This chapter contains the basic tools for the comprehension and application of the material presented in subsequent chapters. CONTENT

• Major diatonic scales
• Accidentals sharps and flats
• The origin of chords
• Relative minor scales
• The minor modes : natural, harmonic and melodic
• Visual and mental exercises ; their applications on the guitar.

This chapter explains how 3 sounds chords are built from the major and minor scales in 3 modes, their nature (Major chord, minor chord, etc.) and their identification (names). CONTENT

• The 3 sound chord composition
• Chord building (degrees) from all major diatonic scales and minor scales in 3 modes (natural, harmonic and melodic).
• Practical exercises.

This chapter explains how to embellish the chords with a 3 sounds by adding a 4th note: the 7th. CONTENT

• The embellishment of chords with 4 sounds
• The 3 types of 7th chords
• Chords building (degrees with 4 notes) from all major diatonic and minor scales in 3 modes (natural, harmonic and melodic)
• Identifying and naming chords
• Practical exercises.

This chapter allows the application of chords in 4 voices (sounds) from the 5 chord patterns (models), their configurations, the way to modify them and the various choices of the voicings. CONTENT

• The 5 chord patterns
• The transposition of chord patterns in the fretboard
• The configuration of the 5 chord patterns
• Modifying a chord from its basic pattern
• The choice of voicings during the execution of chord patterns
• The insertion of 7ths, their location and application on the chords patterns
• Revision of the main elements of chapters I to IV.

This chapter approaches the 7 degrees in 4 voices on all major and minor keys (in 3 modes, natural, harmonic and melodic), their application on the guitar from the chord patterns with a choice of voicings to execute with the right hand. CONTENT

• The 7 degrees (chords) in 4 voices (tones) on the 5 chord patterns
• The application of 7 degrees on all major and minor keys
• Suggestions of voicings for the execution in the right hand
• Identification of the nature of degrees (maj, min, etc.) and their name
• Exercises applied to the instrument.

This chapter allows to identify the various types of chords by cataloging them by «families» major, minor, dominant 7th, diminished, etc., and how we add notes (extensions). CONTENT

• Chords families (categories)
• Embellishment notes (colors)
• The extensions
• Suspended chords
• Altered or tension chords
• Secondary dominants
• Identification of chords, their composition and their symbols
• Exercices applied to the instrument.

The inversion is a chord in which the order of the notes was changed. This chapter explains how to identify the various types of inversions. CONTENT

• The application of inversions on the keys of 5 chord patterns in 3 and 4 voices.

The diminished concept is an important tool on the harmonious and melodic plan, it is used in multiple circumstances. This chapter explains the mechanism and the application of this concept. CONTENT

• The diminished scale
• Building chords on the diminished scale
• Diminished chords and their application on the various patterns.

Substitution is a method that is used to replace a chord with another while keeping a link to the initial one. This brings a different way to think of chords and as a direct result, a more sophisticated harmonization. CONTENT

• The various basic substitutions and their link
• Applications on various chord patterns
• Revision of the main elements of chapters V to IX..

Chord progressions are a sequence of chords built from a Major or minor key. This chapter develop’s on the most used chord progressions. CONTENT

• Chord progression II-V on the 5 chord patterns
• Chord progression I-VI-II-V (Rythm changes)
• Exercises applied to the instrument.

Harmonization is the art of fingering the chords « melodically ». One can harmonize as an accompanist as well as as a soloist. This chapter illustrates diverse manners to harmonize. CONTENT

• Work of harmonization on a known theme
• Exposure of the harmonized theme (simple version)
• Exposure of the harmonized theme (sophisticated version)
• Analysis of the sophisticated version.

Like chords, each scale becomes a transposable pattern along the entire length of the fretboard. The scales are played in 2nd positionThis concept is intented to facilitate identification and visualization of notes on the fretboard, as well as improving the performance of melodic phrases. CONTENT

• The major diatonic scales with sharps and flats
• The relative minor scales.

