The April CGF Group

The April Christian Guitarist Fellowship was a blast!  We had people from all over (those from out of the area were from San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Red Bluff, and Castro Valley).  We went over Alternate Tunings, Jazz Chords, the 12-Barre Blues, the Am Pentatonic Scale, and Great Songs in the Key of G.  Austin Graham shared a beautiful instrumental song he wrote and we had a good half hour of one-on-one jamming throughout the auditorium.  It was a very encouraging day.  Hope you can make it next time!

This Monday, MusicDojo.com is hosting my “Strumming and Finger Picking” online lessons for beginning guitarists.  MusicDojo.com has quality lessons by outstanding musicians like Adam Nitti, who plays bass guitar for Steven Curtis Chapman.  They are starting a new series for guitarists who play in churches called Essential Guitar Worship Series.  My coarse is the first in this series offering five strumming patterns and five finger picking patterns to enhance both faster and slower songs.  I also explain syncopation, groove, creating mood and more as each lesson opens up over the two week period.  There are video examples and clear explanation of each technique being taught.  It’s a cool way to learn online and I’ll be available daily through email and a live chat.  Check it out  (Click Here https://www.musicdojo.com/ ) and tell the beginning guitarists at your church.   More details below:
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Essential Guitar Worship Series: Strumming and Finger Picking, Level 1 (GW102)

The first guitar course in the Essential Guitar Worship Series is designed to introduce students to the most common right-hand strumming and picking techniques used within contemporary worship music. This course will help you to gain facility with the flat pick and will introduce you to finger picking techniques.   It’s only $29.95 for 10 lessons.

Lesson 1: Holding the Flatpick; The Best Way to Strum; 2/4 and 4/4 Time; Strum #1
Lesson 2: Finger Placement for Picking; Guitar Tablature; 2/4 and 4/4 Time; Pick #1
Lesson 3: Strum #2; Understanding Syncopation
Lesson 4: Pick #2; Finger Picking with Popular Songs
Lesson 5: Strum #3; Creating Groove
Lesson 6: Pick #3; Creating a Mood
Lesson 7: Strum #4; More Songs
Lesson 8: Pick #4; More Songs
Lesson 9: 3/4 and 6/8 Time; Strum #5; More Songs
Lesson 10: 3/4 and 6/8 Time; Pick #5; More Songs

Fatal accident

I am stunned to hear of the sudden death of Mike Swalley.  Last Monday, he was hit head-on by another car (the article is at http://pattersonirrigator.com/content/view/3073/42/ .  I lived with Mike for a few years during our college years in San Jose where we became friends.  We worked in Young Life together helping to change teens lives which is where I experienced his compassion and love for people.  We played guitar together and he helped me start a guitar group called JAM in the early ’80s.  Just recently, I began a new guitar group in Alamo called the Christian Guitarist Fellowship and Mike came to the first one, February 1, 2009, with his children Laura and Brian who both brought guitars to learn.  I gave them their first guitar lesson while Mike beamed as a proud father.  Mike had a heart of Gold…had a deep love for God, his family, and people.  I am in tears thinking about this tragedy, though I know He is experiencing unbelievable joy and peace in God’s presence right now.  My heart goes out to Michelle, Laura (14) and Brian (6).  My dad died when I was 6 years old and my mom died when I was 14.  Though it was very difficult, God used it to draw me closer to Him, shape my character, and value people like never before.  I pray this will happen for the Swalley family as well.  Please pray for them!

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Coming Events

March 1 (Sun) The Christian Guitarist Fellowship in Alamo
March 6 (Fri) The BASS Convention in Castro Valley
March 13 (Fri) Private Lessons in Danville
March 20 (Fri) Private Lessons in Los Altos
April 5 (Sun) The Christian Guitarist Fellowship in Alamo
April 17-19 (Fri-Sun) Sugarpine Father/Son Mountain Men I Retreat in Oakhurst
April 24-26 (Fri-Sun) Sugarpine Father/Son Mountain Men II Retreat in Oakhurst

The first Christian Guitarist Fellowship was a blast and went very well. Ten people came which was just fine for the first time considering it was the Superbowl weekend. I started out with a Phil Keaggy video as people were coming in. We started at 2:00pm with an introduction and discussion as to people’s expectations and desires. I gave a lesson on contemporary chords, did a little demonstration, and then we paired off in order to “jam” together. I took two young beginners, an advanced guitarist friend took another adult beginner and the rest paired off with varying skill levels. We came back together and played through some well known praise songs. Everyone enjoyed it and said they want to come back in March. We are going to hold it the first Sunday of every month. I’m excited about it!

I’ve been teaching private lessons in guitar, voice, songwriting and worship leading in Los Altos for over 2 years and find it both fulfilling and a powerful avenue for students to become what God is leading them towards.
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I’ve upgraded the lessons/coaching to include:

• A new notebook for helpful handouts and song chord charts.
• A Lesson Video Summary to download and see the techniques from each class.
• A Private Assignment Page which I communicate with each student their individual assignment and resources.
• More DVD and audio/visual examples to spark new ideas and rivet a particular technique into memory.
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I’ll be teaching once a month in four locations:  Los Altos, Danville (my home), Mount Hermon, and Sacramento.  Let me know if you’re interested or you know someone who is.

