Paul Bollenback

FOUR Full Previous Session of Paul's Ear Training course included Ever have a great idea you want to play, yet when you go to play it, it somehow doesn't come out right? Want to make a better connection between what your ear is hearing and what your hands are doing on the guitar? This course addresses putting the basic building blocks of music into your ears and under your fingers at the same time. Both Melodic and Harmonic hearing and playing will be covered. This system is based on the material taught by Dr. Asher Zlotnik to many great players around the world, and adapted specifically for jazz guitar by Paul Bollenback. Learn the sound, location, uses and construction of all the intervals, scale fragments, triad shape, chromatic approaches and outlines of harmony, ultimately applying the material to improvising on tunes. The classes will be recorded and a link sent after each class for download, so you will be able to review at your leisure, in perpetuity. Intermediate/Advanced players, some music theory knowledge required (intervals, scales, chord construction). 26 PDF files included totaling 55 pages. Aebersold Inerval List Autumn Leaves pivots Pivots on blues Pivot random chords Days of Wine and Roses pivots Ear Training Process Graphic Intervals Graphic singing shapes Graphic Triads Guitar Window Graphic Triads Harmonic hearing basics Harmonic resistance technique Melodic ear trainning locations on guitar intervals Melodic ear training methodology MET locations semitones MET location tetrachords MET location triads Modes of major in tetrachords Modes of melodics minor in tetrachords Paul's associated repertoire Random triads Semitone fragments Tetrachord construction and repertoire Tetrachords Triadic shapes

2023 Course Now Enrolling Three Full Session of Paul's Ear Training course included Ever have a great idea you want to play, yet when you go to play it, it somehow doesn't come out right? Want to make a better connection between what your ear is hearing and what your hands are doing on the guitar? This course addresses putting the basic building blocks of music into your ears and under your fingers at the same time. Both Melodic and Harmonic hearing and playing will be covered. This system is based on the material taught by Dr. Asher Zlotnik to many great players around the world, and adapted specifically for jazz guitar by Paul Bollenback. Learn the sound, location, uses and construction of all the intervals, scale fragments, triad shape, chromatic approaches and outlines of harmony, ultimately applying the material to improvising on tunes. The classes will be recorded and a link sent after each class for download, so you will be able to review at your leisure, in perpetuity. Intermediate/Advanced players, some music theory knowledge required (intervals, scales, chord construction). 26 PDF files included totaling 55 pages. Aebersold Inerval List Autumn Leaves pivots Pivots on blues Pivot random chords Days of Wine and Roses pivots Ear Training Process Graphic Intervals Graphic singing shapes Graphic Triads Guitar Window Graphic Triads Harmonic hearing basics Harmonic resistance technique Melodic ear trainning locations on guitar intervals Melodic ear training methodology MET locations semitones MET location tetrachords MET location triads Modes of major in tetrachords Modes of melodics minor in tetrachords Paul's associated repertoire Random triads Semitone fragments Tetrachord construction and repertoire Tetrachords Triadic shapes

Sunday Sessions: May 23, 30, June 6, 13, 27, July 11. New Bonus Now Included: With your purchase, now receive Paul's previous 6-week session immediately. Ever have a great idea you want to play, yet when you go to play it, it somehow doesn't come out right? Want to make a better connection between what your ear is hearing and what your hands are doing on the guitar? This course addresses putting the basic building blocks of music into your ears and under your fingers at the same time. Both Melodic and Harmonic hearing and playing will be covered. This system is based on the material taught by Dr. Asher Zlotnik to many great players around the world, and adapted specifically for jazz guitar by Paul Bollenback. Learn the sound, location, uses and construction of all the intervals, scale fragments, triad shape, chromatic approaches and outlines of harmony, ultimately applying the material to improvising on tunes. The classes will be recorded and a link sent after each class for download, so you will be able to review at your leisure, in perpetuity. Intermediate/Advanced players, some music theory knowledge required (intervals, scales, chord construction). 26 PDF files included totaling 55 pages. Aebersold Inerval List Autumn Leaves pivots Pivots on blues Pivot random chords Days of Wine and Roses pivots Ear Training Process Graphic Intervals Graphic singing shapes Graphic Triads Guitar Window Graphic Triads Harmonic hearing basics Harmonic resistance technique Melodic ear trainning locations on guitar intervals Melodic ear training methodology MET locations semitones MET location tetrachords MET location triads Modes of major in tetrachords Modes of melodics minor in tetrachords Paul's associated repertoire Random triads Semitone fragments Tetrachord construction and repertoire Tetrachords Triadic shapes

