Gospel Guitar

Genre and Style Guitar Course from Steve Eulberg

The word gospel is derived from Old English god-spell, meaning "good news." With history that can be dated back to the 18th century, gospel music's creation, performance and significance varies by culture and social context.

18 Lessons

Complete course with step-by-step lessons and practice examples.

Multi-Camera

Course filmed with 6 cameras for the perfect angles.

90% Appoval

100 of 105 of our members have given this their approval.

Tabs & Info

Download tabs, helpers, JamTracks and docs included with lessons.

Included

Access this course, along with all other courses with Membership.

Full Course Breakdown

In this series you will be taking an in-depth look into gospel music and the basics behind performing it. Steve will teach a variety of topics, including hymns, gospel and praise songs, playing solo and with others. This series assumes an intermediate level of knowledge.

1

Introduction to Gospel

Steve Eulberg starts his new gospel series with a lesson that details what he plans to teach in the lessons to follow, a hymn called "What a Fellowship," and finally, what playing for worship means.

34:18 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

2

Playing with Others

Steve Eulberg talks about transposing to be compatible with other instruments and playing in the best key for singers.

15:11 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

View this Lesson
3

Endings and Intros

Steve Eulberg emphasizes the importance of having a good, clear beginning and ending to your songs when playing for a congregation.

8:26 Runtime

1.0 Difficulty

4

Playing for a Congregation

Steve Eulberg discusses using the bluegrass style to relax the song and give the congregation time to sing comfortably. You will be looking at "Cwm Rhondda" as an example.

9:33 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

5

Tagging the Last Line

Steve Eulberg continues his discussion on giving the congregation a comfortable amount of time to sing. This lesson focuses on tagging the last line, giving everyone a chance to breathe and start again at the beginning. You will be taking a look at a hymn called "The Ash Grove" as an example.

6:44 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

6

Let's Talk About Hymns

Steve Eulberg takes some time to talk about hymns. He discusses the importance of having a good message in your songs, as they tend to be "sticky" and a great way of getting your message across. He gives a couple examples where you can even place your hymns in a different musical setting to bring new life to them.

8:32 Runtime

1.0 Difficulty

7

Reinterpreting the Meter

Steve Eulberg takes a look at what happens when you reinterpret the meter of a song. He uses the hymn "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" as an example.

7:23 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

8

Complex Hymns

Steve Eulberg takes a look at whether it's possible to play along with a hymn that is very complex harmonically. He uses the beautiful tune "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" as an example.

8:17 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

9

I Love to Tell the Story

Steve Eulberg takes a look at the hymn, "I Love to Tell the Story" in his newest gospel lesson.

12:17 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

10

Changing the Rhythm

Steve Eulberg takes the hymn you learned in the last lesson, "I Love to Tell the Story," and modernizes it by changing the rhythm.

6:02 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

11

Martyrdom

Steve Eulberg takes a look at an old, beautiful American hymn tune called "Martyrdom."

9:40 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

12

Life Is Like a Mountain Railway

Steve Eulberg looks at a fun, bluegrass arrangement of "Life Is Like a Mountain Railway."

5:50 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

13

Amazing Grace

Join Steve as he teaches a beautiful fingerstyle arrangement of Amazing Grace.

7:24 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

14

Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?

Join Steve and take a look at the beautiful melody found in this familiar song.

12:39 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

15

The Old Rugged Cross

Steve creates yet another beautiful fingertsyle arrangement for this classic hymn.

13:43 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

16

Role of the Rhythm Player in Worship Music

Join Steve as he discusses and models what it means to be the acoustic rhythm player in a worship band. He offers two of his own original worship songs as a great examples.

18:56 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

17

How Do I Know What Strum To Use?

It may seem like a simple thing, but when it comes down to it, how do we know what the best strum is for a song? Join Steve as he tackles this challenge with a couple different songs.

14:43 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

18

Playing From Chord Charts

Sometimes chord charts are right on, but more often than not, those chords are misaligned with the words and the rhythm is left a mystery. Join Steve as he gives some practical advice on how to navigate those tricky chord charts.

15:55 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

Let's Start. Together.

Setup your account and explore our courses, teaching tools and resources.

Get Started
  • Greeley, Colorado
  • Playing since 1970
  • 320 lessons at JamPlay
An Award-winning multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, Steve Eulberg weaves mountain and hammered dulcimers with a variety of unusual instruments to create thought-provoking, smile-inducing, toe-tapping acoustic experiences.

He has sung and composed for religious communities, union halls, picket lines, inter-faith retreats, mountain-top youth camps, as well as the more familiar venues: clubs, coffeehouses, bookstores, festivals, charity benefits and showcase concerts.

Born and raised in the German-heritage town of Pemberville, Ohio, Steve was exposed to a variety of music in his home. Early piano lessons were followed by trumpet in school band, and he became self-taught on ukelele and guitar and harmonica. Mandolin was added at Capital University where, while majoring in History, he studied Ear Training, Voice and took Arranging lessons from the Conservatory of Music.

While at college, he first heard hammered and mountain dulcimers, building his first mountain dulcimer just before his final year. Seminary training took him the west side of Denver where he built his first hammered dulcimer. With these instruments, he was able to give voice to the Scottish, English and Irish traditions to which he is also heir.

Following marriage in 1985 to Connie Winter-Eulberg he settled in Kansas City, Missouri. There he worked cross-culturally in a church of African-Americans, Latinos and European Americans, with music being a primary organizing tool. He moved with his family in 1997 to be nestled beside the Rocky Mountains in Fort Coillins, Colorado.

Founder of Owl Mountain Music, Inc. he teaches and performs extensively in Colorado and Wyoming with tours across the US and the UK. He delights in introducing the “sweet music” of dulcimers to people in diverse settings and in addition to his own recordings, has included dulcimers in a variety of session work for other musicians.

In 2000 he was commissioned to create a choral composition featuring dulcimers for the Rainbow Chorus in Fort Collins. It was recorded in the same year (BEGINNINGS). He is currently at work on a commissioned symphony that will feature hammered dulcimer and Australian didjeridu.

Eulberg passionately believes that music crosses cultural and language barriers because music builds community. Influenced by a variety of ethnic styles, his music weaves vital lyric with rap, rock, folk, gospel and blues. Audiences of all ages respond well to his presentation and to his warm sense of humor.

Steve is a member of Local 1000 (AFM), The Folk Alliance, BMI and BWAAG (Better World Artists and Activist's Guild).
Reviews & Feedback 90/100 with 105 ratings
vwlouk

Steve is an exceptional player and teacher. This lesson not only taught a beautiful song, but it also gave me the tools to adapt other songs in my hymnal. Great lesson all around.

HealerIam

Yeah! I have been wanting to learn just this type of playing. I had trouble getting the session to load quicker than you, but hope to figure the problem out. I am a beginner with your Teachings and noticed this. Thank you for this op to learn

hcliau

Explained a lot of stuff.

dalvinr

Good comments on matching singing voices.

jillniss

I love the theme of this series and I am looking forward to seeing more lessons like this!

rockstar4jc

Its so awesome that you all have included this series. definite thumbs up!

Kuckuck

Just great! I like that the focus is taken off the performer and given to God's glory.

revolvingthesun

material does not have the words. just shows the piano notes. would like to see words to match up with the guitar chords. also.. a white board where he can point to what he is talking about would help. I just got my guitar at Christmas an

gjsnot007

Steve what model guitar are you playing and what strings? Thanks, Gary