Pat Metheny Chops – A Lesson By Morten Faerestrand
This video lesson By Morten Faerestrand provides excellent insights into some of Pat Metheny’s unique techniques. Read More
Old Dog New Tricks MP3 Bundle Now Available
The Old Dog New Tricks CD is now available as an MP3 Bundle which includes all the songs from the CD and the cover art for $5.00 CDN! Pop over to gilnamur.com to take advantage of this great offer! If you are not familiar with this music, there are 4 free downloads here.
Pat Metheny Chops – A Lesson By Morten Faerestrand
This video lesson By Morten Faerestrand provides excellent insights into some of Pat Metheny’s unique techniques. Read More
Advanced Music Theory Lesson 2: Scale Tendencies
Now that we have introduced all of the modes, let’s look at what roles individual notes take in these scales. In a tonal context, they all have certain tendencies. Stable Tones: (1,3,5) Tonic: The tonic is the 1st degree of the scale. All other notes are based around the tonic and gravitate towards it. Dominant: […]
Ian Shipclark: Tall Ships
A true story of a song that came out of a convergence of two events; a tall ships festival in Victoria’s inner harbour, and a mid-life crisis in Ian’s inner soul. Read More
Creativity
Old Dog New Tricks MP3 Bundle Now Available
The Old Dog New Tricks CD is now available as an MP3 Bundle which includes all the songs from the CD and the cover art for $5.00 CDN! Pop over to … [Read More...]
Ian Shipclark: Tall Ships
One of the great things about having a website or blog is the ability to share what others have done, what they have achieved and what they have … [Read More...]
Ross Holloway – Mankind’s Attitude
I was speaking with my good friend Ross Holloway yesterday who called to fill me in on what has been happening with his latest project. Ross is a … [Read More...]
It’s Never Too Late to Learn the Guitar
As we head into the New Year, many of us will be making those familiar New Years resolutions. Why not make one about engaging a passion, like learning … [Read More...]
Exploring 7/8
This piece is not meant to be a theory lesson in meter and time signatures. Rather, it is meant to help you open up some new doors and hopefully get … [Read More...]
Inspiration Through Traveling
In my experience as a guitarist, the spark of inspiration to play can come in many different forms. The inspirational factors behind consistent … [Read More...]
Committed to Success
When approaching a music project, no matter whether it’s a rehearsal, a recording or a performance, an important fundamental aspect to success is … [Read More...]
A personal tribute to Carlos Santana
Song For Carlos I wrote this song in 1996 as a personal tribute to a guitar player who over the years has had an influence on me. That guitar player … [Read More...]
Little Kids Rock
Between 2000 and 2003, twice a year my job would take me to Anaheim and Nashville to attend the NAMM shows. The NAMM Show is one of the largest music … [Read More...]
A Promenade With Your Muse
Have you ever had a dry spell? You know, where you can't get motivated or inspired to play your instrument? If you're like me, you might even put a … [Read More...]
Finger Picking
Finger Picking Pattern 2: Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Our second finger picking lesson is another example of pattern picking. “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac uses a similar picking pattern to “Dust in the … [Read More...]
Finger Picking: Comping to a walking bass line
This lesson will show you how to play a walking bass line accompanied by little chords. This is a 12 bar blues progression in Bb with a … [Read More...]
Finger Picking Pattern 1: part 2, Dust in the Wind
In part 1, you learned how to play the picking pattern that is used in the song Dust in the Wind. Did you notice that all of the picking was done on … [Read More...]
Finger Picking Pattern 1: part 1, Dust in the Wind intro
Our first finger picking lesson features a picking pattern that has been used in a great many songs. This pattern has no name that I am aware of. To … [Read More...]
Scales
Scales: Exercises 123 234 345
This exercise is aimed at improving your technique and offering you extended scale phrasings. The basic idea in this exercise is to play … [Read More...]
Scales: The D Major Scale Harmonized 3rd and 5th degrees
This lesson is almost identical to the A Major Scale Harmonized 3rd and 5th degree. I have added it in order to show how once one pattern is … [Read More...]
Scales: The A Major Scale Harmonized 3rd and 5th degrees
These are highly recognizable sounds often heard in rock and country playing but used also in all forms of music. The block below consists of … [Read More...]
Scales: The G Major Scale Harmonized
The block below consists of chords moving up the fretboard. The first chord has a blue line through it to highlight its pattern. The second … [Read More...]
Scales: G (Dorian) Minor
The Dorian Minor scale is commonly used in improvisation. This position ( personal opinion ) lends itself nicely to working up speed. Remember … [Read More...]
Scales: G (Jazz) Melodic Minor
More often called the Melodic Minor scale, this scale is commonly used in improvisation. This position ( personal opinion ) lends itself … [Read More...]
Scales: G Major ( 2 positions )
Major scales are one of the most commonly used scales in improvisation. Shown below are 2 positions of the G Major scale. The second … [Read More...]
A blank scale template you can use
Here is a blank scale block you can use to mark out scales you discover as you explore your instrument. Just download it on to your system … [Read More...]
Scales: Looking for patterns and the A Minor Pentatonic Box Scale
If you took all the notes from all the 5 positions shown in the A Minor Pentatonic lesson and placed them into one block, this is what you … [Read More...]
How to read the scale blocks
© Synaptic Systems Inc., 2000 … [Read More...]
Essential Listening
My Top 10 Most Influential Albums Of The 70s
Influenced by the music of others, my journey as a musician has taken many interesting turns. Recently, I wondered what 10 albums from the 70s were … [Read More...]
John McLaughlin: Remember Shakti – Giriras Sudha
Regarded as one the worlds finest jazz fusion guitarists, John McLaughlin’s extraordinary guitar playing has inspired professional and aspiring … [Read More...]
Freddie King: Ain’t Nobody’s Business
Known as one of the “Three Kings of Blues Guitar”, along with BB King and Albert King, Freddie emerged from Texas as one of the most influential and … [Read More...]
Peter Gabriel’s Secret World
“Sometimes, when you look around, everything seems still and calm on the surface. And then you detect a little disturbance and you know for sure that … [Read More...]
Derek Trucks: Desdemona
Few guitarists have achieved the level of notoriety that Derek Trucks has at such an early stage in their career. Born in 1979, the Grammy nominated … [Read More...]
Lenny Breau: You Needed Me
Born in Auburn, Maine to a musical family, Lenny Breau began playing the guitar at age 8. His parents were both professional musicians who played … [Read More...]
Sonny Landreth: Next to Kindred Spirit
Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Sonny Landreth is revered among guitarists as a true original. The influence of the south is reflected … [Read More...]
Steve Morse: Deep Purple
Steve Morse is potentially one of the most diverse and virtuosic guitarists alive today. A true master of the guitar, Steve is an extremely versatile … [Read More...]
Duane Allman: Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
For passionate guitarists, developing their sound and technique is an experimental quest that lasts a lifetime. Some search and develop their sound … [Read More...]
Les Paul: How High the Moon
Les Paul June 9, 1915 - August 12, 2009 Les Paul was one of the most significant musical inventors and innovators of our time. Born in Waukesha, … [Read More...]
