January Newsletter: Free Lesson, Blog Links & More!
Cowboy Chords Launch was a Success!
Thanks to everyone who purchased!
All of the launches I've done here at MasterGuitarSchool.com have been successful, some more than others, but this one was the best so far. That has me thinking about other lessons I could create that would appeal to the Cowboy Chord crowd. I'm open for suggestions; anyone? CONTACT ME!
In the meantime you could check out the free lessons I give away in the blog. Go to the FREE LESSONS category and check it out. It's random; all the way from beginner level to Be Bop Jazz level - and things in between.
The completion of the Cowboy Chords lesson series also creates the need for another lesson series I can publish monthly in this newsletter. So...
New Lesson Series! "Concepts for Comping."
The chords in this lesson series come from Unit 6: 7th Voicing. So what we're doing here is an application of some of the material in those lessons, taken in a direction not pursued in Unit 6.
Unit 6 was all about chord melody playing. This lesson series is using the same concept for chord construction as an accompanying device; it does not include melodies. However, the melody will have to be taken into account in the more advanced stages of this series.
I would emphasize that these chords are used in all genres and can be applied to almost anything! It just so happens that, because of my preference and background, the context in which I place and teach these chords as far as drilling and application to real songs is Jazz Standards, simply because that's my area interest and expertise.
I tell my personal students that it is not my agenda to turn them into Jazz Nazis; it is my agenda that whatever they want to create &/or play, any genre or style of music, is better and more intelligent - because they have taken lessons from me.
So...given the context in which I prefer to apply these chords, we're talking Freddy Green, and all those who accompany in that style; Oscar Moore of Nat King Cole's trio, as well as most traditional Jazz guitarists like Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and many others. John Pizzarelli comes to mind as a more current example.
Also the entire Gypsy Jazz genre makes use of these voicings, as do Latin Music genres. Note that in the Wikipedia page on Gypsy Jazz, when speaking of the rhythm of that music says,
“Rhythm guitar in gypsy jazz uses a special form of strumming known as "la pompe", i.e. "the pump". This form of percussive rhythm is similar to the "boom- chick" in bluegrass styles...”
So here you have a reference to Bluegrass guitar in an article on Gypsy Jazz. That illustrates how the content and technique of one genre can be applied to another.
So let's get started...
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Blogs Published Since Last Newsletter
(I’m not counting the blogs related to the Cowboy Chords launch.)
Sandbagging Bar Chords: Having trouble with Bar Chords? Here are some workarounds.
Cognitive Dissonance Incarnate: My encounter with Randy California and Ed Cassidy.
Tracking Haji Ahkba: The music business is a world crammed FULL of unique and colorful characters. Haji Ahkba stands out for sure!
Tune of the Month - “The Way”
This is a tune by a ‘90’s-era group called "Fastball" from an album titled “All the Pain Money Can Buy.” I put a version of this tune on my 2006 CD, “My Ship.”
Here’s the track from the CD.
I also do the song live - here’s a gig vid.
I think it's interesting to compare the two versions. Different keys, different arrangements, different solos etc.
How about 5 FREE lessons?
The 5-Lesson Foundational Series teaches the Circle of Keys as an organizational mechanism by which you ensure that whatever you learn is drilled in every key in all possible positions. It also gives you a method to find any note, anywhere, without memorizing note names on every string. That is a beautiful thing!
You can download the 5-Lesson Foundational Series right here for free (a $39 value) with no further obligation or commitment.
Jay
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