Book excerpt: Music Theory for the Worship Musician is a step by step guide to understanding how contemporary worship music works and how to write and play it. This book starts from the basics and walks the reader through to the complexities of the most advanced current worship music. It gives exercises and examples to illustrate the characteristics of worship music, along with fingerings and suggestions for how to play it.Anyone who reads this book and does the practice exercises will gain powerful tools to play contemporary worship music, write worship songs, lead a worship band, and understand-by hearing-the music theory shaping the experience. The worship leader or band musician will have new confidence and new creativity. The student will gain the essential tools, not only to become a more competent musician, but also to adapt as contemporary music changes.