Kim Gentes

Worship leaders and acoustic guitar players need to be wary of a major illness that can infect their playing. This malady is called complacency. It comes to rest all too often on rhythm acoustic guitar players, especially worship leaders. But fortunately there is a cure. And it comes in a nice, low calorie package. It is "Intermediate Acoustic Worship Guitar".

When I began watching this DVD set to help understand what it was, I quickly realized this was more than a 1 hour DVD with a few "tricks and tips". Instead, "Intermediate Acoustic Worship Guitar" is a complete, and fully featured 7 hour course that will revamp and energize your acoustic guitar skills. This is a resource that is meant for rhythm players, and especially worship leaders. In fact, much of the items covered in the course, targets common applications for worship leaders such as fresh strumming patterns for common worship song rhythms. But the DVD's do not get you bogged down into bastions of skill sets for long periods of time. Instead, like other Musicademy products, this course flows from point to point and interjects interviews, quick tips and concepts that apply to the lessons being learned.

This is a true course, not just a terse summary of best ideas from a guitar guru. But because it is broken into several lessons, this DVD could be used as a weekly teacher. Plug it in for 30 -40 minutes, work through a few lessons. Then work on that for a week. Come back in a week and roll through a couple more lessons. This DVD set works well as a self-paced course that will propel a rhythm acoustic guitar player. The amount of content in the DVD set is so voluminous, you may not believe it- it is over 7 hours (yes, I said seven) of digital video content, across 3 DVDs. The content starts head-on with strumming and moves through that extensively. All the while, the instruction compliments both single instrument and band contexts. In fact, worship leaders will especially appreciate the regular tips explaining how to apply concepts and skills in the worship team/band settings. Most of the strumming patterns actually accompany a drum click pattern that helps the player understand the rhythm context for their strumming patterns being learned.

Topics move on to chord voicings, complex chords, barre chords and picking techniques. Even included are specific flourishes/licks that an acoustic guitarist can learn and put in their toolkit for appropriate settings/use. At first, the DVDs don't tackle classical music terms and foundations (other than timing), but as you work through the course, you learn keys, notes and timing, even Nashville Number system information. All of this would be far too much information, if the course was not well segmented, nicely paced and easy to watch and take at your pace.

While this course is definitely not for the beginning guitar player, it is going to be very effective for those who play well enough to lead worship in a local church context. It will help take those people into an entire new strata of expression on their guitars, by providing very methodical, though engaging, lessons to invigorate their playing. The details about this course are much rather seen than read, so I highly encourage you to view the important detailed info that is linked to from this page. (go here)

The bottom line- if you are a worship leader, or know a worship leader, this course is a beautiful tool that will help you and work for you in your local church bad context. If you are an acoustic player looking for a sure-fire resource to move you along to the next level- this is it! I highly encourage you to consider the Musicademy: Intermediate Acoustic Worship Guitar resource.

Product link: Intermediate Acoustic Worship Guitar Course

Review by Kim Anthony Gentes

Musicians have always understood something about learning and playing music. Moving from the use of basic constructs and components, like notes, rhythms, chords and strums, the way on to proficiency is two-fold: modeling and intrinsics. Ask any quality musician and they will tell you that understanding the instruction and mechanics of playing an instrument are just the building blocks of music. How you take those skills and apply them will develop into your style. Modeling is simply learning by example. When speaking of intrinsics in music, we are talking about the nuances that are part of the instrument and its operation, but need a veteran to really bring them out.

"Acoustic Guitar", the latest instructional DVD from Paul Baloche's Modern Worship Series, is a complete volume built on these ideas- modeling the intrinsics of playing an acoustic guitar to the average rhythm guitar player. Paul serves as your own acoustic guitar version of Yoda, taking you through all the secrets of the instrument. But unlike his Jedi Master counterpart in the movies, Paul's digital video version of your trials won't leave you frustrated or turning to the dark side. The techniques learned in this DVD are the summation of every good nuance, tip and hint that a rhythm guitar player or worship leader/guitarist will need to know and (for some of us) may have searched for years to find.

