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In this second Baroque class, practical progressions are used to focus on playing three-part harmony on the guitar in a classical style. V-I and IV-V-I cadences are a hallmark of the Baroque period, all of classical music, and music in general. The exercises contained in this class utilize some of the most important concepts in multi-line playing. Pedal points throughout all three voices are heavily represented in the exercises. Important cycles are covered; cycle 4 and cycle 6 using both diatonic target chords and non-diatonic targets. 8th note lines are distributed among the three voices and chord voicings specific to Baroque counterpoint on the guitar are featured throughout the exercises. Both closed voicings and open voicings are utilized, the latter yielding a very full sound, with great separation between bass and upper voices. There is an emphasis on the very important use of secondary dominants, adding a very colorful sound to the examples. Working with the exercises in this class, the guitarist will ideally use his/her mind and fingers to trace the three moving voices while building up valuable dexterity and finger memory. Through detailed harmonic/melodic study, diligent practice and original exercises written by the student, it's possible for guitarists to eventually be able to do what the Baroque masters were so accomplished at: improvising counterpoint! Running time : 70 minutes 12 pages of written material in PDF format in standard notation and TAB Soundslice enhanced examples!

Fluid right hand picking technique is important for the expressive jazz guitarist. With great technique, you will be able to articulate your music with clarity, conviction and confidence. In this master class, you will learn how Howard Alden uses gypsy style arpeggio picking in jazz standards. Although most often associated with the music of Django Reinhardt, this picking technique is useful even in swing and modern jazz settings. Even if you’ve never tried this picking style before, you will discover how to incorporate this useful tool into your music. Howard shares the basics, including the kinds of picks that he now uses as well as a simple exercise that will give you the foundation of this technique. Gypsy Style Arpeggio Picking is a focused masterclass that is designed to help you develop your playing technically and musically. In addition to the basics, Howard also shares powerful variations that will be useful for more experienced guitarists. Besides getting practical technique tips from Howard, you will also be able to see how he applies this technique on two songs, Prelude to a Kiss and Mood Indigo. Seeing the approach used in context will be helpful for more advanced guitarists who want to immediately use this technique on their next gig. This is a unique masterclass that you can watch again and again as your skills develop. 4 pages of PDF written material notated in standard notation, TAB (with Howard’s personal fretting hand fingerings indicated) Soundsliced versions of the transcription (standard notation and TAB with adjustable tempo, looping for effective practice and study) Running time: 28 minutes

If you had to play solo, unaccompanied - could someone hear all the chord changes of the song you’re playing? Jazz musicians are often measured by how well they are able to hear, play and state the harmony of any song in their repertoire. Besides playing the melody of the song, guide tone lines are the key to all this. But do you know how to REALLY play guide tones lines convincingly? Join master Howard Alden as he dissects his personal approach to guide tone lines. This simple and straightforward take will give you the tools to conquer this important jazz guitar concept. If you’ve ever dabbled with guide tone lines, this could very well be the video to help you finally master guide tones. Howard demonstrates this over Victor Young’s Stella By Starlight, using both the melody and guide tone lines to elegantly navigate through the changes. Watch as he develops a simple melody into a ornamented jazzy line that fits like a glove. In addition to outlining the changes, Howard shows how to create interesting variations including how to sound like a whole orchestra. This concept alone is very powerful and can change how you look at playing solo guitar. As with all of Howard’s classes, these concepts will empower you and enable you to improvise with more confidence over any jazz standard of your choice. 2 pages of PDF written material notated in standard notation, TAB (with Howard’s personal fretting hand fingerings indicated) Soundsliced versions of the transcription (standard notation and TAB with adjustable tempo, looping for effective practice and study) Running time: 14 minutes

Chord Melody is awesome but…what if you could actually sound like 2 guitarists? Imagine your friends wondering how you can play rhythm guitar in time and still play the melody lyrically! Join Master jazz guitarist Howard Alden in this masterclass where you will learn his personal approach, practice techniques and ideas of how to combine 4/4 rhythm playing with an independent melody on top. When we heard Howard playing in this style, we knew that we just had to get him to show us his secrets! Instead of just making this a technique primer, we convinced him to show us how to do this on the beautiful jazz standard, "Georgia on My Mind". For beginners and intermediate guitarists, you’ll get to learn the basic concept demonstrated by Howard and see every move as Howard plays the piece at tempo and with slower examples. We wanted you to get as much time with Howard so we got him to play the piece multiple times at a slower tempo so you can get learn every note. For advanced students, check out his improvisational takes using this technique to get ideas of how you can use this in your next solo or duo gig. If you play seven string guitar, you can even discover how he plays the piece on a seven string guitar. This is a deep dive into this powerful guitar texture that will take your playing, tone and time feel into the next level. 3 pages of PDF written material notated in standard notation, TAB (with Howard’s personal fretting hand fingerings indicated) Soundsliced versions of the transcription (standard notation and TAB with adjustable tempo, looping for effective practice and study) Running time: 30 minutes

"Changes are destination oriented.” - Randy Johnston Where are you going in your solo? What is YOUR destination? As guitarists, it can get overwhelming sometimes with the long list of things we need to practice. Repertoire, arpeggios, scales, modes, tetrachords, guide tones, licks, etudes, technique - there are so many things to work on. Where do we even start? Sometimes it can feel like everything is disconnected and we can feel lost when we try to put things together. In this unique 27-minute masterclass from Randy Johnston, he reveals a practice technique that he learned from one of his teachers years ago. Playing changes in one octave seems like a simple concept but wait till you see how Randy approaches it. You’ll discover how this helped him develop his amazing soloing chops. This concept can help get us out from playing up and down arpeggios over songs. Find out how you can sound more like saxophonists and pianists who navigate over changes smoothly. Randy begins by demonstrating the most important notes needed to create flowing lines. Then, he takes the concept through a II-V-I in C major and through 4 choruses of Stella By Starlight. As a bonus, you can also learn a practical chord melody version of Stella By Starlight that Randy plays before he goes into the soloing examples. So, if you’re looking for a practical way to develop your single note improvisational skills, get this master class now. You’ll get the basics in just 30 minutes and then be able to immediately apply this to your future practice sessions. 2 Pages of PDF materials in standard notation. Full video is 27 minutes

