattern
2. Fill with 7th Note of Scale

Checkpoint 4 – Major Chord Fills

Doing fills based off of the major root chord is an easy way to add to a song.

1. Root Major Chord Fills and Jam

Checkpoint 5 – Pads

Learn to add a great atmosphere to worship with pads.

1. Pads

I Give You 3 Thumbs Up! (wait…how is that possible?)

EXTRA CREDIT – More Songs

Choose one (or all) of the songs below to work through from Wade’s free YouTube channel.  Notice the different ways to play in the key of F with inversions.  Take some time to expand your skills by applying some of the tricks above to the following songs.

Goodness, Love and Mercy
In Christ Alone
Even If

*You can find a big list of songs in the key of F HERE

I hope you are starting the see the piano and music and a whole different way.  The Cadences will help you see and play inversions a lot faster as well and understand the chords in different key signatures.

1. Cadences C
2. Cadences Db
3. Cadences A
4. Cadences Bb
5. Cadences B

Work on doing some basic notation reading.  This will help you reading different kinds of charts.

1. Treble Staff/Basic Note Reading
   1. Notes from Musictheory.net
   2. Rhythm Lessons from Musictheory.net (Note Duration, Rest Duration)

See how 7th chords happen naturally with your major scale.

1. Diatonic 7th Chords

Keep working on your ability to play and sing at the same time!

1. Nothing But the Blood (Basic)
2. Nothing But the Blood (Intermediate)
3. What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Basic)
4. What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Intermediate)

Before you can figure out what key you are in…you have to know what a key is.  Take the time to at least be able to play all of the major scales with your right hand (1 octave).  Be able to VISUALLY recognize all keys on the piano.

1. C Scale
2. G Scale
3. D Scale
4. A Scale
5. E Scale
6. B Scale
7. F# Gb Scale
8. C# Db Scale
9. F Scale
10. Bb Scale
11. Eb Scale
12. Ab Scale

Now let’s find the key by ear.  Get ready!!!

Find Key by Ear

You will never listen to the radio the same after this. Start humming the bass notes in every song (the lowest notes) and you will get to a whole new level.

1. Figure Out Chords by Ear (Part 1)
2. Chart a Song in C
3. Figure Out Lick by Ear (Pentatonic Scale)

Most people don’t make it past the learning curve…good thing you are not “most people”!

Key of D (6/8 Time)

Chords Used (D, Em7, G, G/D, G/B, A, A/C#, Bm)
*Similar to the chords in songs like “Indescribable”

Checkpoint 1 – Grounded in Prayer – INTRO and Basic Chords

Hello! This brings new challenge because of the more chords and a different time signature. Don’t rush through, just take the time to let it soak in!

Prayer and Chords

1. Prayer
2. Basic Chords 1
3. Basic Chords 2

Checkpoint 2 – Verse and Chorus Progressions and Sustain Pedal

Really work on feeling the pulse of 6/8 time. You’ll also want to be at a point where you do not have to think about the chords you are playing. Know them well before you work on this checkpoint.

Verse and Chorus

1. Verse
2. Chorus
3. Jam

Sustain Pedal

Checkpoint 3 – Rhythms

Now that you have the chords down and are feeling the pulse of 6/8 time we will work on adding to the rhythms.

Rhythms

1. Rhythms
2. Jam

Checkpoint 4 – 5125 Fills

CAUTION: This is a little more difficult. If it makes your head hurt…you may want to come back to it later in time.

Fills

1. Fills 1
2. Fills 2
3. Jam

Checkpoint 5 – Add Notes

Add in these notes to make the chords sound even better!

Add Notes

1. Add Notes
2. Jam

Checkpoint 6 – Inversions Trick

CAUTION: This is a little more difficult. If it makes your head hurt…you may want to come back to it later in time.

Inversions Trick

1. Inversions Trick
2. Jam

Award yourself! Go to a movie and buy the BIG popcorn : )

EXTRA CREDIT – More Songs

Choose one (or all) of the songs below to work through from Wade’s free YouTube channel.  Notice the different ways to play in the key of D with inversions.  Take some time to expand your skills by applying some of the tricks above to the following songs.

As The Deer
What a Beautiful Name
Lead Me To The Cross

*You can find a big list of songs in the key of D HERE

The LEFT HAND has different roles according to what style you are playing.  For worship here are common things you will do when not just playing Octaves or 5ths.  If you want to explore other ways the left hand can play look at different styles like the blues.

1. Cannon in D (All Videos)

Rolling Tricks

1. Part 1 Triads
2. Part 2 Tips
3. Part 3 C G Jams
4. Part 4 153 159 Many Keys
5. Part 5 minor
6. Part 6 Major 7th
7. Part 7 Slash Chords