Making the Connection

Keys — Making the Connection

Keep your Keys packet open next to you as you work through these songs. The goal is to practice moving your eyes from the chart to the packet and back — until it becomes automatic.

Open your Keys packet to the Key of A page before reading further.

Find the 1, 2m, 4, 5, 6m, and 7(5/7) diagrams — these are the chords you will play in Praise.

Verse 1

• The verse opens on the 1 chord. On the Key of A page, find the diagram labeled 1. The chord is A major.
• 2m/1 appears on 'Praise on the mountain.' Keys players play the 2m chord — Bm. Find the 2m diagram. Bass plays the 1 (A).
• 5/1 — keys play the 5 chord (E major). Bass plays the 1 — still A.
• 4/1 — keys play the 4 chord (D major). Bass plays the 1 — A. The entire verse is anchored on A in the bass while the harmony moves above it.

Pre-Chorus

• 5add4 — find the 5 diagram and add the 4th on top. In Key of A that is E with an A added. Hold it — it wants to resolve.
• 4 — resolve to the 4 chord, D major. Simple and grounded.

Chorus

• 6m7 — find the 6m diagram. In Key of A that is F#m. The 7 adds an E on top. This is the opening chord of every chorus line.
• 4(2) — the 4 chord with a 2 added. D with an E on top.
• 1 — home. A major.
• 5sus4 — the 5 chord suspended. E with an A instead of a G#. Holds tension at the end of every chorus phrase.
• The chorus of Praise is 6m · 4 · 1 · 5sus4 repeated. Once you know those four chords in the Key of A you can play every chorus in the song.

Open your Keys packet to the Key of G page. Before looking at anything else, count out loud: 1-trip-let   2-trip-let. That is the pulse of this entire song.

Find 1, 4, 5, 6m, and 7(5/7) — these are the main chords in One Name.

Verse

• 1 · 1 · 4 · 4 — the verse alternates between the 1 chord (G major) and the 4 chord (C major). Simple and grounded. Find both on the Key of G page.
• 5/7 — keys play the 5 chord (D major). Find the 7(5/7) diagram on your packet. Bass plays the 7 (F#).
• 6 · 6 · 4 · 4 — down chorus moves to the 6 chord (Em) and stays on 4 (C).

Chorus

• 1add9 — the 1 chord with a 9th (A) added. In Key of G: G · B · D · A.
• 1maj7 — the 1 chord with a major 7th (F#) added. G · B · D · F#. Very settled and peaceful.
• 1/3 — keys play G major. Bass plays B (the 3rd).
• 5sus4 — D with G instead of F#. Holds tension before returning to 1.

Bridge

• 4 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 6 · 5/7 — work through each number on the Key of G page.
• The bridge repeats X3. Each pass gets louder. Match your voicings and dynamics to the building energy.
• DRUMS ONLY — you rest for 8 bars. Come back in clean and confident on the downbeat.

Electric Guitar — Making the Connection

Keep your Electric Guitar packet open next to you. Practice moving your eyes from the chart to the packet and back.

Open your Electric Guitar packet to the Key of A page. All chord shapes for Praise are on this page.

Find the shapes for 1, 2m, 4, 5, 6m, and 7(5/7).

Verse 1

• 1 chord — A major. Open A shape (x02220) or use the barre position shown in the packet.
• 2m/1 — guitar plays the 2m chord (Bm). Use the barre shape at fret 2. The bass handles the A bass note.
• 5/1 — guitar plays the 5 chord (E major). Open E shape. Bass plays A.
• 4/1 — guitar plays the 4 chord (D major). Open D shape. Bass plays A.
• Notice that 2m/1, 5/1, and 4/1 all have the same bass note — A. You keep playing your chord shapes while the bass anchors everything to A.

Chorus

• 6m7 — F#m with a 7th. Find the 6m diagram. Add your pinky for the m7 extension if comfortable. If not, just play the 6m shape.
• 4(2) — D chord with an added 2nd (E note). Find the 4 diagram in the packet.
• 1 — A major. Home chord.
• 5sus4 — E chord suspended. Find the 5 diagram — the sus4 version lifts the G# to an A.