The purpose of these videos is to help guitarists work toward a complete comprehensive mastery of this instrument (certainly of course an ideal goal which can never be totally fulfilled), with the idea that with mastery comes freedom. If we think of the guitar as analogous to our bodies, and the material that constitutes our music as analogous to our first spoken language, we have an idea of what our task must be. Not only the enormity of the thing, but also how we might actually proceed. Ever watch a baby learn to walk, for example? What a process! And you did that! The process of learning English (or whatever language or languages you’ve mastered) is even deeper and more involved, and so it is with music. We listen, learn to make sounds, pronounce words, put sentences together, get hold of the way grammar works, and expand and expand until we can express phenomenal complexity for both thought and feeling, most of the time without giving a thought to the grammar, or searching for a word, or struggling with pronunciation. But none of that happens before every word has been experienced on a level of thought, feeling and pronunciation. Scales on a Single String, which ought to be looked at first, is an idea I first heard about in a workshop with Gene Bertoncini, and at the time I thought it was silly. “When will you ever USE it?” I thought. But the question of use turns out to be an important one, and I would say of all these videos of mine, as well as for anything you might practice (with the great and important exception of repertoire) should NEVER be used. I’ll repeat: Never practice anything with the idea of using it. Play these things for their own fascination, and for the simple pleasure of playing them. Avoid practicing them mechanically, or in a strictly theoretical frame of mind. PLAY them, feel them, as music, for indeed they are musical elements, and if you EXPRESS them rather than practice them, connect with them on a feeling level, they become a part of you, and will be available as you simply turn loose your musical feeling, just as all the words, expressions, grammar and knowledge you’ve picked up over the years is available to you when you sit around a table with a couple of good friends talking about everything under the sun. The purpose I see in playing scales on single strings is primarily to get clarity on where things really are in this puzzle that the fretboard sometimes seems. Keyboard players get this information for free if they just pay attention. For us it’s harder to see what’s going on, and it leads us often to play things mechanically— read tablature instead of music notation, for instance, or learn chords from those box charts and maybe never be fully aware of which note is which, and forget about voice leading! This idea also motivates videos 4-7, Scales in Parallel, a course of study I developed as a way of working toward the dream of getting my hands on EVERY POSSIBLE CHORD! As it turned out, it gave me something even more: not only much greater mobility, but also and especially an understanding of chords as part of a linear (melodic) conception of harmony. Videos 1-3 constitute what to me is a comprehensive experience of the major and minor scales: along the individual strings, in strict positions, and best of all, along the whole fretboard. Number 3, the long scale, opens up mobility, shows where the sweetest spot is for each note, and makes possible a much more song-like phrasing than you can get if you’re stuck in the position concept. The long scale is ever my touchstone. But if you master all three orientations, the note you’re hearing will always be right under your fingers. Running Time: 23 min

In this master class, discover how Randy Johnston takes this Wes Montgomery classic and puts his own twist on it. You will learn not only learn the chord changes but also Randy's own personal strategies for soloing on it. Navigate through this tune with more confidence at your next gig or jam session. Randy will show you: • Ideas for simplifying II-V single note lines • Minor Vs. Dominant Vs. Blues Ideas • Visualisation techniques for playing Wes style octave solos • Wes Block Chord Style Soloing Basics • Which Chord Fingerings Work Better (and Why) • Two Arrangers' Techniques to Imitate The Big Band Sound If you finally want to master this tune, this masterclass will give you actionable ideas you can use immediately. As with all of Randy's classes, there is no filler material! This is the stuff he uses when he plays and these ideas sound good! 3 Pages of PDF materials in standard notation. Full video is 1 hour.

Enjoy some Holiday musical humor with this original composition created by Andy Fite.

Enjoy an improvised performance of Randy Johnston playing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town".

Brush up on your Christmas songs with a Master Class from Sid Jacobs. This is part II of Sid's discussion on Christmas tunes. He touches on 7 more Christmas tunes and then further instructs using well-known Beatles songs. Sid's love of music is infectious. His approach is simple yet not easy. His teaching at times will cause you to actually laugh-out-loud. This relaxed session is time well-spent hearing from a Master guitarist with a wealth of musical knowledge. Sid is a fan of teaching less academically , and more by demonstrating with music...advanced lessons that anybody can understand. Prep For Your Holiday Gigs! Expand Your Xmas Repertoire Enhance Your Song Understanding Side Dose of Guitar Instruction & Theory Impress your friends :) Enjoy an up-close 1 hr 37 Masterclass with Sid Jacobs "...It's one of those things where you can say...it's incredibly simple, but it's not easy!...Your fingers are like mules, they resist when you are telling them to do something that they haven't done before." ~Sid Jacobs

