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In this essential lesson I show how I use small melodic patterns to allow me to weave through the five positions I always use. The best part of this is that in every position, the fingerings remain the same. It's simple but mind blowing when you realize what this can do for your...

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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 ...

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What a great lesson on navigating through modern harmony! Although there is plenty of conventional chord movement, there are a few tricky spots where your knowledge of diatonic 7th chords and secondary dominants is not that useful. Learn how I divide the neck and gain fluidity w...

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From the Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane album. This Tommy Flanagan tune is a 12 bar Bird blues in Ab. The head is great and the changes are so much fun to play over. I use this chord progression as a substitution on regular blues all of the time. Great lines and chords on the 1...

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In this video lesson, I guide you through Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” using it as a framework to explore the Lydian ♭7 scale and triad pairs. We’ll analyze the tune in detail, covering the harmonic choices throughout. The lesson includes a PDF and a backing track fea...

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As always, my goal is to make great sounding arrangements that are easy to play. I'd like to imagine that you will playing this for friends and family in a matter of weeks. The lesson contains a full walkthrough of every chord from the intro through the ending with every chord c...

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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...

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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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I love chord melody lessons! I discuss in great detail the entire arrangement and describe many techniques used to create memorable performances. Topics include independence, chromaticism and much more. The full arrangement is presented on the PDF in notation and tab.

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In this lesson I describe how the jazz blues differs from traditional blues and show you the methods used to create the ii-V's that give jazz blues it's definitive sound. This is designed as a beginner lesson but even intermediate to advanced guitarists will find something usefu...

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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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In this 30 minute lesson I break down Just Friends chord by chord while paying special attention to the bIII diminished chord. Most of us use the Ab-7 Db7 change, but the diminished can be a lot of fun. The lesson includes numerous chordal and linear demonstrations, along with a...

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There is an abundance of Pat Martino lesson material to be found on the internet. This lesson is not about me presenting Pat's material in the way that he did, rather, I am showing you how I adapted his methods into my playing. My goal when I began to understand Pat's method of ...

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This is another very oftren requested tune👍 I present this lesson with the beginner to intermediate jazz guitar player in mind. As usual, I go through the tune from beginning to end ...

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In this lesson, I address one of the most challenging—and rewarding—skills for jazz guitarists: comping while soloing in a duo or trio setting without a piano.

Many players find this situation intimidating, as the guitarist becomes fully responsible for both harmony and melody....

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Irving Berlin’s How Deep Is the Ocean is one of the great American standards, combining a beautifully crafted melody with a harmonic structure that offers endless opportunities for exploration.

In this lesson, we take a close look at the tune’s abundance of minor ii–V progressi...

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One of the most challenging musical situations a guitarist finds himself in is a duo with a bass player. There is a level of intimacy and musical conversation that can't be replicated while playing with a drummer. In this lesson I discuss how to get comfortable with this format ...

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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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One of my favorite Pat Martino tracks! This lesson is all about 16th notes and the challenge of creating lengthy compelling lines on a very basic chord progression. Included are fantastic notated examples for you to practice and learn from. I describe how guitarists like Pat and...

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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 a...

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In this lesson, we’ll explore a solo guitar arrangement of the beautiful jazz standard “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most.”

The arrangement is played in a rubato style, allowing the melody, harmony, and natural decay of the chords to determine the pacing. Along the way, we...

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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 pag...

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An amazing lesson. Turnarounds, the I diminished, chromatic II-V's, tons of linear and chordal examples. You will love the 50 minute lesson on Dizzy Gillespie's Groovin' High.

In this lesson I discuss ways of "story telling" in regards to building an interesting solo.