Most Popular Lessons

Blue Bossa is a great tune to make a study of. Here are some things to do from easy to difficult. You should work on some of these ideas and then post them online here.

1. Memorize whatever you do.
2. Learn the melody
3. Learn the chords
4. Play a chord tone solo
5. Do all the above in all keys
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1. Make an arrangement of the tune. NOT a strict arrangement just work out ways to play the melody and accompany yourself.
2. Do this in all keys.

Here's a lesson plan for Invitation.

A great way to study this tune in pieces. Each lesson in the beginning will focus on one part of the tune. Later we put it all together and focus on the tune as a whole and work on improvising on it.

What's great about Invitation to study is the A section is sort of a modal section and the B section are changes. The same changes in lots of other tunes like, Cherokee, Laura, and others that mention in the lessons.

Some REALLY great tips for practicing chord voicings!

This is a solo that me and Tony came up with last week. I had to play it in 12 keys. It was fun! Hope you guys try it as well.

I didn't write the chords down. I think is a good exercise to try to figure them out by ear using the lines.

Have fun!! :)

Pivot Chords are an interesting way to modulate. It's a great study when added to a tune you're working on!

Here are some thoughts and ways to begin with rootless voicings.
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Chinese translation for Chinese students.

學會如何演奏出Rootless voicing,
Step1:先找出和弦的 1,3,5,7音
Step2:去掉根音(root)，加進9音。
Step3:去掉5音，加進11, 13音。
如果是屬和絃(Dominant)通常是加入13音。
例如G13，會用9和13音。在一定保留3,7音的情況下，這個Voicing的組成音就是 F,A,B,E.
再例如Cmajor7, 去掉根音加上9音。大部份會再去掉5音，加上升11音(#11等於#4)。會得到Lydian的聲音

Are you guys listening to our next TOTM Fried Bananas?
What tune is it based on?
Who wrote it??
What recordings are you listening to?

Start getting it in your system, it's a good tune.

Let's make this the research page for the tune. See what you can dig up.