A timely yet timeless masterclass with Sid Jacobs discussing well-known Christmas songs. 8 songs are used to demonstrate musical concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. Sid's mixture of having a wealth of knowledge yet down-to-earth method of explaining gives an enjoyable...often humorous...class for all guitarists and musicians alike. Follow along with Master guitarist Sid Jacobs as he discusses melodies, voice leading, chord/melody , and much more! A class for Intermediate Guitarists or anyone wanting to play their Christmas songs with more confidence. Have a Holiday gig coming up, want to add to your repertoire or enhance what you already know about Christmas tunes? Take a look into the mind of Sid in how he approaches songs...focusing first on melody, adding counter melodies, and playing what the ear is guiding you to play. "I played it different this time, and I’ll likely play it different next time as well.” ~ Sid Jacobs Prep For Your Holiday Gigs! Expand Your Xmas Repertoire Enhance Your Song Understanding Side Dose of Guitar Instruction & Theory Impress your friends :) Over 2 hours of Master guitar instruction by Sid. Read Editor Az Samad's Review of this Class

Prepare yourself for the upcoming festive season & add a jazzy touch to your Christmas shows this December with this special masterclass from Howard Alden. Learn how to play White Christmas as arranged by Howard Alden! In this masterclass you will have a chance to use three note voicings with a more open sound that provides the ability to add inner movement that Howard has taught in his previous class “The String Trio Approach for Chord Melody & Accompaniment ” in a musical (and timely) setting. Getting these voicings under your fingers in context will help you internalize and master them quicker. First, see how Howard uses them in this arrangement. Then, use the lessons learned for your own solo guitar arrangements as well. In addition to the basic take on the piece, Howard demonstrates some additional ways to personalize the solo arrangement with fills, arpeggiated embellishments and even a 4/4 time feel to create forward motion in your performance of the piece. 1 page of PDF written material notated in standard notation, TAB (with Howard’s personal fretting hand fingerings indicated) Running time: 22 minutes

The fourth E-book by Az Samad, Jazz Guitar Licks and Etudes 2 is the continuation of the previous title, Jazz Guitar Licks & Etudes. This volume contains 14 Exercises, 25 jazz guitar licks and 3 etudes designed to help you develop your jazz guitar skills. You will learn licks that incorporate classic Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Pat Martino bluesy and bebop sounds to more modern intervallic phrases inspired by the playing of Julian Lage, Tim Miller and John Stowell. You will receive a 29 page E-book (PDF File) containing: 14 EXERCISES 4 Warmup Exercises 5 Alternate Picking Exercises 5 Sweep Picking Exercises 25 LICKS 5 Bb7 Jazz Blues Licks 5 Major Pentatonic Licks 5 Jazz Funk Chromatic MinorLicks 5 Lydian b7 Licks 5 Whole Tone Licks 3 ETUDES Jazz Blues Etude #3 Blue Monk (Solo Etude #2) Recordame (Solo Etude #3) ACCLAIM FOR Az Samad ’ s JAZZ GUITAR LICKS & ETUDES 2 "This book will be a great tool for you whether you're an aspiring jazz musician or a professionals musician. It's truly a great introduction to the concepts and theory behind the language of jazz. The very "real-life" examples in the book reminds me of what should be/can be practiced and also inspire lots of ideas to be explored and add to my own arsenal!" —Sean Lew, Guitarist for SeaTravel "I have enjoyed the book so much that it keeps me practicing. Az is not only a great performer but also and Inspiring educator. He is is able to take something deep and make it fun, nourishing yet entertaining. His exercises are a must to build good foundation in not only guitar playing but music as a whole. A must have for all musicians." —Joe Loy, Educator, Music Producer, Sound Engineer, Singer-Songwriter and Sessionist "A simple & detailed guide book for those who are looking for ideas on exercises, jazz improvisations. This book contains many ideas that will open up your mind on guitar playing. ” —Vai Leong, Pop/Rock Guitarist "Wow Cikgu, your book is amazing. A very strong source of material. It's simple and straight forward yet very detailed. The ideas and exercises in the book are really well written." —Eric Tan, Guitarist "Cikgu Az, I went through the book already. All I can say that it is a superb book! Now I have the key to listen to jazz by playing some of the etudes in the book (ok, I tried, but it doesn't work for my ears). All the licks are helpful as you put all the common licks from alternate picking to sweep picking exercise. Conclusion? This book is a must have for every practicing musician for all level especially myself who is not a professional musician but still want to practice and improve myself when I have the time. I now can practice some etudes rather than scale while watching tv just incase I really don't have time. Thank you for coming up with this book, it solved a bit of "how to play jazz" for a non jazz player like me. At least there is something to show and talk about when someone asked me about jazz. Keep up the good work! Btw.....I honestly think that this book must be in the pocket of every musician! Now we can play a bit of jazz without having the real and fake book!" —Rezza, Rock guitarist from the bands Vega & Xs Denied ACCLAIM FOR Az Samad ’ s JAZZ GUITAR LICKS & ETUDES "Such a compact book of practical materials for every serious jazz musician, which helps to craft one's musicality as well as creativity." —Mars Siu-Hong Lee, President Of Macau Jazz Promotion Association "Az Samad ’ s delightful collection of exercises and etudes is a fantastic resource for anybody hoping to develop increased dexterity and character as a guitarist and improviser. Each of these is cleverly and purposefully devised to improve skills across a range of disciplines including finger-work, musical vocabulary, as well as understanding of both fundamental and complex harmony. Playing and studying these masterful compositions also highlights and reveals the author ’ s truly immense knowledge and love of both his instrument and his craft." —Gabriel Lynch, Singer-Songwriter "It's precise, concise and straight to the point. It would really help those who are trying to get new ideas for their jazz improvisation or those who are trying to learn jazz (newbies)." —Elmer Ho (elmerdraco), Composer "Definitely something new and unique! A huge pool of riffs, licks, and ideas for you to experiment with. For myself, it helped me discover some unpredictable melodic styles and some different fingering approaches. It also made me think about different ways to approach the same lick and branch out from it to create my own ideas. Super handy if you ’ re stuck or not sure how to get started because you can just start off with any lick and go off on your own personal tangent after that. All in all, a great little book for anyone looking for more insight into some of the stylistic components of jazz and improvisation as well. Oh! And such beautiful etudes too!" —Li Ying - Musician, Artist & Avid Learner "A simple yet effective book from a virtuoso. Az ’ s musical wisdoms written concisely; and accurately defining jazz in all forms." —Ray Cheong - Musician, Composer, Guitarist & Producer About the Author Guitarist-Composer-Educator Az Samad has recorded with Grammy Winners Flaco Jiménez & Max Baca; graduated & taught at the prestigious Berklee College of Music; performed in the United States, Europe & Asia; and appeared on 22 CDs ranging in styles from Tex-Mex, Contemporary Jazz to solo acoustic guitar. His works have been described as “richly textured, poetic and atmospheric”. His first book, Jazz Improvisation Uncovered received critical acclaim from jazz guitarist Julian Lage and Berklee professor Abigail Zocher. An experienced performer, Az has performed with virtuoso violinist Roby Lakatos, former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Bumblefoot, singer-songwriter Zee Avi, funky fingerstyle guitarist Adam Rafferty and percussive fingerstyle guitarist Mike Dawes. Az also frequently performs as part of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and was the classical guitar soloist for the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Kuala Lumpur concert conducted by Arnie Roth. Az has been exploring Malay jazz including the music of P. Ramlee, Jimmy Boyle and most recently Singapore’s Zubir Said. As the musical director and guitarist for A Zubir Said Tribute, Az led 5 shows at Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, Singapore with an 11-piece ensemble performing brand new arrangements he wrote. Previously based in Berkeley, California; Az now lives in Kuala Lumpur. www.azsamad.com

