Welcome to Sam's Preacher Chords Page
The effectiveness of preacher chords in a service carries a great responsibility. As a musician you, the preacher and evangelist or minister are working in harmony to deliver the point of the message. Preacher chords can vary depending upon the spirit of the minister and the receptiveness of the congregation. Preacher chords in essence becomes the stamp of approval musically to the message. Therefore, you must develop a sense of which chords, chord patterns and most importantly the placement of those chords should be used as you minister in music while the preacher ministers the word of God. I have the experience of playing behind some great preachers over the past 27 years. I have complied a basic to advanced list of chords and chord patterns you can learn and then adapt to your own.
Here are my basic "up the ladder" preacher chords. Most preachers minister well when you keep the patterns simple. Remember, the preacher is in charge. You are just accompanying them while they are delivering message. Do not lead them with these chords, you follow behind them. Most like it when you give them a short and long burst with the chords. This allows them to catch their breath in between preaching. A good rule I use is to let the preacher "signal" you when they invite you to minister with him or her. Now some preachers like to "moan" first, then they want you to accompany them. Beware that some may not be used to how you work with them. Some may bring their own musician with them for this reason. Don't ever feel embarrassed if the minster instructs you to "hold your fire" when they're preaching. It's a way to let you know that they are not ready to "take off" yet. You can burn out a preacher too early in his/her message with preacher chords. Experience will be your best teacher when it come this. I always wait until the preacher signals me when they're ready for me to give them the fuel to "take off".
When using these chord patterns
you always end each pattern with the 1st chord.
Here is the
"burst" pattern I talked about earlier - short -
long - short - long - short - long - short
| Key | 1st chord | 2nd chord | 3rd chord | 4th chord | 5th chord | 6th chord |
| C major | C/EGAC | F#/EAbBbC | F/EbGAC | F#/EbF#AC | G/EGAC | G/FBEbG |
| Db major | Db/FAbBbDb | G/FABDb | F#/EAbBbDb | G/EGBbDb | Ab/FAbBbDb | Ab/F#CEAb |
| D major | D/F#ABD | Ab/F#BbCD | G/FABD | Ab/FAbBD | A/F#ABD | A/ADbFA |
| Eb major | Eb/GBbCEb | A/GBDbEb | Ab/F#BbCEb | A/F#ACEb | Bb/GBbCEb | Bb/BbDF#Bb |
| E major | E/AbBDbE | Bb/AbCDE | A/GBDbE | Bb/ABbDbE | B/AbBDbE | B/AEbGB |
| F major | F/ACDF | B/ADbEbF | Bb/AbCDF | B/AbBDF | C/ACDF | C/BbDAbC |
| F# major | F#/BbDbEbF# | C/BbDEF# | B/BDbEbF# | C/ACEbF# | Bb/DbEbF# | Db/BFADb |
| G major | G/BDEG | C#/BEbFG | C/BbDEG | Db/BbDbEG | D/BDEG | D/CF#BbD |
| Ab major | Ab/CEbFAb | D/CEF#A | Db/BEbFAb | D/BDFAb | Eb/CEbFAb | Eb/EbGBEb |
| A major | A/DbEF#A | Eb/DbFGA | D/CEF#A | Eb/CEbF#A | E/DbEbF#A | E/DbAbCD |
| Bb major | Bb/DFGBb | E/DF#AbBb | Eb/DbFGBb | E/DbDGBb | F/EFGBb | Eb/EbABbF |
| B major | B/EbF#AbB | F/EbGAB | E/DF#AbB | F/DFAbB | F#/EbF#AbB | F#/EBbDF# |
These are my basic preacher
chords for you to practice and learn. These chords below are to
be mixed and match with the chords above.
| Key | 1st chord | 2nd chord | 3rd chord | 4th chord |
| C9 progression | CGBb/DEGC | CEBb/EAbBbEb | FEbA/EbGAD | GDF/FAbBEb |
| C minor progression | CEbG/GCEb | DFAb/FAbBD | GEbG/EbGCEb | GDF/FAbBD |
| C run with chord | CGBbC/c...eb,c,f,c,f#,g.... | FCEbA/c...eb,c,f,c,f#g.... | DF#CEb/c...eb,c,f,c,f#g.... | G/FBEbG |
| C turn around pattern | E/CEGBbC | FCEbGAC | F#/CEbF#AC | G/CEGAC |
| C full chord pattern | AEA/CEGAC | AbEbF#/CEbF#AbC | GDF/BbEFAC | F#DbF#/BbEAbC |
| Db9 progression | DbFB/EbAbDb | GDG/FBE | F#DbF#/EAbBbEb,Db | B/EbBbBDb |
| Db minor progression | DbAbDbDbEAb | EbEb/CEbF#AC | E/DbEAbDb | AbEbF#/EbF#AbC |
| Db run pattern | Ab,G,F#,F/FAbBDb | F#/DbF#/EAbBbDb | BF#B/EbAbADb | DbFAbB/FAbDb |
Samuel Tolbert
SamsMuzikco.com
e-mail - Samuelt197@aol.com