Lesson Five
Lesson Five • Using Triad Arpeggios Last time out, I wrote some triad fragments to get you started playing triad arpeggios. This lesson is about why you might want to […]
Chord of the Week 30
If you combine a basic B-7 voicing with the open E you get consecutive whole steps on top. And extra credit. Can you say “Bossa Nova”? I knew you could.
Chord of the Week 29
If you left out the open E on top, you’d have a plain old vanilla voicing for F minor. Which might be great on a piece of pie, but we’re […]
Chord of the Week 28
Sometimes moving four fingers is just too much work—especially when it’s hot and humid out. If you’re feeling lethargic, take the previous chord and just move two fingers to create […]
Chord of the Week 27
If I didn’t know better, I would swear the previous two chords and this one were resolving around the cycle (up a 4th). Hopefully, when I wake up, it will […]
Chord of the Week 26
Oh yeah, but if you have so much tension for the first chord, how do you follow it with something that’s just as, if not more, interesting? I have absolutely […]
Chord of the Week 25
There comes a time in every gig…you’ll know it when you get there…when the music just seems to cry out for some tension and weirdness. If you’re like me, that […]
Chord of the Week 24
Another use of open stings to create half steps in the middle of otherwise familiar and common chords. This is a voicing that we typically know as a D9, but […]
Chord of the Week 23
Here’s a “Purple Haze” chord that’s even more purple and more hazy than the original. That half step really creates a thick sound. In this case the open strings are […]
Chord of the Week 22
This time the open strings are the third and fifth of the C Maj chord, with the half step between the raised fourth and the fifth. It’s kinda’ similar to […]
Chord of the Week 21
Evidently they were having a special on open strings down at the Fulton Fish Market. I got these from a guy who told me they fell off the back of […]
Chord of the Week 20
MTV wasn’t all over this chord in 1982 or any other year. This has enough half steps in it to last until you get to the next measure. Then you’ll have […]
Chord of the Week 19
Check it out dude, six notes. Whooa! One more and you’d have, like, seven. MTV was all over this chord in around 1982 (when they had videos with music, instead […]
Chord of the Week 18
Here’s a chord voicing that’s all about the whole steps. It’s actually a variation on one of the basic minor 7 chord forms we all know and love. If you […]
Lesson Four
Lesson Four • Picking Adjacent Strings Part Deux Major and minor triad arpeggios can be used to great effect in solos in a variety of ways. They lend themselves to […]