Class aims: Assist with memorization of the melody and sequence Start to develop the necessary harmonic ‘close control’ to improvise on the tune Develop technique and fretboard awareness, via two purpose-built etudes based on the chord progression At time of writing, this iconic piece by John Coltrane is almost sixty years old but, much like Everest and Kilimanjaro, it remains a perennial attraction for those in search of a challenge! Technically more of a jazz original than a standard, it’s a must know tune nevertheless. This new, shorter, class is based around two purpose-built etudes of mine, and designed to develop thought processes and fretboard awareness that should help you get started on this tricky tune. Perhaps we could think of it as ‘first steps’ to “Giant Steps”! (Note that this class clocks in at just over 30mins duration. I will still be producing the full-length classes in future as well, but flexible session lengths enable me to cover a wider range of topics. Do get in touch if you have any suggestions! JT) As if it wasn’t tricky enough, musicians have played it in all keys and in virtually every kind of time signature and feel. Some, like Kenny Garrett, have increased the harmonic intensity even further; others, like Bill Frisell , have transformed it in to a more contemplative selection. Whilst it’s probably not a tune to tackle until we have a few simpler standards under our belt, it needn’t be feared either. If you can play “ Have You Miss Met Jones? ”, you’re certainly ready to have a go at this one. In the full 30m33s class: Two bespoke etudes are demonstrated at different tempos, then broken down into specific line constructions. We discuss harmonized scales as a means of improving fretboard knowledge. Pointers are given on how to memorize the progression and melody. As always, everything we discuss is fully notated and tabbed in the 11-page PDF that accompanies the class. Synchronized on-screen captions ensure that you can always see exactly what you’re hearing. For the first time in this package, I’ve also been able to create synchronized notation, so you can see a cursor traveling through the etude transcriptions in sync with my video performance. Level-wise, “Giant Steps” isn’t the easiest piece, and you probably need to have a few simpler tunes under your belt before starting to tackle this one. Having said that, there’s certainly no need to be put off by its reputation - the emphasis here is very much on first principles. The class is mostly aimed at the intermediate player who knows a few tunes and feels ready for the next challenge. Read Editor Az Samad's Detailed Review

A sequel to John’s excellent initial Exploring Original Creations masterclass, this new masterclass will help you discover colorful rich voicings, expand your ears and develop your solo guitar skills. Although learning voicings separately is important, nothing beats hearing (and understanding) how a master applies challenging ear (and finger) stretching sounds in a musical context. John Stowell shares insights on how he creates harmonically dense and beautiful original compositions. This is not to just teach you cool chord voicings but to give you the tools for you to use in your own performances. By learning John’s pieces, you will be able to quickly digest many chords in context so that you can apply them in your compositions and arrangements. Every chord voicing, double stop and single note is explained and broken down so that you know where each note comes from. John is a patient and dedicated educator who shares his thought process for these three beautiful pieces. In addition to explaining how he performs each piece as a solo guitar piece (using his signature pianistic approach), he also performs an improvisation on the blowing changes. These soloing chord changes are also included so you can see how John simplifies the chord progression so that the piece is more friendly for soloing. If you'd like to start including more modern harmonic colors in your playing, this is a great masterclass for you. 12 Pages of PDFs Included Running Time: 53 mins

Discover Randy Johnston’s signature approach to performing "It Could Happen To You", the beautiful composition by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. An insightful masterclass, Randy gives you the tools and tricks to navigate confidently through the song . In addition to learning the standard chord changes, you will also see how Randy reharmonizes the piece to create more movement and color. Randy will teach you how to play a tastefully reharmonized chord melody version of the song. Then, you’ll learn how to combine harmonic minor, diminished, blues via voice-led lines and sequences through the changes of this song. With multiple demos, tons of examples of Randy’s lyrical flowing lines - you’ll be able to learn this song inside out. Equip yourself with these ideas so that you can play this song at your next gig, jam session or recording ! 4 pages of PDF including: reharmonized changes chord diagrams for the chord melody version 2 notated single note lines

