My path in music ministry has changed many times throughout the years here in Central Illinois. I have built and transitioned several praise bands and music ministries into modern, contemporary worship services, lead and guided worship services, trained musicians and leaders, built youth praise bands at private Christian Schools, and hosted the Chris K Music Praise Nights lead by students in music lessons. I still offer consulting for ministries regarding many musical topics and training musicians and worship leaders through private and group music lessons.
The music ministry is constantly changing and growing. Many musicians are finding it more difficult than ever trying to understanding how to be a part of a praise band or music ministry. The expectations of worship leaders and their roles continue to evolve as the industry changes. I work hard to stay on top of these trends and help transition or build musicians into roles that help better serve their respective church(s).
These are my currently ministry offerings:
Praise and Worship Music Lessons
- General Praise/Worship Skills for Musicians and Leaders-
- Understanding charts including rhythmic, lead sheets, chord charts, SATB and more.
- Understanding each instrument role in a worship band or team
- How to work with audio tracks, multi-tracks and metronomes/click
- How to be creative and spontaneous in worship practice and services.
- Transcription, soloing, and writing
- How to play with musicians that cannot keep time
- When to and when not to play during worship music
- How to create patterns and licks/beats that don’t exist.
- Understanding music, lyrics, and how the Holy Spirit works through song.
- Channing spiritual energy and developing song flow/set lists.
- Chart Creation
- Transcription and ear training of source material (covers)
- Drum Lessons
- Developing basic and advance drumbeats to enhance music
- Understanding the drummers role in a worship team
- All the General Praise/Worship Skills for Musicians/Leaders listed above.
- How to play with balance, control and dynamics
- Develop speed or “chops” for more modern worship
- Understanding the drummers role in cultivating spiritual energy
- How to implement electronic percussion
- How to be creative or develop drum parts (when none exist)
- Guitar Lessons (acoustic and electric)
- Develop simple or advance chords and rhythms used in worship.
- Understanding the guitarist role in a worship team
- All the General Praise/Worship Skills for Musicians/Leaders listed above.
- How to improvise using chords and lead work (riffs)
- How to understand charts (lead, rhythmic, chord)
- How to use dynamics to guide a songs intensity
- Understanding pedals, sound effects and patches (pads)
- Bass Guitar Lessons
- Develop basic and advanced patterns and grooves to assist with worship
- Understanding the bassist role in a worship team
- All the General Praise/Worship Skills for Musicians/Leaders listed above.
- How to play with balance, control and build ‘chops’
- Understanding charts and how to create grooves and bass lines
- Understanding effects and pedals
- How to add bass when there is no bass
- Piano and Synth Lessons
- Developing basic chords and advanced patterns (scale based)
- Learn how to improvise or create music (especially during offerings)
- All the General Praise/Worship Skills listed above
- Understanding the keyboard/pianist role in a worship team
- How to play Hymns (or modern style hymns) that works within any ability level (including beginners)
- Understanding effects and sounds for synthesizers (and electric pianos)
- How to layer sounds to enhance worship
- Voice Lessons
- All the General Praise/Worship Skills for Musicians/Leaders listed above.
- Understanding the vocalists role in a worship team
- How to project and sing with confidence
- How to change keys to work within your vocal range
- How to change keys to work within the congregation
- How to use harmony (and when not to)
- How to use different (and practical) approaches to singing worship music
- How to improvise and be spontaneous