All Courses

Join guitarist Frank DiBussolo as he continues his series "The General Tonal Center Concept for Improvisation". This class is "The General Tonal Center Concept Applied to Chord Melody Playing " or "Basses?... basses?... we don't need no stinking basses !" It will show how Diatonic Harmony discussed in the GTCC can be utilized to create solo guitar arrangments , accompaning and even chord solos based on 9 basic chord forms of the 7th and more. This class is a must for anyone who has been frustrated in trying to play unaccompanied jazz guitar !!

Join guitarist Frank DiBussolo as he continues his series "The General Tonal Center Concept for Improvisation" applied to chord melody playing. In this class, Frank will cover the essential 9 chord forms, comping, voice leading and chord soloing.

Join Frank for this very special Master Class designed to give all levels of players the basis of individual style and " feel ". There should be a lot of interaction on this class so don't miss it !

This class is for begining and intermediate players who wish to explore the nuances that make a genre authentic. Swing , Bop , Cool and the various Latin styles will be demonstrated and discussed. Participation is essential so everyone is welcome to input their ideas , opinions and questions.

All levels of players on any instrument, as well as vocalists, will benefit from this Master Class. Frank will cover the gamut of melodic playing from tone production to time to inflection , appogiatura ( ornaments ) vibrato and style. This should be the most interactive class yet!

Any level player from beginner to working professional will love this class! Frank will discuss and demonstrate what makes a guitarist a master at the art of chordal manipulation in playing background rhythm , how to accompany other instrumentalists / singers and the nine essential chord forms every player needs. There should be a lot of interaction so don't miss this one!

Frank demonstrates and discusses how to build great sounding chord progressions, self comping and substitutions by the use of nine basic chord shapes. If you want to play more creative chordal lines you don't want to miss this !

David Gage String Instuments in NYC presents "Introduction to The New Technique and The Art of The Bow" by Francois Rabbath as part of their ongoing live, workshop series. View a clip from the class

"Bottomlands Architecture - Introducing Shape and Range to the Bassline, WITHOUT Sacrificing Sound - PLUS other issues. This workshop is presented by David Gage String Instruments in NYC as part of their ongoing Bass Workshop Series. View a clip from this class.

Techniques and concepts for expanding the supportive role of the bass in ensemble music. Streamed live and recorded at the ISB 2009 Convention in State College, PA.

Utilizing the standard Autumn Leaves, Drew discusses and demonstrates constructing walking bass and solo lines. Techniques covered include: How to break away from typical walking bass lines Early and delayed resolutions Working with listener expecations Harmonization Playing with clarity Fast tempos and relaxation Practicing Ideas for soling over half diminished and ii - V7 - i This class is valuable for soloists and chordal players in addition to bassists.

Master Class with Dennis Trembly, principal bass, Los Angeles Philharmonic. Streamed live and recorded at the ISB 2009 Convention at State College, PA.

In an incredibly detailed 70 minute lesson, David brings you up to speed on chord progressions by presenting harmony principles taught in an introduction music theory class (roman numeral analysis, chord construction, etc) eventually presenting more advanced jazz scale choices and substitutions. Dave takes you step by step through the process of understanding the function of each chord in a tune - 1. Each chord is given a roman numeral based on its placement in the home key and any other key which the chord relates to. 2. Possible extensions and substitutions (including tri-tone substitution, direct substitution, parallel substitution, chromatic fill-in, modal borrowing/interchange ) are noted directly below these. Some re-harmonization concepts are presented later and applied to a selection of the tunes. 3. Every chord is classified by its broader function (Tonic, Predominant, or Dominant). 4. All of the scales which sound best for improvisation are then presented and Dave's preferred scale and chord fingerings based on "mode zones" are shown along with advice on how to practice these. Dave demonstrates all of these principles with seven standard jazz tunes, some based on modality and the others based on standard tonality. Modal tunes used are "So What," "All Blues," and "Footprints." Standards used are "Autumn Leaves," "All The Things You Are," "Blue Bossa", and "Honeysuckle Rose." References to what the jazz greats would do are presented whenever possible. Anyone who gets confused about which scale belongs to which type of chord should see this lesson. Preparation needed: Understanding of intervals, major and minor scales, and basic jazz chord construction; in other words, there will be lots of talk about "root, third, fifth, and sevenths." 26 pages of material are prepared in TAB and standard notation. View clips from David's class.

