Top Christian Music for Guitar Players

• January 19, 2017
• Guitar

You might wonder why it even matters if we look at the top christian music for guitar players.. Well, if you’re a Christian, you may have a conviction about what kind of music you listen to. Bad language or content might be off limits for you as a believer. Everyone has their preferences, so no worries.

In fact, even a non-Christian will have a style or preference when it comes to music which might or might not include certain vulgar or explicit content. If you’re a guitarist and love to listen to guitar-driven music but want to keep it inspirational or sacred, there’s hope indeed. There may not be as many iconic virtuoso’s in Christendom as there are in the pop culture, but they do exist. Honestly, Christian music has come a long way in closing the quality gap between it and its secular counterparts. There are even a large number of Christian rock bands worth checking out. Let’s look at some of the top Christian music for guitar players today.

Top Christian Music in Worship Movement

Let’s face it, Christian or not, musicians are going to give it their all in the recording studio and on the road. For Christian acts, especially worship bands, this just means that the artistic endeavors are a little more pure at heart. Well, one of the good things about that is the excellence that drives the artists. To be the best you can be for the God who “gave it all” is a wonderful act of worship.

Worship music has redefined Christian music in the last 10 years or so. Churches like Hillsong, Gateway, Relevant Church, Planet Shakers and others are releasing albums that rival any live recording anywhere. The guitar tones are killer, the playing is youthful and vibrant and the overall quality of the guitar work is exquisite. Yes, most of the songs are 1, 6mi, 5, 4 and the guitar parts are simple, but no more so than pop radio. Great guitarists like Stu G of Delirious blazed the trail and gave us something to aspire to.

Mainstream Christian Music

Bands like Newsboys, Skillet, Switchfoot, Casting Crowns and MercyMe have stayed at the top of the Christian charts. Now, it’s true that most of their success is song-driven, but when you think about it, so is Eric Clapton’s. He’s a killer guitarist, but you know him for his songs. You can find great guitar work on the LP’s of any of the artist mentioned above, even though those tracks don’t always make it to the radio.

There was a time in Christian radio when you wouldn’t hear a great guitar solo if you listened for 24 hours straight. That’s changed a little. Something about the style of rock and roll guitar players is considered showboating if they rear back and take a meaningful kick-butt solo. If it’s on a violin, it’s ok, but not that “evil guitar with distortion on it.” Those same people crank up Journey on the way to church on Sunday. Don’t stop believing, friend, because there are tunes you can sink your teeth into when it comes to the top Christian music. Mike and Barry of MercyMe rock the room wherever they go and believe us, it’s no shabby guitar work.

Christian Guitar Virtuosos

If you’re just fan of guitar or an aspiring guitarist yourself and want to be inspired when you listen to Christian music, there are certainly a few names you should know. The great Phil Keaggy has been a forerunner in Christian music and is still one of the most revered guitarists on the planet. Phil’s guitar work is otherworldly and both secular and Christian musicians respect him. You’ll have a lot of catching up to do if you’re just getting to know his music as he’s recorded dozens of projects and is still turning them out.

Most recently, Lincoln Brewster has brought amazing guitar work to the stage. Lincoln has amazing chops and tips his hat to a lot of classic guitar players like Neal Schon, Steve Lukather and others. We love Lincoln for just being himself. He makes great records, but guitar is his gift and he does it unashamedly.

There are other more obscure guitarists and bands that might also be worth the dig. Take the guys from Blues Counsel: Will McFarlane, Tom Land and Tony Hooper bring a trio of electric guitar mayhem to the stage and in recordings. Three very different guitarists, but with a common thread of “fellowship.”

 

 

Also, check out Doug Doppler. Known for his gear and tones as well as his shredding, Doug is one of the best rock guitarists out there. You might be shocked to find that many great guitarists in secular music are Christians and make no bones about it. Jonny Lang is a believer as well as a killer blues guitarist. The top Christian music for guitar players is within reach. Keep digging and you’ll find some amazing guitar players in your favorite Christian bands.

 

 

There’s been plenty of debate about the purpose and perimeters of Christian music. Should there be Christian entertainment and what should that look like? Why is there a Christian music industry in the first place? If you’re a great musician and artist, shouldn’t you just let your music speak for itself?

It’s not always clear because we are so prone to judgement and jealousy. We tend to measure success by the amount of records sold or the amount of attention an artist is receiving based on whatever merits. Then there’s “The Mold.” If you fit into a certain sound and look, you can potentially find your way onto the radio and have success. Still, there are plenty of amazing artists who are at peace with who they are and what they do. You will be very satisfied with the music you discover if you broaden your search and start digging for the top Christian music for guitar players.

No matter what kind of music you enjoy listening to or playing, we can all take pleasure in getting better at playing the guitar. At Pro Lessons, we have a large number of professional musicians who are happy to be your online resource for guitar lessons. We even have Phil Keaggy and a few of the other artists mentioned above. To find out how you can take advantage of our affordable rates, click on the link below.