In this brand new master class by Howard Alden, you will find out how to breathe life into common jazz chord voicings. Discover how Howard embellishes these staple chord grips into a string trio for the fretboard. You will learn how to use these techniques on diatonic 7th chords to create more interesting movement over standard chord progressions. Howard begins with 4 note voicings and then demonstrates more practical 3 note voicings for this string trio approach. In addition to seeing Howard demonstrate the examples, you will also get to watch our very own Mike (yes, Mike) try out the concepts. Mike gets first hand tips (on technique, fingering and practice) from Howard. This adds another interesting element to this video! Taking inspiration from his teacher Jimmy Wyble, you will also see how Howard creates movement that adds a chromatic flavor to chord progressions. Even basic voicings sound fresh with this technique. This is one you have to try out and experience! Howard will also share a technique to create the impression of using a 7 string guitar (even without the extra string or tuning down). When applied to your favorite jazz standards, the concepts in this video will breathe new life to both your chord melody and accompaniments. Get ready for your new string trio, right on your fretboard now! 6 Pages of PDFs Included Running Time: 38 min

This class looks at three and four note comping chords played beneath 8 th note-based solo lines often played simultaneously (overlapping harmony and melody.) This adds a very pianistic effect to the guitarist's toolbox associated commonly with bebop piano. Many guitarists think of Lenny Breau's comping beneath his melodies as primarily being two note chords (essential tones.) Lenny often strived to play larger chords (comprised of three to four notes) which added further coloration to his music. The emphasis in this class is on rootless three and four note chordal structures that serve as a method to play with a bassist adding those roots. This puts the guitarist in the shoes of a bebop-style pianist which Lenny originated on the guitar. Balancing comping with soloing, a “two-handed” approach for guitar, will yield new melodic and rhythmic ideas helping the guitarist to edit one's solo lines while making the music swing harder. Some of the examples are in keys that will encourage adding open string bass notes for use in a solo guitar context. The class begins with II-V-I examples in both major and minor keys using the two basic types of harmonic rhythm. We will be adding to the essential tones on string sets 6 and 5 (or 5 and 4) by using 9 ths on both adjacent and non-adjacent strings. This is only half of the equation since melody lines will be moving above these colorful comping chords. We will also look at using triads on adjacent string sets below the moving solo lines. Some of the examples use sustained chords while others employ staccato chords often on the off-beats for added swing. The class ends with a 32-bar written solo over the often played standard tune It Could Happen To You played in the Lenny Breau-style (with three and four note comping chords below a solo line.) Though this style of playing will challenge even the most experienced guitarist, it will be sure to make every guitarist a better overall musician through diligent practice of the material and concepts. Since some of the chords (with melodies on top) will require using all 5 fingers of the right hand simultaneously, this class is aimed at the fingerstyle guitarist who is looking to learn and hone this technique, improving both technique and musical expression. Running time: 64 minutes 8 pages of PDF material in standard notation and TAB Bonus Live Q&A Included: 60 minutes

Juampy explores a scale that few will be readily familiar with, despite its prevalence in jazz and classical music. This scale is the seven-note Melodic minor #5. The sound of the scale is diminished - dark and tense sound with a hint of an eastern flavour. He shows how this can be used in both blues and jazz settings. The seven-note C Melodic minor #5 is spelled C,D,Eb,F, G#,A,B This scale is a subset from the eight-note Diminishedscale: i.e., The C Diminished would be spelled: C.D,Eb,F,F#,G#.A,B. So the Melodic minor omits the sharped 5th note contained in the eight note Diminished scale. (It is identical to the 8-note C Diminished scale without the F# / #4th.) This scale creates new chords that were used a lot by the expressionist composers, like Richard Strauss, Wagner. Jazz composers such as Wayne Shorter andHerbie Hancock employed this scale. Many may be familiar with it from the compositions of Alan Holdsworth. Juampy offers many single-lineand chordal exercises to get familiar with this, cycling through the modes for familiarity with the different offspring. Juampy explores: Application of different chord qualities. This where he goes in depth, playing over different tonalities - minor , major 7, dominant and half-diminished sounds. Blues: He then applies this information with playing over major and minor blues progressions. Jazz: Going even further, he shows you how to apply this information to standards, in particular 2-5-1 applications. Quartal harmony: Of compositional interest is his section on quartile and cluster sounds, where he applies the Melodic minor #5 to quartile harmonies. One of the most satisfying courses on a type of harmony that you will find very little information elsewhere in either books or on the internet. Congratulations to the depth of research and practical examples on this course to Mr. Juarez. Course Description by Mike Bryant Running time: 67 minutes 8 pages of PDF material

Something slightly different this time - four of my original pieces for acoustic guitar, presented with full notation and tab, along with videos/mp3s of the pieces in performance and some analytical discussion of how they work. “Little Owl” “Song For The Listener” “Lost Hearts” “Wednesday’s Child” I would obviously be delighted if anyone out there felt that they wanted to have a go at playing the pieces themselves. Moreover, I would be very pleased if any aspect of this package encouraged you to compose pieces of your own, or helped to facilitate this in some way. We all love playing the classic standards but, arguably, it’s only when we start writing our own tunes, that we really start to know ourselves as musicians. Not only that, it’s a really fun thing to do! The music presented here is not strictly jazz as such; the pieces do have that influence in some of the harmony, but also reference some country and folk styles as well. The 17-page transcription booklet uses a mixture of standard notation, tablature, and chord diagrams, to ensure that the compositions remain pretty accessible, even if you don’t read music. For the first time in this package, Jamie has also been able to create synchronized notation with soundslice enhancement , so you can see a cursor traveling through the transcription in sync with the video performance. Learn better and faster by seeing exactly what is being played in real time.

