Student Reviews
Real feedback from students learning jazz guitar with world-class musicians. 437 reviews across 163 courses.
“Useful, clear and precise”
This is a course that I've gone through several times over the years. I've actually also attended Sheryl's live workshop on the topic when I was living in California which was amazing. Experiencing it again now, I can say that this video is a real gem for those interested in getting the "flow". Sheryl Bailey shares her approach to practicing and developing strong sounding bebop lines and gives specific examples to demonstrate the concept. This is a lesson from a real performer so it's real practical application rather than just theory! Some bebop lessons that I've encountered at times tend to be dry and removed from the melodic flow and intensity of the real music. The best part for me is the accompanying PDF files that she uses as the basis for the demonstrations. It really helps me to study the ideas, pausing the video after she plays the examples so I can digest the sound and the fingerings for the lines. Sheryl refers to the handouts and this is helpful in pacing as well as creating a clear format for the class. For anyone interested in developing bebop chops, this is a good investment to help develop your skills.
“Very Well presented, really useful information”
Great foundation for anyone who wants to learn more about bebop guitar playing. Sheryl does a great job teaching this and there are excellent examples in the pdfs. To me the stuff at the end about using tritone subs in your bebop lines could probably be a separate course all by itself (since learning how to get the tension and resolution right would be so important) but that's just a suggestion, not a complaint.
“A course you can return to many, many times”
I have purchased many of Tom's classes and have been very happy with all of them. It is amazing how much material he can put into one class. And he does it in such an organized way that you can keep going back to different sections to improve or brush up on one particular aspect of the material without having to go looking all over the lesson to find what you need. I particularly like the scale exercises that help you resolve from the diminished scale to a major scale - this is something I have REALLY needed to work on in my own practice (that is, connecting ideas). If you really want to improve your command of a particular concept then you will be very happy with all of Tom's classes (check out his melodic minor series as well for a similar approach).
“Great”
Great for getting the bebop language happening
“Tom Lippincott's classes...incredible!”
Tom Lippincott's classes have NEVER been anything less than incredible. This one is no exception. These are some of the most unusual sounds used in modern jazz, but Tom's progression of steps makes it accessible. The written examples alone are worth the purchase price; complete, clear, and well-explained in the video lesson. Not easy material, but for an advanced musician looking to get the sounds of the future now, you can't beat this one.
“get this class”
If you want to incorporate this modern sounding scale into your playing get this class. Tom Lippincott explains everything you need to know to practice and assimilate both the harmonic and the melodic aspects of what this scale has to offer, and he does it in a very thorough manner, easy to understand wether you're an advanced player with a good grasp of jazz theory or a beginner. Awesome class!
“Get both Parts 1 & 2. ”
Another home run! Tom’s classes are the best. The course description will give you a good of idea of what to expect. What it doesn’t convey is what a great instructor Tom is. His way of presenting the material is great. He makes things easy to understand and incorporate in your own playing. I own quite a few of his videos and have been very happy with all of them. His videos are destine to become classics! Highly recommended!!
“mel minor II”
...lots of bang for the buck!!!
“Starts with the basics and gets intense”
Tom is a really thoughtful teacher. He paces the course to make sure you have the basics in place - which of course you need to know - before moving on to more advanced material. This isn't just a one-off youtube lesson with a guy showing you a few licks and tricks. This is the real deal and the material is rooted in the playing of the jazz masters. I especially enjoyed the section on outlining chords while retaining the basic sound of the blues. From there Tom takes you into chord scales and substitutions, melodic minor and diminished scale applications, modal concepts ala McCoy Tyner, and then into poly-rhythms, and suspended chordal ideas. Cool stuff. There's a lot here that could keep you busy for a very long time. Even if you absorb just a part of this lesson, with practice it will help you become a better player.
“No better teacher than Tom”
Tom is not only a very inspiring player, but also a master teacher. The material he presents is very organized, his exercises and examples are rich in musical content and his explanation of the underlying principles of the blues and it's harmonic implications are very easy to grasp for players with a basic understanding of jazz. He not only shows you the door – he opens it as wide as possible. Putting trust in his methods and regular practice will take you right through it.
“Masterclass Harmony”
Harmonic Master!!Well explained and great feel!!Only a few have this kind of knowledge of harmony.Yeah How to put a "avoid "note in the chord!Thank you
“Part 2 starts where Part 1 left off”
If one is willing to go through all the exercises (preferably in all keys) shown in Part 1, the student can get a very modern sound over the blues progression. Part 2 digs even deeper, the concepts presented are not only fun, great sounding, but also highly suited for the guitar as an instrument. Tom Lippincott once again proves he is an absolute master of the instrument and jazz guitar education. He's doing some incredible work, and I'm always looking forward learning from him.
“Amazing!!!”
I purchased this course (1 and 2) many month ago and they are still very useful..there are many concepts inside that can help you develop a very strong, modern and clear approach to the improvisation; one of the best course i ever purchased and one of the few that goes deep inside the language.Tom is a great teacher and he explains very well every detail , he plays fantastic and the pdf material is well done.Thanks again Tom :)))
“Great.. Very great masterclass!”
If you want to learn to play Rhythm Changes and be thorough, you need to buy this class! This is a GREAT class! Tons of examples for comping and soloing. Tom explains everything very clearly and the whole lesson is very easy to follow. And much of the stuff is applicable to other tunes as well. Thank you Tom for these amazing masterclasses! Each one i've bought are just pure gold! So well organized.
“A lot of great information”
I'm always really impressed with how much information Tom provides in his classes, and this one is no exception. There is so much depth that you never feel as if you've learned something superficially, and he emphasizes the need to take what you've learned and keep working at it to get a deeper understanding of the material. Really looking forward to part II of this class.
“Melodic Minor Complete - Part 1”
Excellent. I especially appreciate Tom's urging to not get complacent with the introduction, but to continue to explore all that this fascinating scale has to offer.
“Fantastic lesson ”
This lesson was great! I've played for many years, I picked up this course for some ideas and address some wholes in my playing. Just when you think you know something inside out, Tom comes and turns your perspective upside down. Lots of great exercises and filled with information. Plus Tom is an amazing teacher who explains everything clearly.
“just what I needed”
This is a great course and fills in some of the gaps of things I had forgotten and many that I needed to review in my musical knowledge. Also a lot of really great exercises for becoming very familiar with the fretboard.
“Excellent course - easy to jump right in, a pleasure to watch”
I have been so impressed with Steve Herberman's style of teaching. For such an amazing and gifted player, he always comes across as being modest, down to earth, humble. The course is a good length, and no time is wasted: it is all spent demonstrating and discussing the material, which centers around shifting phrases by interval, in a musical way, to match the changing harmony over the basic progression. Even though I am familiar with the basic 'tricks' involved here, I found a lot of the material to be very fresh and it gave me some new angles from the start, Most important - Steve's way of teaching inspires us to go and play this stuff with a sense of freedom and confidence. Full marks from me!
“Excellent lesson”
Lots of examples and reiterations of examples so you can understand how to develop them and create your own. Excellent pacing throughout the video and very thorough explanations of what he is doing. One of the most valuable insights into this jazz progression I have come across. The ideas are also powerfully simple, tasteful and melodic. 200 rambling, boring, meaningless 251 licks that are tough to remember this isn't. Instead he teaches you how to build melodic phrases by combining theory and the neck of the guitar to makes the lines shift. He shows you the rules to do this, a ton of examples all accurate on PDF, and the rest is your imagination. I cant rate this lesson highly enough!
“Wow”
I only knew one aspect of 4th voicings coming into this class (what Tom has listed as 2nd inversion drop 2 voicings). I had no idea how much there still was to learn! Like Tom's other classes this one has a tremendous amount of information, very well presented. I think most of us mere mortals will need to come back to this class over a period of many years to get just some of the information presented here burned into our brains. I would suggest learning one particular group of voicings and then go to about 1:30 in the video (page 13 of the handout) to learn how to improve your fluidity with them. Excellent class.
“Another great lesson from Tom!”
I have purchased many of Tom's lessons from the website and have repeatedly found them fruitful and inspiring. I am sure to get more! Thanks Tom!
“The life vest 1”
It is a practical and very interesting lesson. The teacher is very competent and the video is of good quality as well as the attached material. It is probably a review of known music “rules” but straight to the point, well done and with lot of examples.
“Life Vest Arpeggio Master classes”
This series of classes about the "Life Vest Arpeggio" are wonderful classes that match with the Sheryl Bailey's classes "Be Bop Flow" they are the same concept but in this case concentrated in the maj7 arpeggio and its variants.
“Great Course”
This is an excellent course which is systematically organised. The price is cheap compared to the information contained within. The most useful part for me was when certain colour tones can be added/replaced to the exisiting half-diminished chord to give a beautiful sound. This course is certainly one to have in your arsenal.
“Fantastic!”
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant concept and teaching. I love Randy's playing and concepts and teaching. He is so concise and logical in his teaching. Everything makes sense and easy to learn. I can't wait to work with this concept. I'm a semi professional player of many years, and I've never come across this concept before. Just brilliant. Highly recommended. Can't wait for the second part and more classes from Randy. He reveals these secret gems that I find enhance my knowledge and playing.
