Tom Lippincott – Complete

Are you confused and overwhelmed by books giving you “1001 and guitar chords”?  Do you know some “jazz chords” but are sometimes unsure of where and how to use them?  Do you have down the basic “jazz guitar” chord vocabulary but are looking for a way to bring your comping, chord/melody playing, and sense of harmony to the next level?  Are you relatively new to playing jazz guitar and looking for a clear, logical, and thorough system for learning about chords and jazz harmony?  Are you an intermediate or advanced player wanting to incorporate a more modern sound and/or a more pianistic approach into your chord playing?  If your answer to any of the above questions is yes, I believe that this series of classes can help you achieve your goals.

This multi-part series covers the application of jazz harmony to the guitar for comping, solo guitar arranging and improvising, and bringing harmonic ideas to soloing within a group context.  The classes focus on a detailed and systematic step-by-step approach for building a strong foundation for chordal and contrapuntal playing and will cover everything from the essential basics to more advanced and modern concepts.  Numerous musical examples are demonstrated as well as written in traditional notation, tablature, and/or chord grid form, but the material has been designed to be open-ended enough that you will be encouraged to find your own path and work toward developing your unique musical voice.

Jazz Guitar Harmony Part 1 covers:

• basic music theory overview, including intervals and major scale construction
• learning/reinforcing note names up and down the guitar neck
• dual nature of the guitar fingerboard
• all diatonic harmonic (both notes at the same time) intervals up and down neck
• playing intervals on adjacent versus non-adjacent string sets
• compound intervals and interval inversions
• exploration of contrapuntal movement between two voices (melodic lines), including embellishing a melody with a second voice
• exercises and musical examples to build conceptual knowledge as well as improve technique
• laying a firm foundation for understanding and playing more complex harmonies, including triads and four-note chords covered in later classes
• running time: 114 minutes
• includes 5 pages of written examples and exercises

Jazz Guitar Harmony Part 2 covers:

• triads: clear and concise system for learning all close position major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads
• four important uses of triads
• diatonic harmonized major scales with triads
• shell voicings: 10 different practical chord shapes that can be used to comp through any tune in the the typical standard repertoire
• diatonic harmonized major scales with shell voicings, including variations with contrapuntal movement
• application of shell voicings to comping on tunes
• examples with comping rhythms, articulations, half step chord approaches, and discussion of swing feel
• chord symbol interpretation and guide to simplifying more complex chord symbols
• running time: 111 minutes
• includes 9 pages of written examples and exercises

Jazz Guitar Harmony Part 3 covers:

• diatonic cycles of triads within the major scale
• diatonic voice leading with close position triads
• ear training
• melody harmonization with triads, simple and more complex
• theoretical understanding of open position triads
• applying open triads to the guitar including different practical fingerings and string sets
• diatonic harmonized scales with open triads
• contrapuntal voice movement between triads, both close and open
• musical application of open triads
• moving triad concepts to other keys
• working with open and close triads outside the diatonic major scale

• running time: 98 minutes
• includes 10 pages of written examples and exercises

Jazz Guitar Harmony Part 4 covers:

• continuation of discussion of shell voicings, including further comping examples
• tritone substitution and variations/elaborations
• minor harmony
• use of shell voicings for solo guitar playing (chord/melody style)
• adding color tones to shell voicings
• ear training–hearing/singing color tones
• examples of shell voicings with color tones using major and minor II V I progressions as well as over a standard progression
• examples with and without roots, with one and two color tones
• incorporation of shell voicings with single note solos for self-comping

• running time: 112 minutes
• includes 11 pages of written examples and exercises

Jazz Guitar Harmony Part 5 covers:

• review of close position seventh chords and tips for practical use
• explanation of the terms “drop 2” and “drop 3” as they apply to guitar chord voicings
• the “chord scale exercise” which is a logical and musical presentation of drop 2 and drop 3 voicings by inversion and string set, using the seventh chords diatonic to the major scale
• additional methods for developing mastery of drop 2 and drop 3 voicings including inversions, II V I progressions, and diatonic cycles
• applying the basic voicings to comping on tunes, with musical example
• hints and suggestions for making the learning of new chord voicings easier
• incorporation of contrapuntal movement and ear training
• additional 4-note chords and their typical usage
• applying color tones to the chords for comping on tunes, with musical example
• chord synonyms–getting more mileage out of the voicings you already know
• applying the voicings to solo guitar arrangements, with musical example including color tones and contrapuntal movement
• running time: 124 minutes
• includes 16 pages of written examples and exercises

Modern Jazz Guitar Complete Series
The twenty-first century has, so far, been an exciting time for jazz with a flurry of creativity and innovation energized by the newest generation of jazz musicians.  The guitar has become a more important instrument in jazz than ever before, and jazz groups featuring guitarists are now the norm rather than the exception.

Guitarists with unprecedented virtuosity and originality have driven the instrument’s rise in prominence and have established a new “modern sound” that is becoming part of the jazz vocabulary.  Players such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ben Monder, Jonathan Kreisberg, John Stowell, Gilad Hekselman, Adam Rogers, Lage Lund, and Nir Felder are inventive, ingenious, and forward-thinking while still managing to maintain a strong connection to the tradition.  If you have heard these and other modern jazz guitarists and wondered How do they get that sound?, then this series of classes is for you.