A book that answers 31 common questions about jazz improvisation that beginners and aspiring improvisors have. The 31 questions are within 4 different topics: Part I Playing By Ear Part II Harmony & Chord Progressions Part III Vocabulary: Melodies, Rhythms And Grooves Part IV How To Practice 26 pages, E-book, PDF format. ACCLAIM FOR Az Samad’s JAZZ IMPROVISATION UNCOVERED "A beautiful meditation on the craft and life of a practicing musician, this book is filled with insights from a master player." —Julian Lage, Jazz Guitarist & Composer "This book drew me in right away with it's beautifully articulated truths, bringing to mind Mick Goodrick's "Advancing Guitarist". As I read I found things, one after the other, that I wanted to share with students and spend much time with myself. The book gives you a sound and whole overview of the world of jazz improvisation study and performance, and allows you to zoom in on each landscape." —Abigail Zocher, Professor, Berklee College of Music "A book full of wise things bravo and thank you again!" —Paolo Sereno, Italian Fingerstyle Guitarist "Wow! I can't say I've ever come across a book of this size packed with so much useful information. Az minces no words, and his breadth of experience and understanding is immediately evident. It's all laid out in a clear and concise manner. I would recommend this to anyone, at any level, on any instrument." —Taylor Roberts, 7-String Jazz Guitarist & Benedetto Artist About Az Samad Guitarist-Composer-Educator Az Samad has recorded with Grammy Winners Flaco Jiménez & Max Baca; graduated & taught at the prestigious Berklee College of Music; performed in the United States, Europe & Asia; and appeared on 22 CDs ranging in styles from Tex-Mex, Contemporary Jazz to solo acoustic guitar. His works have been described as “richly textured, poetic and atmospheric”. His first book, Jazz Improvisation Uncovered received critical acclaim from jazz guitarist Julian Lage and Berklee professor Abigail Zocher. An experienced performer, Az has performed with virtuoso violinist Roby Lakatos, former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Bumblefoot, singer-songwriter Zee Avi, funky fingerstyle guitarist Adam Rafferty and percussive fingerstyle guitarist Mike Dawes. Az also frequently performs as part of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and was the classical guitar soloist for the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Kuala Lumpur concert conducted by Arnie Roth. Az has been exploring Malay jazz including the music of P. Ramlee, Jimmy Boyle and most recently Singapore’s Zubir Said. As the musical director and guitarist for A Zubir Said Tribute, Az led 5 shows at Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, Singapore with an 11-piece ensemble performing brand new arrangements he wrote. Previously based in Berkeley, California; Az now lives in Kuala Lumpur. www.azsamad.com

The second E-book by Az Samad, Jazz Guitar Licks and Etudes contains 30 jazz guitar licks and 5 etudes (2 jazz blues single note solo studies, 1 single note solo over 'Blue Bossa' and 2 old school picking etudes to help develop rest stroke technique). You will learn licks that incorporate classic Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass sounds to more modern intervallic phrases inspired by the playing of Julian Lage, John Stowell, Nir Felder and Martin Miller. You will receive a 27 page E-book (PDF File) containing: 30 LICKS 5 Major Scale Jazz Licks 5 Jazz Blues Licks 5 Minor Pentatonic Jazz Rock Licks 5 Double Time Cmin 7 Jazz Licks 5 String Skipping Jazz Licks 5 Sweep Picking Jazz Licks 5 ETUDES Blue Bossa (Solo Etude #1) Jazz Blues Etude #1 Jazz Blues Etude #2 Old School Picking Etude #1 Old School Picking Etude #2 ACCLAIM FOR Az Samad’s JAZZ GUITAR LICKS AND ETUDES "Such a compact book of practical materials for every serious jazz musician, which helps to craft one's musicality as well as creativity." —Mars Siu-Hong Lee, President Of Macau Jazz Promotion Association "Az Samad’s delightful collection of exercises and etudes is a fantastic resource for anybody hoping to develop increased dexterity and character as a guitarist and improviser. Each of these is cleverly and purposefully devised to improve skills across a range of disciplines including finger-work, musical vocabulary, as well as understanding of both fundamental and complex harmony. Playing and studying these masterful compositions also highlights and reveals the author’s truly immense knowledge and love of both his instrument and his craft." —Gabriel Lynch, Singer-Songwriter "It's precise, concise and straight to the point. It would really help those who are trying to get new ideas for their jazz improvisation or those who are trying to learn jazz (newbies)." —Elmer Ho (elmerdraco), Composer "Definitely something new and unique! A huge pool of riffs, licks, and ideas for you to experiment with. For myself, it helped me discover some unpredictable melodic styles and some different fingering approaches. It also made me think about different ways to approach the same lick and branch out from it to create my own ideas. Super handy if you’re stuck or not sure how to get started because you can just start off with any lick and go off on your own personal tangent after that. All in all, a great little book for anyone looking for more insight into some of the stylistic components of jazz and improvisation as well. Oh! And such beautiful etudes too!" —Li Ying - Musician, Artist & Avid Learner "A simple yet effective book from a virtuoso. Az’s musical wisdoms written concisely; and accurately defining jazz in all forms." —Ray Cheong - Musician, Composer, Guitarist & Producer About Az Samad Guitarist-Composer-Educator Az Samad has recorded with Grammy Winners Flaco Jiménez & Max Baca; graduated & taught at the prestigious Berklee College of Music; performed in the United States, Europe & Asia; and appeared on 22 CDs ranging in styles from Tex-Mex, Contemporary Jazz to solo acoustic guitar. His works have been described as “richly textured, poetic and atmospheric”. His first book, Jazz Improvisation Uncovered received critical acclaim from jazz guitarist Julian Lage and Berklee professor Abigail Zocher. An experienced performer, Az has performed with virtuoso violinist Roby Lakatos, former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Bumblefoot, singer-songwriter Zee Avi, funky fingerstyle guitarist Adam Rafferty and percussive fingerstyle guitarist Mike Dawes. Az also frequently performs as part of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and was the classical guitar soloist for the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy Kuala Lumpur concert conducted by Arnie Roth. Az has been exploring Malay jazz including the music of P. Ramlee, Jimmy Boyle and most recently Singapore’s Zubir Said. As the musical director and guitarist for A Zubir Said Tribute, Az led 5 shows at Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, Singapore with an 11-piece ensemble performing brand new arrangements he wrote. Previously based in Berkeley, California; Az now lives in Kuala Lumpur. www.azsamad.com

