Sep 05
Solo, Chords, Theory, Intermediate, Improvisation, Technique, Guitar, Funk, Blues, Jazz, Rock, Articles
If you look at my last article, “superimposing arpeggios” you’ll read how it is possible to superimpose a different arpeggio of a chord from the same parent scale over the chord that you are improvising on. In this lesson I am going to take it one step further and combine it with another of my previous articles “Jazz Up Your Blues Progressions”, in which I describe how to add a jazz flavor to your blues progressions by adding different chord substitutions throughout the sequence. Continue reading »
Sep 04
Theory, Solo, Intermediate, Improvisation, Practice, Chords, Technique, Blues, Funk, Jazz, Rock, Guitar, Articles
When playing over a particular chord how many different arpeggios would you consider using? Over any chord you can superimpose a large number of different arpeggios which can give you greater harmonic choices. In this lesson I am going to look at one approach of doing this. By having a parent scale in mind (ie playing in a specific key) whether it’s for one chord, a chord sequence or for a whole piece of music, I’m going to show how to determine all the different arpeggios that are available to play over each chord in that key. Continue reading »
Aug 18
Some basic skills in arranging jazz standards for solo playing are a great addition to a jazz guitarist’s abilities for several reasons:
1. With a large enough rep or enough skill to arrange tunes on the fly you can stop splitting up the money from all those “music to be ignored by gigs” that we all love so much. Continue reading »
Aug 02
Beginner, Theory, Intermediate, Improvisation, Other Instruments, Practice, Solo, Chords, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Guitar, Technique, Articles
As a guitar player and guitar teacher I meet a lot of people who always wanted to play jazz but thought it was too difficult so they never give it a go. This lesson is kind of aimed at those players who want to jazz up their blues playing without too much stress. It’s not designed as quick-fix but will get you sounding much more jazzy in just a few simple steps. Continue reading »
Jul 23
In celebration of UK rock band Muse selling out the new Wembley Stadium in June, I’m going to be looking at the playing style of singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy, paying to particular attention to the band’s “Showbiz” and “Origin of Symmetry” era.
After forming in Teignmouth Devon in 1994 Muse have managed to become one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, although many would have thought their mind blowing headlining set at Glastonbury 2004 would have been the peak of their career, Muse have once again raised the bar for what it means to be the ultimate live band. Continue reading »
Jul 17
Here is a couple of finger exercises for guitar / bass that I was taught years ago and I still swear by them now. Although they do not sound particularly melodic they are great for coordinating your fingers, especially your little finger. Continue reading »
Jul 07
It is certain that every chord combination has tones that distinguish it from others and give it its personality. I am going to review a very simple way to add a little bit extra boost to the chords you might already know. Continue reading »
Jun 12
In my last article I talked about how triads can be used to construct more interesting solos. If you take this whole concept one step further you can begin to really incorporate these ideas and shapes in new ways.that will allow you to scale the fret board, somewhat escaping the idea of scales, or combining the knowledge you have of scales with the shapes and melodic sounds of these triads. Continue reading »
Jun 04
George Van Eps first coined the phrase “lap piano” as a way to describe his style of guitar playing. I think I would have to agree with this methodology. In this lesson we’ll discuss an approach to the instrument that will make your harmonic playing more melodic, and your melody playing more harmonic. -This is a good one so check it out! Continue reading »
May 31
Hey, in this lesson we’re going to be looking at some of the fundamental basics of funk guitar that are often over looked when approaching this genre. A mistake that many guitar players make when laying down a funk groove Continue reading »
May 14
In an earlier lesson we discussed playing two-finger G chords. In this lesson we’re going to put those chords to use. Listen to the following example… Continue reading »
May 14
For those of you that found QECC 1 and 2 too easy, or would like to know where to go after you’ve mastered the one-finger chords, here’s the same concept using two-finger G chords. Continue reading »
May 11
In an earlier lesson we discussed playing one-finger G chords. In this lesson we’re going to put those chords to use. Listen to the following example… Continue reading »
May 10
Quick and Easy Chord Concepts is a series of fast and fun chord lessons for aspiring guitarists to start strumming simple chords with not-so-simple names. Check out this video lesson and diagrams… Continue reading »
May 01
It’s interesting to me that while a guitar might have 6 strings, the majority of guitarists find using more than one at a time a real feat. In this lesson I touch on some simple techniques to spice up a single note melody. Continue reading »
Apr 28
Whether you’re a classically trained player looking to branch out into jazz, a budding jazz player looking for more explanation on how to solo over changes, or a rhythm section player starting to approach jazz Continue reading »
Apr 24
In this article, I’m expanding on my previous piece, “Why I-IV-V Works, And Works So Well.” I’ll be adding 7ths to the chords and starting to talk about harmony a little more. Continue reading »