The Modern Jazz Guitar series was created for the intermediate to advanced jazz guitarist who already has a basic command of traditional jazz vocabulary including the basics of improvising over chord changes, comping/chord vocabulary, and knowledge of standard chord progressions.  This multi-part series examines the modern jazz guitar style in systematic detail and is divided into five classes that cover melody (single note improvisation), harmony (using chords for  comping, chord soloing, and self-comping), rhythm, and tone/equipment. An informative introductory class examines the roots of the modern style and includes a discussion of the right and left hand techniques that many of the modern players use.

Numerous musical examples, including specific licks, phrases, and chord voicings in the style of several modern jazz guitarists, are demonstrated during the classes and provided in the written materials in traditional notation, tablature, and/or chord grid form, but the lessons have been designed to be open-ended enough that you will be encouraged to find your own path and work toward developing your unique musical voice.

Modern Jazz Guitar Part 1 covers:

• an overview of the roots of the modern jazz guitar style and a discussion of how modern players’ styles evolved along a direct line from their predecessors
• brief surveys of the styles of Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Bill Frisell
• analysis of specific elements of the styles of the above players that influenced the modern players
• discussion of use of single note lines as well as chords/harmony from each player, with examples
• discussion of technique with emphasis on achieving relaxed and fluid movement from note to note and efficient use of energy
• overview of the basics of alternate picking, economy picking, and fingerstyle, with examples of each
• suggestions for exercises using one, two, three, and four notes per string
• discussion of hammer-ons and pull-offs, with examples and suggestions for practice
• pick and fingers techniques for playing chords and single note lines
• backing MP3 play-along tracks used in the video for all examples available for free download at www.tomlippincott.com
• running time: 106 minutes
• includes 18 pages of written examples and exercises
  

Modern Jazz Guitar Complete Series

“Well-structured, detailed course with many inspiring examples. Lots of material to chew on, including many concepts I hadn’t seen covered in any other guitar instructional videos. I recommend it!”

“These classes are loaded with useful concepts that can open up new doors in a musicians development.”

Modern Jazz Guitar Part 2, Melody, covers:

• in-depth analysis of modern jazz guitar single-note soloing techniques
• examination of a standard chord progression (chord changes from “All the Things You Are”) and brief overview of basic chord/scale analysis techniques and common substitute sounds
• practical 2-notes-per-string arpeggio fingerings for increased range when outlining chord tones and substitute sounds
• use of three-part-4th or suspended triad structures for generating new melodic material, with exercises for gaining fluency
• use of four-part-4th or 7sus4 chord structures for generating new melodic material, with exercises for gaining fluency
• other multiple interval structures, with exercises applied to major, melodic minor, and diminished scales, plus ideas for generating your own licks and patterns from the material
• arpeggio and melodic patterns using odd-numbered groupings of notes, with exercises for gaining fluency taken diatonically through the major scale
• examples of triad pairs and discussion of uses
• in-depth exploration of the augmented scale, including scale fingerings and intervallic patterns for gaining fluency
• discussion of three-note and four-note chords contained within the augmented scale with examples of licks generated from these structures, as well as ideas for generating your own material
• in-depth discussion of the harmonic major scale, with examples of the basic harmonies with their upper extensions and the harmonies they create
• multiple exercises that take material from previous examples and convert them to harmonic major, with ideas and suggestions for musical application
• discussion of pentatonic scales, including major, minor (1,2,b3,5,6), and pentatonic b6, with suggestions for ways to use them
• multiple etudes using “All the Things” chord changes that demonstrate the musical application of all the material discussed
• examples of licks and patterns in the style of several modern jazz guitarists including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ben Monder, and John Stowell
• backing MP3 play-along tracks used in the video for all examples and etudes included
• running time: 119 minutes
• includes 28 pages of written examples and exercises

Modern Jazz Guitar Complete Series

Modern Jazz Guitar Part 3, Chord Voicing & Harmony, covers:

• survey of modern jazz guitar chord voicings and harmony
• discussion of three different approaches to harmony:  tonal, modal, and polytonal
• ways to use some of the basic major-scale-derived voicings you may already know to get a more modern sound, with example voicings
• examples of melodic minor-derived drop 2 and drop 3 voicings and ideas for reharmonizing basic chord progressions with them, including a brief overview of the modes of melodic minor
• use of four-part-4th or 7sus4 chord structures for generating new harmonic material, either as substitute chords in a tonal context or in a modal context, with systematic presentation of voicings
• overview of the five possible four-note chord types contained within any seven-note scale, with an explanation and discussion of each, with examples
• examples of creating new voicings of the above chord types based on changing one or two notes of commonly known basic 7th chord shapes
• explanation of drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings, with examples and discussions of each
• ideas for generating new voicings based on the above chords
• exploration of unusual, more dissonant, or “wrong” color tones added to basic shell voicings, with examples
• discussion of two- and three-note chords derived from four-note voicings, with examples
• using modern harmonic vocabulary for self-comping during a single note solo
• application of polytonality to playing over standard chord progressions, with both quartal and third-based chord voicings
• examples of chord voicings and chordal phrases in the style of several modern jazz guitarists including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ben Monder, John Stowell, and Lage Lund
• backing MP3 play-along tracks used in the video for all examples and etudes
• running time: 107 minutes
• includes 18 pages of written examples and exercises

Other videos from this Modern Jazz Guitar Instructional series :

• Modern Jazz Guitar part I: Overview and Roots
• Modern Jazz Guitar part II: In Depth Examination
• Modern Jazz Guitar part III: Chord Voicing & Harmony
• Modern Jazz Guitar part IV: Rhythm Exploration
• Modern Jazz Guitar part V: Rhythm Exploration Cont.