“Very helpful, taught in a relaxed, fun manner”
Randy seems like the kind of guy you could easily talk to over drinks between sets at Fellini's in Charlottesville (oh, wait - I DID do that!) This is a great lesson that teaches a concept that I wish I had learned years ago. In just a few short minutes I feel like I've learned an easy way to escape the box pattern of playing on the fretboard. Not to mention an easy way to play a diminished scale! That alone was worth the price! Really looking forward to part 2 (and beyond).
“Years of learning packed into another great class from Steve”
This class, just like the contents of every of the several Mike's Masterclasses of Steve's which I have the privilege to own and to be able to study, demonstrates Steve's 100% commitment to revealing his own personal musical devices which he clearly uses in his own playing and performances. All one has to do is watch and listen to some of Steve's YouTube solo guitar performances and group performances on the internet, such as Almost Like Being in Love, with a vocalist and bassist, and you will have proof positive that Steve generous offerings reveal what he has spent years researching and developing in order to create his own singular voice on the guitar. I finally have come to the conclusion that Steve's selfless goal has always been to honestly and generously reveal what he knows best - the music that has made him a singular voice in today's music world, and to share that NOT with the hopes that people will necessarily just copy this material by rote, but rather to help spark an opportunity in others to also create their own polyphonic and poly rhythmic voice on their own instrument. In the July 2006 issue of Down Beat, yes, 2006, there was a transcription of Jimmy Raney solo'. The article's title "Harmonic, Rhythmic Tension Propel Jimmy Raney's 'Motion' Solo." There is a discussion in that article about the precise rhythmic ideas that Jimmy inserted into this solo These rhythmic ideas in Jimmy's solo are the exact same magical rhythmic mechanisms that Lester Young made a career out of and which Steve shared (and made quite understandable) in his MMC titled Jazz Guitar Phrasing, Part 1. In the DownBeat article, discussing this wonderful 3/4 over 4/4 is quoted and described "Players who did not utilize this thinking as being flat-footed." The Mike's Masterclasses which Steve has authored will allow you to not be flat footed. The true impact of Steve's generous offerings on one's development of their own voice is awaiting you in each of his Masterclasses. There is not a clam in the bunch.
“Excellent Class - looking forward to the rest of the series!”
This is very important information for those of us (like me) who tend to just run a stream of eighth notes when they solo. Here Steve starts soloing with just one note, but since he is playing a very interesting rhythm (the hemiola) it sounds much more musical and melodic than you would expect. I really learned a lot from this class and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
by Randy Johnston
“This incredible lesson should be called the Secret of Jazz Soloing!!”
I probably have encountered at least 1000 lessons on the Internet and otherwise, and this is the best one ever. This is the real deal.!!!! I am applying this lesson to all the songs that I am working on and having fantastic results! Thank you so much for having the insight and sharing this incredible key to single line soloing!! Hi Randy, please finish the Confirmation lesson B Section And depending on what you think, how about doing a similar lesson on 5ths and 7ts, and roots, etc etc Bob B
“Mastering fast moving changes”
Randy hits another one outta da park. I never miss an opportunity to learn from this master. Teaches with a conversational style. Check out Randy's Confirmation solo on the recording "Remembering Eddie Jefferson." Among other elements touched on in this lesson, the first two notes illustrate his "one can eliminate the ii chord" perfectly. So musical. Simply great, lyrical bebop.
“Great explanation & great playing”
An icredible broad subject is here boiled down to a good sounding system. A fantastic course of reference and inspiration.
“Creating Motion in My Solo Lines and Comping”
I added Phil Robson’s Harmonic Rhythm to my playlist because I was looking for other approaches for improvising and comping to complement what I am already doing. Harmonic Rhythm details the techniques of playing chord changes (ii-V-I-VI) in advance (anticipation) or behind (delay) of where they are written. Also, important is Phil’s discussion on phrase placement in relation to the beat and bar-line as a way of making some phrases standout from the rest in your improvisation and/or connect your melodic fragments to one another. Phil talks about how to change the feel of any phrase by setting it to different parts of bar. I am also using his methods (note placement and note duration) to embellish the written melody of a tune. There may be some instructional material out there that mentions this approach, but Phil’s workshop goes into a detailed step-by-step approach to retraining your hearing to hear an idea in motion towards future rhythmic and harmonic resolution targets. But at the end of the day, what Phil offers in this lesson is another process/method of creating single-note and chord motion across the bar-line (to create tension and release within a phrases). The ultimate goal for me is to be able to play anything anywhere; and create rhythmic and melodic freedom during my solos and comping. Phil’s lesson gets me one step closer to this destination. Thanks Phil, Guy
“Excellent Concepts!”
Nicely laid out and demonstrated! Phil (I have never heard of him) is an excellent player! Wow what control! I really like his ideas. This video deserves multiple viewings because there is so much info imparted. This class is a must have! Thx Phil!
“Contrapuntal Improvisation I”
I'm always amazed by the so clear way Steve explains complex concepts, shown with great examples and with such a high level of musicianship on the demonstrations!
“Advanced Harmony for Jazz Guitarist”
I've had this class for a long time, but just recently noticed that I never reviewed it, so I re-watched it, and was amazed at how much great material there is. It is delivered clearly, thoroughly, and with a very complete PDF guide to go by. Outstanding all around.
“Beautiful Chords (Finger Busters:)”
Thx Roni! Very cool sounds. This is the next stage past knowing all of your 7th chord inversions. It really does give you some colorful and tense sounding chords...especially on the guitar. I think there are several years of study in this course alone!!!
“Lyrical, chromatic and flowing lines!”
This is my first Jay Umble master class purchase and I'm extremely impressed and inspired. There's a lot of good stuff here and I particularly like how Jay gives so many musical examples throughout the entire video. There's a lot of interesting concepts that he introduces in between the main points including 'setups' and various ways to add chromatic ideas into the lines. There are also 40 different lines (within funk and swing rhythmic context) that is included in the PDFs that I'll be checking out to understand more about his approach as well. Thank Jay & Mike's Masterclasses for making such an awesome video.
“Doing More With Less”
I really enjoyed this course because Paul took just a few chord shapes and worked his way around "Speak Low" in a very methodical fashion. This class shows you how to play some really good lines without knowing 500 scales and 800 positions on the neck. Highly recommended.
“Fabulous and practical lesson!”
From a simple chord mapping of the tune springs much light depth and wisdom! What more could you want! Thanks Paul for sharing your humble humorous approach with Just the right balance of freedom and organization.
“Blues Part 1 Call and Response”
This class is just what I was looking for, some great ideas to add to my blues and jazz vocabulary. The call and response concept makes these ideas perfect for playing with a bass player. But many of the lines are punctuated with chord "hits" enabling the combination of single note and chord punctuation to stand alone. The lines are tasty, bluesy, and authentic. The focus is mainly on the key of F and Bb, which gives the student the opportunity to see cool ideas in different positions. The accompanying tab is accurate and the course is laid out with easier ideas first and then moving to more challenging phrases involving syncopation, triplets, chordal movement, thirds, sixths, octaves, etc. Steve is a wonderful teacher. He moves the class along at a good pace with thorough explanations. Lots of great material in this course! Thank you Steve!
“Great”
I liked a lot this course. A bunch of examples that includes many concepts.
“excellent course but I wish it had tab”
overall there is great info in this but i found it largely inaccessible due to my lack of ability to read standard notation. I realise that this is actually my problem, not the fault of the course, (it is afterall a MASTERclass). Parts 2 and 3 include tab so I'm going to jump right into those.
“Connect the islands of your knowledge of applied jazz theory”
Jamie’s course is a tour de force of pedagogical brilliance. He focuses upon the harmonic aspects of jazz guitar comping (not much about rhythm here) which he approaches from a good number of interrelated angles. Some or many of these angles may already be familiar to the student. What is so magnificent in this course is Jamie’s insightful explanation and reasoning about basic matters, and then his exciting demonstration of techniques for extending and interconnecting the basic principles of the topics that he covers. Those topics include: shell voicings, different voicing strategies according to whether a bass player is involved, bass line comping (on guitar), chord cognates (same fingering yielding different chords depending on choice of root), drop 2 voicings, the chameleon nature of diminished and half diminished chord voicings and how they can be leveraged to form chord substitutions in an applied context, basics of chord melody and voice leading. You have likely visited and possibly concentrated upon a good many of these topics. But Jamie’s masterful presentation is bound to get your harmonic thinking and feeling flowing in new ways; new synapses will form, islands of familiarity will become connected by new causeways, and your archipelago of knowledge and skills risks becoming... a continent. Thank you, Jamie, for this treasure chest!
“Lots of great information here”
Steve Herberman is an outstanding musician (I've had the good fortune of seeing him live many times) and an excellent teacher. I really like the way this class is set up: starting with the basics (scales, chords, arpeggios) and then building from there. I like the way the licks he uses incorporates just some of the altered notes at one time (as opposed to throwing everything at you all at once). He also encourages you to use your ears to get used to (for example) adding flat and sharp ninths at first, then moving on from there. The examples are really good but also allow you to build ideas yourself. I am very happy with this course and I think any intermediate jazz guitarist will benefit from it.
