Monday, April 21, 2025
GuitarGuitar Tips & HacksTips & Hacks

What to play when the song doesn’t have guitar parts


In this video Bradford talks through three strategies you can use when the song doesn’t have pre-recorded guitar parts. This is also really helpful if you’re trying to come up with alternate parts or writing a new song.

See the ‘Behold’ video where Bradford puts this all into practice: https://youtu.be/nAIbC7bj_40

Table of contents:
00:00 – Guitarring with Bradford
01:03 – Let’s start with a bonus tip: swells
01:10 – Tip 1 – Find the melody and replicate it
01:44 – Tip 2 – Find the 1 (meaning the root note of the song/chord)
04:33 – Tip 3 – Play chords (but not like an acoustic player)
09:07 – Conclusion
09:14 – Brian’s Bonus Tip

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#play #song #doesnt #guitar #parts

Originally posted by UCGnVb3zNM46mvKCUjFTUXGw at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG_RbYFWAfk

33 thoughts on “What to play when the song doesn’t have guitar parts

  • "Let me put some effects on" proceeds to play the best, almost 2008 Chris Quilala like tone but better I have ever heard.

    Reply
  • As someone who’s played worship since the mid 90s, there are lots of songs where less is more for the electric. Other songs have a more prominent electric part. Know and understand the song to help the band lead the congregation in worship. We are not performers. We are an audience of one worshiping the King.

    Reply
  • Very helpful guys! Ty❤
    We've been doing alot of lake, Elevation, and Baldwin. I've noticed, if I just learn that main lick/melody of the song, I can wing the rest and kinda do what I want????

    Reply
  • May i ask for effect pedals That you’ve used in this video? Especially delay echo drive… very nice sound for worship guitar

    Reply
  • Funny enough 10,000 reasons was a song I had to play recently and for a simple song took me a while to decide what to play that would fit the best- settled on simple higher register triads and built in the melody a bit when the song gets going.

    Reply
  • I hide EVH licks in the song when I don’t know what else to play…you haven’t lived until you sneak Panama into a worship tune ????

    Reply
  • I always have to come back here to the second half of the video to get refreshed on the power chord you start with and then count up through the Nashville numbering system. Is there a good chart with those shapes somewhere?

    Reply
  • I became the only electric guitarist in my church 8 months ago. What's more, I am re-learning from square one after 20 years of not playing. Stuff like this is so incredibly helpful.

    Reply
  • How about just do nothing and let The Spirit works through you, Not to mention that nobody w'll kill u if u dont COPY: Must b happy, Must jump, must feel good, Must feel vibe & fun attetude of mainstream stage fireworks with 16 guitar and 25 singers. May LORD have mercy on us all.????

    Reply
  • This is really interesting.
    I natively have done this for years and didn’t even realize it was a thing for others too.

    Reply
  • We are spoiled nowadays. 30yrs ago many songs sung in church did not even have easily accessible recordings so being able to play something suitable that you came up with yourself was a fundamental skill.

    Reply
  • Thanks, this was super helpful! I particularly appreciate the 6 chords which are close and easily accessible, genius! God bless!

    Reply
  • 2.34 sounded suspiciously much like a straight quarter note delay, not a dotted eight delay 😉
    (nevertheless a better choice if you need to stay in the background ;))

    Reply
  • The "SUSTAIN NOTES" always work. You're in the key of D major, play D and A notes, this works anytime with any chord!

    Reply
  • I may use fingerpicks and arpeggio open chords, or play octaves, or figure out a nice lead line to play as a fill. Pray a lot about what to play, that helps.

    Reply

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