Modern Jazz Guitar Complete Series
Modern Jazz Guitar Part 4, Rhythm 1, covers:

• exploration of rhythms used in modern jazz
• discussion of odd groupings of notes in 4/4 time for polyrhythmic effects
• examples of odd groupings by interval, by accent, and by articulation
• application of odd groupings to melodic patterns from Modern Jazz Guitar Part 2, Melody
• discussion of applying the odd grouping concept over chord changes and typical four-bar phrases
• in-depth exploration of eighth-note, quarter-note, and half-note triplets, with both melodic and harmonic exercises for gaining proficiency with each of these rhythms
• explanation of displaced quarter-note and half-note triplets, with examples and exercises
• examples of melodic patterns from the Melody class applied to odd groupings of triplets and displacements for polyrhythmic effects
• exploration of the three different combinations of two eighth-note triplets within one beat, with example
• examples of odd rhythmic groupings of chords over a standard chord progression for applying the above concepts to comping and chordal phrases
• explanation of the basic “claves” for 5/4 and 7/4 time
• examples of ideas for “breaking out of the clave prison” in 5/4 time in order to achieve freedom and rhythmic variety when soloing and comping in that time signature
• exploration of polyrhythms and odd groupings in 5/4 time, with examples and demonstrations
• backing MP3 play-along tracks used in the video for all examples and etudes, as well as 5/4 and 7/4 practice groove tracks
• running time: 104 minutes
• includes 13 pages of written examples and exercises

Modern Jazz Guitar Complete Series
Modern Jazz Guitar Part 5, Rhythm 2 and Tone/Equipment, covers:

• exploration of rhythms used in modern jazz, continued from Part 4
• examples of ideas for “breaking out of the clave prison” in 7/4 time in order to achieve freedom and rhythmic variety when soloing and comping in that time signature
• exploration of polyrhythms and odd groupings in 7/4 time, with examples and demonstrations
• discussion of converting songs written in common time signatures into 5/4 and 7/4, with examples of both short and long form for both meters
• chord changes to Ben Monder’s unique arrangement of “All the Things You Are” with performance example
• explanation of true polyrhythms and their uses in metric modulations
• exercises for gaining facility with metric modulations between all different meters in two parts, first tapping out the rhythms, then playing them on the guitar
• examples of applying different metric modulations to single note lines and comping on a one-chord vamp, as well as on a standard chord progression
• suggestions for using the MP3 play-along 5/4 and 7/4 vamps for practice
• advice on playing at fast tempos, with demonstration
• discussion of equipment used by various modern jazz guitarists , including guitars, picks, amplifiers, and effects, with a guided tour of Tom’s pedal board and demonstrations of effective use of each pedal
• list of suggested representative modern jazz recordings by various guitarists and non-guitarists
• backing MP3 play-along tracks used in the video for all examples and etudes, as well as 5/4 and 7/4 practice groove tracks
• running time: 73 minutes
• includes 6 pages of written examples, exercises, practice tips, and listening lists

The Advanced Jazz Guitar Harmony series begins where the Jazz Guitar Harmony series left off. Unlike the first series, which consisted of parts 1-5, and was designed primarily to be worked with in sequential order, each class in the Advanced Jazz Guitar Harmony series is complete unto itself and explores one specific subject in depth.

Classes in this series are intended for the intermediate to advanced jazz guitarist who has either completed the five classes of the Jazz Guitar Harmony series or who already has a working command of the basics of typical jazz guitar harmonic vocabulary.

The Drop 2&4 and Drop 2&3 Chord Voicings

In this class, two specific types of chord voicings, drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 will be examined in detail. The term “voicing” refers to how the notes are arranged in a chord.

Many of the typical stock jazz guitar chords are shell voicings, close voicings, drop 2, and drop 3, all of which are explored in clear, systematic detail in the Jazz Guitar Harmony series. Drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 are two other possible chord voicings which are a little more off the beaten track for most jazz guitarists.

These voicings have a unique and intriguing sound due to their relatively large spans and, in some cases, unusual intervallic combinations, and yet most of them are just as playable and practical for every day use as the more mainstream types.

Usage In Modern Jazz Guitar

Until recently, few, if any, of these voicings were in common use among jazz guitarists. Even though the latest generation of modern jazz guitar masters in the early 21st century have begun to make use of them more often, both the drop 2 and 4 and the drop 2 and 3 voicings on guitar remain less utilized than other voicing types. This means that these voicings contain a wealth of new, unexplored possibilities for guitarists looking for fresh sounds to add to their harmonic vocabulary.