In this master class aimed at the beginning-intermediate jazz guitarist, a wealth of information is presented that will allow one to visualize the major scale and the chords that belong to it across the entire neck of the guitar. Not only will you be able to see exactly how a great number of chords, voicings, and extensions come from the scale in a visual way, but an exhaustive number of fingering options will be discussed including: 1. Position playing, which pertains to the idea of Mode Zones - where the first finger dictates one of 7 "Mode Zones" that a player can be in. 2. 3 notes-per-string (3 NPS) concepts. 3. Sliding scales, which are patterns that repeat on 2 string groups. 4. Full range scales - fingerings which traverse the entire guitar neck. 5. 1-string, 2-string, and 3-string playing. Also included is a discussion on triads that come from the scale, triad pairs, and "triad triples" which allow for harmonizing the scale in a simple way on 3-string sets. There will be some explanation of the music theory related to the scale, but the emphasis is on getting the scale, chords, and licks into your fingers. As a result of this video, you will have a much better handle on this scale which is so important in music, along with a foundation to learn other scales. View clips from this class

In this master class aimed at the beginning-intermediate jazz guitarist, a wealth of information is presented that will allow one to visualize the harmonic and melodic minor scales and the chords that belong to them across the entire neck of the guitar. Not only will you be able to see exactly how a great number of chords, voicings, and extensions come from the scale in a visual way, but an exhaustive number of fingering options will be discussed including: 1. Position playing, which pertains to the idea of Mode Zones - where the first finger dictates one of 7 "Mode Zones" that a player can be in. 2. 3 notes-per-string (3 NPS) concepts and practicing stretches. 3. Sliding scales, which are patterns that repeat on 2 string groups. 4. Full range scales - fingerings which traverse the entire guitar neck. 5. 1-string, 2-string, and 3-string playing. Continuing on, some scale patterns are presented which can be applied to any scale. Next, are discussions on triads that come from the scale, triad pairs, and "triad triples" which allow for harmonizing the scales in a simple way on 3-string sets. At the end of the video, we put it all together over "Take the A Train" Some important harmonic minor concepts discussed: The Phrygian Dominant mode to use over a dominant 7 chord Diminished 7th arpeggios Simple scale passages that work over ii V i Turning a major ii V I into a harmonic minor ii (minor7b5) V7b9 i Some important melodic minor concepts discussed: The interchangeablilty of melodic minor: Minor-Major 7, 7#11, Minor 7 flat 5 chords, and Altered Dominant 7th chords, and their respective modes, can all exchange licks and chord shapes! The famous "Jim Hall chord" As a result of this video, you will have a large number of ideas to use these scales which can add a great deal of variety to your playing. Materials included with TAB. VIew clips from this class

"Blues and Pentatonics – Part I" - Pentatonic Box Possibilities - Major and Minor 12 Bar Blues - This lesson is aimed at the guitarist who is relatively new to improvisation (though others may benefit here as well). The most basic 12 bar blues form has three primary chords: the major 12 bar blues is I IV V, (the UPPERcase roman numerals means these are major chords) and the minor 12 bar blues is i, iv, v (the lowercase means these are minor chords.) There are a number of scale options, the primary one being the minor pentatonic scale position, or simply "the box." Many approaches to this scale along with common other "start frets" for the box will be discussed, including: the "diatonic" approach, using appropriate major pentatonics over each chord, using appropriate minor pentatonics over each chord, suspended sounds which highlight the 9th and 11th, altered sounds for transitioning, and free chromatic connection. In addition to the minor pentatonic, other scales and modes will be introduced, explained, and explored. My method of "highlighting/aiming" for scale degrees is discussed in depth so that each new position will sound convincing from the first time you try it. Common turnarounds will be discussed as well. These ideas are basic and fundamental to improvisation. View a clip from this class

