Worship Music in Thailand...

Worship music in Thailand is awesome! James and I just returned from S.E. Asia with a group from Vision Beyond Borders where we were able to spend some time with Burmese Christian refugees living along the Thai border.

It took approximately 3 hours of very fast driving up a long and winding road before we finally reached our destination.

The refugee camp was not made up of tents like I expected. It was more like a sprawling village of bamboo huts set beside a meandering jungle path that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

We must have looked pretty strange because all the people just stared as ten foreigners from the USA jumped out of 3 trucks and began hiking up the trail.

When we reached the top of the hill, James and I were met by a friendly young man who was trying to tell us something. His name was Posodo. He had taught himself a few words in English and we eventually figured out that he was trying to show us a place where we could rest.

The "Karen" refugees of Burma radiate love, joy and peace in spite of the various hardships they continue to endure.

They also love to sing and music is a very special part of their lives. Many of the songs they sang were familiar to us.

One of the popular Christian Worship Songs I often heard the Karen sing while we were in Thailand was...

Still

Hide me now Under your wings. 

Cover me within your mighty hand. 

When the oceans rise and thunders roar, 

I will soar with you above the storm. 

Father you are king over the flood. 

I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul In Christ alone 

Know his power In quietness and trust 

I was happy to learn that the guitar is the primary instrument used for leading worship songs .  Makes sense, since it's small and portable. Turns out that Posodo was also a guitar player and a pretty good one too!

Our VBB team landed in Tokyo the day before the earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan. We had to fly back through Tokyo on our return home.

We are grateful for God's protection during our travels and glad to be home again, but we are sad about what has happened to Japan.

With so many difficult problems facing the world right now, I think the Karen can help us know that there is always hope when we trust in the One who cares.

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

Kathy Unruh
Free Guitar Tips

Seven Good Reasons to Learn Guitar...

If you are looking for a new hobby that is both fun and rewarding, here are seven good reasons to learn guitar...

Reason #1 - Make New Friends
   
How would you like to make some new friends?  People love music and you can become the life of the party when you learn how to play a few simple songs on guitar.  It happens all the time.  Imagine your new friends applauding and screaming “Encore!” Wouldn't that be fun? You might even meet other musicians that you can hang out with too!

Reason #2 - Improve Coordination Skills

Playing guitar will enhance your coordination skills because you will learn a new set of muscle memory techniques. One hand memorizes where your fingers need to be on the fretboard in order to play a particular note, chord, scale, or lick. The other hand memorizes different strumming and picking patterns, along with percussive and damping techniques.

Reason #3 - Gain Self-esteem

A psychology book once said that people need to experience... the pleasure of gratification that is satisfied... or something like that. Anyway, I think its safe to say that our self-esteem improves and we tend to feel better about ourselves whenever we accomplish something we set out to do.
   
Reason #4 - Convenience

Let’s face it, a guitar is one of the most convenient instruments there is. You can’t bring your drums wherever you go. It would be exhausting to carry a drum set around all the time and constantly have to set it up whenever you want to play. Not only that, but you have to turn around and tear it down again. That would be a real hassle. Whereas a guitarist can play music just about anywhere they want, whenever they want.
   
Reason #5 - Income Potential

Since you're able to drag your guitar all around town with you, why not earn something from it too? After all, talent should not be wasted. Playing along the streets of downtown may not be the ideal situation, but many "hucksters" have done it before.  You could also play in coffee houses, or perhaps even teach someday.

Reason #6 - Creative Self-expression

You are a unique individual and, as such, may need an outlet for creative self-expression. The guitar is a great vehicle for this. Did you know that only one out of ten people becomes a pure musician. That person could be you. Music can be taught, but real talent comes from deep inside. It is that spirit within you that makes you distinct.
       
Reason #7 - Star Power

Nobody can call you a loser when you've got talent. Yes, you could flunk all of your exams during class hours, but when school is out and you pick up your guitar, you can have star power. I encourage you to excel in school, but even an A+ won’t top the popularity you can get from being an artist.
   
