I didn't know you could squeeze so many ii-V's into one tune! Wes Montgomery's Twisted Blues presents two challenges, the key of Db and a relentless stream of short ii-v's. This is a great study on how to navigate short ii-V's and to appreciate the way Wes treated the tritone substitution. Backin...

A deep look at Miles Davis's tune Nardis using the Bill Evans 1961 recording as a reference. This tune isn't just about phrygian, there are many more harmonic elements in the tune that are rarely touched on. I explore them all. An epic composition that will broaden your understanding of harmony. ...

The Christmas Song is one of my favorite holiday tunes! The lyrics are beautiful and the harmony is rich for reharmonization! Enjoy the full performance of the arrangement! The lesson contains a full walkthrough of every chord from the intro through the ending with every chord choice explained. P...

I've had several requests to do another Invitation lesson. Well, here it is. As usual, the tune is discussed from top to bottom and includes topics such as the diminished scale, triad pairs, the Coltrane pentatonic and much more. Includes a PDF and backing track.

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:)

In this 40 minute lesson, I discuss this wonderful Cole Porter classic in great detail. I teach you numerous substitutions, look at minor ii-v's, talk about triadic playing and give many chordal and linear examples in both notation and tab. The 11 page PDF will guide you through the video lesson ...

Join me in this 45 minute lesson as I discuss all of the methods of harmonization used in the arrangement. I discuss each and every chord and also address chord scale relationships. Include on the PDF is the full arrangement and some practice exercises for generating reharmonizations. PDF is in b...

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 utilizing the Cole...

One of my favorite minor tunes! There are some great opportunities for reharmonization as well as a chance to work on your dominant cycle progression. Great examples of comping and improvising are included in the 10 page PDF.

In this lesson I discuss my methods of connecting lines through chord changes. I show you how I visualize the linear material over chord forms and how I see the connections from one position to another. After laying the groundwork for these concepts, I use the John Coltrane tune “Moments Notice” ...

Step into the smoky, dim-lit world of jazz guitar mastery as I delve into the art of arranging Duke Ellington's timeless piece, "Prelude to a Kiss." Join me as I unravel the nuances of my approach to crafting solo guitar renditions that not only sound nice but are also playable. Through a melodic...

In this lesson I walk you through each step of the harmony and provide both linear and chordal examples in notation and tab. Topics include the I diminished chord, tri-tone subs, chromaticism, and the augmented and diminished scales. Chord lovers will enjoy the one chorus etude provided!

One of the most important jazz ballads ever composed. I have taken Monk's composition and arranged it for guitar. I have made it very playable while sticking closely to Monk's original chord changes. This is one of those tunes that gets played "incorrectly" very often, I have taken the time to li...

In this video, I discuss every possibility of major triads over alternate bass notes. Examples would be E/Bb or D/Bb. For those of you who have trouble understanding how to treat these types of chords, this lesson is for you. A great PDF with full explanations of all of the theory is included in ...

Barry's approach to time is an essential lesson for all jazz guitarists. The goal of this lesson is simple: you learn the methods behind creating a quality jazz time feel. If you are struggling to improvise at a slow-medium tempo or if your lines could stand a bit more direction from your right h...

What an amazing lesson on chromatic II-V's! As usual, great examples on the included PDF. I also discuss ways to use chromaticism regardless of the tune your playing and give several examples to demonstrate this. A really enjoyable lesson. Backing track with Ulysses Owens included.

In this lesson, I systematically go through the modes I use most often when improvising. They would include major, dorian, mixolydian, locrian, locrian#2, phrygian augmented, diminished, lydian b7 and the altered scale. There is much more in the 45 minute lesson. Includes 12 pages of musical exam...

One of my all time favorite standards to play. In this lesson I dig deep into the minor II-V to both major and minor. 3 and a half pages of licks and cool chords are included to help you internalize the material. A very thorough and detailed look at this great tune. PDF include with download.

In this lesson I use the tune It Could Happen to You to demonstrate how to solo when you are the only instrument. This happens all of the time when accompanying a singer or horn player in a duet situation. A great lesson with a fully transcribed two chorus example.

What a beautiful tune! An absolute must for your bossa nova repertoire. I explore the tune from top to bottom and show you several ways of approaching the chord changes. Topics include secondary dominants, the diminished scale and much more. Fully notated PDF and backing track featuring Ulysses O...

In this lesson I discuss the specifics of Oliver Nelson's arrangement and how to apply them to the guitar. I also discuss time feel at slow swing tempos and how to navigate the C minor blues. Tons of great information included on the 8 page PDF.

I treat this lesson as a both a chord melody and a tune based lesson, equally discussing approaching the tune as a solist or in a small group format. Great comping and linear examples as well as a discussion on playing in 3/4. Much more in this 45 minute lesson. PDF is in the Tune Based Folder

In this video lesson I write two tunes in real time to demonstrate some of the methods I use for tune writing. This is an eye opening lesson that you will enjoy immensely. PDF of both tunes and backing tracks included. Thanks for watching!

I love this lesson. Great examples abound along with a 3 chorus etude that you can play along with. Topics include harmonizing ascending and descending bass lines, chromaticism, turnarounds, three note voicings and much more. These concepts are ideal for Sandu but will work on any blues!