The basics of drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings were touched upon briefly in part 3 of my Modern Jazz Guitar series, but now we will delve into that sound in detail. This new class provides a logical, systematic step-by-step approach for finding the drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 seventh chord voicings derived from the major scale, the seventh chords unique to the harmonic and melodic minor scales, and the embellishment of these voicings with color tones.

Numerous musical examples are demonstrated on the video as well as written out in traditional notation and chord grid form, but the material has been designed to be open-ended enough that you will be encouraged to find your own path and work toward developing your unique musical voice

If you are looking for a free download to this course, check out the complete advanced guitar video found here on the Mike’s Master Classes youtube channel.

Advanced Jazz Guitar Harmony, Drop 2&4, Drop 2&3, covers:

• review of the basics of the drop system for voicing 7th chords, including examples of conversion of close position chords to commonly played drop 2, drop 3 voicings
• explanation and demonstration of drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings
• in depth discussion of the concept of chord inversion, including both “piano” and “choir” methods, and their application to drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings
• hints to make learning the new voicings easier
• demonstration with written examples and close-up fingerboard view of all inversions and string sets for drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings
• discussion of right hand techniques for chordal playing, including pick, pick and fingers combined, and finger style
• drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 version of the “chord scale exercise” which is a logical and musical presentation of voicings by inversion and string set, covering all the 7th chords diatonic to the major scale, with subtitles on the video that match each exercise to the written example
• development of additional fluidity with the voicings is explored by taking the voicings through diatonic cycles similar to those included in the Jazz Guitar Harmony series (includes a brief review of the diatonic cycle concept)
• discussion of method for finding the drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings for harmonies unique to the harmonic and melodic minor scales, with examples and suggestions for practice
• techniques for adding color tones to the voicings with examples, along with the “color tone replacement chart” from the Jazz Guitar Harmony 5 class
• comping etude written on the chord changes to the standard tune “The Will Never Be Another You” utilizing the drop 2&4 and drop 2&3 voicings in a musical context, with notated comping rhythms, demonstration of use of color tones, contrapuntal movement, and use of diatonic and melodic minor reharmonization techniques
• running time: 128 minutes
• includes 18 pages of written examples and exercises provided in standard notation, tablature, and chord grids

Jazz Guitar Harmony Series:

• Jazz Guitar Harmony Part V
• Jazz Guitar Harmony Part IV
• Jazz Guitar Harmony Part III
• Jazz Guitar Harmony Part II
• Jazz Guitar Harmony Part I

Modern Jazz Improvisation is a two-part class that applies modern jazz melodic vocabulary to modern-style compositions and explores more contemporary chord progressions. Both parts 1 and 2 offer numerous examples, exercises, and etudes written in standard notation and tablature to increase fluency when playing over the often challenging tunes of today’s composers.

Suggested prequels

A suggested prequel for these classes is Part 2 of the Modern Jazz Guitar series (Melody) which covered using modern vocabulary on standard chord progressions. While the 5-part Modern Jazz Guitar series included in-depth discussions on the roots of the modern style, technique, melody, harmony, rhythm, sound, and equipment, and addressed improvising on standards, which form the backbone of jazz language, the Modern Jazz Improvisation classes will focus on improvising on contemporary-style tunes.

Exploring Chord Progressions

Anyone who hears jazz musicians performing today will notice that, in addition to standards, they often play their own original compositions as well as those of their contemporaries and recent predecessors. These tunes, while often derived from or inspired by the old standards, are significantly different in several ways.

Current jazz composers have been greatly influenced by the modal movement that began in jazz in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and most of the modern tunes have their roots in compositions by Miles Davis, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, and others in that time period.

2-Part Series on Modern Jazz Improvisation

Part 1 of Modern Jazz Improvisation thoroughly explores the chord progression from Joe Henderson’s classic tune “Inner Urge” which has, over the years, become what could be considered a “new standard” since so many jazz musicians have worked on mastering it. “Inner Urge” is a perfect model to introduce modern jazz progressions as it contains chord movement in both the plateau modal and vertical modal styles and is a direct predecessor to many current jazz compositions.

Part 2 of Modern Jazz Improvisation examines, in depth, three chord progressions similar to those in tunes by Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ari Hoenig, and Jonathan Kreisberg. Like Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge” (explored in Part 1), these chord progressions include both plateau and vertical modal styles, but unlike their predecessor, they feature new challenges typical of many modern jazz compositions: extended harmonies, odd meters, meter changes, and unusual phrase lengths.

Modern Jazz Improvisation part 1 covers:

• In-depth discussion of tonal versus modal styles of approach to harmony
• Explanation of the terms “plateau modal” and “vertical modal” and the differences in approach to both
• Detailed harmonic analysis of the chord progression for the Joe Henderson tune “Inner Urge”
• Basic example exercise for gaining fluency with finding the chord tones for the above progression
• Examples of numerous techniques for using motivic development to make logical, musical lines: rhythmic displacement, rhythmic and intervalic expansion and contraction, and intervalic inversion
• Exercises on improvisation techniques to gain fluency through quickly-moving harmonically unrelated chord changes using techniques such as scale tone voice leading; diatonic 7th arpeggio voice leading; major, minor, and major b6 pentatonic scales; parallel moving chord shapes; triad pairs; and odd note groupings
• Two examples solos on the “Inner Urge” chord progression incorporating all of the above techniques in a musical context, one designed to be played at a medium tempo, and the other designed to be played at a medium-up tempo
• Running time: 114 minutes
• 13 pages of written examples, exercises, and solo etudes, in standard notation and tablature, with close-up views of the demonstrations
• MP3 backing tracks for all written examples and solos, including full-length track for improvisation practice