Paul starts off with simply tuning the guitar, which is the slowest part of the DVD. But don't let derail you. The first major concept Paul introduces is what he calls the "open chord" concept, something familiar to most acoustic guitarists leading contemporary worship. Paul makes clear how you can play dozens of songs in the key of E by using open faced A2-form chords across the fret board. If that sounds complicated, don't worry about it, Paul will have you in the "know" in just a few minutes with his great, personal style and patience in explaining each detail he is demonstrating. He spends a lot of time explaining, showing, exampling this method, and this is good because this one technique is enough for weeks worth of revising and enhancing your current repertoire into an uncluttered modern acoustic sound.

From there it's an X-wing fighter, rocket ship ride through 24 "chapters" in which Paul covers a blizzard of techniques. But no techniques are tossed out without an example. He painstakingly shows you exactly what to do, and always gives a song sample in which it can be used. In fact, every single technique on this DVD is accessible to the average Joe (or Luke) acoustic guitar player, save perhaps the very last topic, when our guitar teaching Yoda makes us face those dreaded barre chords. But that time you have gone through everything from finger picking, using a capo, strumming patterns, to right/left hand dampening, walkdowns, and triads. There is far too much content on this DVD to review in detail, which is due in large part to Paul's personal approach and taking time on each topic to show and explain everything. But even with the 2 hours and 30min of digital footage on this DVD, you will have material enough for many weeks of practicing and incorporating the excellent instruction communicated here. Feel free to take breaks, come back after a couple days practicing one especially pertinent concept, and just jump back in. This is exactly what instructional DVDs are supposed to be!

One thing to keep in mind is that this is not really a lesson plan or a progressively built method of learning guitar. The person most suited for this DVD is the average acoustic guitar player or worship leader. You will need understanding of what the basic open faced chords are, and how to play regular strumming patterns with them. It helps if you are familiar with how a chord is constructed, but that is not absolutely necessary. I would guess that 95% of the acoustic guitar playing worship leaders out there would greatly benefit from this DVD, even those with strong proficiency, because it will force you to re-establish all these important concepts not only in your mind, but make you practice along with Paul as he strums and hums along through every topic. And for those of you who think you are pretty much master's at this point, then I would suggest this DVD for another reason- a teaching tool. Most people who are exceedingly proficient at an instrument have little ability, if any, to help communicate their craft to people of average ability. The beauty of this, and all of Paul's resources, is that Paul is a master communicator as well as musician. You aren't talked down to and you aren't left dumbfounded in the wake of endless technical terms. It's just you and your Jedi Master of acoustic guitar (Paul) sitting down for many, many mini-session of great training.

So if you want to excel at your acoustic guitar skills, this DVD is absolutely perfect for you. If you are a master already, this DVD is exactly what will communicate what others have been asking you to show them but you have not been able to explain.

The companion instructional booklet is an excellent resource. It is a PDF downloadable file that comes with the purchase of the DVD (you will have a free link for it online once you purchase the DVD), and it is a scripted outline of the DVD from start to finish. Not only does it include every chord and progression played, but also references and content to the songs exampled too.

The "Acoustic Guitar" instructional DVD is an easy winner of our Editor's Choice Award for an exceptional resource- great job Paul! If you are a guitar player, this is a resource you really should have at least one of for your church music/worship department library. Well, I am off to practice my triads in galaxy far, far away...

Product Link: Modern Worship Series -Acoustic Guitar with Paul Baloche - Instructional DVD

Review by Kim Gentes

The era of the DVD has arrived. This has become more evident by the number of various products found in DVD format. And the area of worship music has actually been a recent strong adopter of the digital video format. From iWORSHIP brand products by Integrity, to great live worship videos from Hillsong Music to artist worship concerts with Michael W. Smith and Third Day, praise and worship has gone digital with the major releases. Now worship leader/songwriter Paul Baloche has blazed the trail by presenting the first edition in a series of instructional DVDs for worship leaders and worship teams. This first DVD is entitled "Worship Styles".