Saturday Sessions: Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27, Apr. 3, 10. Ever have a great idea you want to play, yet when you go to play it, it somehow doesn't come out right? Want to make a better connection between what your ear is hearing and what your hands are doing on the guitar? This course addresses putting the basic building blocks of music into your ears and under your fingers at the same time. Both Melodic and Harmonic hearing and playing will be covered. This system is based on the material taught by Dr. Asher Zlotnik to many great players around the world, and adapted specifically for jazz guitar by Paul Bollenback. Learn the sound, location, uses and construction of all the intervals, scale fragments, triad shape, chromatic approaches and outlines of harmony, ultimately applying the material to improvising on tunes. Intermediate/Advanced players, some music theory knowledge required (intervals, scales, chord construction). PDF materials provided.

Sunday Sessions: Mar. 7, 14, 21, 28, Apr. 4, 11. Ever have a great idea you want to play, yet when you go to play it, it somehow doesn't come out right? Want to make a better connection between what your ear is hearing and what your hands are doing on the guitar? This course addresses putting the basic building blocks of music into your ears and under your fingers at the same time. Both Melodic and Harmonic hearing and playing will be covered. This system is based on the material taught by Dr. Asher Zlotnik to many great players around the world, and adapted specifically for jazz guitar by Paul Bollenback. Learn the sound, location, uses and construction of all the intervals, scale fragments, triad shape, chromatic approaches and outlines of harmony, ultimately applying the material to improvising on tunes. Intermediate/Advanced players, some music theory knowledge required (intervals, scales, chord construction). PDF materials provided.

Ever have a great idea you want to play, yet when you go to play it, it somehow doesn't come out right? Want to make a better connection between what your ear is hearing and what your hands are doing on the guitar? This course addresses putting the basic building blocks of music into your ears and under your fingers at the same time. Both Melodic and Harmonic hearing and playing will be covered. This system is based on the material taught by Dr. Asher Zlotnik to many great players around the world, and adapted specifically for jazz guitar by Paul Bollenback. Learn the sound, location, uses and construction of all the intervals, scale fragments, triad shape, chromatic approaches and outlines of harmony, ultimately applying the material to improvising on tunes. Intermediate/Advanced players, some music theory knowledge required (intervals, scales, chord construction). PDF materials provided.

Have you ever wondered why after you learned all the right scales, modes and chords, you still sound uncomfortable in a band setting? The answer is there’s a missing element that sometimes doesn’t get discussed enough. It’s the art of interacting in a rhythm section. You’re not alone. This is a common issue amongst many musicians. There’s often a disconnect between learning to play jazz and actually performing it. But now, you have an opportunity to learn from an amazing trio so that your next performance is even better. In this unique masterclass by Paul Bollenback, Pat Bianchi and Byron "Wookie" Landham, you’ll see them perform and offer in-depth insights into playing as a high level organ trio. This is all about sitting in the rhythm section & going beyond the harmonic ideas. Find out: The different elements to focus on when performing The difference between interacting & not interacting in the band Different ways to interact and lift the performance to another level The effect of displacement and using upbeats in comping Why it’s important to imitate and not replicate How to listen to recordings with intent The difference of improvising using chord tones vs chord scales How to react to the harmony as a drummer, organ player and guitarist This is via demonstrations & discussions on the tune Humpty Dumpty (Chick Corea) as well as an F blues & Bb blues. This is one for musicians who want insights beyond what chords & scales to play on songs. This is what builds a musical performance! Indeed, this is a rare opportunity to find out the finer nuances of jazz performance. A masterclass in ensemble playing - this is a video that will give you a lot of value over repeated viewings. Covered topics: Specific insights and wide ranging observations from each member of this working organ Trio. What to think about and pay attention to when playing in a group. Importance of listening, and how to listen, both on stage and in the practice room. Some sources to draw from for both comping and soloing The importance of listening with intent Specific rhythmic concepts for comping, and the effect they have. PDF included with rhythmic comping ideas. Things to think about when playing in an organ Trio specifically. What is the role of each instrument at any given time. Supportive comping ideas. Harmonic ideas on blues Tunes-Humpty Dumpty(Chick Corea), Blues.

