GUITAR
[ CHALLENGE TO CHANGE | Jeffrey B. Scott ]
I’ve never considered myself an “accomplished” week! But especially over the last several years, it! We can all keep learning and growing, and
guitarist. I’m no virtuoso, though I love guys like I’ve discovered a deep desire to become the experience will teach us to be better, but we
Eric Johnson who are, and would love to play best guitarist/vocalist/musician I can be, for His can also lean into it! Even after playing guitar for
like that at some level. But I just won’t let myself sake and for His glory. years, there are things I don’t fully understand
rest on the fact that I can do mostly what I hear
and I want to know more. So, I challenge myself
played. And I don’t let myself slide by without FALLING FORWARD with a new piece of music or a particular style
working and practicing until I can do my very What I learned from my mistakes has helped that I’m less comfortable with any chance I get
best. bolster my desire to do better when given the to see if I can become a more skilled player
opportunity. When I wasn’t prepared, I learned today than I was yesterday.
All of this stems from a belief that I am, in any that I was teaching the sound guy not to put me musical context, giving an offering to God, both in the mix. Being prepared beforehand helped DON’T STOP
as a worship leader or a musician in a band, him do his job better, and taught him he could As a magazine, our driving force is that we
doing what He’s granted me the talent and count on me to execute the parts I was playing want to give you tools and advice to help you
gifting to do. with precision. I still struggle to this day with be “Better by Sunday.” And while this month’s
procrastination, but I also know the reasons column may not have as much practical info
As you can imagine, this didn’t really come behind it and I know what my “preferred reality” on how to build your tone or how to navigate
out of a place of always doing every event is now, too; that of being a solid, well-prepared this week’s setlist, I do believe it has a place
well. More than once I have felt the sting of not addition to any team. for us as musicians. It’s too easy to excuse our
having prepared well enough in advance to be
procrastination and lack of drive to the place
really ready, especially for a one-off event with EMBRACING YOUR LACK that we don’t improve, and therefore, are not
lots of new music. I would procrastinate with the When you’re young, you don’t know what giving our best offering to God musically. It’s my
best of us and would finally, maybe, be ready you don’t know. As you learn and grow, you challenge that this week, you will strive to be
by the day of the event. Sundays were a little start to understand there is so much more that more and better than you were last week when
different story, but I haven’t always prepared you don’t know, and that realization needs you bring a gift to God this Sunday.
well for those either! There was a season to be a catalyst for pushing you forward. My where I found myself getting my guitar out to encouragement is, embrace that you don’t play without having even touched it during the know everything, then do something about
Jeffrey B. Scott
Jeffrey lives in Nashville with his wife and 3 kids
(and 1 dog child) and plays guitar for American
Idol winner David Cook.
Photo by Blue Amber
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May 2018
WorshipMusician.com