“Very useful”
Thanks, Jay, for an insightful group of lessons on this challenging tune! I have always been a bit baffled by it and you helped me understand some new approaches to playing it.
“Big Band chord riffs and shout choruses”
I took my time with this course. After the first two or three examples, I realized that this is fundamental material that was missing in my playing. These choruses give the student the knowledge and ability to play bluesy chordal riffs that sound very sophisticated. The chords used are pretty basic but the syncopation and voice leading produce a sound that is hip, musical, and can stand on its own as a chord solo or sound great with a bass player. The ideas presented are in various keys. They are explained well and demonstrated accurately. The ideas are written out completely. I am not a great music reader but I did not find it difficult to learn these phrases. It definitely does not hurt to challenge oneself in the skill of reading music. Thanks Steve, for a great course. You have given me some super cool ideas to take on the bandstand.
“Fantastic course”
Randy always gives a well thought out and logical presentation in easy to digest chunks of information. I was especially impressed by this course. This is certainly one of the best presentations on a soloing concept I have heard in a long time. A great practice tool, and I'll be practicing this concept everyday. I can see where it forces one to learn the neck and helps to create a cohesive solo. Highly recommended.
“Playing Changes in One Octave is INCREDIBLE!”
Another home run Randy!! I started watching it yesterday and Could not put down my guitar. This Is by far The most effective Exercise and way to practice I have ever heard of! This is the "Secret" I have been looking for To make my solos Sound good. This is going to be My Go-To Method of practicing every jazz standard that I am working on........ Thanks so much for sharing this valuable concept With us !!!!
“Simplifying Jazz by Randy Johnston”
This is a phenomenally good Lesson! Actually it is like eight lessons in one........Don't overlook this because the video resolution Isn't the greatest. The guitar Fretboard Can be clearly seen........and the sound is good enough. Randy starts off With a solo guitar version Of My favorite things. Next Is some incredible Solo guitar For Stella by starlight. Several choruses Of great playing with Interesting changes! I'm transcribing that now I like it so much! Randy then goes into a great discussion and demonstration of tetrachord scales Which is very informative. Next It's a discussionAnd demonstration of the different ways to approach A minor 251 Really good stuff here also! Then As if this all wasn't enough already, Randy finishes off With some excellent G Blues Solo guitar. This one is next on my list to transcribe! There is a real Lot of Material Here. Good Material! I highly recommend this Lesson. RAY KING
“Invaluable and Highly recommended”
Jay’s approach to improvising over the ii-V-I progression-the most common chord progression in standard jazz tunes-is very accessible to all levels of experience. Every player must be able to hear and negotiate this chord progression in order to improvise well. Some of the things that I really like about Jay’s masterclass are: 1) Key center approach, taking the well-known major scale and breaking it up rhythmically and melodically to sound musical and always be aware of the resolution to the home chord (G major in this lesson), 2) Efficient hand motion, shifting up one fret (Ab major) towards the home key (G major) to get some really nice alterations/tension on the V chord (D7), 3) Use of arpeggios-to get some really nice inside sounds and “a good way to begin improvising,” 4) Position and Shape based movement on the fretboard-gives you better insight into using chord shapes, intervals and triads to build your improvisation, and 5) Use of chromaticism and fourths-to fill your lines out and sound more modern (respectively). Regardless of your level, Jay’s approach will help you see what you already know a little differently and bring new approaches to improvising into view. More importantly, it will help you understand how to better utilize the fretboard. Even without trying to memorize each lick or pattern, I really enjoyed playing around with the concepts presented in the Masterclass to build my own phrases.
“Jay Umble II-V-I Masterclass”
First of all, Jay Umble is a name that should be as well known as any in the jazz world. not only is he an open and approachable guy, he is a first-rate musician and teacher. His prior classes and written books are all outstanding. This class is no exception. There is an endless amount of information on the Net about II-V-I approaches by Experts and "experts", all promising a "new" and "novel" way, but Jay's ideas here are ones I can truly say are different and personal. This class, just over an hour of jam-packed info is totally accessible to those of you with modest or growing abilities as well as for those looking to get more jazz influences in their playing coming from other areas. Jay plays all examples over a backing track, giving context to everything, and sets out a simple approach of getting to G Major from A Minor not by fancy scales or convoluted theory, but by simple hand position shifting! This makes all kinds of Altered or "outside" ideas quite simple. That's the basis from which countless ideas flow. Great, great class, and highly recommended for those who are not yet pros but would not mind getting there. Good camera work, great organization, great content.
“Excellent class!”
I love the concepts and how Sheryl delivers the info...so upbeat! I hope she continues to put classes up. She mentions about 10 possible classes which all would be great! The fam of four is a very simple concept with far reaching possibilities. How it all relates to altered chords is great too! Once you develop your language you can recycle it over altered chords...Very Cool! Really fun to play.
“A must!! This lesson will open doors if you're struggling with ii V I's and jazz vocabulary.”
It's a systematic way to navigate through changes that are the backbone of most jazz standards. At first glance, it seems complicated, but upon reflection it's quite easy to grasp I look forward to future lessons with SB. BTW, at @ 4:30 - 4:31 of the video, Sheryl contorts her fingers in a way that's impossible for me to do. Anyone notice this?
“This is incredible stuff.”
Wow! This is certainly incredible. Many jazz lovers agree that Cannonball Adderley was one of the great alto players. I know that some folks prefer bebop over the "hard bop" that happened in the 1960; however, Cannonball really does extend, amend, and carry on the bebop contribution that began with Charlie Parker. Mike has obviously studied Cannonball's music in great detail. One can really sense Mike's love for and devotion to this music in this video. In "The Inprov Style of Cannonball Adderley for Guitar" Mike shows all of the details of a faithful guitar version of 12 licks from Cannonball's music. This is just over one hour of intense instruction. Some students might absorb all of this material quickly, but, I must admit, that it is going to take me many hours of study to get all of the amazing details of a few of these licks under my fingers. I highly recommend this instructional video. Thank you, Mike.
“Incredible amount of information!”
Mike is not only an incredible musician but has a down to earth and very direct way of explaining these examples so people can understand them. I purchased this lesson and have been learning a tremendous amount with these licks from the master Cannonball.
“Insightful is an understatement!!!!”
Thank you, Jamie, for the wonderful course! Everything is done very well and your explanations and teachings are beyond my expectations! You gave me the very best analysis of Donna Lee that I have ever learned --and, sad to say, I have been playing that song for over 40 years. Your course demonstrates your expertise in musical understanding and performance; however, it is also a clear demonstration of your tremendous teaching ability. Thanks again!
“Essential viewing ”
Superb. Hard to know what else to say. This guy is just a great teacher. Get this lesson.
“You should have showed us the stove in Let's Burn One!”
I had the good fortune of attending a jazz camp in Maryland a few years ago and Paul was the guitar guru. He commented that my picking was very stiff, and I never got the chance to ask him for advice on how to make things better. I am therefore very glad that put out these two picking courses to help me improve my picking.
“Very useful”
I found this course very useful and helpful in my own playing and have incorporated much of Paul’s suggestions into my daily practice. Developing and maintaining good picking technique is an ongoing process and requires a regular return to basics. Thanks a Paul!
“Many ways to attack the problem”
I like this video because there isn't just one quick, easy solution presented here that is the one answer for everyone. Far from it. First of all, this will take time (of course I always thought everyone except me was born with the ability to play fast!) and working on this daily is key. It could be your picking hand and/or your fretting hand. It could be how well you move around the fretboard. All possibilities are addressed here. I like the idea of incorporating jazz language into your playing as well (take an idea or 3 that you like and work on incorporating those ideas wherever you can). All in all a lot of important information and advice packed into a fairly short video.
“So much good stuff here”
There’s a lifetime’s worth of great advice here on improving your jazz playing! Not just improving your speed, but improving your phrasing, your technique and the effectiveness of your practicing. Thank you Paul!
“Exceptional!!!”
An exceptional more than useful course. Thank you very much Jamie.
by Jake Reichbart
“Excellent information”
This is a really interesting class showing possibilities with diminished chords. Jake gives a well presented and organized class. It gives me some very interesting and modern sounding chords and a system I can use to come up with my own application of his concept. I'll be working on this concept for daily. Just what I was looking for to expand my harmonic sound.
“Diminished Harmony Secrets”
Beautiful sounds! A side benefit is the voice leading...very cool :) The video got cut off at the end...whats up with that?
by Randy Johnston
“Another spectacular lesson!”
I’ve been a fan of Randy Johnston for decades. How can you go wrong by listening to this master guitarist explain his thought process for developing lines? You can’t! His discography speaks for itself! The video is right to the point, and covers all the elements of putting a solo together! I love this platform! Adrian L
“learn to solo on Solar!”
if you want to learn how to solo over the changes of Solar, this new masterclass by Randy Johnston gives you a good approach to do exactly that.
“Amazing Course!”
