The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    Hi guys,

    So for the past 6 months or so, I had been taking lessons from a fusion guitarist in the UK (I'm in Chicago), working mostly on Fretboard visualization (using the interval method a la Tom Quayle) and improvisation. I had managed to go from being unable to improvise at all, to actually being able to improvise with the pentatonic scale and chord tones (at least the 1-3-5-7 intervals).

    However, I recently stopped taking lessons with him for logistical reasons- we had lessons every two weeks, but because of me having a regular day job we could only have lessons on Sundays at around noon my time, and with him also being a gigging guitarist we'd have to occasionally move the lessons a week or even more. Which is fine and understandable, but the nail in the coffin for me was when he didn't even let me know he couldn't make the most recent lesson, so I thought to myself "I'm not going to continue taking lessons with someone who doesn't respect my time enough to at least let me know if I'm going to have to wait longer than normal for our next lesson."

    So with that I'm back to the drawing board, trying to find a new teacher. In the meantime, I have joined Tim Miller's lesson site, and this time around (I had joined it prior to this teacher), I am definitely getting a lot more out of it- but I would still prefer the actual interaction with a teacher instead of just a course with a forum/not direct way of interacting in real-time.

    As the title suggests, I am more into the fusion side of things- players like Holdsworth, Tim Miller, Tom Quayle, Guthrie Govan (and I guess the stereotypical Jam Track Central guys), Greg Howe, Josh Meader etc. I tried looking to see if any of these players offer lessons directly, and they seem to either offer courses online like Quayle, Gambale, Tim Miller; or offer lessons but are either very expensive or seem designed to be more of a "advanced players asking about specific things/almost like a masterclass setting/short term lessons" like how Greg Howe does it, instead of an actual progressing, long term lessons for an intermediate player (and still rather a beginner in the world of improvising/doing more than technique exercises player like myself).

    I was thinking of getting lessons with Myka Tyyska /Mr Fastfinger, but if anyone has any other suggestions I would greatly appreciate it! My overall goal/pitch I give to prospective teachers when I message them is I want to find my own/true voice creatively, especially with improvising, while also making sure I'm given homework/I know how I should be practicing in between lessons (something I felt lacking when I took lessons from Derryl Gabel). I would prefer someone in the US/Canada/South America etc just because it minimizes the chance of having it be a case of them only available at 6AM my time or something along those lines because of time zones.

    Also forgive me if my tastes/ideal teachers are a little too much fusion/rock for this forum, I just can't think of a better place to ask this; if anyone thinks there is a better place to get recommendations I'd also appreciate that even if you don't have actual teacher recommendations.

    Thanks!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Have a look at this and see if you think it might suit you -

    Pete Sklaroff - Professional Guitarist

  4. #3
    Thanks! I'm checking him out!

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by jco5055
    Thanks! I'm checking him out!
    You state your in Chicago..Im sure there excellent players that teach in your area..the music depts of some of the fine universities should give you some information

    not knowing your current knowledge/abilities...the study of Diatonic harmony - the major scale and the chords found in it - and how they relate to each other is a good place to begin

    the free lessons (major scale) on the Peter Sklaroff site shows a preliminary approach to the study in intervallic patterns

    Now this is only in one key C major..a thorough study and understanding of all keys ..on all string sets and positions should be included in advanced study of this exercise

    Though your interest is in "fusion" I would suggest you also study some jazz standards and artists that developed the fusion genre Miles Davis..John McLaughlin Chick Corea Herbie Hancock Al DiMolia

    a study of their solos in diatonic and modal based progressions gives good insight into their harmonic approach.

    Please remember..your goal may take years to realize but the journey is the destination

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by wolflen
    You state your in Chicago..Im sure there excellent players that teach in your area..the music depts of some of the fine universities should give you some information

    not knowing your current knowledge/abilities...the study of Diatonic harmony - the major scale and the chords found in it - and how they relate to each other is a good place to begin

    the free lessons (major scale) on the Peter Sklaroff site shows a preliminary approach to the study in intervallic patterns

    Now this is only in one key C major..a thorough study and understanding of all keys ..on all string sets and positions should be included in advanced study of this exercise

    Though your interest is in "fusion" I would suggest you also study some jazz standards and artists that developed the fusion genre Miles Davis..John McLaughlin Chick Corea Herbie Hancock Al DiMolia

    a study of their solos in diatonic and modal based progressions gives good insight into their harmonic approach.

    Please remember..your goal may take years to realize but the journey is the destination
    Thanks! yeah I know it will take years, I find the hardest thing with guitar is finding someone who's language "speaks" to you, with their being so many approaches to fretboard visualization, improvisation and the like some just clicks and some doesnt.

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by jco5055

    Also forgive me if my tastes/ideal teachers are a little too much fusion/rock for this forum, I just can't think of a better place to ask this; if anyone thinks there is a better place to get recommendations I'd also appreciate that even if you don't have actual teacher recommendations.
    Sounds like Dana Rasch could be just your cup of..whatever beverage is preferred.

  8. #7

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    Jason Sioco (who posts in Ear Training) seems happy with his teacher, who specializes in "shred guitar."