Apart from the three minor modes (natural, harmonic and melodic), there are other modes. These modes are scales built from a note other than the usual tonic. So by moving the intervals of the major diatonic scale, it create’s a different sound world. CONTENT

• The 7 modes (ionian, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, locrian)
• Exercises applied to the instrument.

Other types of scales used in diverse music styles. CONTENT

• The pentatonic scale (major and minor)
• The whole-tone scale
• The chromatic scale.

This document is not intended to cover technique; however, it’s importance is paramount. It allows both hands to develop muscular strength and gain flexibility, making performance more expressive and musical. CONTENT

• The diverse symbols used to indicate attacks produced by the right hand (fingers and pick)
• Exercises applied to the instrument.

Various movements of the left hand which we often find in the execution of solo guitar pieces or in improvisation. CONTENT

• The slurs (hammer and pull-off) for the independence and the strength of fingers
• Simultaneous movement of two fingers for their independence
• Exercises applied to the instrument.

Various notions and instructions that explain how to approach and control all that is linked with rhythm. CONTENT

• A figure determining the number of beats to a measure
• Counting of the pulsation with regard to the value of notes
• The quarter note and half-note triplets.

The blues (jazz ancestor) is a music style handed down verbally from father to son and is played by ear. This chapter proposes some of the main tools for understanding various forms of this very diversified style. CONTENT

• The blues scale (major and minor) and the function of it’s notes
• The « blues » eight notes
• The chords used in blues
• The structure (sequence) of the traditional blues
• The various chord extensions linked up with « jazz » blues
• Exercises applied to the instrument.

This chapter contains exercises of preparation for future applications with audio tracks. Most of these exercises are based on topics discussed in previous chapters. CONTENT

• Exercises for the identification of the chords, their location on the fretboard and their various fingerings
• Mnemonic formulae based on the fonction of the notes of the scales wich allow « to think the notes »
• Explanation et exercises based onchord arpeggios
• Exercises on the rhytmic formulae.

This chapter develops the execution of various of the tools approached previously applied with audio tracks (accompaniment). The purpose is: create a language through proposed musical phrases; one of the most important steps in improvisation , and to develop the harmonico / rhythmic side allowing the control of the accompaniment. Every tool is distributed on tracks which differ on the speed and the style (jazz and Latin beat/Brazil). NOTE : The tracks 1, 2 and 3 below, are in video format only as examples. The original tracks include in this method are in MP3 format. CONTENT Suggestions of rhythmic formulae (jazz and latin beat) – Exercises for the work of the melodic phrases and the chords: Maj7 – min7 – 7th of dominant – 7sus4 – Maj7 and min7 – Chord progression II / V – Chord progression II / V / I in major – Chord progression II / V / I in minor harmonic – Maj7 and min7chords in ternary beat ( jazz waltz – Chord progression I / VI / II / V (Rhythm changes). EXAMPLE TRACK 1 You have to play the phrases proposed in the method with accompaniment (piano, bass and drum) – style « Latin beat/Brazil ». TRACK 1

EXAMPLE TRACK 2 You have to play the chords proposed in the method with accompaniment (bass and drum) – style “swing”. TRACK 2

EXAMPLE TRACK 3 You have to play on a ternary rythm the phrases proposed in the method with accompaniment (piano, bass and drum)- style ” jazz waltz “.. TRACK 3

This chapter proposes a repertoire of various pieces with audio tracks accompaniment in the styles jazz and Latin/Brazil. The work of every piece can be divided as follows :

• Section harmony: an understanding and an application of various chord progressions.
• Section melody: an understanding and an assimilation of the melody, its execution with various parameters studied in the previous chapters.
• Harmonization :harmonize the melody and reproduce it in a version a soloist.

NOTE :The tracks 1, 2 and 3 below, are in video format only as examples. The original tracks include in this method are in MP3 format. ” OLD TIME “

” PRA VOCÉ “

” SEA BLUES “