This course is so deep and interesting! One should definitely have at least some understanding of modal harmony and know Stella already to get the most out of Genil's lesson. He's an amazing player. Like Genil, I was also impacted deeply by Joe Diorio and Lenny Breau when I attended GIT in 1980. I was always drawn to Joe's comping work and solo guitar playing. Lots of work ahead but your knowledge and discovery will be expanded by the things Genil discusses. Highly recommeded!
“Incredible arrangement”
I have several videos about Stella by starlight Genil's options to harmonize the melody are brilliant I like that he shows so many different options in detail including his own arrangement You will definitely learn a lot of cool voicings and ideas from this lessons For advanced and flexible players
“Diatonic Triads Complete, Parts I-V”
Congratulations Tom on the excellent Diatonic Triads Complete series of courses. Along with listening and rhythm, triads, arpeggios and harmonized scales form the basis of my understanding of music. From the previews to this five part course I could tell, now was the time to acquire the package and Tom would expand my knowledge. As with all his courses, Tom's sound quality and presentation have resulted in a learning experience that will require years of practice, yet after just the first day on Part I, I am already challenged into new ways of thinking about the basic concepts that I can immediately apply to my playing. Thank you Tom, looking forward to the work.
“Diatonic Triads pt.1”
Another great class from Tom. Knowing how methodical and thorough Tom's teaching style is, I clearly found this was more than just a review of triads; it is the necessary base for the Good Stuff to come. That being said, this class has a lot of great material in and of itself. 5 stars is the minimum for this whole series.
!["West Coast Blues" [Guitar Masterclass]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fqhlkq2o3dsooucxb.public.blob.vercel-storage.com%2Fcourse%2F1758143185166-c6g8zp-west-coast-blues-randy-johnston-jpg.webp&w=256&q=75){kind=small}
“Excellent course”
Thanks Randy for your valuable insights on this difficult jazz blues waltz from the master Wes Montgomery! I learned some new approaches and found the material instructive.
“Great course”
Just what I needed as I'm playing this with my band. Many thanks for your insights Randy!
“Jazz Phrasing part 2”
This introduction to triplet rhythms and other asymmetrical patterns shows the student a way to build lines that float over the chord changes. The course uses There Will Never Be Another You as a vehicle to demonstrate these concepts. Steve's examples flow over the chord changes and I found myself presented with a whole new way to think about soloing. The examples are tabbed out and broken down into 4 and 8 bar sections to facilitate learning. Steve puts all the sections together at the end and the result is a beautiful etude that shows the concepts perfectly. I'm already experimenting with these concepts on other songs and beginning to see the unlimited possibilities of playing more freely using these rhythmic concepts. Thanks Steve for an insight into this very cool way of phrasing.
“Wow really good material here!!”
Wow really good material here. I can feel my rhythmic sense changing as I was going through the materials the first time! Really fun stuff to practice :) Also at the end Steve gives us some blues applications and I think the feel of things to come in the 3rd class with 16th notes. Very fun stuff thank you Steve for taking the time to put this material together :))
“This is how it's done , with fun, with 10ths!!!!!! GVE approved ”
It is very difficult to define musical instruction in words. We've all heard the axiom that talking about music is like dancing about architecture (or perhaps marine biology). Whatever words I choose to say about this Masterful Steve Herberman Master class, they will never have the richness of the emotion or energy that the materials inside this course contain and may very well help you to convey with your own guitars and fingers. In other words, it is my $0.02 that every note found in this Master class holds the intensity of actual feelings. I almost wish I was the only person in the world who had this Master Class. But alas, I am not. And if you become a person who also checks out this masterclass you will hopefully understand what I am trying to say. Also, if you ever opened up any section of George Van Eps' 3 volume treatise Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar and perused the sections on 10ths, you'll learn that Steve has clearly learned from Mr. Van Eps, and yet has grown, cultured and nurtured his own voice in 10th land while remaining respectful to GVE. I am only speculating when I say that you may also be able to develop your own voice in 10th land should you take the plunge and get this Masterclass.
“Fun With 10ths ”
As always, Steve shows a bunch of cool stuff to practice, providing a different perspective of the instrument and our approach to it. And he's so right: IT'S FUN!!!
“Great course, looking forward to a follow up course”
This was a great course and having Tom answer my questions so quickly was the icing on the cake. With that said, I would love to see a video of Tom doing some "real world" playing and then breaking down what he is doing. Perhaps a video just playing 4-5 bebop heads with solos? If the music/fingerings were included it would be a "must buy" course. This course really got me off the ground using my fingers.
“Lenny Breau: Comping/Solo (Steve Herberman)”
I just worked through this lesson a couple of times. It's terrific. I hear Lenny Breau and think how could anyone do that?! Then you get this lesson from Steve Herberman who is rare in that he can communicate difficult ideas and concepts in clear ways. This does not mean he makes things easy, as this lesson has challenges he notes. Steve is just great at helping to break things up into manageable portions, and then demonstrate possibilities for approachingthe challenging aspects. Once through this, even in a rough way a couple of times, I can hear the beauty in my playing that I associate with Lenny's. That's rewarding in itself, but knowing I can go back and have Steve walk me through wherever I want is what makes this a great lesson—that, and Steve's approach to teaching which I see as guiding the player to find his/her voice, and offering encouragement in the process.
“The finer Points”
In this class, Tom explores the finer points of playing a head. It helped to firmly crystallise the concept in my mind of what I have suspected Master improvisers were doing. Further, Tom shows how to use motifs drawn from the melody to improvise a solo. This adds relevance to the song. These are the finer details that take your playing from good to great. Thanks again Tom for another great lesson.
“Well done”
I was okay with the first 3/4 of the course - it was good, but it's the last 1/4 that involves what I've been working on, and it was very good. I could see more courses on just this portion about improvising based on the given melody. I would have liked more info on the transposition part, but otherwise great ideas. Well explained.
“Great place to start ”
I have downloaded a lot of Tom's lessons and I find myself going back to them frequently because there is so much useful information packed into each of them. This is a great place to start learning some rhythmic comping ideas. I am really looking forward to part 2 where he will discuss different chord voicings. If you are new to Tom's videos I would suggest that this is a good one to start with, then be sure to check out his Blues A Modern Jazz Guitar series. I recently reviewed part 1 of that series and it really helped me create some more interesting lines in my soloing.
“Comping the Blues part 1”
Really helpful and informative for the first time I'm feeling the rhythm correctly . The taping exercises really help cement the feel . He clearly explains everything ! This was a good lesson for me ...would recommend to any jazz beginner
“Going Outside with the Melodic Minor #5”
Very interesting and useful way of thinking about playing outside. Moving between two key centers plus the diminished quality of the lines gives lots of options. Now to get it under my fingers!
“going outside with melodic minor”
Fantastic 2-clas series!!!! ideas I never had been exposed to. Highly recommended.
“AUDIO PROBLEM SOLVED”
What I do is download the lesson and play it inside VLC Player, which has a compressor in it, which brings John's spoken word and music closer together.
“Very good lesson ”
I’m impressed by this lesson. I’m also a jazz guitar teacher and I’m learning a lot from Profesor Roni Ben-Hur. He understands what students need to learn a topic. Thank you.
“Amazing Lessons”
Sid Jacobs is a Treasury of Fretboard Insight and Nuance.. made my whole new year with inspiration and new found possibilities, Thank You
“Really Eye Opening”
I always enjoy Tom's lessons. They are packed full of information (that you will be able to go back to again and again) but still everything is very well explained. I've already utilized several of the ideas he presents here in live situations and it has definitely made my comping much more interesting. I highly recommend this course.
“Great Instructor”
Explains things clearly, very helpful, entertaining and make theory understandable. Good sense of humor, nice guy.
“Absolute Joy and Treasure of a Workshop From Master Sid Jacobs ”
Another Awesome Lesson With The Master Sid Jacobs , Thanks Again!
“Tremendous Course on Tremendous Tune!!!!”
I first heard this tune about 1970. About 20 years later, my teacher helped me develop a chord melody (in E rather than Eb). It was close but she gets it more precisely. I never could figure how to solo after the first chorus. Now I have a number of options. Perhaps THE most important thing for Me is to listen to the chord and play the different scales and arps absorbing the emotional aspects and sounds. And keep doing it to get to the next level. For Me, this course was both Practical, as well as DEEP!!! Thanks Sheryl!!! Hope you'll be coming to Cleveland when some normalacy and safety returns.
