Barry's Recommended Path
Not sure what to work on next? This collection brings together the lessons I consider most important for developing a strong foundation in jazz guitar and continuing to grow as an improviser and musician.
The lessons cover essential areas including harmony, the fretboard, chord-scale relationships, II-V progressions, vocabulary, learning tunes, and practical musicianship. You don’t need to rush through them or follow a strict schedule. Choose a starting point that fits your current level and work through the material at your own pace.
PRO TIP: Don’t wait until you think you’re “ready” to play with others. Learn tunes, attend jam sessions, and make music with people whenever possible. Real growth happens when theory meets the bandstand.
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Barry's Basics - Essential
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In this lesson I describe my method of looking at the guitar and show you what I believe is a unique and beneficial way of developing a deep understanding of the instrument and its application to jazz. Topics include:
Creating Drop 2's
Creating Drop 3's
Understanding extensions... -
Barry's Scale Syllabus- Essential
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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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Major II-V's - Essential
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In this essential lesson, I discuss the major II-V utilizing both chordal and linear examples. I have provided the exercises that gave me a great foundation during my earlier years. This material became apparent to me during the period of my life when I was transcribing a lot of...
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A Study in Minor II-Vs - Essential
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In this lesson I discuss the way I approach the minor II-V. I use Dizzy Gillespie's tune Woody'n You as a vehicle for all of the demonstrations. Topics include thinking of the -7b5 chord a s a minor 6, and the usage of pentatonics and the melodic minor scale. This is an eye open...
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Secret Jazz Chord - Essential
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Without question the idea of the "Secret Jazz Chord" has helped me more than anything to gain fretboard mastery and harmonic confidence. The basis of the idea is simple, I explain it thoroughly by breaking it down into three steps. This is an update to a previous lesson I had do...
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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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Learning Tunes Beyond Memorization - Essential
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Learning Tunes Beyond Memorization
A Practical Guide to Developing Musical Recall
Why do some tunes stay with you for a lifetime while others seem to disappear after only a few weeks?
Many guitarists learn tunes by memorizing fingerings, chord shapes, and one comfortable posi...
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Five Position Study - Essential
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In this lesson I walk you through 5 positions on the guitar and give you my favorite chord voicings on the standard tune There Will Never be Another You. I have also included a chord etude completely transcribed for you to practice the voicings. An essential lesson for all jazz ...
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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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Blues Essentials (Billies Bounce) - Essential
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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...