While the DVD is an independently produced effort by Paul Baloche, the videography on this DVD is top notch. A nicely set 6-camera presentation, with excellent audio, transitions, effects and edits, this DVD is far above normal indie video efforts. Introducing the main content is a brief talk with Paul, as he strolls down the street, coffee cup in hand. And this really sets the mood for the presentation of this DVD- you are invited into a relaxed, but intentional session with Paul and "the band" bringing you fruther along on your trek as worship team.

The main content of "Worship Styles" is a worship team teaching tool that walks through a single song in no less than 6 different stylings: traditional, celtic, reggae, rock, country and R&B. A jazz rendering is also added to the end of the DVD, but not discussed at length. The DVD works this way: first, the song is played through once in the style; then Paul Baloche discusses the main concepts of the style. Finally, each instrumentalist breaks down the individual parts of the song in that style, describing and playing the part for all to see and play along with. The instruments covered are bass guitar, drums, keyboards, electric guitar and acoustic guitar. Each instrumentalist is an extensively accomplished musician, who talks the language and plays the grooves with precision and meaning.

It would be unrealistic to try to match the level of musicians presented in this DVD with your local worship team, but fortunately, that is not the goal of this instruction. Instead, the musicians play precise stylings that most mid-level players can copy and practice to make their own. The beauty of this DVD is that Paul taps in on something all of us have known for a long time- don't tell us how to play something, show us. Nearly all of the garage band musicians out there learned (at least in part) by watching someone else play. The weakness of some traditional training is the "book and classroom" methods that don't incorporate extensive amounts of "show-and-tell". Paul brings us some digital music mentors in this video, letting us sit in on sessions on how to construct (one instrument at a time) a song into the style of your choice.

Let's be clear, you won't learn basic music theory or simple "how to play your instrument" lessons on this DVD. But you will take the essential rudiments that each instrument needs to compose a consistent, polished sound for a given style. For example, drummer Carl Albrecht gives precise example and instruction on how to lay down the two variations of country beats needed in two parts of a country style rendition of "All Hail The Power of Jesus Name". After that, bassist Don Harris explains and lays down the bass parts. And so on, with the keyboards, electric guitar and the rhythm acoustic guitar. Each style is walked through in this same fashion, giving the video consistency and content. Throughout the transition from style to style, Paul also talks candidly about his struggles as a worship leader in a local church to use various styles. The talk is light, but meaningful, and a refreshing bridge across the "meat" of the musical examples laid out in this presentation. Paul and his coffee penchant return as the DVD is concluded by a lengthy black and white interview with Southern California pastor Bob Branch. In that discussion, Paul and Bob settle the melee for worship leaders and pastors on how they can come together and work as a team for the good of their local churches.

If you are wanting to sample some of the DVD, we have created a short online preview for you of the Worship Styles DVD Preview [ Windows Media | Realplayer ] . Click on the format you prefer to see the preview.

I liked this DVD so much, I watched it over and over to see if I had missed any obvious flaws or gaps in the content or production- to make sure my lauds wouldn't be misplaced. I could find any flaws. What will be evident to anyone leading a contemporary worship team (drums, bass, piano, guitars) is the excellent encouragement this will bring to you and your band. Not only do you learn the proper rudiments for the style, but (as a leader) the language for communicating that to your musicians. Giving an Editor's Choice to "Worship Styles" DVD is a no-brainer, as this product blazes the trail to an era of digital training resources which many will, no doubt, follow. And as they do, they would do well to follow in Paul's example by using not only top quality people, but excellent production in the project. Congrats on a great resource, Paul!