The CAGED system is the answer to finding chords and scales anywhere on the fretboard. Using the five open shapes C, A, G, E, and D, the guitarist can take the first step in playing any chord and soloing in each of the five positions which cover the entire fretboard. In this lesson, which is a second part in a series on blues and pentatonics, we are going to take a step-by-step approach to playing every position of the pentatonic scale in every key. First, we assign scale degrees to the notes in the positions. Second, an in-depth discussion on playing each of the five barre chord shapes and the general method behind finding where they are on the fretboard. Next, is a discussion on how to play the scale and visualize it within the chord shape. Each of the five positions is given a name which makes them easier to remember, along with tips on how to use each position. We are also going to explore the five possibilities of changing between the three chords of the twelve bar blues in the same position. If you've ever wondered how the CAGED system works and how to apply it, this is the lesson for you. 7 pages of written materials including fretboard diagrams and TAB come with this class. View a clip from this class

NYC guitarist/vocalist Chris Bergson presents an intimate hands-on look at the styles and playing techniques of Delta blues guitar masters such as Skip James, Robert Johnson, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Lightnin' Hopkins and Mississippi John Hurt. Bergson will perform and dissect material associated with these blues greats from the haunting DADFAD open tuning used by Skip James to the sweet fingerpicking technique of John Hurt to Fred McDowell's unique slide and rhythmic style. Bergson will also examine and demonstrate the following topics: - solo playing vs. playing in a band (playing "in the rhythm section") - blues rhythm guitar - favorite top five blues turnarounds - taking the blues "through the keys" so you're just as comfortable playing in G Flat as in E! - how to really build a solo with motifs and dymanics and much. much more... View clips from this class

Mike's Master Classes and David Gage String Instruments present Ben Allison and "Improvisation & Composition: Two Sides of the Same Coin". Award-winning and internationally-recognized Bassist and composer Ben Allison will lead an interactive discussion on compositional processes and show by example how to use composition to develop approaches to improvisation. Saxophonist/composer Michael Blake will join Ben for the performance and discussion. Tickets for the David Gage Workshop Series are available from www.davidgage.com , by calling the store at 212-274-1322 or by emailing info@davidgage.com

Master Bassist Avishai Cohen will be holding a Master Class Workshop at David Gage String Instruments in NYC. This is the first in a series of Master Class Workhops produced by David Gage that will be streamed live on Mike's Master Classes. Also, the recordings will be available on line after the workshop. In this workshop, Avishai Cohen will adjucate the performances of a small group of local bassists as well as perform a short program.

Discover the connection between jazz pianist Bill Evans and the playing of guitar greats like Lenny Breau, Jimmy Wyble, John Stowell and Sid Jacobs! In this enhanced version of the 2006 masterclass from Sid Jacobs, you will get to see how understanding guide tones, voice leading, counterpoint, melody and using open strings can create a unique sound for your jazz guitar playing. Sid Jacobs shares his insights studying and dissecting important aspects of pianistic playing as applied to guitar. We've also included newly segmented videos which will allow you to revisit your favorite parts of this video quicker. The new Soundsliced versions of Sid's arrangements will also help you work on his arrangements easier as you can slow down the audio, loop sections and even see fretboard visualizations of the notation and tablature. Song examples includes classics from Bill Evans like My Bells, Waltz for Debbie and Very Early. In addition to seeing how Sid has translated Bill's approach to guitar, you will also get to see the approach applied to other jazz guitar essentials like All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight and the beautiful ballad Chelsea Bridge. Sid also shares tips on how to maximise your practice time for his book, The Bill Evans Guitar Book which is becoming a modern classic for jazz guitarists interested in modernising their chord vocabulary. Prepare your guitar for new sounds you'll be delighted to play and get this masterclass today! Includes Soundsliced versions of “Very Early” – arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs “My Bells” – arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs “Turn Out the Stars” – arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs Includes 15 Pages of PDF materials in standard notation and TAB. "Waltz for Debbie" - arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs "Very Early" - arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs "Turn Out the Stars" - arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs Rootless voicings - a brief discussion with Sid Jacobs "My Bells" - arranged for guitar by Sid Jacobs Full video is 1 hour 38 min.