The Blues: A Modern Jazz Guitar Approach – Part I

The twelve-bar blues progression has been a mainstay of the repertoire of every jazz musician since the birth of jazz in the early twentieth century.  Over the years, as jazz evolved and sub-styles emerged, the blues form proved itself to be both quintessential and highly adaptable to the varied developments in jazz.  In the early twenty-first century, a new generation of jazz musicians has reinvigorated the genre, but the blues continues to be an essential part of the modern style. If you’re interested in learning more about how to incorporate modern elements while still maintaining a thread of the tradition when you play over the blues progression, then this class is for you.

In this class, the blues form will be explored in detail with the goal of applying modern jazz melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic vocabulary to the progression.  First will be a brief survey of the structure and history of the form along with exercises for gaining mastery over the basic harmonies.  Then, common mainstream approaches for melodic and harmonic variations on the progression will be outlined.  Finally, modern approaches to melody, harmony, and rhythm will be applied to the blues form.

“Tom Lippincott is a masterful and innovative guitarist, educator, and performer. His classes are extremely well organized and full of great examples that can inspire players of all levels. These Modern Blues classes in particular are an amazing tool for the contemporary guitarist, even if you have a solid understanding and grasp of the blues. We are grateful that you offer this information at such a modest price Tom, and look forward to your future endeavors!”

~ Ben J.

“Another outstanding video set from Tom Lippincott. I bought parts 1 and 2. I highly recommend them both! If you’re looking for that elusive ‘modern’ sound, you’ll love these videos. The information is presented in a very accessible manner. Easy to understand and apply. 
I also bought parts 1 thru 4 of his Modern Jazz Guitar series, which are all fantastic. Tom is an incredible guitarist and teacher. The most ‘bang for the buck’ you’ll find in guitar education.”

~ Franklin B.

“The Blues Pt.I is another winner, I found it very easy to apply. Tom is a wonderful no-nonsense teacher. Be prepared to spend months utilizing all the material here!”

~ Michael J.

The Blues: A Modern Jazz Guitar Approach – Part I covers:

• Basic jazz blues progressions defined and analyzed, including harmonic function and chord/scale chart
• Arpeggio and scale studies for Bb and F blues with emphasis on fingerboard mastery and voice leading
• Discussion of approach notes and target notes and the “bebop scale” with examples
• Discussion of mixing blues vocabulary with outlining chord changes in improvisations
• Tri-tone substitution
• Melodic minor mode substitution
• Diminished scale use
• Basic polyrhythm applications for melodic and harmonic improvising; groupings of three
• Modal approach to the blues, including polytonal side-slipping
• Applying 3-part-4ths to the blues
• Running time: 92 minutes
• 14 pages of written examples (including chord diagrams, standard notation and TAB), exercises, and example solos with close-up views of the performances
• Each example performance is titled for easy navigation
• MP3 backing tracks for all written examples and solos

Also see part II of this blues jazz lesson .

“Tom’s classes are so comprehensive that you will never be short of interesting ideas to practice. Of course using the blues as a basis for demonstrating modern sounds means we can all join the party. Thanks Tom.”

~ Ray B.

“Very thorough and musical! Tom’s teaching style is straight forward & easy to apply. The exercises are great etudes that can be applied to blues progressions all across the musical spectrum. There is plenty here to keep one busy–your playing will improve with this course. ”

~ Jon E.

“Some people are great players, and some are great teachers. Tom is an example of the rare combination of both. His material is presented in a very organized, step-by-step way, and he explains everything in a very clear, concise manner. This is very important for those of us who study independently, since no one is there to answer questions. 
What I really like in this lesson is that it Tom starts out with basic jazz blues and progresses to the modern style one concept at a time. This shows his deep knowledge, appreciation, and respect for what came before. His other lessons, especially Modern Jazz 1, are similar in that regard. 
The concept by concept approach helped me identify the things that I need to work on before working on the most modern sounds. For me, this was several lessons in one, as it encompasses so much that it inspired me to create my own exercises to fill in the gaps. 
I highly recommend this video, it will keep me busy for a very long time. “

~ Stephen B.

“Absolutely awesome class, would highly recommend for anyone looking for new ways to approach the blues as well as brush up on some of the fundamentals if needed. This is the fifth class I believe that I have purchased from Tom after viewing some of his modern jazz guitar classes and they certainly do not disappoint. “

~ Anthony R.

For decades, jazz musicians have been utilizing harmonies and sounds from the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales, as well as symmetrical scales like whole tone, diminished, and augmented. Another scale, named by Rimsky-Korsakov in 1885, hasn’t been implemented nearly as much:  the harmonic major scale.

In recent years, some innovative jazz musicians have begun to explore this scale’s harmonies in depth, but plenty of unexplored ground with unique and beautiful sonic possibilities still exists.