The rhythmic and melodic language of music and jazz is not only in the solo lines of your favorite jazz players but also in the melodies of the tunes they play. These could be bebop heads, bossa nova tunes, standard tunes etc. Using these great melodies with their often complex and swinging rhythms we will look at how to apply them to your single note improvising giving your phrasing a fresh new perspective. The great bebop heads for example have great phrasing and articulation which really help give the music forward motion and swing. Borrowing rhythmic and/or melodic motifs (“quoting”) can be a terrific way of learning to utilize better jazz phrasing and articulation. The fun comes into play when we move these motifs around to different pitch levels in order to fit the chord changes. Working on transposing these ideas in numerous ways to fit the chord changes of your favorite tunes is a very important way to practice. It's where theory meets musicality on your instrument! We can change where the phrases begin rhythmically and work with shorter motifs from these tunes becoming experts at moving them around. The examples contained in the class PDF demonstrate these principles over the tunes "Out Of Nowhere" and “Rhythm” Changes. Often these motifs can be disguised by changing either their pitch level or altering their rhythms. Many of the greatest jazz improvisers were master of dropping in quotes in clever ways. Sonny Rollins is perhaps the best example, often fitting in quotes in the most surprising places, adding both humor and a sense of wonderment to his solos. In this class, Steve uses some of his favorite quotes and contrafacts. You simply can't go wrong with well-conceived melodic and rhythmic phrases penned by the masters, replete with crisp articulations and inherent swing. 8 pages of PDF written material notated in standard notation (and TAB for guitarists) Running time: 45 minutes

Expand your chord vocabulary and voice leading skills, improve your ability to improvise over non-diatonic chord progressions. 14 Original Creations by John: "Always Sometimes" "Blues in J" "Friendly Giant" "Pretty Boy Floyd" "Rain Painting" "Shiffletting p1" "Shiffletting p2" "Simple Pleasures" "Spectrum Rescue" "Springfield Sonata" "Swedish Bingo" "Tapioca Time" "Throop" "Violin Memory" Sub-topics: Modern original chord melody composition The use of chord shapes to address improvisation over non-diatonic progressions Hybrid picking for chord melody articulation Expected Outcome: In addition to enhancing your skills in chord melody and improvisation over non-diatonic, John also briefly addresses hybrid picking and the use of open strings and inner voice movement in his chord melody compositions. Running Time: 1hr 3 min 14 original song sheets created by John Stowell included. 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

The purpose of these videos is to help guitarists work toward a complete comprehensive mastery of this instrument (certainly of course an ideal goal which can never be totally fulfilled), with the idea that with mastery comes freedom. If we think of the guitar as analogous to our bodies, and the material that constitutes our music as analogous to our first spoken language, we have an idea of what our task must be. Not only the enormity of the thing, but also how we might actually proceed. Ever watch a baby learn to walk, for example? What a process! And you did that! The process of learning English (or whatever language or languages you’ve mastered) is even deeper and more involved, and so it is with music. We listen, learn to make sounds, pronounce words, put sentences together, get hold of the way grammar works, and expand and expand until we can express phenomenal complexity for both thought and feeling, most of the time without giving a thought to the grammar, or searching for a word, or struggling with pronunciation. But none of that happens before every word has been experienced on a level of thought, feeling and pronunciation. Scales on a Single String, which ought to be looked at first, is an idea I first heard about in a workshop with Gene Bertoncini, and at the time I thought it was silly. “When will you ever USE it?” I thought. But the question of use turns out to be an important one, and I would say of all these videos of mine, as well as for anything you might practice (with the great and important exception of repertoire) should NEVER be used. I’ll repeat: Never practice anything with the idea of using it. Play these things for their own fascination, and for the simple pleasure of playing them. Avoid practicing them mechanically, or in a strictly theoretical frame of mind. PLAY them, feel them, as music, for indeed they are musical elements, and if you EXPRESS them rather than practice them, connect with them on a feeling level, they become a part of you, and will be available as you simply turn loose your musical feeling, just as all the words, expressions, grammar and knowledge you’ve picked up over the years is available to you when you sit around a table with a couple of good friends talking about everything under the sun. The purpose I see in playing scales on single strings is primarily to get clarity on where things really are in this puzzle that the fretboard sometimes seems. Keyboard players get this information for free if they just pay attention. For us it’s harder to see what’s going on, and it leads us often to play things mechanically— read tablature instead of music notation, for instance, or learn chords from those box charts and maybe never be fully aware of which note is which, and forget about voice leading! This idea also motivates videos 4-7, Scales in Parallel, a course of study I developed as a way of working toward the dream of getting my hands on EVERY POSSIBLE CHORD! As it turned out, it gave me something even more: not only much greater mobility, but also and especially an understanding of chords as part of a linear (melodic) conception of harmony. Videos 1-3 constitute what to me is a comprehensive experience of the major and minor scales: along the individual strings, in strict positions, and best of all, along the whole fretboard. Number 3, the long scale, opens up mobility, shows where the sweetest spot is for each note, and makes possible a much more song-like phrasing than you can get if you’re stuck in the position concept. The long scale is ever my touchstone. But if you master all three orientations, the note you’re hearing will always be right under your fingers. Running Time: 26min

In part 2 of this insider's view on John Stowell's style of teaching and playing, students get further ways of re-thinking how they approach jazz standards by changing meters, reharminizing, introducing tension through melodic minor modes. 3 Standards: "All the Things You Are" "Triste" "Autumn Leaves" Sub-topics: Changing meters Incorporating odd meters Reharminizing a standard Using the implied five Working with melodic minor modes to introduce tension over the dominant Expected Outcome: Learn to apply new ideas for soloing, adding new chords for comping and solo ideas, improving ability to internalize and memorize chord progressions.