Master the essential voicing techniques that separate professional jazz guitarists from the rest in this comprehensive exploration of drop-3 voicings and walking bass-chord style with acclaimed guitarist and educator Sheryl Bailey. Building on foundational fretboard concepts, this course dives deep into the practical application of drop-3 inversions across all four positions of the neck, transforming how you approach both chord voicings and melodic lines. You'll develop the coveted walking bass-chord style that made Bailey a sought-after duo partner throughout her Berklee years and beyond—a skill that transforms any guitarist into a self-contained rhythm section. Through systematic exercises using minor blues progressions and the Miles Davis classic "Tune Up," you'll learn to voice-lead through complex harmony while maintaining that steady quarter-note pulse that defines authentic jazz comping. Bailey demonstrates how to connect chord voicings directly to improvised lines, showing how each drop-3 position creates a framework for melodic exploration within specific fretboard blocks. You'll work through practical applications including chromatic approach tones, voice-leading through II-V-I progressions, and the crucial skill of comping without always placing roots in the bass—opening up more sophisticated harmonic possibilities. Perfect for intermediate players ready to break free from basic chord grips and develop the fluid, interconnected approach that working jazz guitarists use nightly. These techniques form the foundation for duo playing, small group comping, and solo guitar arrangements that sound full and professional.

Master the essential framework that separates accomplished jazz guitarists from perpetual students with Sheryl Bailey's systematic approach to fretboard mastery. This comprehensive bootcamp delivers the fundamental skills every serious jazz guitarist needs, starting with Bailey's revolutionary "12-Key Grip" system—a methodical approach that unlocks fluency across all twelve keys using seven strategic fingering positions. Bailey, drawing from her extensive performance career and years of teaching at Berklee, breaks down the three parental scales—major, jazz melodic minor, and harmonic minor—that generate the 21 scales essential for jazz improvisation. You'll discover how to organize the fretboard logically, moving beyond memorized patterns to true understanding. Learn to navigate key changes seamlessly, just as Bailey demonstrates on Benny Golson's "Along Came Betty," where the harmony shifts every bar. This isn't another generic scale exercise collection. Bailey emphasizes the critical importance of consistent fingering, proper hand positioning, and the slow, deliberate practice that builds the muscle memory professional players rely on. You'll explore practical applications of scales and modes, understand intervallic relationships, and develop the ability to visualize all available notes within any five-fret span—a skill that transforms your improvisation from position-based playing to true fretboard freedom. Perfect for intermediate players ready to break through plateaus, or advanced guitarists seeking to solidify their theoretical foundation. Bailey's clear, no-nonsense teaching style delivers the tools you need to approach any jazz standard with confidence and authority.

Master the essential voicings that define modern jazz guitar with Sheryl Bailey in this comprehensive exploration of drop 2 chord voicings and their applications. Building on the fundamentals from her previous Boot Camp sessions, Bailey reveals the professional techniques that shaped the sounds of Wes Montgomery and continue to distinguish today's working jazz guitarists. This systematic approach to drop 2 voicings breaks the fretboard into manageable sections, teaching you to navigate all three string sets—high, middle, and low—with confidence. You'll learn to transform basic ii-V-I progressions into sophisticated harmonic statements by adding extensions like 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths, while discovering how to use passing diminished chords to create seamless voice leading between inversions. Bailey demonstrates practical comping patterns that work in real performance situations, from supporting horn players to crafting compelling chord solos. Beyond the mechanics, you'll develop crucial skills for personalizing your sound through strategic use of tensions and alterations on dominant chords. The course emphasizes the bebop tradition while showing how these voicings remain relevant in contemporary jazz contexts. Bailey's methodical approach includes left-hand conditioning exercises and melodic chord studies that build both technique and musical understanding. Whether you're looking to enhance your comping vocabulary, develop chord-melody arrangements, or simply understand the harmonic foundations that professional jazz guitarists rely on, these drop 2 concepts provide the framework for years of musical exploration and growth.