This class is intended for intermediate to advanced level jazz guitarists who already have a strong grasp of the traditional jazz guitar vocabulary and who are interested in injecting some new life and fresh, modern sounds into their playing.

This class first explores the basic structure of the harmonic major scale, as well as the harmonies generated by the scale.  Next, a clear and systematic way to map out the scale’s location on the guitar fingerboard is presented, along with many different exercises and patterns to help the student develop melodic flexibility with the scale.

The class also explores, in depth, the diatonic harmonic major triads and seventh chords, including the drop 2 and drop 3 chord scale exercise similar to that used in the Jazz Guitar Harmony series but applied to the harmonic major scale.  Then, a complete guide is presented for using all seven modes of the scale in improvised situations, both harmonic (comping) and melodic (soloing), with examples for each sound.

Finally, two etudes, one harmonic and one melodic, are demonstrated and analyzed using the chord changes from the popular standard “Stella By Starlight” in order to give a concrete example of how the sounds from this structure can be used by the jazz guitarist.

This class provides a logical, systematic step-by-step approach for developing fluency with the harmonic major scale and attaining mastery of its melodic and harmonic possibilities.

The Harmonic Major Scale covers:

• basic structure of the scale, including diatonic triads, seventh chords, and upper extensions for each chord/mode
• system for scale fingerings in all areas of the neck, along with an alternate scale fingering that presents a symmetrical, easy-to-remember fretboard shape
• numerous exercises for gaining melodic fluency with the scale including intervallic patterns, rhythmic variations, and triad, seventh chord, and extended arpeggios
• fingerings for close position seventh chords and 4-part-4th chords that can be played as chords or arpeggios
• in-depth exploration of triads diatonic to harmonic major, including diatonic cycles (with an explanation of the cycle concept)
• brief review of the terms “drop 2” and “drop 3” with example chord voicings
• the “chord scale exercise” which is a logical and musical presentation of drop 2 and drop 3 voicings by inversion and string set, using the seventh chords diatonic to the harmonic major scale, with subtitles on the video that match each exercise to the written example
• additional methods for developing mastery of the above voicings including inversions and diatonic cycles
• outline of the uses for each of the seven modes of harmonic major with musical examples
• traditional analysis of the chord progression for “Stella” with the typical scales and modes as a basis for comparison, followed by an analysis that uses harmonic major sounds on every chord of the tune
• two etudes on the “Stella” changes, one single-note and one chordal/comping, demonstrating real world applications of the harmonic major concepts
• running time: 113 minutes
• includes 28 pages of written examples and exercises
• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• MP3 backing tracks for written examples and solos, including full-length track for improvisation

The Diminished Scale: A Modern Jazz Guitar Approach part 2 covers:

• An introduction to the 14 triads and an explanation of how they were derived
• Introduction to the system for exploring the triads as a primary chord paired with a sibling or secondary chord
• Names for each triad based on traditional names or variations thereof
• Exploration of six different versions of each triad: three inversions of close position, three inversions of open positio
• Numerous musical examples for applying each pair of triads both harmonically as chords and melodically as arpeggios
• Examples using many different ideas for creative application of the material, including various string sets, combinations of chords/arpeggios, and varied melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic permutations
• Sample single-note and chord-based lines from standard chord progressions that give real-world examples of integrating these diminished sounds into improvisations in an organic, flowing manner
• Running time: 90 minutes
• Includes 19 pages of written examples and exercises
• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• MP3 backing tracks for written examples

3-Part Series

	Class one of this series concentrates on the basics of the diminished scale, how and when to use it, and how to weave it organically into single-note improvisations.
	Class two covers all 14 triads and/or three-note structures within the diminished scale, how to find them and voice them on the guitar, and how to use them for comping and soloing.
	Class three locates and investigates all 20 four-note chords or structures from the diminished scale and presents them in a guitar-friendly context that will make them easy to implement for comping and soloing.

The diminished scale is a musical structure that was used extensively in early twentieth-century classical music in the works of such composers as Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, and Bartok.  Jazz musicians eventually began to use the scale as well, to the extent that it has become a staple of the modern jazz musician’s vocabulary.  Despite how common this sound has become, it is frequently misunderstood and not studied as thoroughly as other often-used structures like the major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales.

This three-part series of classes will attempt to remedy this situation by exploring in systematic detail the use of the diminished scale for melodic improvisation and by finding all of the three- and four-note structures available in the scale.  We will discuss the use of these structures as chords for comping and for harmonized melodies as well as arpeggios for single-note playing, and all will be broken down in a logical and guitar-friendly manner.

Although the diminished scale in and of itself may not necessarily be a “modern” sound in jazz, many in the modern school of jazz guitarists like Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jonathan Kreisberg, and Mike Moreno have begun to use diminished sounds in new and exciting ways in their playing and original compositions.

This series explains and implements the traditional uses of the diminished scale, but many of the sounds go beyond the typical and into uncharted territory.  And though this class provides numerous examples of interesting ways to make use of these sounds, the material presented here could easily be a springboard for each individual to forge a unique and personal vocabulary.

This series could be helpful to jazz guitarists of any level (or any musician who wants to learn more about the diminished scale), but it is mainly geared toward intermediate to advanced players who already have command of some of the fundamentals of guitar playing and of the jazz language.

