Best TrueFire courses?

**pushkar000** · 03-23-2015, 10:46 AM

Hey guys I just signed up on truefire.com and got a free one-month trial.

I basically wanted to do John Stowell's chord melody course which I think is great. Even though I'll finish the course soon, I think I will buy it to keep it with me.

I want to take advantage of my free month and don't know what courses are good.

Do you guys have any recommendations?

I am
1) Beginner/Intermediate soloist
2) Decent technique - not so great but I can do some stretches and some fast stuff.
3) Interested in learning chords/harmony-related stuff (no need for theory)

I'm thinking of checking out Fareed Haque's Bossa course and Bebop course.

Does anybody have any recommended courses that they felt were great on TrueFire?
Non-jazz courses are great too - I'm open to anything.

Thanks,
Pushkar

**dingusmingus** · 03-23-2015, 11:14 AM

When I checked it out a year or so ago, I found the non-jazz courses were some of their strongest material. I really liked the blues solo "survival guide" and the country lead guitar "survival guide." Those teachers, Jeff McErlain and Jason Loughlin, are quite good, I think.

**docbop** · 03-23-2015, 12:38 PM

Like dingusMingus said depend on what you're looking for and how you like to learn. They have lick lessons that cover all styles. Then in Jazz the Mimi Fox arpeggios stuff good, John Stowell is cool, but not for faint of heart, Frank Vignola has a variety from beginner to chord melody and Gypsy Jazz. Each teacher has their own style so just have to sample a bunch then go back for more of who you like.

**DanielleOM** · 03-23-2015, 01:08 PM

Keep an eye out for sales. During the past holiday season they had some two for one sales.

I find I like the electronic download versions. They seem to run very quickly without delays. (I was also doing some traveling where I would not always have an internet connection.)

Danielle

**pushkar000** · 03-23-2015, 04:33 PM

There are 24 hours left on a 2-for-1 sale right now.

**monkmiles** · 03-23-2015, 10:30 PM

I was a big fan of Mimi Fox's Jazz Anatomy.

**A_Train** · 04-17-2015, 01:53 PM

Fareed's comping guide is also excellent.

**docbop** · 04-17-2015, 01:58 PM

Frank Vignola's courses are interesting to check out has a different view of teaching. I also like the Howard Morgan course some basic things in the beginning but how he explains them was very interesting. Mimi Fox as others have point out. I don't tend to do a whole course on TF I sample lessons or look for specific topics so I can get multiple points of view.

**richb2** · 04-17-2015, 03:37 PM

I'd recommend signing up for Sheryl Bailey's TF Bebop Dojo. She has a huge number of lessons recorded and online plus she gives you personal pointers in your playing. It has truly changed the way I play.... Highly recommended.. Mimi Fox's Arpeggio studies are good, but Bailey will change your life....

**phil79** · 04-17-2015, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by richb2

I'd recommend signing up for Sheryl Bailey's TF Bebop Dojo. She has a huge number of lessons recorded and online plus she gives you personal pointers in your playing. It has truly changed the way I play.... Highly recommended.. Mimi Fox's Arpeggio studies are good, but Bailey will change your life....

**SamBooka** · 04-17-2015, 04:00 PM

Did most of the Bebop dojo.. was good but I dont remember what I retained.. if I had more time I would do Fareed Hauques course.. the free lessons i have seen so far seem very clear yet interesting.

**MaxPicks** · 04-19-2015, 08:17 PM

Advanced Jazz Soloing, Jihn Stowell. But that's just a fave. lotsa god stuff.

**Rob MacKillop** · 04-20-2015, 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by MaxPicks

Advanced Jazz Soloing, Jihn Stowell. But that's just a fave. lotsa god stuff.

He is indeed a bit of a god

**richb2** · 04-20-2015, 04:08 AM

I just find his delivery very dry.