Open your Electric Guitar packet to the Key of G page. Count: 1-trip-let   2-trip-let before you start.

Find shapes for 1, 4, 5, 6m, and 7(5/7).

Verse

• 1 — G major. Open G shape (320003). The open G voicing rings beautifully in 6/8.
• 4 — C major. Open C shape (x32010). A very common pairing with G in worship.
• 5/7 — D major with F# in the bass. Guitar plays the D chord. Find the 7(5/7) diagram in your packet.
• 6 — Em. Open Em shape (022000). Natural and resonant in the Key of G.

Bridge

• The bridge progression 4 · 5 · 6 · 5/7 moves quickly. Practice the shape transitions before the song starts. C → D → Em → D/F# is the chord name equivalent.
• On the X3 repeat — increase your attack and dynamic each pass. The third pass should be full energy.
• DRUMS ONLY — stop completely. Come back exactly on the downbeat of the next section.

Acoustic Guitar — Making the Connection

Keep your Acoustic Guitar packet open next to you. Acoustic guitar shines in natural open keys — and both of today's songs are perfectly suited for it.

Praise is in Key of A — a natural open key for acoustic guitar. No capo needed. Open your Acoustic Guitar packet to the Key of A page.

Open position. No capo required for this key.

Verse 1

• 1 chord — A major. Open A shape (x02220). This is your home base for the whole song.
• 2m/1 — play the Bm chord shape shown in the packet. In open position this is a partial barre at fret 2. Bass plays A.
• 5/1 — open E major shape. Clean and resonant. Bass plays A.
• 4/1 — open D major shape. Bass plays A.

Chorus

• 6m7 — F#m chord. The acoustic packet shows this shape. Add the m7 extension if comfortable — if not, the basic F#m works.
• 4(2) — D chord with the 2nd (E) added. Find this in the packet or add an open high E string to your D shape.
• 1 — open A major. Home.
• 5sus4 — Esus4. Replace the G# (third fret on the B string) with an open A string. Natural and resonant.

One Name is in Key of G — a natural open key. No capo needed. Open your Acoustic Guitar packet to the Key of G page.

Open position. No capo needed.

Verse

• 1 — open G shape. Let it ring in 6/8. The triplet feel makes open chords sound especially full.
• 4 — open C shape. A beautiful pairing with G on acoustic.
• 5/7 — D major with F# bass. Play the D chord — the D/F# voicing shown in the packet puts F# as the lowest note. Great for smooth voice leading.
• 6 — open Em. One of the most resonant chords on acoustic guitar.

Bridge

• The bridge progression 4 · 5 · 6 · 5/7 moves through C · D · Em · D/F#. All open and familiar.
• In 6/8, think in two big beats with three subdivisions each. The strumming pattern matters more than in 4/4.
• On the X3 repeat — open up your dynamic each pass. The third time should be strumming fully.
• DRUMS ONLY — stop completely with the rest of the band. Come back on the downbeat.

Bass — Making the Connection

Keep your Bass packet open next to you. Remember — you are playing single notes, not chords. Your job is to anchor the harmony and lock in with the drums.

Open your Bass packet to the Key of A page. Your job in Praise is to play root notes — and to play the note to the right of the slash on slash chords.

The fretboard pattern shows where every scale degree lives. The reference table shows exactly what note each number means.

Verse 1 — Pedal Bass

• 1 — play A. Find the 1 on your fretboard pattern. In Key of A: fret 0 on the A string (open) or fret 5 on the E string.
• 2m/1 — bass plays the RIGHT side of the slash — the 1. Play A. Same note as before. The harmony moves above you while you stay on A.
• 5/1 — bass plays the 1 again. Still A. This is a pedal bass moment — three consecutive slash chords all with the same bass note.
• 4/1 — bass plays the 1. Still A. The entire verse is intentionally anchored on A in the bass.

Pre-Chorus

• 5add4 — now the bass moves. Play the 5 — that is E. Find E on your fretboard pattern.
• 4 — play the 4 — that is D. Find D on your fretboard pattern.
• Break last bar — the chart says break the last bar. Stop playing one full measure before the chorus hits.