Product Link:  Music Styles With Paul Baloche Modern Worship Series (DVD)

Review by Kim Gentes

A couple weeks ago, I was rummaging through my music collection trying to find a chord chart for the song God of Wonders, the recently popular worship song that also enjoyed extensive radio play. The problem was, I didn't have a CD and songbook combination that was done in a congregational format that I could duplicate with my local church praise and worship team. I quickly remembered that the recently released Integrity Hosanna project with Paul Baloche had covered the song God of Wonders. I listened to the CD, but didn't have time to check out the music immediately. Then, about a week later I received a new product from Integrity called "God of Wonders Video Songbook". I read the cover and quickly discovered it was a CD-ROM, which I immediately threw in my computer's CD-ROM drive.

What I saw very encouraging! In about 5 minutes I had become hooked on this new tool. A day later, I brought the CD-ROM to my home and put it in my home PC. In 10 minutes I had learned the song I wanted to learn, using the age-old method of all successful students- watching and copying someone who could do it well. The genius of this resource isn't that it does something new, but that it does something old- play by example! You might be tempted to think this would be either too easy or too amateur-ish to be useful and effective. You would be wrong. First, let me describe how this resource works.

When you place the CD-ROM in your drive a window appears on your screen with a menu of songs selections. Clicking the first selection, Paul welcomes you to the video songbook and lets you know what to expect. For each song from the "God Of Wonders" album, two selections exist- a chord chart and an instructional guitar video. When you select the music note icon next to the song, the appropriate chord chart appears via the Adobe Acrobat program. Incidentally, all the software programs that are used to run the media on the video songbook are actually included on the CD-ROM for installation on to your computer (although that will likely not be necessary, since most computer will already have all these common print and video viewers installed).

In my case, I clicked on the chord chart for "God of Wonders". I printed the chart out and set it down next to me. Then I selected the video icon and immediately I had Paul Baloche in my home teaching me how to play a very cool (but accessible) version of God of Wonders on my guitar. In about 10 minutes I had listened and played along with Paul on three repetitions of the song. I learned the strumming pattern, chords, special finger placements, right & left hand accents and all that was necessary for playing this song in either my small group or for leading it from the acoustic on Sunday morning. As it happened for me, Sunday morning was the next morning. During the pre-service practice I taught the song to the band using what I had learned on the video songbook. Our first song in congregational worship that morning was God of Wonders. As we got to the end of the musical portion of our service, I went back and repeated the song as our last song that morning! It was very encouraging- people were engaging in praise to the Lord and the music of the song was played well and really supported the saints as they worshiped!

Over the days that followed, I went back and walked through each of the songs on the video songbook and found the same helpful instruction and ease to use arrangements on most songs. One of the songs (Jesus You Are), is even presented in two keys to allow you to follow and learn in keys best suited for your group. I was stoked!

The bottom line for me is this- using a musical/worship resource is only as good as its application in the local church life. If I can't actually use it in some form with my local congregation, I have a hard time seeing its value. This video songbook resource answers those concerns and blesses the Body of Christ by giving us all a great tool for learning some wonderful songs. I would not hesitate to recommend this resource to any guitar player or worship/praise leader that uses guitar.

My hope is that this new format of resourcing becomes a standard for all projects that present songs intended for use in the local church. If you are a worship leader, get a hold of this new resource- you'll be glad you did! To the worship publishing companies out there-- more, more, more! Instead of doing another rehash collection of souped up old favorite worship songs, we need this type of innovative and resourceful tool from you! To Paul Baloche and all the folks who are working to towards getting actually useable resources out to the local church and their worship ministry staffs- thank you and keep going! To all the high (and low) profile worship leaders out there- please consider what Paul has done here and how it offers such value to the Body of Christ and be spurred on to see what God could uniquely have you do to give to His body through such resourcing.

This resource is simply a great tool for the church; there really isn't any other way to say it. It is for this reason that the God of Wonders Video Songbook is receiving our "Editor's Choice Award". I think it will be a touchtone product that will hopefully lead to a new frontier of resourcing the local church in worship.

Blessings in the Lamb!

Product Link  http://amzn.to/p1yp1o

Kim Gentes