“I hope this class doesn’t get lost in the shuffle because of the absolute importance of The subject matter ”
Hey Steve, There’s so much to say about the expressive qualities you bring up here— The heart of phrasing is expression and ornamentation. . I think many guitarists don’t really focus as much as they need to on it. For those of us who aspire to play (lap) piano style guitar, what you talk about here is everything the guitar can provide as a string instrument that the piano cannot. The obvious corollaries are to European classical music and Indian classical music.. Ironically, everything that you speak of here, especially with regard to the glissando and slides, Jack C was the absolute master of, I referred to him often as the Johnny Hodges of the guitar. Interestingly, he would grease his fingers on the left hand, which Indian classical musicians do, especially on guitar and mandolin (Eg, the late great maestro U. Srinivas). The Use of bends versus slides and glissando is actually a very critical one. There is a truly great local musician who is probably the best all-around guitar player I can think of (Who is, incidentally, a dead ringer for my brother, except my brother was like a foot taller :-) ) who I heard playing Indian classical music using a lot of Bends. I think that comes across as more B.B. King than Indian classical music.. I don’t know if this is the right word, lyricism is a product expression and ornamentation. We can learn a lot from Indian classical musicians in this regard. I’m going to go meet with a South Indian friend of mine who is studying Carnatic guitar — His mother was a Carnatic classical singer. We’re going to do a trade off: I’m going to teach him about harmony and chords in the fingerboard then he’s going to teach me about ornamentation, which is principally slides, slurs and so forth. I think you got the critical components exactly right. This is an important subject matter, and a lot of jazz players tend to neglect it. Ultimately, lyricism is a function of expression and ornamentation. Looking forward to part 2!
“Secrets of tasteful melody playing”
As in all his classes, Steve does a masterful job of demonstrating the secrets of playing beautifully, in this case with single-note song melodies. He goes into the various subtleties of tone, articulation, phrasing, and register. There are no transcribed examples, but I didn't find it necessary because it's really about the creative art of taking a melody and making it sing, not about memorizing a particular example. His playing is very clear and easy to follow, as always, and he talks through what he's doing as he's doing it. He includes a very handy list of concepts to consider and he explains all of them in the video. If you envy the way a horn player or a singer can make a melody sound beautiful and want to be able to do that on the guitar, this class is for you. I'm looking forward to part 2!
“Putting what you learn to good use”
I enjoyed this class very much. It addresses an important issue: what do you do with all the chords you've learned? Are you really using all the voicings, or are you just sticking to certain ones all the time (guilty). Are you aware of all the possible substitutions that you can use (really important, since rootless voicings keep the bass player happy). Do you play drop 3 chords starting from the 5th string? (some, not enough). Finally, do you ever use drop 2&4 or something besides drop 2 or drop 3? I will definitely use these ideas when learning tunes (and maybe even try something like comping the whole tune within the first 4 frets, then frets 5-8, etc. forcing me to not always go to the "typical" chords I use). Highly recommended.
“Putting chords to work”
Hello Tom, I really love the way you laid all this out. An immense amount of work I'm sure. What I really love is the concept of working on chord inversions while all the while being inside a really good song. The old idea of two birds with one stone. Also the included charts of associated chords for color are invaluable. Thank you very much for this course. Robert Gannon
“Comping Concepts Part Two: Ballads and Jazz Waltz | by Steve Herberman”
Excellent as always. Steve's a wealth of knowledge.
“Another excellent class from Tom”
Toms lessons are always well presented with detailed notes and a treasure trove of great ideas.
“These Intervallic exercises sound like beautiful music to me rather than rote scalar monotony, what Joy !”
Fun and Musical lesson , new sounds and inspiring concepts , once i get these shapes committed to experience seems like you could have fun for hours trying out different permutations on a whim and see what you come up with, the musical possibilities are endless....
“Triad Pairs”
Wow. Thanks Sid! I'll need to work with this concept a long while. I think it will be worth it though.
“Randys Looper & Comping Course”
Another Hit For Randy !! Incredibly Well Explained and packed with GREAT Info on Comping. and using a looper pedal...........After some nice comping examples, Randy Plays a Lot Of Choruses of single line soloing over his comping loop, which is an F Blues. Very Tasteful Licks , well worth learning. QUESTIONS: Randy, how specifically do you use the looper on a solo guitar gig? My guess would be that you play the melody first and accompany yourself without the looper. Then You turn on the looper & play chords only for one full chorus. Then You solo over the loop that you just made............ Then maybe you go back and play the melody with the looper.......... Then turn off the looper and do a tag ending or any ending that you choose........ Look forward to hearing how do do do you do actually do it! Thanks, Bob B.
“Another great video”
Another great course by Randy. Randy is a real pro and I find that anything he teaches is worth listening to and practicing. He is a great teacher, concise and to the point and breaks things down into small logical bits of information.
“It doesn't get any better!!”
Phenomenal lesson....... Randy Plays A few different chord melodies. He also plays several different Full Chorus Single line solos! He goes over Key centered Approaches For the newer player And also Other scale choices For the More Advanced players.........There is also a fantastic segment on How-to solo over a minor 251 By simplifying everything Using minorization and tetra chord Concepts. There is much much more also! Like all of Randy's lessons, They are like multiple lessons In one. He also discusses The necessary theory And harmony For a difficult tune (Stella) In my view All of Randy's lessons are by far The best bang for the buck on the entire Internet. He gives Great stuff To get into are playing and Take it and use it At the next gig For jam session Or whatever......... I look forward To many more Lessons On Jazz standards Like This one! Ray King
“truly transformative”
This is one of Juampy's best courses. Intermediate and advanced players will find a wealth of concepts and ideas to practice.
“Chromatic Concept”
Juampy was right; this IS his best class yet, and one of the best anywhere.
“Psychology, Philosophy & Methodology For The Jazz Guitarist - 1”
Excellent thoughts and ideas on getting better at music and life.
“stuck playing standard chord melody style? get this!”
This is a great masterclass for anyone who feels like they’re stuck in a standard chord melody solo jazz guitar approach or if you feel like you’ve been arranging every solo jazz guitar piece the same way again & again.
“Environments for Jazz Guitar”
What a great class!! Not nuts and bolts, no "play this over that", but its every bit as important, every bit as useful, every bit as creative as anything you will need to express yourself. Highly recommended.
“Excellent Videos”
Frank's videos are so excellent. thx.
“Terrific - LOTS of information that will keep you busy for years”
There is a lot of great material in this lesson, and you will be able to use it not only over a Bird Blues but anywhere in your repertoire. Steve is very melodic soloist and the guide tone line ideas he presents here will really help you develop a flow to your melodic improvisation. Very highly recommended class.
“A master at practice”
For me this lesson is a perfect example of the way a master builds his craftsmanship. I think guide tones should came before scales not after, as the usual educations advices.
“Master Working Guitarist Jack Wilkins explains his learning process using the standards!”
Jack Wilkins is one of the most admired guitarists in NYC. He's "the guitarist all the other guitarists go to see". He's played with Buddy Rich, Chet Baker, Bill Evans and many others. In this video he gives a very generous breakdown of how he approaches practicing, how to develop fingerboard knowledge, and how to learn and develop an approach to playing common standards...and he performs many examples. To have an top working musician provide the "real work" regarding jazz guitar should be of high interest to anyone who is serious. True, the video technology is a bit dated, but the tips he shares more than makes up for that.
“Simply some of the best materials available on the whole Internet”
I bought my first class on this site (and it was from Steve Herberman!) in 2009. I have to say in the intervening 11 years one class after another, these materials have turned my playing around, as well as my way of approaching the guitar. What I say about Steve's latest offering can easily apply to any of his classes: generous amounts of materials, accompanied by clear explanations that are never overly theoretical, and sound like music - never like exercises. The contrapuntal approach on the guitar is difficult and for this reason tends to be rare both in performance and in educational materials, but this site - and Steve Herberman in particular - offer a clear way into this world, tackled in a very methodical way and approached with the immediate goal of making music and improvising with the outlook of an arranger. For anyone interested in this style of playing/ composing/ arranging there is an old class of Steve's called 'Contrapuntal improvisation' that really started it all for me and, despite a video quality that 11 years old, is worth the price of admission alone for the opening rendition of Alone Together. In fact, that reminds me, I need to roll up my sleeves and transcribe it!
“⌁⌁Not A Review⌁⌁About To Watch/Read/Practice/Play the Course———Just Stoked Because I've Spent Many Joyful Hours Listening/Transcribing/Finding Purpose In The Music of Ravel, Debussy, & He's not on this course but Gustav Mahler Too!”
Yes, I'm giving 100% before completing because I'm completely stoked that Mike Godette put this together. It's simply all joy for me today! Thanks & Cheers! ♫♫♪ ♪
“harmony of ravel and debussy”
Excellent class; some new chord voicings and new context for their use. Well explained, well researched.
“ Steve hits it out of the park here ”
I remember taking his first baroque class — like with everything that he does it’s completely comprehensive with tons of material. My rule of thumb with regard to these master classes, as Vic Juris said many years ago, was that if you can get one or two really important fundamental things that you can genuinely incorporate into your playing, it would’ve been well worth it. I absolutely got something very important from that first class, which I still use to this day when I improvise: how to use tritones and displaced tritones to get you to play tenths and thirteenths. The secondary effects of that class was that kind of information really helps with fingerboard knowledge as well. This class In a way builds on this fundamental information from the first class. I took copious notes of all the exercises and condensed them to eight pages of really essential stuff that I know if I worked tirelessly on, will immensely improve my playing. Steve is right when he declared in this class that mastery of fundamental counterpoint and cadential mechanisms, maybe used in the way that George v EPS used it, Will enable one to improvise more readily. And that’s exactly what this class is, even building on some of the fundamental principles of the first class. When I analyze the material, it really came down to really knowing your 10ths, 13ths, and spread triads and being able to work with these. Now that I have eight notes of really important stuff synthesized, the next step is to hit the woodshed and as my original teacher said, “ work the shit out of it!“
“Going For Baroque III”
Another great class by Steve that I will be able to incorporate into my playing thanks to his clear explanations!!