Paul Bollenback uses false harmonics in this unique soloing technique. This short power course will bring a unique sound to your solos. False harmonics are a technique used on the guitar where the player lightly touches a string at a specific point (usually 12 frets above the fretted note) while simultaneously fretting the note at a lower fret. This creates a harmonic note that is an octave higher than the fretted note. It is called "false" because it is not a true harmonic (created by plucking a string at a specific point) but rather an artificial one created by the combination of the fretted note and the touched note. It can take some practice to get the technique down, but once mastered it can add a unique and interesting sound to the guitar.

Paul offers a huge range of picking approaches that have aims to help develop, stronger picking, improved coordination and getting a better sound. He starts with an impressive demo of double-time picking demo in C minor blues which is inspiring. The areas covered by Paul offers is impressive and more fun than reading a book on technique. Exercises include Alternate picking with both down and upstrokes How to avoid getting stuck with any single picking style Fixed number of attacks per note (2,3,4 etc), with different stroke combinations Combining different note groupings Single vs. double time picking Four finger combinations without repeating the different feels involved with pickling / slurring / hammer-on and pull-offs. Playing scales in different harmonies: E.g. 3rds, Playing all adjacent string pairs Two strings exercises Things to be aware of left hand form Economy / sweep picking with different down / up strokes How to play fast Why three notes on a string is his favored approach string plucking borrowed from classical techniques Lots of pattern ideas What I found impressive is that throughout Paul encourages the viewer to take his examples and modify them - making your own on variations. As I followed along, I found myself not only developing new moves, but also understanding the potential for composition while practicing these techniques. Paul demonstrates in this video various picking techniques that initially feel counter intuitive (e.g., consecutive up-up and down-down strokes), but once applied, can be develop your playing in new directions. His video has already helped me to think about my picking choices and even helped in developing lines.

Burning tempos! You either hate them or love them. Some players seem to have all the chops in the world and have those blazing Pat Martino runs sorted. Meanwhile, us mortals seem to struggle anything remotely beyond 200bpm. How can you finally hang with those trumpet or sax players at your next jam when they call Cherokee or Donna Lee? Well, you’re in luck as you have Paul Bollenback on your side. In this masterclass, it’s all about the real stuff that you gotta practice to get those burning chops. Paul breaks down the actual concepts and practice routines that he personally uses to develop up-tempo burning bop chops. Paul shares how he feels the time (so that it’s not stressful) to rhythmic concepts and even actual strategies to get flowing phrases. This masterclass will give you a lot of tools to survive and thrive at high tempos. It may seem impossible but Paul relates his own experiences and struggles learning to play at up tempos on the bandstand. He shares his unique insights that come from an experienced performer. As you watch this, you will gradually see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, this is not a quick fix. You won’t magically get light speed chops instantly BUT if you want lasting strong jazz centric up tempo skills, this masterclass will be a worthwhile investment. If you’re into long term solid technique that will help bring fiery excitement to your playing, get this class now! 3 Pages of PDF materials with table of contents & 2 examples in standard notation & TAB Full video is 41 minutes

