Gospel Guitar
Get a grip on essential gospel techniques & concepts.
Advanced
This intensive course is perfect for players who know their way around jazz chords and major/minor scales.
1 week
Lawrence will guide you through seven days of step-by-step instruction with interactive TAB and daily assignments.
Get the gospel sound
You'll leave this class with a new set of tools that'll spice up your playing with modern & classic gospel sounds.
Take the next step
Once you've mastered this course, keep learning with advanced Master Classes and guided practice plans.
What you'll learn
Over the next seven days, Lawrence will walk you through lessons & exercises that'll get you playing gospel right away.
- Broaden your vocabulary with lush chord voicings.
- Make your solos sing with expressive gospel melodies.
- Learn through modern tunes & classic gospel ballads.
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Curriculum
Stay focused with this step-by-step learning program designed by our expert team of music educators.
Your guided learning pathway
This music-first course is designed to walk you through the world of gospel guitar using real compositions. In each lesson, Lawrence will break down a technique or concept as it relates to a ballad, congregational, or modern gospel song. Simply put, this Master Class is the best way to get the sound of church guitar under your fingers.
Day 1. Introduction to gospel guitar
To kick off the class, we'll dive straight into a song so you can start playing right away.
You'll learn all the important chord shapes, melodies, and genre-specific approaches to Lawrence's song Norway Vibe.
Day 2. How to play modern gospel ballads
You can't talk about gospel guitar without exploring the rhythm of the genre.
Today, you'll explore the plucky rhythmic accompaniment from Lawrence's Norway Vibe. Then, you'll learn how to solo over the tune.
Day 3. Traditional congregational feel
The upbeat feel of the traditional congregational is a staple in gospel guitar.
In this lesson, you'll tackle a traditional congregational "What a Mighty God", from the ground up by starting with chords and working through to melodic expression.
Day 4. Amazing Grace
You can't talk about gospel music without this iconic song. In Day 4, Lawrence will guide you through the chords and melody to one of the most famous hymns ever, Amazing Grace.
Day 5. Modern funky gospel
As gospel evolved over the years, it found a natural companion in the joy-driven genre of funk. In Day 5, you'll explore the rhythm-centric world of modern gospel.
Day 6. Gospel ballad with vamp changes
Next, you'll explore a harmonically-rich ballad that features a classic gospel-style vamp section. First, Lawrence will walk you through the chords, then he'll show you how to solo over the tune.
Day 7. I'm a Soldier
To cap off the class, you'll tackle one last upbeat congregational tune. Tons of bright & bopping chord changes to sink your teeth into here!
Day 1. Introduction to gospel guitar
Learn about the fundamentals of the gospel guitar style
Whether you heard it in church, at a concert, or from your favorite players online, something has lead you here today seeking more info on gospel guitar playing. It’s not as common to stumble upon as rock, pop, and jazz, which lend themselves to a more familiar concert setting and radio dials.
Guitar didn’t always have a strong presence in gospel music. It wasn’t easy to hear over the piano, upright bass, and drum sets – all more profoundly self-amplifying. As amp technology began to develop, so did the advent of quartet music where the guitar is prominently featured.
In today's lesson, you'll learn some gospel history, then dive straight into harmony, melody, and expressive techniques through the lens of gospel guitar.
Day 2. How to play modern gospel ballads
Check out the plucky rhythmic accompaniment from Lawrence's tune Norway Vibes.
Many gospel ballads leave ample room for contemplative melodic movement. It’s a sensual, soft, and tender dynamic that's best achieved by treating your electric almost like it’s an acoustic. The best way to learn how to navigate these chord changes in a soloing setting is by exploring the harmony of a gospel ballad.
Once you get a grip on the chords and rhythm, Lawrence will walk you through tips to solo over his song. This will bring you to a key point: emotion is key in gospel music. The exchange between audience and performer is a transformative space and can help shine light through the darkest of times. Keeping this in mind, you'll jam out with Lawrence and practice expressing yourself over the plucky rhythm.
Day 3. Traditional congregational feel
Dissect a time-honored gospel form and learn how to approach it in your playing.
The feel you'll explore today is part of a penecostal service called the devotional. In this interactive setting, members of the church will openly testify and engage in call-and-response songs. Every church has its own way of going about it, and a church ensemble’s members are not set in stone.
In today's lesson, you'll get comfortable with the harmonic backbone of What a Mighty God, then trade off licks with Lawrence in a super fun virtual jam session.
Days 4-7
Cap off the class with four more gospel-fueled tunes that'll help you hone your playing.
Day 4. Amazing Grace
This wouldn't be a proper gospel guitar Master Class if we didn't pay tribute to the legendary hymn Amazing Grace! In today's lesson, you'll learn an important point about the gospel music church setting: any musician should be ready to solo during a hymn. If you're in the church band, it's not a matter of if you'll be called to solo, it's a matter of when.
If you’re unsure what to play, it’s always a safe and satisfying solution to play the lyrical melody.
Going with the main melody and letting ad-libs bloom from there is a good starting point for any solo. Today, Lawrence will help you prepare for this gospel eventuality with Amazing Grace as your harmonic base.
Day 5. Modern funky gospel
Gospel and funk are two birds of a feather – when the guitars are spanking and voices come together it’s hard to sit still. In fact, the king of soul himself, James Brown, was inspired by uptempo gospel rhythms.
Today, you'll work on a tune that's inspired by James Brown’s grooves in the style of supporting a choral group. As always, you'll tackle the rhythm before practicing soloing applications.
Day 6. Gospel ballad with vamp changes
Vamp sections are a massive part of playing gospel music. You might know vamps as one or two-chord grooves that stay static in a harmonic sense while musicians solo over them. In gospel, a vamp can also refer to a repeating musical section that a band might play while someone delivers a dialogue.
In today's lesson, you'll learn how to address a vamp section in a chordal and soloing context.
Day 7. I'm a Soldier
For the final day of this soulful Master Class, you'll put the pedal to the medal with a fast-chanking, upbeat congregational tune. This is the true test of your gospel skills! You'll use the same approach as the previous class days by starting with the rhythm and working up to lead guitar skills.
Once you master the material in this class, we have plenty of additional soulful lessons for you to continue on leveling up in your guitar journey.
REAL students
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What guitarists love about this course
FULL REFUND, NO QUESTIONS ASKED
Improve your playing or get your money back
We’re so confident that we can improve your playing that we’re underwriting your membership with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
Your Instructor
Lawrence Jones
Learn the art of gospel guitar from a world-renowned touring guitarist.
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Frequently asked questions
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