“Lenny Breau Pt 2 ”
Just as an aside, staring at one of Steve’s big 5 note voicings (example one again, the C7 ALT), the last three notes form a quatral voicing (note, P4, P4) but also represent the #9, #5 AND b9. So therefore, any three note quatral voicing represents the juicy ALT sounds of a dominant. Those are the kind of mental connections I try to make when working with this stuff. Nor just practicing by rote, but seeing what else I can find. The guitarist Sid Jacobs one said you can go on any page of Bach’s partitas for solo violin or Charlie Parkers omnibook and take a few measures and spend an entire lifetime learning and working with them. So many diamonds are there to be found on every page . I would never compare anybody to Bach or Bird, But Steve’s material as the same sort of quality: you can take a few measurements and you think about it and it can give you a whole bunch of material for entire lifetime . That’s the hallmark of a really good teacher and good instruction .
“Lenny Breau pt. 2”
Fantastic class, covering material I have never seen anywhere else either on the Web or in in-person lessons. Steve is a master of so many styles, but his knowledge of the history of jazz really comes through in this one.
“A unique approach to walking bass on guitar”
The way walking bass is taught and played by guitarists is usually limited to having chord stabs played only on the first beat of each bar, along with the root of each chord. Steve teaches us how we can break away from this pattern by exploring how chords can be placed on different beats, as well as how to harmonize every note in the bass line. Since chords are being added to notes other than the root, this approach brings about the use of inversions and substitutions -- which adds harmonic and rhythmic depth to the lines. Studying this material should benefit both the comping and solo guitar aspects of your playing. Highly recommended.
“Wow. I am floored”
If anything, you must take this course for the 12 key grip exercise. I've been playing guitar for 15 years and this is exactly what I needed to know. Unfortunately, I've had so many scatterbrained guitar teachers. Sheryl is so eloquent and logical with her teaching. Thank you!
“Great Boot Camp Course!”
This is a great course on organizing the major scale and approaching it in position for all 12 keys. Sheryl explains her approach which utilizes the Berklee scale forms in a very clear manner. Her explanation of how to extend the parental forms to modes is spot on.
“Class match”
This class matches with the Steve Herberman "Fun with 10th's" because if you take away the 7th of the chord you end up with a 10th interval, so I think they complement each other. Both are wonderful classes
“Triads and Seventh Chords of the Melodic Minor Scale”
Excellent exploration of how the chords of the melodic minor scale can have practical use and pleasing sounds.
“unlocking slonimsky , no longer a chimpsky”
In High School I saved up and I bought Slonimsky's hard back thesaurus around 30 years ago inspired by an article/interview by Frank Zappa, I received it and didn't know where to start , thanks for scratching the surface with this magic scale lesson and all , it is inspiring , and the wood winds example was breathtaking , one candle lights up a room that has been dark for thirty years, may we all shine bright thanks for lighting that candle for us Sid Jacobs!
“Unmissable and essential. Clear and applicable.”
This nails it. If you have spent a lot of time on ear training and feel that what happens on the bandstand is a different process then you need to watch this. It bridges the gap by adopting a different method of perception. I can vouch for the effectiveness of the method in picking out melodies but Jamie takes it to a whole different level of sophisticated harmonic hearing. At last I have a reasonable hope of mastering more complex harmonies.
“Connections”
Another good one from Mr. Taylor. I can feel the connections hooking up in my brain. It's fun and by golly it works! -Steve
“He did it again!”
Not every musician is a good teacher, but Jamie definitely is both. If you are (like myself) well informed, have practised hours, days and years, but your playing is still somehow just about average than I strongly recommend Jamies videos (all of them). He seems to know my questions, shows me exactly what to do or redo or makes me look at well known material from a new and more acessible point of view. I just love it.
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“Exploring Original Creations.....WOW!!”
I have followed John Stowell for quite a few years, been lucky enough to hear him live and play with him, and he is one of the most creative, original, supportive, and enthusiastic musicians anywhere. This class shows what a masterful creator and teacher he is. Beautifully organized, clearly taught, and thoroughly original approaches to the music of today and tomorrow. Highly, highly recommended. (say Hey to Lou for me)
“A non-diatonic composition course - finally!”
I've been waiting for a course exactly like this - thanks John. The main thing I like about the course is there are lots of short examples of different compositional offerings. John's offerings are cliche-free and he offers loads of approaches that are helping me with my own efforts. Very highly recommended.
“aha moments galore with ”
Love Sid's teaching style and his choice of material and effortless mastery , wonderful helpful lesson
“Mechanisms as a Modular System, not a Dr. Seuss Book, indeed :)”
Steve, I really like where you’re going with this “Mechanisms” thing, because the creativity really comes from not just parroting it, but the ability to personalize it, individually. Modularity has become the basic principle of computer coding, especially Object-Oriented Programming. Creating re-usable, small bits, or “Objects”, that can be re-used and re-applied in multiple formats, contexts, situations. It has the same applicability with music. Mingus famously said that music is the progressive mastery of simple things that build on each other. For example, I played around with the representation of the C-7 chord in measure 1 of exercise 5. Now, instead of playing the C-7, I have additional ways of representing this information, in a linear way. This also connects very much with what Barry Harris says, over and over again, “Music is Movement”. Thanks again and cheers, Nav
“Contrary Motion Counterpoint part 1”
Antoher clear, full of nice ideas to work on, and absolutely inspiring lesson!! Thanks a lot Steve!
by John Stowell
“Finally I get...”
...the melodic minor! Really enjoyed the video which repays repeated viewings. I can now visualise and hear how different melodic minor shapes lock onto the dominant chord and can be mixed with dominant and major arpeggios to bring out varying amounts of tension. The articles are useful too, although the lesson would be enhanced by a 1 page worksheet referring to the material covered in the video. Still excellent value overall though.
“Very useful”
I find Tom’s classes are always full value for the money with excellent written materials and clear demonstrations and explanations on the video. This course is no exception and I now try to prepare a walking bass and chords arrangement to every song I learn.
“Thinking like a bass player. ”
Still working through the course but have thoroughly enjoyed it thus far. A great resource for solo jazz guitar. Gives a guitarist like me a much-needed understanding of a bass player's perspective. A course on jazz counterpoint from Tom would be fantastic.
“BILL EVANS IS HERE”
Great class, reasoning and applying Evans harmony on the six strings. Hope there will be some more of the kind ... (Monk, Debussy, Nichols, Ravel .. who knows?) Thank you Tom Marco
“Spring is Here”
This class is beyond fantastic. I have never gone wrong with any of Tom's lessons, but this one is so clear, so accessible, and so unique, that I am utterly floored. Great.
“Developing a Personal Approach to Chords | by Dan Arcamone”
Even though I was only able to spend a very limited time learning personally from Dan Arcamone before COVID hit, I still consider him my teacher and myself a student of his. I know I am therefore sounding biased when I talk about his playing, but don't take anyone's word for it, just listen to his CDs (he has many of them) of his original music. And I know this will sound like blasphemy to some but I'll take his original compositions over Metheny, Scofield or Martino any day. He sounds like no other and in my humble opinion is probably top 5 in jazz fusion, (or whatever you want to call it) on the planet. This particular lesson is only the tip of the iceberg of what he knows and is capable of playing. I hope you guys at Mike's Masterclasses can get him to do many more lessons. I've seen him rip up and down the fretboard from about a yard away and went home just shaking my head in disbelief.
“personal Approach to Chords”
What a fine class! I have both of his published books, and the info her is completely different than the books; that is, he is a limitless source of good musical ideas. The class is short, but full of good ideas.
“Excellent course”
Thank you, Howard, for putting this information in such a clear, concise, and useful manner. You are an incredible teacher and an amazing guitarist and also possess the gift of making concepts easily understandable. I was able to take this lesson and put these concepts to work in many of the standards that I have played for years. it added a dimension that I had not previously known to my lines.
“May The Fourths Be With You ...and Fifths too!”
Another Great Sid Jacobs Lesson.... Mr. Jacobs delivers the guitar goods and puts the power of making music in our hands , what a Blessing!
“THANK YOU,MY MASTER JEDI...”
Pure Inspiration...,Sid opens the Door...Amazing....A ''Must have''...for every serious musician...Thank you from the bottom of my Heart...
“Jimmy Wyble #2”
If there's anything better than learning a lot of in-depth material on something that I thought I was already very familiar with, I don't know what it is...... OK, maybe winning the lottery, but other than that, Sid's classes are tops.
“Another Stellar Lesson from Jazz Guitar Guru Sid Jacobs”
Love these Etudes I would like to learn all of them , Thanks for the Insights
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“Perfecto!”
Love Love Love It , Perfect Lessons,Exactly what I needed , something really clicked with this one , Much Gratitude to Maestro Sid Jacobs !
“Insightful is an understatement!!!!”
