Worship Musician Magazine June 2025 | Page 74

CAPO GUITAR

THROWBACK SONG:“ BE THOU EXALTED” BY NEW LIFE WORSHIP | Mitch Bohannon

Last week in staff meeting, our pastor read a verse from Scripture and stated,“ I had never read that before.” Isn’ t that how Scripture is? You can read a passage multiple times, but on today, it’ s like you’ ve never read it; you hear something now that you didn’ t before.

Well, last week, my wife and I were driving home from Galveston. I showed her a stack of“ old” CDs in my Jeep, and we began listening. We were singing, worshiping, and remembering the songs from 15 years ago. My wife put in New Life Worship, You Hold It All( Live). I remember leading“ This I Know”,“ Great I Am”,“ Dry Bones”, and“ Bless the Lord.” Those were such great songs! But as we listened,“ Be Thou Exalted” sounded like a brand-new song. I know I listened to that CD over and over, but I must have overlooked that song somehow. So, in case you also overlooked it, I’ m focusing on this song this month.

This makes me want to go back to other records from the past and find some hidden gems that need to not be forgotten!

“ Be Thou Exalted” is recorded in the key of“ E” and uses the progression,“ E / G # / A / B“ over and over, which is perfectly simple with the Short-Cut Capo. For this song, it’ s good to create some dynamic difference between the verses, chorus, and bridge. The chorus is very worshipful and full of“ long-notes” where you don’ t really want the guitar to overtake the lyrics, so I would play“ diamonds”( whole notes) on at least the first chorus and build them through the song. Another way to think of it is to just play and hold the chord changes. If you’ re able to fingerpick the verses, that would keep them from being“ bigger” than the chorus. However, as I play through the song, a gentle, time-keeping strum would still work on the verses and then let the chorus soar. The bridge is where the dynamic ramps up.

VERSE 2 E / G # A B E / G # A B

Be Thou my refuge Be Thou my strength Should my confession err E / G # A B A B E

My heart shall whisper a sure“ Amen” And trust Your every word

CHORUS A B E / G # A A B( A last time)

Be Thou exalted | Be Thou exalted, Jesus forever | Be Thou exalted forever

TURN | E / G # A | B | E / G # A | B |

VERSE 3 E / G # A B E / G # A B

Be Thou my passion be Thou my zeal That I may offer Thee E / G # A. B A B E

No great procession or vain appeal But my sincerity

INSTRUMENTAL

||: C # m7 A | E B:|| | A | A |

BRIDGE C # m A E B Hallelujah to the Name of all names C # m A E B Hallelujah to our God be all praise

C # m A E B A Ever Holy, Worthy, Be Thou exalted always

© 2011 SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia | Integrity Worship Music

This song is easy to sing and, at least in a Baptist church, singing the phrase,“ Be Thou My Vision” brings with it the familiarity of the old hymn. This song has so much potential. The chorus and bridge could even be used as a type of reprise in a later part of a worship set.

Mitch Bohannon Mitch developed the Short-Cut Capo for Kyser and is the Director of Live Production at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

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