Melodic Development – How to make your solos more interesting

In this video I quickly explain how to take a basic idea and try to develop it to make your solos more interesting and memorable. Remember to leave lots of space!! Recommended reading: Hal Crook: An analysis of his core improvisational style: An analysis of trombonist Hal Crooks’ improvisational style from 1994-96, through the examination… Continue reading Melodic Development – How to make your solos more interesting

30 Days to build a habit

This is something I have known for years, but I have just started implementing with great results. It works wonders if you are having a hard time making a start on things and you are, like myself, a procrastinator. After all we are creatures of habit and all we have to do is allow the time… Continue reading 30 Days to build a habit

A tool to improve your improvising skills.

It’s not a secret that one of my all time favourite guitar instructional books is The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrich. One the exercises explained in this great book is about creating a random sequence of chords by writing every type of chord (major, minor, all the 7th chords and, if you feel more adventurous, chords… Continue reading A tool to improve your improvising skills.

How to use the Diminished Scale Pt 1

In this guitar lesson I am going over a scale that is widely used in the jazz and fusion circles and creates quite a distinctive sound. Actually…it is not a single scale, but two. The two scales are very similar and in my opinion this is something that can create some confusion. These two diminished… Continue reading How to use the Diminished Scale Pt 1

Practice tips: the 12 Marsalis Rules

A while ago I stumbled online on a few good articles on practice tips: a few of these included these12 rules by master jazz trumpet player Winton Marsalis. I want to share them with you as I think they are a great way of approaching practice and playing in general. Enjoy. THE WYNTON MARSALIS 12… Continue reading Practice tips: the 12 Marsalis Rules

More Advanced Blues stuff (the Miles/Robben thing)

Advanced pentatonic stuff. There are when times you can get bored of playing just the pentatonic on a blues, or maybe you’ve heard more contemporary blues players like Robben Ford, or blues influenced jazz guys like John Scofield and Scott Henderson. Well, here I come to help you out with a couple of tips: first… Continue reading More Advanced Blues stuff (the Miles/Robben thing)

The Master Plan: Reach your full potential as a Guitarist/Musician

An Introduction – the big picture In this short introduction I will point out what a musician/guitarist should know or should work towards to reach his/her full potential. Many times we get stuck trying to perfect little details, missing out on the bigger picture. This is so that you can be a well rounded musicians,… Continue reading The Master Plan: Reach your full potential as a Guitarist/Musician