This single note-based class is about "putting it all together" to make your lines swing. Through a close look at articulation and pairing varied rhythms utilizing forward motion, the player will feel more confident swinging in the jazz tradition. Whether it’s playing solo guitar or playing with a group, there are concepts presented here that will help give your lines more presence with greater rhythmic confidence. 10 pages of PDF written material notated in standard notation (and TAB for guitarists) Running time: 48 minutes Concepts Included Articulating phrases to make them “pop” with added presence Bringing out the backbeat (2 & 4) in your lines “Laying back” with 8 th note-based lines Emphasizing off beats with legato and staccato phrasings Playing 3/4 rhythms over 4/4 time Short 16 th note “stabs” Call & response ideas and related dynamics Slurs and other ornamentations Grouping triplets in various ways Outcome from this course: This class will surely get you swinging in some new ways!

Single note lines! Octaves! Chord Melodies! These are some of the most common sounds that we hear in jazz guitar. But what about something in between? Harmonizing in thirds is something that many guitarists may have done for other styles but perhaps not so much in jazz. Learn from master jazz guitarist Howard Alden as he breaks down his process for harmonizing melodies in thirds. You'll study the classic, Out of Nowhere, as a vehicle to learn both his fingerings and the concept. To support your development, Howard has included exercises using the diminished scale and whole tone scale. These exercises are beautiful and are great workout for the fretting hand. Along with the PDF handouts, you'll get to study the ideas in standard notation and tablature with Howard’s personal fretting hand fingerings indicated. Howard also plays slowed down examples to help you see and hear the ideas more clearly. For any challenging part you may encounter, you can also use the built-in video speed control to help learn the examples by slowing it down while keeping the concert pitch. With logical fingerings, you’ll be more comfortable to incorporate thirds into your arranging and improvisational language. After going through these great systematic workouts, you'll also get to see Howard demonstrate the concept over Blue Monk and If I Had You. To wrap it up, you’ll learn an etude on All of Me to help level up your playing even more. Included in this masterclass is a special BONUS duo performance of Howard Alden and Mike’s Master Classes founder, Mike Gellar performing Out of Nowhere as well as some candid behind the scenes footage. Sub-topics: Harmonizing melodies with thirds Diminished Scale with thirds Whole Tone Scale with thirds Out of Nowhere Etude on All of Me Expected Outcome: Add color and variety to melodies by adding harmonies using thirds. Develop more confidence and technical facility in this technique. Understand how to use this concept for your own arrangements and improvisations. 9 pages of PDF written material notated in standard notation, TAB (with Howard’s personal fretting hand fingerings indicated) Running time: 35 minutes (with 7 mins of BONUS content)

Get an insider's view on John Stowell's style of teaching and playing, approaching guitar chords pianistically, developing arrangements of familiar tunes that create new challenges (modulations, odd meters), use of open string voicings and voice leading in comping. 3 Standards: "Days of Wine and Roses" "On Green Dolphin Street" "Like Someone in Love" Sub-topics: Modulations as part of an arrangement of a familiar standard Odd meter interpretations of standards Melodic minor mode applications to introduce tensions over dominant chords Expected Outcome: New ideas for soloing, adding new chords for comping and solo ideas, improving ability to internalize and memorize chord progressions.

Sixteenth note lines are an important part of jazz phrasing that sometimes gets overlooked. They are an essential part of double-timing, an exciting rhythmic device to employ while soloing, especially when grouped in interesting ways. This masterclass examines the various note groupings of sixteenth notes concentrating on those that are asymmetrical since they tend to be the most rhythmically satisfying. We'll look at groups of 3, 5, 6, and 7 as well as grouping the sixteenth notes as triads, 7 th chords, 9 th chords and 11 th chords. These foundational exercises are given at the beginning of the class using D dorian tonality to see and hear the examples more easily. The minor 6 pentatonic scale is used in several examples to give the examples a hard bop Coltrane-type of feel and sound. The class closes with a 32 bar solo written over the chords to " There Is No Greater Love" that is challenging while addressing this syncopated sixteenth note technique through chord changes. Charlie Parker put this approach on the map in his rhythmically exciting improvisations. Using Bird's approach as a foundation this class delves into some of the more recent developments of odd time cross rhythms over 4/4 time. Rhythmic variety is what the jazz player is most often seeking in their solos. Getting a firm understanding and control of sixteenth note rhythms will definitely take one's playing to a higher level. Running time: 30 minutes 8 pages of PDF material including standard notation and TAB Sub-topics Included 16th note phrasing and articulation of 3, 5, 6, 7 note groups The minor sixth pentatonic scale and diatonic triads and 7th chords Asymmetrical phrasing and articulation of 16th rhythms over "There Is No Greater Love" written solo Outcome from this course: Achieving flexibility and competence with feeling asymmetrical groupings of 16th note rhythms. The guitarist should be more comfortable double-timing on their solos.