The Diminished Scale: A Modern Jazz Guitar Approach – Part 1 covers:

• Basic structure of the scale and its relation to the fully diminished seventh chord
• All voicings on the guitar of the diminished seventh chord
• Diminished seventh arpeggio fingerings
• A breakdown of all the notes in the whole-half and half-whole versions
• The three groups of four interrelated diminished scale “keys” which facilitate easier learning, especially for guitarists
• A thorough explanation of how and when to use both versions of the scale, with examples
• Suggested scale fingerings
• Numerous exercises for gaining melodic fluency with the scale including intervallic patterns and permutations, as well as rhythmic variations, both across the strings in one position and up and down the guitar neck
• Exercises for achieving an organic flow in and out of diminished sounds when improvising melodic lines
• Sample lines from standard chord progressions that give real-world examples of integrating diminished sounds into improvisations
• Exploration of using the half-whole, or auxiliary, diminished scale to generate different sounds on dominant chords in situations such as one-chord vamps and blues
• Original tune using diminished scale material on a jazz blues with diminished scale-based reharmonization
• Running time: 100 minutes
• Includes 23 pages of written examples and exercises
• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• MP3 backing tracks for written examples, including full-length track for improvisation practice

The Diminished Scale: A Modern Jazz Guitar Approach part 3 covers:

• An introduction to the 20 four-note chords and an explanation of how they were derived
• Introduction to the system for exploring the four-note chords as a primary chord paired with a sibling or secondary chord
• Names for each four-note chord based on traditional names or variations thereof
• Exploration of the 24 different versions of each four-note chord
• Numerous musical examples for applying each pair of four-note chords both harmonically as chords and melodically as arpeggios
• Examples using many different ideas for creative application of the material, including various string sets, combinations of chords/arpeggios, and varied melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic permutations
• Discussion of adding a fifth note to four-note chords for a more dense texture
• Mixture of open strings with fretted notes for more textural options, with examples from each diminished scale
• Sample single-note and chord-based lines from standard chord progressions that give real-world examples of integrating these diminished sounds into improvisations in an organic, flowing manner
• Bonus content written materials including a suggested system for learning and practicing the various four-note chords as they relate to the more familiar diminished seventh chord and a table comparing the 20 four-note chords in this class with the those in the set class list compiled by music theoretician Allen Forte, used by many contemporary classical composers and theoreticians.
• Running time: 105 minutes
• Includes 36 pages of written examples and exercises
• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• MP3 backing tracks for written examples, including full-length track for improvisation practice

3-Part Series

	Class one of this series concentrates on the basics of the diminished scale, how and when to use it, and how to weave it organically into single-note improvisations.
	Class two covers all 14 triads and/or three-note structures within the diminished scale, how to find them and voice them on the guitar, and how to use them for comping and soloing.
	Class three locates and investigates all 20 four-note chords or structures from the diminished scale and presents them in a guitar-friendly context that will make them easy to implement for comping and soloing.

Half diminished (also known as minor 7th flat five) chords are a familiar structure to most jazz guitarists and occur in many, if not most, standards.  Even beginning-level players usually know a couple of half diminished voicings to plug in when needed.  However, because this sound isn’t as common as major, minor, dominant, and even fully diminished chords, jazz guitarists are often not as well-versed with half diminished as with the other sounds.

Many players who can otherwise improvise and comp comfortably and effortlessly through a tune might stumble when a half diminished chord comes up.  It’s understandable that we aren’t as familiar with concepts that we don’t use as frequently.

Diminished vs Half Diminished

First, we will find chord voicings and arpeggios all over the neck with exercises and suggestions for improving fluency.  Then, we will investigate many different uses of the half diminished sound so that it can be implemented over just about any of the commonly played harmonies in jazz.

This class will help you become more comfortable soloing and comping on half diminished chords, and it will also give you new ideas for using half diminished chords and arpeggios superimposed over other harmonies to create new and exciting sonorities.

The Half Diminished Sound covers:

• Basic structure and sound of the chord
• All voicings on the guitar of the half diminished/minor seventh flat five chord
• Half diminished arpeggio fingerings, both along individual strings and across the strings by position
• Exercises for gaining fluency with the chords and arpeggios all over the neck
• Explanation of different techniques for adding color tones to half diminished chords, with numerous examples
• Thorough exploration of using half diminished sounds to represent harmonies from the major and melodic minor scales, both as chords and as arpeggios, with multiple example of each • use of half diminished chords to create harmonized melodic minor scales
• Finding the four half diminished chords contained in the diminished scale and using them as chords and arpeggios to create fresh sounds on diminished chords • single note solo etude demonstrating material from the class on the chord changes to “Upper Manhattan Medical Group”
• Chordal etude using a harmonized melody utilizing the concepts from the class, also using the chord changes to “UMMG”
• Running time: 95 minutes
• Includes 22 pages of written examples and exercises • All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• MP3 backing tracks for written examples, as well as full-length tracks for improvisation practice

Melodic Minor Complete part 2: Practical Application

The ascending, or “jazz”, melodic minor scale is one of the most central and recognizable sounds in jazz.  Late 19th and early 20th century composes like Debussy and Stravinsky used this sound in their music, and jazz musicians soon afterward began to adopt this tonal color.  Melodic minor has become an essential part of any developing jazz musician’s vocabulary, and mastery of this scale is considered to be mandatory.