Master the art of chord-shape soloing with renowned jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback in this comprehensive exploration of Kurt Weill's classic "Speak Low." This intermediate-to-advanced course reveals how professional jazz guitarists navigate complex chord progressions using strategic chord shapes as their roadmap, transforming your approach to improvisation through practical, position-based techniques you can apply immediately. Bollenback demonstrates how to "map" the fretboard using drop-two voicings and essential minor shapes, showing you precisely how scales, arpeggios, and melodic lines emerge naturally from these positions. You'll learn to construct solos that maintain harmonic clarity while exploring the full range of the instrument, using G minor 11, G minor 9, and related voicings as your foundation. The course covers harmonized scale patterns in sevenths, chromatic passing tones that land correctly on strong beats, and position-specific arpeggio exercises that build real facility across the neck. What sets this approach apart is its efficiency—rather than memorizing countless scale patterns, you'll discover how a handful of carefully chosen chord shapes unlock the entire fretboard. Bollenback shares the same systematic approach used by jazz masters from Eddie Lang to Pat Martino, adapted for modern performance contexts. Perfect for experienced players looking to break out of scalar thinking and develop a more sophisticated, chord-conscious soloing style that sounds professional from the first chorus.

Paul Bollenback's emotionally expressive style and eclectic approach is the result of a wide range of influences, including Carlos Santana, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and Lenny Breau. FREE FOR MEMBERS

Master the art of authentic jazz timing with guitarist Paul Bollenback's comprehensive approach to developing groove that goes far beyond mechanical timekeeping. Drawing from his extensive experience performing with Jeff "Tain" Watts and Billy Hart, Paul reveals the critical difference between playing in time and truly grooving—the element that separates competent players from compelling artists. Through targeted play-along exercises with Art Blakey and Grant Green recordings, you'll learn to lock into specific elements of the rhythm section: the ride cymbal's swing, hi-hat patterns, and crucial snare accents. Paul demonstrates how to internalize these rhythmic components individually, building your ability to respond instinctively to any drummer's feel. You'll discover why Billy Hart advocates for flexible time—knowing when to push versus when to lay back—and how this creates the breathing, dancing quality that defines great jazz. The course addresses essential phrasing techniques, including exercises for ending phrases on upbeats and syncopations that create forward motion. Paul shares specific metronome practices that develop your internal groove while maintaining flexibility, moving beyond rigid quarter-note clicking to exercises that actually swing. You'll also explore the often-overlooked connection between technique and timing, understanding how clean execution directly impacts your rhythmic authority. Whether you're preparing for club dates, recording sessions, or seeking to elevate your playing to professional standards, these methods provide the roadmap to transform your relationship with time and make every performance count.

Join Paul where he will impart his concepts and experiences in Comping in a trio, with a piano player, with a horn player and with a singer. Vocalist Chris McNulty and guitarist Martin Carle will join Paul for demonstrations.

Join Paul for his first Mike's Master Class where he will impart his concepts and experience using Chromatic leading tones in upper voices in chords as a means to generate motion in comping and soloing. The Chromatic Line Game makes use of a chromatically ascending or descending upper voice as a means for generating direction in comping, new chord voicings, or as a basis for constructing a single line solo. Examples start with simple ii-V-I-vi and progress to a practical application to familiar tunes.

Master the art of jazz guitar accompaniment and solo performance with renowned guitarist Paul Bollenback in this intimate masterclass recorded live at the IAJE Conference. Drawing from decades of professional experience performing with jazz luminaries like Gary Thomas and vocalist Chris McNulty, Bollenback reveals the essential techniques that separate working professionals from ambitious amateurs. Learn the Joe Pass approach to continuous motion in solo guitar, keeping your performances engaging through seamless transitions between chord voicings, walking bass lines, and single-note passages. Bollenback demonstrates how to maintain rock-solid time while playing unaccompanied, addressing common timing pitfalls that plague even experienced players. You'll discover practical polyrhythmic techniques including dotted quarter triplets and 5/16 displacements that add sophistication to your turnarounds without losing the audience. This course emphasizes real-world flexibility over rigid arrangements. Instead of memorizing fixed chord-melody arrangements, you'll develop the spontaneous skills needed for professional situations—whether you're suddenly asked to play solo at a gig, accompanying a vocalist in duo settings, or adapting to diverse musical contexts. Bollenback shares specific metronome exercises for locking in your time feel across quarter notes, eighth notes, triplets, and sixteenth notes, ensuring your swing feel remains consistent at any tempo. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players who want to strengthen their solo guitar capabilities and develop the versatility demanded by today's jazz performance opportunities. Transform your approach from merely playing changes to creating compelling, swinging musical statements that stand alone.

