For acoustic guitar players who lead or serve in worship

Stop filling space. Start leading worship from your acoustic guitar.

Play What You Hear is a step-by-step course for beginner-to-intermediate worship guitarists who are tired of strumming in the background. Learn the rhythms, voicings and creative tools to add real value to every moment — from the planned set to spontaneous worship.

8 modules~45 lessonsLifetime access30-day guarantee
Sound familiar?

You hear it in your head. Your hands can't find it.

It's not that you're not musical. Nobody has shown you how the acoustic guitar actually works inside a worship setting. That's what this course is for.

The transformation

From background player to reference player.

Where you are

  • Strums to fill the gaps
  • Same 3 patterns, same 5 chords
  • Depends on the capo to survive a key change
  • Freezes when the set goes off-script
  • Nobody would notice if you stopped playing

Where you're going

  • Shapes the dynamics of the whole room
  • A library of voicings and rhythms for every mood
  • Plays in all 12 keys and transposes on the fly
  • Leads spontaneous moments with confidence
  • Other players in your church come to you to learn
The method

Hear it. Play it. Lead it.

Three pillars, one method. Every lesson in the course serves one of them.

Pillar one

Hear it.

Open your ears. Understand what the acoustic is for, listen to the band, the leader and the room, and train your ear to recognize what you're hearing in your head.

Pillar two

Play it.

Give your hands the tools. Rhythm that breathes, voicings that sing, every key without fear, and the fills and melodic ideas that make people turn around.

Pillar three

Lead it.

Take your place. Lead spontaneous moments, lead a set from the acoustic, and then teach the next player in your church — so what you learned multiplies.

Curriculum

What's inside

8 modules. About 45 short lessons. Exercises with practice pads after every module. Watch in order over 8 weeks, or jump straight to what you need on Sunday.

Module 0Start Here+
  • Welcome from Eli: what this course is, and what it isn't
  • The 20-minute daily practice framework
  • Your gear, simplified: setup, strings, capo, tuner, pick vs. fingers
  • Record yourself: the one habit that doubles your progress
  • Self-assessment: play one song now, hear the difference in 8 weeks
Module 1The Role of the Acoustic in WorshipHear it+
  • What the acoustic is for: glue, pulse, warmth, and space
  • Listening like a musician: the band, the leader, the room
  • The 4 dynamic zones — whisper, walk, build, release
  • Serving the song vs. showing off: standing out without getting in the way
  • Exercise: one song, all 4 zones, without changing a single chord
Module 2Rhythm That BreathesPlay it+
  • Right-hand fundamentals: grip, angle, and control of attack
  • The 6 core strumming patterns of modern worship
  • 6/8 and 3/4: the feel behind the ballads
  • Dynamics inside the strum: accents, ghost strums, palm muting
  • Percussive acoustic, playing with a click, a drummer, and a loop
  • Building a song from verse to bridge with rhythm alone
Module 3Voicings That SingPlay it+
  • Why your open chords all sound the same — and what to do about it
  • Triads on the top three strings: the "high acoustic" sound
  • CAGED made practical: 5 shapes, every chord, anywhere on the neck
  • Color chords: sus2, sus4, add9, maj7 — and when they fit worship
  • Drop D, the capo as a voicing tool (not a crutch), and voice leading
Module 4Every Key, No FearPlay it+
  • The Nashville Number System in 20 minutes
  • The 6 progressions behind most worship songs
  • Playing in all 12 keys without a capo
  • Transposing on the fly when the leader changes the key
  • The capo chart decoded, and smooth key changes inside a set
Module 5Fills, Hooks and Melodic IdeasPlay it+
  • Hammer-ons and pull-offs inside the chord
  • Bass-note walks and passing notes between chords
  • Melodies on the top strings while holding the chord
  • Pentatonic ideas that sit right over pads
  • Signature intros, turnarounds, and fingerpicking for intimate moments
Module 6Spontaneous WorshipLead it+
  • What actually happens, musically, in a spontaneous moment
  • One chord, ten minutes: staying interesting on a single chord
  • The 2-chord and 4-chord frameworks for free worship
  • Following the leader, and leading when there's no band
  • Ear training: playing what you hear, building and releasing tension on purpose
Module 7Song LabPlay it · Lead it+
  • How to study a song: the arrangement map
  • An up-tempo 4/4 anthem and a 6/8 ballad
  • An intimate fingerstyle version
  • The same song two ways: full band vs. acoustic-only
  • A spontaneous-friendly chorus and how to extend it
Module 8Lead and MultiplyLead it+
  • Singing and playing at the same time
  • Leading a set from the acoustic: charts, keys, transitions
  • Communicating with your band and your sound tech
  • Preparing a full set in 30 minutes
  • Mentoring the next player in your church, and your 90-day plan
Everything you get

The course, plus everything around it.