Because the melodic minor scale is so prevalent and has been in widespread use for so long, there are a multitude of instructional materials available covering the use of this scale in jazz.

Many jazz musicians, however, don’t have a thorough or complete understanding of the theory behind the use of the scale, and still more don’t have as extensive a mastery of the structure as they could.

This two-part class presents the melodic minor scale in a thorough, complete way, with the goal of giving a total understanding of how it has been, and continues to be, used by master jazz musicians.

Part one of the class breaks down the theory, revealing how, why, when, and where to use the scale and providing a clear explanation of the modes and many different techniques to make learning and utilizing them easier.

Part one could be used by any jazz musician interested in gaining a more expansive knowledge of the melodic minor scale.  Guitar fingerings and tablature are given, but traditional musical notation is also used throughout so that any instrumentalist or vocalist can benefit.

Part two of the class, which is more guitar-centric, presents a methodical and comprehensive way to gain mastery over the melodic minor scale, with numerous examples and exercises for increasing fluency.  Part two also presents some imaginative and exciting ideas for generating new musical sounds with the scale, both for comping/chordal playing and single-note soloing.

Melodic Minor Complete part 2: Practical Application covers:

• five different fingering systems for complete mastery of the scale all over the neck
• numerous examples of playing intervallic patterns both along two or more strings and by position
• many common patterns as well as ideas for generating more unusual and wide-intervallic patterns, with examples
• extended arpeggio fingerings with examples of sweep-picking as well as alternate-picking
• all diatonic triads up and down the neck, all inversions and string sets
• close as well as open triads, played as chords and arpeggios, as well as examples of diatonic cycles to gain fluency with different inversions and voice leading
• practical close position diatonic seventh chords and their uses for comping or soloing
• complete system covering all drop 2 and drop 3 voicings and inversions diatonic to the melodic minor scale, with explanation of the terms “drop 2,” “drop 3,” and the concept of inversions
• color tone replacement chart for spicing up basic four-note seventh chords
• explanation of a system for deriving all the possible four-note chords, including many fresh and modern-sounding voicings
• demonstration of using the augmented major seventh upper structure concept for comping and soloing
• demonstration of using the minor/major seventh upper structure concept for comping and soloing
• detailed analysis of the chord changes to the standard “Stella by Starlight” with a breakdown of the melodic minor modes that can be used
• etude on the Stella changes demonstrating the concepts from the class, including harmonized melodies, augmented major seventh and minor/major seventh upper structures, wide-interval patterns, use of “Goodrick voicings,” and creative use of open strings
• running time: 115 minutes
• includes 38 pages of written materials:  25 pages of examples and exercises discussed in the video and, in addition, a 13-page supplemental appendix covering seventh chord arpeggios by position, triads by position, triad pairs, pentatonic concepts, and fingerings for minor pentatonic (natural 6th) and pentatonic flat sixth scales derived from melodic minor
• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• MP3 backing tracks for written examples as well as full length tracks for practice

Most students first starting out on guitar will become familiar with the names of the six open strings right away.  After learning a few “cowboy chords” and simple melodies, the player usually abandons open strings in favor of the higher positions.

While this process is a natural and necessary part of a beginning guitarist’s development, it tends to result in a sense that the open strings are only for novices.  However, this class shows that creative combinations of open strings and fretted notes can be used to generate a whole musical universe of harmonic and melodic possibilities that would otherwise be difficult or impossible using conventional approaches.

Guitarists who play classical, country, blues, or rock have always combined fretted notes and open strings, but this technique has remained relatively unused by many jazz guitarists.

This class presents interesting and exciting ways to incorporate open strings not only for chord voicings but also for single-note lines which is an area that remains virtually unexplored in jazz guitar circles.  This class offers numerous specific examples, and students are encouraged to use these ideas as inspiration for creating their own unique open-string techniques and concepts.

Open String Concepts for Chords and Single-Note Lines covers:

• Exercises and suggestions for matching the tone, volume, and duration of fretted notes and open strings
• Brief overview of common jazz chord/scale concepts
• Large-font reference sheets clearly showing open strings available in all twelve keys for all commonly used scales
• Systematic exploration of finding chords containing open strings that are difficult or impossible to play using conventional techniques
• Multiple examples of many different chord types with common color tones voiced imaginatively with various open strings
• Various voicings of augmented major seventh chords using open strings and the use of these voicings to imply melodic minor-based harmonies
• Various chord voicings incorporating open strings based on scales such as major, harmonic minor, melodic minor, diminished, harmonic major, whole-tone, and augmented
• Finding different uses for an open-string voicing with examples
• Examples of comping over standard chord progressions using open string voicings
• Multiple single-note line exercises and melodic phrases combining fretted notes and open strings using various scales and harmonies
• Exercises and examples of contrapuntal movement for chordal phrases juxtaposing moving lines with static open strings

• Running time: 114 minutes
• Includes 25 pages of written examples and exercises

 

• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation, tablature, and chord grid form.
• Each example performance in the video is titled and numbered for easy navigation.
• Backing tracks for written examples and solos are included.