If you are having trouble organizing your sound options when soloing over the standards, and have "had it" with learning a hundred scalar variations, this course will solve your problems. Sr. Castro is frankly one of the best teachers I have seen and his work in his series on the "lifeboat arpeggio" will give you a new way of thinking, a new system of organizing, and a revolutionary new insight into the fretboard that will make approaching even the most difficult standard understandable. Moreover, his insight enables you to do this "on the fly," while you are performing a tune. I wish that I had the opportunity to study with this amazing player and teacher when I was a young man, but at least I have found his insights so helpful even after over 40 years of playing jazz. Thank you, Sr., Castro, for your insight and flawless teaching style!
“Life VEST ARPEGGIO”
incredible useful material. thank you very much for your lessons
“Mike Godette's courses”
Mike's courses contain excellent content that is delivered in a very clear and concise manner. This isn't "run of the mill" information and will open doors to new and beautiful sounds. Highly recommended!
“Unorthodox 7th chords”
This is a great pair of classes!!!! Such unique material; it all seems kind of obvious when you hear and play them...."why didn't I think of these??", but they are all fresh ideas, well presented.
by Paul Bollenback
“Comprehensive and effective ”
Some months after finishing studying on this course and the benefits are really starting to emerge. Invest in this and you won’t regret it. Also the group is a fun hang.
“A must have”
Important topic, great instructor, a must have. Many thanks to Paul for providing this class!
“Very Practical!”
This course is a great way to spend an hour with Randy, virtually! It's pretty much what the description says with Randy going through 8 different Jazz Blues changes from bebop to Coltrane along with tritone subs and a lot of the classic jazz sounds we've heard on records. The changes are notated but the solos and lines are not transcribed so that's up to us to transcribe if we hear something cool. Randy delivers the course in a friendly manner with clear theory explanations when needed too. If you feel like you've been repeating the same subs during your jazz blues solos, check out this video for some ideas to spice things up. To learn, you can just play along with Randy (many times on the same changes if you'd like) to internalise the sounds and time feel too. I've gone through it once so far and can see myself repeating it to get more out of it. Thanks Randy!
“Great overview”
Nice overview of the various blues changes and some ideas on how to solo over them. Very informative!
“Excellent and very enjoyable class”
This is an excellent and very enjoyable class. Prior to this presentation I had a vague awareness of the name Jimmy Wyble but hadn't studied his etudes and didn't know the details of his ideas. With this lesson, I feel like Sid Jacobs has given me a solid start. The technical and music content is top-notch, the video and audio are clear and Sid's command of the material and relaxed presentation connects very well.
“Beautiful Lesson From Jazz Guitar Master Sid Jacobs”
I recently bought Jimmy Wyble's Etudes because of Sid mentioning them and its perfect timing and super helpful insight into these studies .
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“Randy Johnson Q&A”
Outstanding. Randy held nothing back, there were no trade secrets he did not divulge. The questions were good, and so were the answers. I have watched so many online guitar lessons now that it's scary. This was up at the top of the heap. I love the fact that he really did not know what CAGED is, because I've had some rather acrimonious arguments online about CAGED. I don't really use CAGED, but CAGED is analytic or tautological, it's purely descriptive and must be true or correct, there cannot be anything wrong with it, so if a player visualizes well using CAGED, great. Obviously, one does not have to use it to become a great player. If you don't like to use a mechanical stringwinder, don't use it, it's optional.
“Great Class Randy !”
Randy Johnston's class was informative , and done clearly and with a friendly and patient vibe. Totally worth it.
“Quick wins”
This is the a very nice lesson in harmony and chord melody. Deceptively simple it is unlocking a lot of doors. Recommended.
“Good way to learn to solo on a jazz blues”
Shows Randy’s clear approach to teaching how to solo on a jazz blues in a simple and direct way.
“Outstanding way to break into Giant Steps”
Thanks again, Jamie! You present great information in your lessons here on Mike's Master Classes, and every bit of that information is immediately translatable into playing. Your approach to Giant Steps offers new insight and helps students understand how to see the song in triads that capture the fast-paced changes of the tune. Then, students learn how to use melodic devices to make lines that are more expressive without losing the underlying chord tones. With those foundations, the door is now open to creating great improves to this challenging Coltrane composition. Another fine lesson from a great instructor!
“C minor blues - solo and techniques”
Excellent lesson! Clearly presented and explained. Warren
“Somewhat helpful”
There was some helpful info on improving right hand dexterity. NO pdf of Etude. No discussion of using pinky. He seemed to have a fancy metronome, that I'm unaware of, that you can set for triplets, etc. I will work on exercises, as well as finding the piece he used to show case these exercises. Addendum - Victor Responded VERY Quickly! He sent me pdfs of Etude. He also provided additional info - pinky not used much in classical music and his metronome is called "pro metronome." THANKS VERY MUCH Victor!!!
“Mapping a Tune with Bebop Scales (Chroma Zone 02) | by Genil Castro”
Excellent. Gives great insight into how the melody of a tune can be conveyed by the appropriate chord scale while being faithful to the melody.
by Paul Bollenback
“Excellent ”
Great! Thank you very much!
“High quality chord melody !”
Once again Randy delivers a great lesson in a very warm and significant way. The first part is dedicated to a very melodic chord melody & variations. In the second part of the lesson Randy demonstrates sequential melodic improvisation ideas that are clear enough to motivate the student to develop his/her own melodies. I look forward to studying other essential jazz standards such as All The Things You Are, Just Friends, How High The Moon, Pent Up House and so many more with Randy.
“John Stowell - Modulation”
I have never gone wrong with any of John's instructional material and this is no exception. Brief but very informative class, and having been lucky enough to see him live countless times, I have seen him do modulations effortlessly. However, his explanations here make his magic quite accessible to us mere mortals.
“stella #3”
Outstanding class; lots of new material and ideas.
“ Jazzy arpeggios”
It's so useful, what a didactic lesson. Thank you Mr Castro. Vc esta de parabéns !
“Another great mechanism for guitar”
This class revealed another part of the guitar playing puzzle. Howard was clear and concise and presented the material in nice bite size chunks. I find Howards videos to be great resources to improve my playing.
“Az is great!”
I’m really enjoying this course. I’m feeling more confident in my jazz blues lines and overall approach to incorporating motives into my playing. Az’s sophisticated and clear teaching style is great. Mike’s has some of the best courses out there and this is no exception!
“Another Home Run”
Anything Randy Johnston teaches is always good. This one breaks down some specific elements of double time playing that I find very useful. I like the way Randy teaches...organized, logical, and clearly explained and demonstrated. Can't wait for his next video!
“Developing Jazz ears”
What a wonderful class!, a must for understanding tonality and chord functions' relationships, diatonic harmony in general, chord colors ect. To me this is a must, and is based in an invaluable personal expirence
“Love Randy's Teaching Style”
I love this lesson, as I do ALL of his (I own them ALL!) Randy has a way of teaching that is so easy going and accessible and "real world". His approach to improvisation and teaching it makes me feel and sound like I'm learning jazz right away without overly focusing on "scale scale mode mode" talk. Every time I learn a tune from him I feel I am armed with the approach of a seasoned pro.
by Genil Castro
“Chroma Zone”
the best course if you want to improvise fluently. great instructor! all examples are real, ready to be Incorporated in your playing
“Wonderful Stuff”
two fantastic players
“Great Course! Highly recommended!”
This class was so easily assimilated and Paul explains the material clearly. I was familiar with all the chord shapes but Paul goes over the applications, substitutions and I was able to use them immediately in my playing. I would say this class is pretty much essential. I also would highly recommend Paul's recordings as I downloaded many of them on iTunes after watching this class and I am now a big fan of his playing! 5 stars! Can't wait to get the others as well!
“Bravo!”
Amazing Lesson once again, Kudos to Sid Jacobs Jazz Guitar Master
“Great Course!”
Very practical, well-designed, full of information and reference to good materials! Thank you Jamie!!
“Shadow Of Your Smile Part 1”
Excellent. I love the informal feel and discussion of various choices that can be made along the way - from simple to complex.
“Excellent ”
Thank you Randy! Can’t wait for the follow ups.
“Wow!”
What a Master! thanks for letting us in on the goods.... life changing Guitar courses with Sid Jacobs, Bravo! Gonna get all of his Classes
by Steve Herberman
“comping and self-comping”
A totally awesome class!!! The discussions were very helpful and the chance to comp for John and Steve, and solo while they comped for me was priceless.
“Excellent arranging class”
Jake Thx so much for this detailed description of how you go about playing tunes solo. This in conjunction with your 2 hr arranging course pretty much gives one all the tools needed to start playing solo guitar. I know it will take time to put in place all of the different techniques but at least I know where I am going in this style. Again thx (no PDF needed) because it is so well laid out :)
“Thank you Tom”
Thank you Tom, and the entire site team for so much precious content. Isaac Negrene
by Steve Herberman
“Jazz Phrasing ”
Very useful, practical and musical examples!! Well done; one of the best from Steve in my opinion.
“Personal approach to Chords ii-v-i”
What a GREAT course!!! Short, concise, clear, and original. The material is like a book I bought long ago by the sadly departed Vic Juris, "Modern Chords", which I was maybe not ready for or did not absorb well. This class makes that concept crystal clear. I highly recommend this one. I am eager to get into these ideas right now.
