Music Theory

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Chord Turnarounds

In this lesson, we will look at turnarounds (aka turnbacks) and their various variations as applied to major keys, minor keys, suspended resolutions and other progressions. A turnaround is a series of chords that helps bring a chord progression back to the tonic key and is usually found at the end of a tune. In …

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G7b13 chord

Guitar Intervals

Improvising on the guitar requires you to have a good understanding of note relationships on the fretboard. The moment you need to start thinking about a particular note you want to play, it’s already too late. That’s why we study and practice scales, arpeggios, and chords. Another useful tool to visualize the relationship between notes …

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How to Read Jazz Chords and Lead Sheets

In this lesson, you will learn how to read jazz chords on lead sheets the way they appear in fake books such as the Real Book.

You will learn how to color your chords, use chord tensions and substitutions while making sure your chords don’t clash with the melody.

How to Analyze a Jazz Standard Using Roman Numerals

Being able to analyze jazz harmony is an important skill for any jazz musician.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use Roman Numerals for musical analysis and transposing on the guitar. This essential music theory lesson includes full song examples.

Jazz Guitar Chord Theory

Jazz Guitar Chord Theory – How to Construct Chords?

In this music theory lesson, you will learn how to construct jazz guitar chords from scratch.

Understanding this essential theory will make finding chords on the fretboard much easier and it will take the guesswork out of playing jazz chords.

Besides learning this essential piece of theory, you will also learn how to apply the theory to the guitar. After all, that’s what you are here for!

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How to Practice and Apply Back Cycling

Back cycling is an important concept in jazz music.

In this lesson, you will learn what back cycling is exactly, and how you can apply it to your solos and jazz chord progressions.

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What Are Diatonic Chords?

Studying jazz chords means two things, learning how to play chord shapes on the guitar, as well as learning how to use theory to apply these shapes to jazz tunes and chord progressions. One of the first theoretical concepts that jazz guitarists will need to get down is the theory behind diatonic chords and how …

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