Play What You Hear — the full course

8 modules, about 45 short lessons, exercises after every module, and the Song Lab. Yours for life.

  • Short lessons you can finish in one sitting
  • Practice exercises with downloadable PDFs
  • Song Lab with five real worship songs
  • Lifetime access, including every future update

Worship Voicing Library

A PDF with ~120 voicings organized by key and mood, so you always have a fresh sound within reach.

#

Nashville Numbers Cheat Sheet + Capo Chart

One page to keep in your guitar case. Any key, any capo position, no more guessing.

Practice Pads in all 12 keys

So every exercise sounds like worship, not like a metronome — and you train your ear while you train your hands.

30

The 30-Day Practice Plan

Exactly what to do, day by day, for your first month. Twenty minutes is enough.

Private Community

Post your recordings, get feedback, and grow with players who serve in the same context you do.

Monthly Live Q&A with Eli

Twelve months of live sessions. Bring the song you're stuck on and work through it together.

Is this for you?

Made for a specific kind of player.

This is for you if…

  • You play acoustic in your church's worship team and want to actually contribute — not just be there.
  • You lead worship with an acoustic and want to direct the moment from your instrument.
  • You know your open chords but feel stuck in the same sound.
  • You've watched hours of YouTube lessons and still don't know what to play on Sunday.

This is not for you if…

  • You've never held a guitar. Learn G, C, D and Em first — then come back.
  • You want lead-guitar shredding technique.
  • You're looking for academic music theory.
  • You want a shortcut without practicing 20 minutes a day.
EliPhoto coming soon
Meet your teacher

Eli Simon knows exactly where you are.

Eli Simon is a worship leader and acoustic guitarist based in Miami, part of Zion Church, with deep roots in Brazil. He ministers in English and Portuguese across the US, Brazil and, most recently, Japan alongside the Dunamis Movement. Since 2019 he has published hundreds of devotional worship sets on YouTube, and in 2026 he released his single "See Me Through" on Spotify and Apple Music.

He knows the frustration of hearing something in his head and not being able to play it. He spent years working out how the acoustic guitar really works inside a worship setting: what to play, when, and why.

This course is everything he wishes someone had handed him at the start. His goal isn't just better guitar players — it's players who become a reference in their church and pass it on.

Founding members pricing

Join Play What You Hear

One payment. Lifetime access. Start Module 0 in the next five minutes.

Launch price
  • Play What You Hear — 8 modules, ~45 lessons, exercises, Song Lab$497
  • Worship Voicing Library (PDF)$47
  • Nashville Numbers Cheat Sheet + Capo Chart$17
  • Practice Pads in all 12 keys$37
  • The 30-Day Practice Plan$27
  • Private Community$97
  • Monthly Live Q&A with Eli — 12 months$197
  • Total value$919
$197$147

one-time payment — or 3 × $49

Enroll now

Lifetime access · 30-day money-back guarantee · Price goes to $197 after launch

30days

"Play It or Pay Nothing" guarantee

Go through Modules 1 to 3. Practice 20 minutes a day for 30 days. If you can't hear the difference in your own playing, email us and we'll refund every cent. No forms, no questions asked.

Questions

Frequently asked

I'm a beginner. Is this too advanced for me?

If you can change between G, C, D and Em — even slowly — you're ready. Module 0 levels the rest.

Do I need to read music?

No. We use chord charts, the Nashville Number System and video. No sheet music, ever.

I play electric guitar. Will it work for me?

The course is built for acoustic. Rhythm, keys and leading apply to any guitar, but the voicings and technique are acoustic-specific.

How long does it take?

About 20 minutes a day for 8 weeks. Or go at your own pace — you have lifetime access.

Is it live or recorded?

The lessons are recorded so you can watch anytime. The monthly Q&A is live, and the recordings are kept in the members area.

Is the course in English or Portuguese?

Eli ministers in both. The lessons will be recorded in [language to confirm], with subtitles in the other language.

What if it's not for me?

You have 30 days to try it. If it's not for you, email us and we'll refund you in full.

How do I access the course?

Right after enrolling you get your login details by email and can start Module 0 in the next five minutes.

Next Sunday, be the player who lifts the room.

Not the one who fills the space. Enroll today and start Module 0 in the next five minutes.

Enroll now — $147
Lifetime access30-day guarantee3 × $49 available