“interior designs”
great class.
“Mobile Rhythm ”
I found this video to be very informative. He breaks down a couple of different approaches. He answered many questions I had about playing rhythm guitar.
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“Great Course—Continualy working through because it pays back in dividends across multiple aspects of musicality. ”
As with most chord melody arr I end up modifying 5% - 25%, which is to say my preferences in harmoniization, harmonic rhythm, fingering & voicings tend to stubbornly dictate the direction. However, JAKE REICHBART's Stevie Wonder arrangements are so damn fun to play; haven't modified much besides micro interpretive stuff which is prob 3%. When I started the course I posted a request for pdf materials but in retrospect, it made me put in a little extra work internalizing & writing my own "notes" haha.. handwritten, muse app, pdf, & embedding into Obsidian.md & UpNote. So yeah! Great course on many levels! That is all. Cheers!
“Saw this, made the purchase, good call”
I got an email regarding this course and knowing Tim's name from a FB group, I checked it out and invested the money. I sat and watched the entire video, and downloaded the spreadsheet and pdf. Great tips and thoughts throughout the entire video. Now for the real work to begin, and that is working the material. I look forward to the results I know I'll get after putting in the 15 - 30 minutes per day on this material for the next 4 weeks. Although I just watched the video, and have yet to work on the material for the suggested time, I can see that the ideas presented here are solid and will pay off. I recommend this course to everyone.
“out of nowhere”
Two of the nicest, most generous, most talented musicians I have ever met and been lucky enough to play with, and lucky enough to get all this great information and insights.
“Bravo Phil”
Systematic and thorough, but done with an easy-going approach that draws you in. Plenty of great demonstrations too.
“Clear, concise and applicable. ”
A relief to have an explanation of Brazilian rhythm playing that I can understand and apply. Thanks Ben
“comping with harmonics”
Great class, well presented, very complete. This class takes the use of harmonics out of the "novelty" or embellishment sphere and makes it something useful for any and every measure of your playing.
“Quartal Harmony”
There are plenty of guitarists that are happy to play what they are already comfortable with, keep it smooth and easy; there are others that are looking to push the boundaries of their knowledge and have no fear of reaching. If you are one of the latter, like I am, then Juampy's classes, especially this one, are for you. Getting away from traditional harmony and building ideas in 4ths and 5ths is not new, having been developed over the past 50 or so years, but it usually derives from piano and horn players. This class is strictly for, by, and about GUITAR. The ideas on unusual chords, such as Melodic Minor #5, are priceless.
“A way of life”
Mr. Decaprio is not giving licks, He won't give us the notes We should look for ourselves. He is giving you a way of practicing for the rest of your life.
“Great for guitar soloists and guitarists who play in duo, trio or other small groups!”
I recommend this highly if you play solo, duo or trio jazz gigs and want to get even better ideas to approach standards. Your bandmates (soloists or singers) will appreciate the variety that you will bring to your next gig.
“Oscar Moore, Body and Soul”
I'm stumped for words in reviewing this. It will sound trite if I go on about "how much I like the course." The fact is I do love it. I love the way Jamie presents it, and plays it beautifully! A great way to learn and enjoy a great tune. Thanks!
“Very cool!”
Didn't see any reviews for this one so I just wanted to say thanks! This is a great short course, and this is a very cool technique that has many applications.
“A true gem...”
How this class hasn't been rated yet is unfathomable to me. It's lessons like this that make Mike's such an invaluable resource to musicians. Some folks will want to complain about the sound or picture quality (I think this was one of the earlier lessons on the site) but if you can get beyond that and really listen and play what Jacobs is getting at with regard to Bill Evans and his concepts - you'll be in for a real treat. Jacobs takes something that could easily be bogged down with technical jargon and technique issues, cuts through it all, and presents a thoroughly captivating look into the insights he has gained from studying Evans piano playing. The most important part (of any of Mike's lessons) is that you put in the time playing. There is no hand-holding here... if you want those kind of lessons go elsewhere... these are real lessons for real players.) To be able to spend an hour and a half in the presence of one master teaching the music of another master is a rare treat. To watch and listen to Jacobs think through all of this material is pure gold. Do not hesitate checking out this course. It's the sort of lesson that rewards repeated watching and most importantly, playing through. Your playing will thank you; your bass-player and piano-players will thank you... I just can't say enough great things about this course.
“Wyble's Etude 5”
Listening to Sid Jacobs play these Wyble Etudes is so damn uplifting and inspiring for me ... you can feel the respect and joy in every note , may we all honor our teachers in such a way , Thanks again
“Two Hands clapping ad infinitum ! Bravo Again ”
Wow Again! Another Guitar-Haiku Jewel From Sid Jacobs , Two Hands Clapping ad infinitum , oh yeah , that one chord break up exercise , for some reason made me think of Robert Johnson , Anyway ,Bravo Again
“minor major 7th”
Great class as always with Juampy. TONS of information. This is a valuable addition to the John Stowell Melodic Minor classes.
“It Is Not Necessarily As You Assert”
The length of the class does not concern me; it is full of great ideas, techniques, and good jokes. Only criticism: the dog is badly out of tune.
“A masterpiece of utility- buy it in the morning and play it on the stand tonight. ”
This is the masterclass that has shown me how to apply some enclosing of tones along with delayed resolutions. So far i am already realizing that Steve's presentation of ideas offers a straightforward method that give single-note lines a sense of going somewhere, via small tension/resolution patterns that lines that only float aimlessly through scales just can't and don't possess.
“Exploring Modern Ideas Pt. 2”
Fantastic as always. John never disappoints. There are so many great ideas in this class.
“It Could Happen To You Song Study”
Randy's method to go over a jazz standard is with out a doubt the best that is available anywhere on the Internet! Another plus is the way that He explains these songs .......... It Allows you to use the material over any song! This lesson, like all his lessons includes a chord melody with possible variations, the melody by itself, several examples of single-line soloing, just the right amount of Theory with discussion like what scales he uses and where....... Randy does multiple examples of each category......... Again, I have never seen anything as good as his lessons are here anywhere on the Internet!
“jazz phrasing pt. 3”
Steve always hits a home run.
“Thanks for all your help and advice with showing us a pathway through this beautiful tune.”
Randy presents an easily playable, but harmonically challenging arrangement of Beautiful Love. Throughout the lesson he demonstrates a variety of Harmonic Textures by restructuring the original underlying harmony of the song. This was a big help in making several of the passages very playable on the guitar. What's really great, is that Randy provides a methodology for analyzing the content, he breaks down his solo into logical, 8-bar sections, then specifically addresses what takes place over each chord. His method is instantly transferrable to other tunes. Randy, presents the jazz improviser with new avenues of expression via traditional forms of this standard tune. The power and depth of his compositions (chord melody) has been an inspiration to me both as an improviser and a guitarist. An added benefit is this tune, it introduced me to artist that I haven't spent that much time with: Anita O'Day, Hank Jones and Kenny Barron. Plus musicians that I know very well - played great renditions of this tune: Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, Bill Evans, etc.. I hope everyone will give Beautiful Love a try, you will not regret it.
“Nuages”
Fantastic as always. I never go wrong with Steve. To the Woodshed!!!!
“Modes of the Melodic Minor as Applied to Major and Minor Chords (#2) Profile Photo John Stowell”
Neat discussion and great ideas, I would love a pdf or set of pdf's (and would pay extra) for examples written down from the material.
“odd meter strategies”
GREAT class!!!! I was not very familiar with Micky Lee, but after having this class, I am a believer. I have tried lots of ways in the past to get comfortable with odd meters and subdivisions, but this class broke things down into understandable ways that make me now feel much more comfortable with it. Off to practice in 11!!!
“Rhythm Changes Part II”
Great lesson -- Lots of ideas to play on Rhythm Changes
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“The ear approach”
What makes Jamie Taylor special, is his constant point of view on how to learn things with your ear, more than just with your mind. In this session there are lots of absolutely great insights about practicing with this approach. Thanks Jamie.
“Wish I had this earlier!”
This masterclass is the kind of video I wish I had when I started playing chord melody 24 years ago! It would really have helped me establish guidelines to learning this kind of playing. For anyone new to chord melody or arranging in a jazz guitar kind of way, get this masterclass now.
“Thank you Tom”
Thank you Tom, and the entire site team for so much precious content.
by Steve Herberman
“Great fun!”
This is one of the most useful classes I ever purchased.... Thank you Steve. Roberto Pagnotta
“ Whew! So much there.”
Wow, I just finished watching Jake's Out of Nowhere lesson. I loved this lesson and love Jake's practical and real world teaching style. I also love how teaches concepts and shows you clearly and slowly how to execute them. Please do MORE Jake lessons teaching more standards like this! Repetition of some of the concepts taught here is fine since seeming them applied in different ways and different standards is what makes them useful and helpful. Great job, Jake!
“Blues for the New Millennium | by Randy Johnston”
Great course Randy. Thanks!
“Art Of Fusion 5”
As a chord lover this course is excellent. The fusion voicings are a great bonus treat.