Most Popular Lessons

barryk found this video. Here's an example of the traditional grip and a great rendition of a Piazzolla piece 'Nightclub'.

I thought about one thing about Piazzolla and his success. First of all the music is beautiful. I also thought that maybe for classical musicians it was a rare opportunity to play around with 'jazz' harmony. I can't think of better word, but you guys get the idea. The Tango and the Bossa Nova and Samba all use jazz harmonies and I know classical players like to play arrangements of them.

What do you guys think?

The concept of lazy voicings can help you find NEW voicings. When you play lazy voicings you move voicings to the next chords closest notes. This can even help you get away from the root which is a voicing suprisingly you can usually omit, ESPECIALLY with a bass player.

Check out how important dynamics are in separating the melody line from the accompaniment. It's especially noticeable in the first 8 measures of the tune.

Trying to sort some stuff out, but I have some things in mind over the xmas break. I'm finished teaching at school (Univ of the Arts) and have a month off.

I'd like to get on line a lot over the month and hang out with subscribers. Maybe Piper and Saindon and Joe will join me for some? That's in the works. Just have to get my schedule together.

I've asked Patty Franceschy to do some lessons during these meet ups with the stevens grip.
I even asked Harvey Price who just wrote a book of Milt transcriptions to do some mini Milt lessons!

This is a great lesson by Behn Gillece on some approaches to solo playing as well as voicings.

Here are the major scales and some ideas on how you could practice these scales.

Here is a simple exercise for brushing up on triads and also good for technique!

Step 1. Play any triad (ex. F)
Step 2. Take the 3rd of that triad and begin a new triad based off of that note!
Example: First triad is F then second triad is an A triad.
Step 3. Take the 3rd of the 2nd traid and build a triad off of that note.
Example: Second triad is A then 3rd triad is C#(Db).
Step 4. The next triad in the series would be the same as the first triad so you are back to the beginning! (ex. F) So just continue for another octave and then start a new triad!

Example: