Soloing techniques and devices to get your soloing to the next level – arpeggios, modes, and more – 12:21 min

In this lesson David Taub teaches soloing and improvisation devices, techniques, and solo strategies for soloing over each chord independent ally. This lesson will help to get your lead playing to the next level. To spice up your lead playing David teaches three concepts in this lesson. First you will learn some arpeggio and arpeggio licks. Learn Arpeggio playing over each chord to outline the changes. This lesson will give you an exercise to practice playing arpeggios over each chord. Remember when soloing you have 2 options – either playing what relates to all or treating each chord as a separate event. In this lesson we will focus on treating each chord as a separate event. And thirdly getting into playing modally using the modes of the major scale. This lesson is in the Key of Dmajor and the progression is a 1-6-2-5 with the chords being Dmaj7 – Bm7 – Em7 – A7. Remember to use this lesson as a template no matter what genre of music you are playing and try over different progressions in different keys. Practice over jam tracks and have fun!

More on the DORIAN MODE use and techniques in Jazzy lead guitar lesson – 7:58 min

In this lesson Dave Nassie gets more into the use of the Dorian Mode in lead jazzy guitar. Dave takes a few jazz chords and mixes it up with some new licks. Dave plays over an Am7 chord and first shows you some interesting ways to voice the Am7 chord. Dave looks at that chord as the II chord in the key of G. Dorian is the second mode in any major key. Dave then gets into teaching what scales to play over the changes. A Dorian is the same notes as G major (G,A,B,C,D,E,F#), just start on and emphasize the A notes for A Dorian. The change then goes to a Dm7 and Dave discusses what will work over that change and where on the neck you can get to them for free flowing phrasing options. Dave also gets into the concept of approach notes and using them to spice up your playing. Lay down the rhythm and practice these techniques and use the Dorian mode and move it around. Practice it over jam tracks and add the Dorian to your playing arsenal. Enjoy! 

LARRY CARLTON inspired lead techniques lesson on approach notes using Pentatonics – 5:00 min

In this lesson Dave Nassie teaches some Larry Carlton inspired licks and techniques using approach notes in the Pentatonic scales. Dave teaches this in the key of Am and starts off with an A minor Pentatonic Scale. Dave starts off teaching sliding off into notes in the scale. These are all options that give you an outside sound. Remember to use these as grace or passing notes and dont hang on them or land on them but rather cruise through them to add color and spice. Dave then goes string by string in a rhythmical approach to adding in these grace notes. Keep thinking of having rhythm in mind when laying down these licks. Then turn the rhythm around for a lick variation. Dave then shows you how to combine licks and phrase them together using hammer ons and pull offs with the passing tones for interesting rhythmic licks. Use this lesson as a jump off point and put your own spin on them – get creative with these techniques and practice them over jam tracks. Stay creative and enjoy! 

MELODIC MINOR scale usage and techniques Jazz guitar lesson – 5:55 min

In this lesson Mike teaches all about the melodic minor scale – its usage and scale techniques for jazz application. This scale will give a bit of a darker tone and its a great way to get out of the minor pentatonic and Dorian mode over minor chords use. Mike teaches the concepts in the key of C minor and starts off by demonstrating the scale and fingering. This scale outlines the minor/major7 chord – really dark sounding chord. You can use the scale over a minor, or minor 7th chord. The scale has the augmented triad built in and Mike shows you how to exploit this triad when using the scale. Mike demonstrates over a jam track and you can see the scale in use. Try to add this scale to your playing arsenal and try it over some jam tracks and whip it out – its a cool outside dark sound – enjoy!  

The LYDIAN DOMINANT scale use and modes Jazz guitar lesson – 7:12 min

In this lesson Mike teaches all about the Lydian Dominant scale and its use as well as modal playing use in jazz guitar. Many great jazz players have used this scale for its wicked coolness and outside sound. This scale has a very cool outside sound and Mike will be in the key of D and playing over a D7 chord. This scale is the A melodic Minor scale starting on D. Mike teaches the scale and the note that makes the scale so hip is the #11 note. Mike then shows you the cool triads that live within the scale – kind of an augmented triad right in the scale. Mike also teaches how to apply this scale in your everyday playing. Try it over some jam tracks and listen for the unique tones that this scale gives off. Enjoy! 

Learn to add bluesy touches to your bebop jazz playing – 9:08 min

In this lesson Mike teaches how to add some bluesy touches to your bebop style of play. Here you will learn how to incorporate these jazzy touches into your playing when improvising. In this lesson Mike will be utilizing a Bb blues progression in a jazzy style. Mike then gets into teaching devices to add in to your playing. Here you will learn to base some soloing lines around the 3rd and 7th of the chords. This outlines string chord tones very nicely – its a great concept and Mike demonstrates ways to exploit this device. Another way to decorate the 3rds and 7ths is to stay in the pentatonic blues scales to embellish the chords with some bluesy touches. Mike also shows you how to play the bebop scale over the changes for some cool tones. Lots of great ideas in this lesson to create new melody lines. Try these over jam tracks and add to your playing arsenal. Enjoy!

Jazz lesson on MELODIC MINOR scale with the dominant and subdominant outlined – 13:13 min

In this lesson Dave Nassie teaches the foundation for the Melodic Minor scale and how to harmonize it and use it in your everyday playing. The melodic minor scale is an altered form of the natural minor scale or Aeolian Mode. Dave first outlines the scale and shows a few positions of the scale. Here we are not using the classical context of the melodic minor but more the jazz version which is a major scale with a flatted third. This keeps the scale the same ascending and descending. This is an easy way to think of this scale and Dave then takes you through some G major scales and how to make them Melodic Minor – listen to the sounds of that flat 3rd with the scale – cool sounds. Dave then teaches how to function off a dominant chord – that is when it gets a lot of use. Dave then teaches a 2-5-1 progression in the key of C and how to relate it back to the melodic minor and the dominant – tweaking that 5 chord. Try the scale over the dominant and see how you like the sounds – its different and cool – practice over jam tracks and keep homing your skills – enjoy!

Jazz guitar soloing concepts in the Bossa Nova style – 8:59 min

In this lesson Mike Sculli teaches some soloing concepts and devices in the Bossa Nova Style. This lesson introduces soloing concepts over a minor 2-5-1 progression. This is a very common progression in the style. The progression is in the key of Dm and is an Em7b5 – A7b13 – Dm9 with a very typical bossa nova groove. Mike then gets into what soloing avenues he takes over each chord. Learn the Locrain mode which can be played over the m7b5 chord (same as F major). The next scale over the A7b13 Mike uses is the Altered scale – very cool and unique vibe to that scale, very rich sounding. And Mike plays D Dorian over the D minor chord. SO mike is treating each chord as a separate event and he works through the progression. Learn some cool lines and how to connect them together over each chord. Be sure to lay this progression down and practice over jam tracks to really get comfortable with these concepts. Also vary the licks and put your own spin on them – get creative and have fun!

Jazz guitar soloing concepts using the Dorian mode and Pentatonic scales – 11:32 min

In this jazz lesson Mike Sculli teaches some jazz lead guitar and improvisation concepts utilizing the Dorian mode combined with Pentatonic Scales. This lesson is inspired by Pat Martino, Chick Corea, and John Coltrane. This lesson teaches superimposing over a one chord vamp in the key of Am. Mike vamps on a Am9 chord and Mike teaches what you can do with a one chord vamp. There is all kinds of soloing avenues that you can utilize with a vamp like this. Mike starts by teaching the A Dorian mode that you can use – remember that Dorian is the 2nd mode in any major key so A Dorian is the same as G major but emphasizing the A notes. Mike also throws in some A minor Pentatonic scales. Mike then teaches some soloing concepts on applying harmony, tempo, moving pentatonics in minor 3rds, melodic motifs and more – practice over jam tracks to hone these concepts and devices to a sharp edge.