Let's explore how to use the Dominant 7 Be-Bop Scale!

Don't just learn the shape! Today you're going to learn how to fully understand 7th chord voicings, and all inversions for Major 7th, minor 7th, minor 7th(b5), and Diminished 7th. We'll dive into some shortcut for memorizing all of the intervals in each chord voicing, and you'll finally understand what every chord you play actually means and why. Let me know what you think in the comments below! 

Let's get to the bottom of chord tensions ONCE AND FOR ALL! Today you're going to learn what tensions are, how to use them, and how to identify them in the wild! Questions? Drop them into the community chat!

One of the most important assets to your musical development is a healthy practice routine. I've found that most people don't actually know how to get the most out of their practice sessions so I wanted to share some pointers to get you rockin' it!   

Reharmonization is much more simple than you'd think! Here I'll be sharing a couple of fun and easy to use techniques on how to reharmonize common chord progressions. Let's dive in!

Today I'm going to show you an amazing technique I've used for years to improve my playing, and keep my ideas fresh night after night! No more playing the SAME licks day in day out and feeling crappy about your playing. Here's a fool proof way of making your soloing more melodic, keeping it fresh, and rockin' out!

Today I'm going to show you how to find your own voice on the acoustic guitar. There's a lot of subtle magic in crafting your tone, mastering dynamics, and just exploring this instrument. Let's get into it!

What is a Secondary Dominant chord? How do I use them? Why are they important? Today, I'm breaking down secondary dominant chords for you and showing you how to use them in your songwriting, chord progressions, and soloing. Let's go!!

This is a fun technique that adds some glam to your solos and also lets you traverse multiple octaves with ease! Check it out!

10ths are your secret weapon. Condense bulky muddy chords to two note structures. Create "guitary" guitar parts by kicking on some delay and palm muting. Create wide interval sounds in your solos! Sky is the limit. 

This is a lovely technique that gives your old dusty major scale (or any scale!) a new, modern feel by creating unpredictable intervalic leaps in your lines! My old brilliant  mentor Tim Miller originally introduced me to this idea.

Here's a fun technique that I've been developing for a while now. We're combining elements of slide guitar playing without actually using a slide. Does it fool your ears? I love using this effect live for some dynamic diversity on my solos!

This original etude will help your right and left hand technique develop to a much deeper level; improving dexterity, accuracy, and mobility across the fretboard. Please please please practice with a metronome. This is an exercise in accuracy - do it slow and controlled :)

Today we're looking at the 5 basic 7th chord shapes you need to know in order to play ANY song out there! We will learn two grips for Major 7th, Dominant 7th, Minor 7th, Minor 7 (b5), and Diminished 7th. Reference the handout for exact fingerings :) Let's get to work!

7th Chord Voicings.pdf 118.53 KB

Most of you probably already know a few of these, but I want to make sure we're 100% on ALL 7th Chord Arpeggio forms. We are going to learn Major 7th, Dom 7, Minor 7th, Minor7(b5) and Dim7 off the E and A string roots. This will cover the entire neck and prepare us for the next few months of concepts using arpeggios to expand our solos!

7th Chord Arpeggios.pdf 235.88 KB

Chord tone soloing is one of the most useful techniques for "playing changes" aka...playing each chord change in a chord progression. This will make your solos sound significantly more melodic and intentional rather than just going ham on the pentatonic scale. Get it!!

This is a great technique used to create tension within our solos, comping, and songwriting. Remember-take these ideas and expand on them on your own! Find new ways to apply and utilize them outside this lesson. I've been practicing this for 10 years and I STILL am making new discoveries.

Chromatic Approach Technique.pdf 86.78 KB

TRIADS!! I use triads for 90% of all improvising, composing, writing, arranging...the list goes on. If you choose to spend your time on anything, pick triads! Learning your triads will teach you the ins-and-outs of the guitar fretboard, enable you to play chords in any position, solo in any position, and generate awesome guitar parts on the fly. Get hip!!

Today we're covering a crucial topic that many guitarists tend to neglect in their practice. Voice-leading. The definition of voice leading is "Voice leading (or part writing) is the linear progression of individual melodic lines (voices or parts) and their interaction with one another to create harmonies, typically in accordance with the principles of common-practice harmony and counterpoint." However, thats really just fancy for  moving chord to chord while moving each voice as little as possible. You may find this a bit challenging at first, but it will really make you know your triads. Also, as a gigging musician, I use these more than almost any other skill on gigs, in rehearsals, and writing guitar parts. Super handy!

Voice Leading Triads I IV V.pdf 63.73 KB

Today we're diving into one of my favorite guitar "cheat codes". This concept allows you to copy/paste a small re-occurring pattern all over the fretboard, creating a full 3-octave arpeggio. It's madness! and so fun!!! Use it in your soloing, composition, and songwriting. Have fun with it! Reference the handout for all fingerings.

3 Octave Triad Arps.pdf 78.13 KB

Today we are looking at some fun creative ways to use Arpeggios for soloing and beyond. We will be covering passing tones, chromatic approach notes, as well as other ways to utilize chromaticism in comping, soloing, and songwriting. Reference the arpeggio handout for all of your arp shapes!

7th Chord Arpeggios.pdf 235.88 KB

Learn how to write chord progressions and songs!

Get your right and left hand techniques locked in with this warm-up!