Chorus

• 6m7 — play the root of the 6. In Key of A that is F#. Find F# on your fretboard pattern.
• 4(2) — play the root of the 4. That is D.
• 1 — play A. Home.
• 5sus4 — play the root of the 5. That is E.
• The Praise chorus bass line is F# · D · A · E repeated — 6 · 4 · 1 · 5 in Key of A. Once you know those four notes and where they live on your neck, you own the chorus.

Open your Bass packet to the Key of G page. In 6/8, the bass groove feels different from 4/4. You land on the first of each triplet group — beat 1 and beat 4 in the 6-count.

The fretboard pattern shows scale degrees across the neck.

Verse

• 1 · 1 · 4 · 4 — play G then C. In Key of G: 1=G (fret 3, E string), 4=C (fret 3, A string).
• 5/7 — bass plays the 7 (right side of the slash). In Key of G the 7 is F#. Find F# on your fretboard pattern.
• 6 · 6 · 4 · 4 — play E (the 6) then C (the 4). In Key of G: 6=E (open E string).

Chorus

• 1add9 / 1maj7 — bass plays the root (G).
• 1/3 — bass plays the RIGHT side of the slash: the 3, which is B.
• 4add9 — bass plays the 4. That is C.
• 5sus4 — bass plays the 5. That is D.

Bridge

• 4 · 5 · 6 · 5/7 — play C · D · E · F#. All four notes are in your fretboard pattern. Practice this sequence until the transitions are smooth.
• DRUMS ONLY — you stop with everyone else. Come back exactly on the downbeat.

Drums — Making the Connection

Your walkthrough is about dynamics and groove selection — not chord numbers. Open your Drums packet to the song map pages before reading further.

Study this before reading the walkthrough below.

Verse 1 — Dynamic Level 2

• Soft. Half-time feel. Snare on beat 3 only.
• The verse progression 1 · 2m/1 · 5/1 · 4/1 is grounded and anchored. Match it with a restrained, spacious groove.
• Do not crash. Do not open the hi-hat. Create space for the piano and acoustic guitar to be heard.

Pre-Chorus — Dynamic Level 3

• Medium. Straight 8th feel begins here. Bass enters on the pre-chorus — match the energy increase.
• Hi-hat opens slightly.
• Break last bar — everyone stops for one full measure before the chorus. Set this up with a fill that lands on the last beat, then silence.

Chorus — Dynamic Level 4–5

• Full. Crash on beat 1. Open hi-hat or ride. Snare confident on 2 and 4.
• The chorus progression 6m · 4 · 1 · 5sus4 has a driving, anthem feel. Your groove should match — straight 8th or open hi-hat anthem groove.
• Chorus 2 ('I won't be quiet') goes to Level 5 — Anthem. This is the peak of the song.

Study this before the walkthrough below.

Verse — Dynamic Level 2

• Soft. 6/8 Standard groove. Hi-hat on every eighth note, kick on beat 1, snare on beat 4.
• Feel the two big beats per measure — 1-trip-let 2-trip-let. Your kick anchors beat 1. Your snare answers on beat 4.
• The verse progression 1 · 4 stays simple and steady. Match it. Do not overplay.

Chorus — Dynamic Level 3–4

• 6/8 Gospel Full. Crash on beat 1. Snare accent on beat 4.
• The chorus adds energy but stays in 6/8. Do not shift to 4/4 — the triplet feel is what makes this song what it is.
• 5/7 appears throughout the chorus. This is a moment of movement in the harmony — match it with a slight lift in your hi-hat or ride.

Bridge — X3 Build

• First pass: Level 2. Second pass: Level 3. Third pass: Level 4–5.
• DRUMS ONLY — 8 bars solo. Hold the 6/8 groove exactly. Do not rush. Do not drag. The band is listening to you to know where the downbeat is when they come back in.
• Final Chorus — Level 5. Anthem. Everything open. Stay in 6/8 even at full energy.