I'm sure there are a number of other good reasons to learn guitar as well. Perhaps you are a gifted singer/songwriter and need an instrument to accompany your singing voice. Or maybe you simply love guitar music and want to be immersed in it as much as possible.

Whatever your reason is doesn't really matter, it's having the desire to do it that counts. So if you have a dream to play guitar, don't give up. Even if its just a hobby and you find yourself struggling at times.

Who knows, with a little practice you could reach new heights. Something brighter. Something more intense. Something close to Hollywood.

Till next time...

Keep practicing!

kunruh
Free Guitar Tips

Acoustic Guitars - Quality vs. Price...

What type of Acoustic Guitar should you buy?

First of all, you need to realize that a well made "quality" acoustic guitar will almost always have a solid top, back and sides, whereas a less expensive model guitar will be laminated.

How well a guitar is made will affect how good it sounds and plays. Therefore, before you buy a new guitar you should consider which of these priorites are most important to you... quality or price?

If you are a beginner out looking to buy your very first guitar, don't worry. You should be able to find a decent brand-name guitar with a solid-top for under $500. 

The Yamaha FG700S Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, for example, features a solid sitka spruce top and a rosewood fingerboard. It usually sells for around $300, but I have seen it on sale for under $200.

The Takimine GS330S Solid Top Acoustic is a great value. It offers a little better quality without going overboard on price. You can read what people who have bought this product have to say about it at: Takimine GS330S Customer Reviews.

Many beginners make the mistake of buying a really cheap guitar only to discover that it is very difficult to play and can't be tuned. I've seen this happen over and over again.  So always be sure to ask if there is a money-back guarantee.

After you've made a decision and purchased a new guitar, do yourself a favor and have it set-up by a professional.   You can usually find someone at your local music store who can do this for you.

Be sure to check your warranty agreement before you have your guitar set-up. You'll want to know if there are any restrictions about doing this (such as using a qualified luthier) first. Then if there are any problems found with the guitar you can simply return it.

Please take my advice and don't waste your time and money on a bargain basement instrument! Believe me, you will actually be saving money in the long run if you buy a better quality guitar to begin with.

Till next time...


Keep practicing!
kunruh

Free Guitar Tips

Music For A Good Cause

Don't you think it's great when an artist decides to use their music for a good cause?  Many so called "baby boomers" can still remember when George Harrison gave a concert for Bangladesh back in the 60s.

Harrison was concerned about the growing number of people in the country who were starving to death. So he decided to use his talents in an effort to raise money for Bangladesh and create more public awareness about their great need.

I have read that the Concert for Bangladesh was the very first benefit concert ever given by a popular artist. Its not surprising to me that a Beatle would lead the way. =)

My husband and I were blessed with the privilege of having two of our original songs used in a TV documentary about Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.  Now we are both interested in using our music and artistic talents to help the Karen refugees of Myanmar...



WATCH PART II - CLICK HERE!

Perhaps you have an interest in using your music for a good cause someday too. It might help if you begin by identifying some causes that are important to you. It could be that you are concerned about the environment, wildlife preservation, human rights, or any number of other issues.

Once you have identified the area you are interested in, just focus your attention on writing songs about it. Even if you don't write your own songs you can still turn any public performance you give into an opportunity to use your music for a good cause.

If you are interested in developing a "Music Ministry" then you'll want to learn popular worship songs like...

* Here I Am To Worship

* Agnus Dei

* Give Us Clean Hands

* Open The Eyes of My Heart

* Holiness

* I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

There is an easy step-by-step system that will show you how to play a new worship song every week. You can access a Free Trial at:

Play Worship Guitar - Free Trial

This course is perfect for beginners and provides over 130 high quality video lessons.

Using music for a good cause has been a very rewarding experience in my own life and I'm eager for the possibility of doing more in the future.  I hope you'll join me!

Till next time,

Keep practicing!
kunruh