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Nica's Dream - Tune Based
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Advanced players will love this lesson. Nica's Dream is filled with opportunities for the use of some exciting harmonic devices. Topics include derived pentatonics from melodic minor, the augmented scale, triad pairs, and much more. Join me for this one hour lesson and expand yo...
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Four on Six - Tune Based
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A great lesson on the classic Wes Montgomery tune Four on Six. 13 pages of transcribed chordal and linear examples. I walk you through the entire tune from beginning to end. PDF in notation and tab.
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How to Play Ballads (Misty) - Topic Driven
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In this lesson I discuss how to conceptualize ballads, and how to avoid the major pitfalls that frequently occur when playing at very slow tempos. I discuss the rhythmic components as well negotiating such a "large" quarter note. This lessons includes many examples in both notat...
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In Your Own Sweet Way - Tune Based
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This is one of my favorite tunes to play! I love the wide open modal section and the contrast it creates with the chord changes throughout the tune. There is so much to learn from here, secondary dominants, modal playing, voicings in 4ths and lot's more:)
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Softly as in a Morning Sunrise - Tune Based
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We all love this tune, but it also a fantastic vehicle for playing turnarounds in minor and discovering ways of manipulating the harmony to make things bit more interesting 🎸Triad pairs, modal playing, outside playing and the reharmonization of diminished chords are all discusse...
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Polka Dots and Moonbeams - Chord Melody
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In this video lesson, I present my chord melody arrangement of Jimmy Van Heusen’s “Polka Dots and Moonbeams.” We will explore the harmonic choices behind the arrangement, designed to be both accessible and musically captivating. A PDF of the complete arrangement is included for ...
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Autumn Leaves - Tune Based
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In this fantastic lesson I discuss the major and minor II-V as well as Lydian b7, the tritone substitution, chromatic II-V's, and provide a fully transcribed chorus of comping. The total PDF size is 13 pages in both notation and tab!
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Punjab - Tune Based
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In this lesson I discuss some of the more modern aspects of jazz playing. This tune is a perfect vehicle for studying pentatonics, voicings in 4ths, triad pairs, weaving lines through unrelated key centers and of course playing over Major7 chords, Joe loved the Major7 chord:)
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Airegin (Sonny Rollins) - Tune Based
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In this lesson I look at one of Sonny Rollins's most popular tunes. Airegin is part minor blues and part major II-V madness! I show you how to use the dominant approach to keep the static minor harmony moving and how to overcome the temptation of just using sequenced ideas on th...
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On Green Dolphin Street - Tune Based
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I love this lesson! Great lines and chordal example as well as a very hip way of looking at the A section harmony. 10 pages of transcribed lines and ideas for you to study. I also discuss the "Benny Golson Progression" and the turnaround to the ii chord. Much more in this fantas...
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Speak No Evil - Tune Based
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Wayne Shorter’s Speak No Evil is one of the great modern standards. In this lesson I show you how to disregard 7th to 3’s when dealing with II-V’s and how to deal with this tune in a “modal” fashion. Great lines and vocings included on the PDF.
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But Beautiful - Chord Melody
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This is such a great tune for a chord melody arrangement. I demonstrate a bunch of awesome reharmonization techniques, and walk you through the tune from top to bottom. A Full transcription of the arrangement is included on the PDF.
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Soloing Using the Melody - Topic Driven
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Who needs chord scale relationships?! In this lesson I show you how to use the overall shape of the melody to create interesting improvisations on the standard On The Sunny Side of the Street. I also talk about guide tone lines as well as some eye opening tips on how to look at ...
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Oleo - Tune Based
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This lessons covers one of the most important song forms in jazz, Along with the blues, rhythm changes is a necessity in any jazz musicians repertoire. I treat this lesson in a fundamental manner, breaking the tune down into its major components. Turnarounds, ii-v to the IV with...
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Someone to Watch Over Me - Chord Melody
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One of the more challenging Gershwin standards, "Someone to Watch Over Me" is riddled with diminished chord challenges. I take you through the tune, and provide a very cool chord melody arrangement. If you were ever wondering how to deal with passing diminished chords, this is t...
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All of You - Tune Based
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Join me in this video lesson as I dive deep into the classic Cole Porter tune, "All of You." I cover everything from the susb9 chord to the minor 6 pentatonic, as well as techniques for comping and soloing. This lesson includes a detailed PDF with both notation and tab, plus a b...
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A Study in Harmonic Minor ( What is This Thing Called Love) - Essential
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Here we take a deep dive into what makes the harmonic minor scale such an important part of the jazz language, particularly in regard to bebop musicians like Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown and a host of others. A very important lesson on how to use this sound on dominant chords ...
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Cisco (Pat Martino) - Tune Based
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This lesson has everything! Altered dominants, diminished lines, augmented scale lines and blues. I've also included the bebop scale and how to utilize the major triads in the diminished scale. 11 pages of transcribed examples in notation and tab!
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Chord Scale Relationships - Essential
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In this lesson, I discuss in great length the primary chord scales I use when dissecting tunes for analysis. This lesson contains almost 8 pages of transcribed material with time stamps to help you navigate the lesson. PDF in both Notation and Tab.
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Time Feel - Essential
In this lesson I show you some exercises and methods of developing good time feel. I discuss articulation, shaping phrases with volume and the very the important concept of laying back. I also spend time analyzing where the 8th notes line up by using Ableton live. This is demonstrated at varying ...
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Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Chord Melody
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One of my favorite Christmas tunes. This is a wonderful arrangement that you can get under your fingers way before Christmas. Play it for friends and family. The lesson contains a full walkthrough of every chord from the intro through the ending with every chord choice explained...
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The Diminshed Scale - Topic Driven
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Grab a cup of coffee and begin a journey into the depths of the diminished scale! This lesson has everything, analysis, chords, scales, triads, lines, different methods of usage and most importantly, how to use the diminished scale melodically rather than with patterns. The most...
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Four Modes of Melodic Minor - Essential
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In this lesson, I show you the modes of melodic minor I use most often. These modes unlock some of the most common chords we find in traditional and modern harmony. There are many transcribed lines in both notation and tab as well as some insight as to how to use the triad pairs...
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Corcovado - Tune Based
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Corcovado – Melodic Approaches & Diminished Clarity
In this new lesson, I take a close look at Jobim’s Corcovado, focusing on how to melodically address the diminished chords that so often confuse improvisers. We’ll clear up several common misconceptions about the tune’s progre...