**Nabil B** · 04-20-2015, 07:10 AM

I'm a big fan of the ones by Fareed Haque. Check them out, especially the one about comping : very nice and useful concepts, presented in a simple and direct way.

**CliveR** · 04-20-2015, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by pushkar000

Hey guys I just signed up on truefire.com and got a free one-month trial.

I basically wanted to do John Stowell's chord melody course which I think is great. Even though I'll finish the course soon, I think I will buy it to keep it with me.

I want to take advantage of my free month and don't know what courses are good.

Do you guys have any recommendations?

I am
1) Beginner/Intermediate soloist
2) Decent technique - not so great but I can do some stretches and some fast stuff.
3) Interested in learning chords/harmony-related stuff (no need for theory)

I'm thinking of checking out Fareed Haque's Bossa course and Bebop course.

Does anybody have any recommended courses that they felt were great on TrueFire?
Non-jazz courses are great too - I'm open to anything.

Thanks,
Pushkar

The Jazz stuff is variable. The Farreed Haque courses on Comping and Bebop are, in my opinion, the best.

The Blues courses with Jeff McErlain are really excellent. He is a natural teacher and his material is excellent.

**JohnoL** · 04-21-2015, 12:03 PM

If you sign up and pay the monthly fee don't you get full access to all of the lessons?
What exactly would you "purchase" after paying the fee?

**DanielleOM** · 04-28-2015, 07:50 AM

RE: Truefire software (for desktop PC Win 8.1)

Has anyone tried what they are calling there new desktop app. (Is it an app or a desktop program?)

I have not installed it myself.

I find the term to be a little bit confusing. I think of an app as being software designed for a tablet style touch interface. I think of a desktop program as being designed for a desktop. I am really not sure what this actually is.

Often for win 8.1 you can install software for desktop or an equivalent tablet app. For my home computer I always go to for the desktop program. I just find these app style (tablet style) interfaces to be a pain when running on a desktop.

They do say they are moving to this common desktop app for any new releases, the interface common for different courses. Makes sense in some respects.

They say you install you have to download your previous courses again. They do not say what to do for courses where you only have the disks.

Danielle

**CliveR** · 04-30-2015, 12:27 PM

The iPad app is ok. You can download single lessons from the sets that you buy for the PC. At least, that's what I've been doing. Its easy to switch between the video lesson and the music PDF.

**DanielleOM** · 04-30-2015, 02:16 PM

I am still not sure what it does for a laptop or desktop with the Win 8.1 OS. From what I read new courses will be based on the app?

The download is an executable file. It's not clear to me what kind of interface gets installed. That word "app" always concerns me when it comes to a Windows desktop PC. For some reason when I hear "app" I think of something that is really designed for a tablet.

I don't use any of those programs, other than the tile interface, that are designed for tablets.

Danielle

**jazzuki** · 05-03-2015, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by DanielleOM

I am still not sure what it does for a laptop or desktop with the Win 8.1 OS. From what I read new courses will be based on the app?

The download is an executable file. It's not clear to me what kind of interface gets installed. That word "app" always concerns me when it comes to a Windows desktop PC. For some reason when I hear "app" I think of something that is really designed for a tablet.

I don't use any of those programs, other than the tile interface, that are designed for tablets.

Danielle

J have used TrueFire for about five years and have always rated their courses. Therefore, I have about six from various contributors. I ordered a download lesson yesterday and like you was presented with news that all future lessons would utilise the new App format.
Now I am no computer whizz kid. So followed the download instructions and voila all previous and the new lesson all catalogued into one window. Easy to follow the buttons for watching- jammjng- midi (I use Tuxguitar)-PDF printing of any lesson,which I don't use as to save space and printing time you can bring up the lesson PDF and read direct off screen. Recommend.

**DanielleOM** · 05-04-2015, 08:02 AM

Jazzuki,

Thanks for responding. I gather the term app is a little misleading and the program still functions as a normal desktop program, when installed on a PC, (not as something designed for a tablet).

Danielle