2009 has come in like a flood and, in some ways, it feels like I’m riding a huge wave.  The cool thing is that, instead of feeling out of control, it feels like I’m surfing this wave with my family right beside me.  There’s a lot going on at Creekside Community Church as the Worship & Arts Ministry Pastor:  worship leading, counseling, coaching, teaching, organizing, etc.  But, the people are really fun.  It’s a good season in the life of the church right now and I praise God for it.  Helping other aspects of the church life spills over on my family too, like the High School Ministry Home Invasion at our home last week.  The whole family worked to make it a blast of a night for the 45 that came.  Next week, I’ll be going with Brandon on the High School Snow Go.  I’ll be teaching and leading worship for the weekend (my first time Snowboarding).  Brandon just started college courses last week which fits in well as a Junior in High School.  Austin is going to Hume Lake with the Youth Group and Sherri is as busy as ever taking care of us three boys.  She is such a fun and joyful person to spend a life with.  The biggest social endeavor in our family right now is Facebook.  What a cool tool to reconnect with friends and people from the past.  I pray that God is undergirding you with his faithful love, comforting peace, and encouraging joy!

The Christian Guitarist Fellowship is a monthly event for all Christian guitarists the first Sunday of each month, 2:00pm-4:00pm, at Creekside Community Church (1350 Danville Blvd.
Alamo, CA  94507, 925-820-9031 x111).  Everyone is invited from beginners to advanced players, from rockers to alternative players, from acoustic to electric players, from teenagers to the ageless.  There will be training with handouts, short demonstrations, time to jam with others, resources, and good relationship building with fellow guitarists.  There is no charge for admission and no dues.  That’s right, it’s free!
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Our first time together will be Sunday, February 1, 2009, 2:00pm-4:00pm.  Come join the first one and make a difference for future gatherings.

The Christian Guitarist Fellowship is sponsored by Heartfelt Music Ministry and Creekside Community Church in Alamo, CA.  For 14 years, Heartfelt Music Ministry has held the Christian Guitarist Conference (and the Christian Guitar & Bass Conference) in Northern California and throughout the United States.  The economy has made it difficult for most guitarists to justify going to a specialized guitar conference, so the Christian Guitarist Fellowship is the solution.
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Invest in yourself and share your talent with others. For more information email [email protected] See you there.

A young worship leader had a good question on my “My Space” page which I think is relevant to bring up here:

You have a good question, “How do you become a professional worship leader?” God gives each one of us a different journey, so there’s not just one way. A professional worship leader is one who gets paid for leading worship. In order to get paid, Christian employers are looking for three things: character, competency, and chemistry. Character means being trustworthy, gracious, reliable, believable, and one who is a prime example of a God worshiper. Competency means you have experience to handle people issues, organizational details, skillful on an instrument, strong in Christian faith, with the ability to make a service flow from beginning to end. Chemistry means you’re able to get along with those you work with, and even more, you’re able to encourage and shepherd those around you. You need to “fit” into the group you’re working with. Remember, ministry is about people and drawing them closer to God (not just music). God’s priority is on relationships and His passion is intimacy! Have the same ambition as Paul in 2 Cor. 5:9, “This is my ambition…to be pleasing to the Lord.”

From the joy of reflecting on Christ’s birth to the difficulties of our strained economy, this December has mixed emotions to say the least.  Keeping our eyes on Christ will give us the hope necessary to keep a fervent faith into 2009 (“…Christ in you, the hope of glory” Colossians 1:27).  May you have a hope-filled Christmas and New Years during the next couple of weeks.
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The culmination of this past year for Heartfelt Music has been one of meaningful ministry and successful equiping in a variety of ways.  Through Christian Conference Centers (i.e. Mount Hermon; Sugarpine), church training events (i.e. New Life Community Church, VA; Lincoln Glen Church, CA), private lessons (i.e. Los Altos; Danville), Band, Guitar, Voice, & Songwriting instruction (i.e. Bethany University; Los Altos Christian School),  online training (i.e. worshipteleseminar.com; guitarnotes.com), worship leading (i.e. First Baptist Church of Los Altos; Creekside Community Church, Alamo), special conferences (i.e. Christian Guitar & Bass Conference, CA; Worship Wayfarer Conference, OR), concerts (i.e. Silver Spur Tean Camp; Cambrian Park), and mentoring sessions (i.e. BASS Convention; Creekside Community Church Worship Intern Program).  It has been very fulfilling for me to invest in so many lives and see God’s glory manifested in so many lives.
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Heartfelt Music Ministry will continue to touch peoples lives and train them for ministry in 2009.  One of the events to put on your calendar, if you are a guitarist near the Bay Area, is a monthly Guitarist Fellowship beginning Sunday, February 1, at Creekside Community Church in Alamo.  More information to come.
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The Coates family has seen many changes as we’ve transitioned from Mount Hermon to Danville.  We are doing well.  Brandon and Austin are finding they really like Venture School in San Ramon and are now taller than I am.  Sherri is enjoying fixing up the house for the holidays and caring for the three men in her life.  All of us are thankful to be ministering with Creekside Community Church who are wonderful people to be with.  Thank you for your prayers for our family and for Heartfelt Music Ministry.  We appreciate you!
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Merry Christmas!
Reggie