Sheryl Bailey continues her series on Bebop Flow , where she teaches how to play in any harmonic situation and create long, fluid lines with this concept of applying the Dom7 Be-bop Scale with a group of chord substitutions called "The Family of 4". In this class, she shows how to combine families for altered II - V's. It includes a review, or introduction if you have not viewed the first class, of the Dominant 7 Bebop scale along with new concepts and written materials in standard notation. Read a review of the first class in Guitar International Magazine "A MUST!! THIS LESSON WILL OPEN DOORS IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH II V I'S AND JAZZ VOCABULARY. It’s a systematic way to navigate through changes that are the backbone of most jazz standards. At first glance, it seems complicated, but upon reflection it’s quite easy to grasp I look forward to future lessons with SB."

"'Naima' is a gift", Sheryl Bailey explains about one of John Coltrane’s most stunning compositions, a tune of kaleidoscopic, evolving colors which rotates through the family of dominant seventh chord sounds. Coltrane composed this ballad in 1959 "Naima" naming after his wife. He first recorded it on the album "Giant Steps" and is notable for its use of a rich harmonies over a bass pedal notes. It has been covered by a range of musicians such as McCoy Tyner, John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius and Herbie Hancock. Sheryl Bailey likens these tonal changes to a cloudy sky going through both bright and dark moods. This helps the guitarist to intuitively navigate with both chordal and single-note playing. This course helps the guitarist to understand the song in terms of its use of the four main types of seventh chord sounds and scales it uses: Dominant sevenths, Diminished, Altered dominant and Natural /’sus’ dominants. Refreshingly, she offers a range of ideas to balance the intellect and intuition, helping the guitarist to feel their way through each chord group. Her enthusiasm and love for playing with feel is contagious. Watching her love of the music will be a pleasant surprise in terms of learning one of Trane’s deepest and most mystical songs. There is an emphasis on working with harmonies and melodies as she breaks the song apart. She beautifully demonstrates how to navigate the song by vamping over loops of each of the four dominant chord types within “Naima”. Her demonstration over these loops creates joyful, big open opportunities for both your chordal and single-note explorations. The joy of listening to her playing over a chord-at-a-time will be inspirational to the viewer. In this course is a good mix of humor and surprising sights into the playing of others as well as a range of useful tips such as: 2-5 applications, Tritone substitutes approaches Harmonic information (i.e., did you know that the Harmonic Major uniquely contributes to the “modern jazz sound” of players such as Adam Rogers and Kurt Rosenwinkel?) References to George Russel’s ‘Lydian Harmonic Concept”. ( explaining how major and minor chords differ in jazz approaches compared to classical) Sheryl presents this information in a way that is fun and will help you to immediately apply new ideas not only to Coltrane's composition, but to your overall rhythm, improvising and compositional approaches.

Transform your jazz comping from predictable to professional with master guitarist Paul Bollenback's systematic approach to chord voicing expansion. This comprehensive course breaks down the essential ii-V-I progression—the backbone of jazz harmony—and reveals how to extract dozens of sophisticated voicings from just three basic chord shapes you already know. Starting with standard D minor 7, G13, and C major 7 positions, Bollenback demonstrates precise finger movements and voice-leading techniques that unlock altered tensions, substitutions, and passing chords. You'll master practical applications like using Dm7b5 and D7#9 as reharmonization options, creating smooth inner voice motion with Bbmaj7/D passing chords, and distinguishing between voicings suited for modal versus functional harmony contexts. Beyond theory, this course addresses the physical challenges of advanced chord work. Bollenback shares professional fingering strategies, including proper pinky arch technique for extended reaches, efficient hand positioning for difficult voicings, and practice routines for building the muscle memory needed to execute these chords in real-time performance situations. Whether you're accompanying vocalists at local jazz clubs, sitting in on sessions, or refining your solo guitar arrangements, these voicing techniques provide the harmonic sophistication that separates competent players from true professionals. Perfect for intermediate to advanced guitarists ready to break free from standard chord grips and develop the rich, nuanced harmonic vocabulary heard in professional jazz performances.