Join Paul for another informative class where he discusses the Art of Playing Jazz Blues. He combines the roots of blues music along with the expanding harmonic possibilities and varying approaches developed since the 1950's to the present day. Techniques include chords, comping, walking bass lines, soloing, Wes Montgomery chord substitions, modes, pentatonic scales, tritone substitutions and more. View clips from this class

Master the sophisticated art of jazz comping on blues and rhythm changes with renowned guitarist Paul Bollenback in this advanced workshop designed for seasoned players ready to elevate their harmonic vocabulary. This comprehensive course goes beyond basic chord progressions to explore the melodic approach to comping—a technique that transforms your accompaniment from mere harmonic support into a dynamic musical conversation. Paul demonstrates his systematic approach to voice leading on Bb blues, revealing how to create compelling melodic lines within your chord voicings using rootless voicings, shell chords, and strategic tension substitutions. You'll learn to navigate the delicate balance between providing harmonic clarity for soloists while maintaining your own melodic interest through carefully crafted voice movements and common tone connections. The course emphasizes practical performance skills essential for working musicians: how to react and respond to soloists in real-time, when to lead versus follow, and how to adapt your voicings when playing with different rhythm section configurations. Paul breaks down specific voicing options including 13th chords, #9 alterations, and tritone substitutions, showing exactly how to apply each in live playing situations. Whether you're accompanying in a club setting or recording session, these techniques provide the harmonic sophistication and flexibility demanded by professional jazz performance. Perfect for intermediate to advanced guitarists who already understand basic jazz harmony and are ready to develop the nuanced comping style that separates competent players from true jazz artists.

Master the art of framing your jazz performances with professional intros and endings that set you apart from amateur players. Guitar virtuoso Paul Bollenback reveals the sophisticated techniques that transform standard tunes into memorable musical moments, drawing from his extensive performance experience and deep knowledge of jazz masters like Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Herbie Hancock. This comprehensive course explores essential performance devices including rubato passages, vamps, tags, and strategic reharmonization techniques. You'll learn how to craft compelling introductions using the last eight bars of a tune, establish mood and tempo with confidence, and create endings that flow organically rather than grinding to an awkward halt. Bollenback demonstrates practical applications through detailed analysis of "Stella by Starlight," showing exactly how to implement diminished substitutions, chord alterations, and pedal points for maximum impact. Beyond standard approaches, you'll discover unconventional devices for deconstructing familiar tunes and creating your unique voice. Learn to navigate tempo shifts, execute smooth transitions from double-time feels, and develop the musical instincts that separate working professionals from bedroom players. Whether you're performing at jazz clubs, leading sessions, or sitting in with other musicians, these techniques provide the polish and sophistication that audiences expect from seasoned performers. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players ready to elevate their performance craft and command attention from the first note to the final resolution.

