How to Play Gospel Music on Guitar
Contents
A blog dedicated to helping guitarists learn how to play gospel music. The site provides lessons, tips, and resources to help players improve their skills.
Learn the Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales
Gospel music is a style of music that is rooted in the African American religious experience. It is a genre that is both spiritually uplifting and musically unique. If you want to learn how to play gospel music on guitar, you need to first understand the basics of the style.
One of the most important elements of gospel music is the use of call and response. This is when one person sings or speaks a phrase and then the rest of the group responds with either a similar phrase or harmony. This back and forth can happen between just two people or an entire choir.
To be able to play gospel music on guitar, you need to be able to play both lead and rhythm parts. The lead guitar parts are usually very intricate and make use of quick runs and embellishments. The rhythm parts are generally more simple, but they provide an important foundation for the lead guitarists to work off of.
In order to play both lead and rhythm parts, you need to be familiar with both the major and minor pentatonic scales. These scales are used extensively in gospel music and will give you the ability to create both simple and complex melodies.
Learn the Major and Minor Blues Scales
The blues is one of the simplest styles of music of the last century. It has its roots in African American spirituals and work songs, and grew out of the Jazz Age in New Orleans. The blues is built on a simple three-chord progression and a 12-bar structure. Once you learn the basic chords, you can play any number of blues songs. The genre has been interpreted by some of the most famous guitarists of all time, including Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Eric Clapton.
One of the most important aspects of playing blues guitar is learning the blues scale. This scale is used in almost all blues songs and allows you to improvise solos over the basic three-chord progression. There are two types of blues scales: the major blues scale and the minor blues scale. The major Blues scale contains the following notes:
Root
Flat 3rd
4th
Flat 5th
5th
Flat 7th
Octave
Learn to Play in Gospel Style
Whether you are a beginner or have been playing for years, learning to play gospel music on guitar can be a rewarding experience. This style of music is known for its soulful sound and often features elements of blues and jazz. If you want to add a new dimension to your playing, gospel guitar is a great place to start.
There are a few things you need to keep in mind when learning to play gospel guitar. First, many gospel songs are played in minor keys, so it is important to be comfortable with minor chords. In addition, the melodies in gospel songs often make use of blues notes, so it is helpful to know how to incorporate these into your playing. Finally, many gospel songs make use of call-and-response techniques, so it is important to be able to play both lead and rhythm parts.
With these things in mind, let’s take a look at some specific tips for playing gospel guitar:
– practice minor chords: A minor, D minor, E minor and G minor are all commonly used in gospel songs. Spend some time practicing these chords and getting comfortable with them before you try to play them in a song.
– learn some blues licks: A lot of gospel songs make use of bluesy sounding licks. If you don’t already know how to play these, there are plenty of resources available online or in print that can teach you the basics.
– get comfortable with call-and-response: Many gospel songs make use of call-and-response techniques between the lead guitar and the rhythm guitar (or between the lead guitar and the vocals). This means that you need to be able to switch back and forth between lead and rhythm parts quickly and easily. The best way to get comfortable with this is by practicing with a metronome or backing track.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to playing soulful gospel guitar like a pro!
Incorporate Gospel Chords into Your Playing
Gospel music is a rich and varied tradition, with roots in both the black church music of the American South and African American spirituals. Gospel guitar playing incorporates many of the same chords you’d find in other styles of music, but the key to playing gospel music on guitar is incorporating chords that reflect the feel of the music.
One of the most important chords in gospel music is the minor seventh chord. This chord is often used to create a sense of yearning or longing, which is common in gospel songs. To play a minor seventh chord on guitar, simply combine the root note, flat third, fifth, and flat seventh notes of the scale. For example, a C minor seventh chord would be made up of the notes C, Eb, G, and Bb.
Other important chords in gospel music include major sixth chords and ninth chords. These chords are often used to add color and interest to a gospel song’s melody. To play a major sixth chord on guitar, simply combine the root note, third, fifth, and sixth notes of the scale. For example, a C major sixth chord would be made up of the notes C, E, G, and A. To play a ninth chord on guitar, add the root note, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth notes of the scale. For example, a C ninth chord would be made up of the notes C, E, G, Bb, and D.
When playing gospel guitar music, it’s important to keep your fingerpicking patterns simple and your strumming patterns flowing. This will allow you to focus on adding soulful melodies over top of the chords.
Use Gospel Licks and Riffs in Your Solos
Incorporating gospel licks and riffs into your guitar playing can give your solos a unique sound that can really capture the essence of the music. This style of playing is often associated with soulful, emotional playing and can be a great way to add new life to your solos.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re using gospel licks in your playing. First, it’s important to make sure that the lick you’re using fits well with the chord progression you’re soloing over. Gospel licks often make use of chromaticism, so finding the right place to use them can be key.
In addition, it’s important to use taste when you’re incorporating these licks into your playing. It’s easy to overdo it and end up sounding like you’re just randomly throwing in licks, so make sure that each lick you use serves a purpose and adds something to your solo.
Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques when you’re using gospel licks in your playing. Try bending strings, using vibrato, or even slides to give each lick its own individual flavor. With a little practice, you’ll be able to add these licks into your solos in a way that sounds both natural and stylish.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Learning to play Gospel music on guitar can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it takes time and practice to get the hang of it. There are a few things you can do to help make the learning process easier and more enjoyable:
1. Find a guitar teacher who specializes in Gospel music. This will ensure that you are learning the right techniques from the start.
2. Buy a Gospel music songbook and/or find online tutorials specifically for playing Gospel music on guitar.
3. Practice, practice, practice! The more you play, the better you’ll become at it. Try to set aside some time each day to work on your guitar skills.
4. Listen to Gospel music as often as you can. Not only will this help you better understand how the songs are supposed to sound, but it will also give you some ideas for your own playing.
5. Be patient with yourself and don’t expect to become a master overnight. Learning to play any type of music takes time, so just enjoy the process and let the learning happen naturally.