Master the sophisticated art of solo jazz guitar with renowned guitarist Paul Bollenback in this comprehensive exploration of chord melody techniques and real-world performance strategies. Drawing from decades of professional experience, Bollenback reveals the essential voicings and harmonic concepts that transform standard tunes into compelling solo performances. This course centers on practical application rather than rigid arrangements, teaching you to make intelligent musical decisions in real-time using 1-3-7 and 1-7-3 voicings, strategic chord substitutions, and melodic momentum techniques. Through detailed analysis of "It Could Happen to You," you'll discover how to support melodies with sophisticated yet playable voicings, navigate register challenges on the fretboard, and create movement during melodic spaces using Brazilian-influenced harmonic motion and augmented passing chords. Bollenback's approach emphasizes flexibility over memorization, showing you how to apply your existing knowledge creatively while building essential skills for professional solo performance. You'll learn to voice chords that respect both the melody and the instrument's natural register, handle common substitutions like the G7-G7aug-C7 progression, and develop the harmonic vocabulary needed for duo situations with vocalists or horn players. Includes 14 pages of detailed chord voicings and exercises. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players ready to elevate their solo guitar work from merely functional to genuinely musical, whether performing in intimate jazz venues or professional recording sessions.

Master the art of spontaneous solo guitar performance with renowned jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback in this advanced workshop focused on real-world improvisation and groove development. While many guitarists spend years perfecting written arrangements, this course takes a different approach—teaching you to "fly by the seat of your pants" with the confidence and skill of a seasoned professional. Bollenback shares essential techniques for maintaining rock-solid time without relying on metronomes or backing tracks. You'll explore the critical relationship between foot-tapping and groove, learning to internalize swing feel through practical exercises with quarter notes, eighth notes, and triplets. Discover how to navigate the subtle differences between straight and swung eighth notes, finding that sweet spot that makes your playing dance rather than march. This isn't about memorizing arrangements—it's about developing the improvisational skills that separate working musicians from hobbyists. Learn to maintain consistent tempo while improvising, use rhythmic groupings to enhance your solo performances, and develop the internal clock that keeps your playing in the pocket even when fatigue or memory lapses threaten to derail a performance. Drawing from his extensive experience and referencing masters like Joe Pass, Gene Bertoncini, and Howard Alden, Bollenback demonstrates how to balance spontaneity with musical sophistication. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players who want to move beyond prepared pieces and develop the confidence to create compelling solo guitar performances in any situation.

Paul continues his series on solo guitar with another information-packed, inspiring class. All-important introductions and endings are covered in this class. Note: There are no written materials for this class. View clips from Paul's class The Art of Solo Guitar I The Art of Solo Guitar II The Art of Solo Guitar III

Have you ever been working on developing your chord vocabulary and just gotten frustrated at the shear number of possibilities of note combinations? Ever wonder how you can go from the world of exploring voicings, to actively using good sounding voicings that fit well on the guitar? This course does an excellent job of shortening the learning curve for guitarists. Master jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback teaches the student by using Victor Young’s standard "Stella By Starlight" , the major Blues progression, stock 2-5-1 and 3-6-2-5-1 progressions as vehicles to demonstrate how to get the most mileage out of using just a few shapes (chord voicings) on the guitar. The useful voicings course is a masterful study of the application of a concept and doing a lot with a small amount of information. This Class Includes: Five pages of notes in a downloadable PDF file Boils down years of Paul’s in-depth explorations of harmony to shorten the learning curve and get great results right away Focusing mostly on 3 note voicing on strings 2,3, and 4 Voicings for Tritone Substitutions Practicing in Cycle of Fourths/ Circle of Fifths String set conversions Shell Voicings Rootless Voicings Four Note Voicings primarily on the second set of four strings (B,G,D, and A strings) practice routine suggestions Tritone plus Perfect fourth interval voicing used as Dominant 13th, Minor 6/9, Dominant 7 #9, and min 11 flat 5 voicings all depending on the root note. Moving the Augmented 4th + Perfect Fourth voicing moving down chromatically on a 3-6-2-5-1 progression Applications of these voicing in common jazz settings such as major and minor 2-5-1 progressions, 3-6-2-5-1, and applying them in a blues context. Great for comping, chord melody, chord soloing and generally getting away from harmony based in voicings containing the root as the lowest note. All this with a straightforward and no nonsense delivery of these very advanced concepts. All this and he ends with the greatest words of wisdom: Go Practice! Intermediate-Advanced level. 5 pages of written material in standard notation and TAB Running time: 90 minutes

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.