Truefire's Guitabulary

With his stinging, soulful solos and flawless pocket, Robben Ford has an uncanny knack for making complex music seem simple. Conversely, the guitarist can elevate a mundane one-chord vamp into something divine. Perhaps this is because Ford has successfully tackled so many genres. What has Ford learned from all of his musical adventures? “We’re all playing the same things,” he says. To prove that common threads abound in music, Ford will take a I-VI-II-V progression and show that whether it’s played with a doo-wop group’s simplicity or a bebop pianist’s extended chords and slick substitutions, the underlying vibe is the same—just one more universal phrase in the language of music. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: JAZZ U, BLUES U, TWANG U.

Phillips, a classical virtuoso, endeavors into the daunting world of counterpoint: the simultaneous sounding of two or more contrasting melodic lines. This lesson is an exercise in helping you get started. Learn each line separately, then slowly learn to play the lines together. Six-string counterpoint is not easy stuff, but if you have classical ambitions - or if you merely want a challenge - look this way. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: LICK-A-DAY: 365 Daily Doses, ACOUSTIC U.

Classical virtuoso Eliot Fisk divides the major scale by note value, rhythmic accent and tone, conquers weaknesses in attack, and leaves your right hand looking like Popeye. Well maybe that's an exaggeration, but only slightly. Fisk offers a range of insights into dynamics and sound production, tidbits about Bach, and some stellar playing in this engaging, informative Classical lesson. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

Ben lays out a take-no-prisoners practice regimen that is virtually guaranteed to yield results. It's designed to help you master passages that are giving you trouble. It involves a lot of hard work, but hard work with a plan. Ben mixes up the regimen so that you steer clear of drudgery. He says that, even while practicing, keep in touch with the emotional content of the phrase. It will make practicing a more musical, and ultimately a more satisfying experience. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

The first time you play a C#dim7—such as the one in Ex. 1a—you may find yourself wondering why you’d ever need such a dissonant cluster of notes. Truth is, diminished 7s and other such strident grips are, ironically, incredibly useful for making progressions sound smoother. Plug that C#dim7 between C and Dm7 (Ex. 1b), and its jagged shape all but disappears—like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Get hip to its pungent sound; you’ll start hearing it everywhere —not just in jazz, but also in rock, soul, blues, and other genres. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: JAZZ U, ACOUSTIC U.

Roger demonstrates a classic swing phrase using chromatics (half steps), first in single notes then harmonized in chords. You've heard it- now you'll know how to use it! This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: LICK-A-DAY: 365 Daily Doses, ACOUSTIC U.

In this "Lick of the Month" from Berklee instructor and noted author Charles Chapman, you'll learn an extremely useful technique: how to combine a walking bass line with chord punches to simulate a jazz rhythm section arrangement on the guitar. Bass players, drummers...who needs 'em anyway? This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U, JAZZ U.

Major and minor triads are the building blocks of harmony, with a simple, emotionally direct sound. Bob Stanton shows you how the argpeggios of these uncomplicated structures can be "summed" together with each other to create more complex melodic effects, including altered sounds. It's a great addition to your playing... This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

You know the cliche image of the idle-minded secretary who works on her nails to kill time. Well for classical guitarist, the idea of 'doing your nails' is a much more serious affair. You need to keep them smooth and in shape - and free of hooks or other imperfections - in order to make beautiful music with precision. Ben plays three lovely short pieces to demonstrate how they should sound if your nails are well kept. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

When Charles plays a chord-melody arrangement, people invariably ask, "How'd you do that?" Here, he shows you how. The staple is knowing how to rearrange standard chord voicings, moving notes up or down an octave to create different melodies and textures. Pretty soon you too could be hearing that satisfying refrain: "How'd you do that?" This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U, JAZZ U.

John Renbourn continues his exploration into 19th Century parlor guitar, which influenced blues and other rural styles. This time the song is Sebastopol,' later called 'Vastopol,' which was originally played in open-D tuning (D, A, D, F#, A, D). Renbourn's version is in open-E (E, B, E, G#, B, E) - no matter, the intervallic relationships are identical. As usual, the song has quaint charm and a bit of guts. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

1960, Henry Worrall wrote "Sebastopol," a parlor guitar tune that was enormously influential in folk playing, delta blues, country fingerpicking and other disciplines. The simple but fetching tune is in open D, which became a favorite among rural American players. The top-string slides foretell bottleneck playing. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

Preston Reed's Showcase Solo "Fat Boy" will literally have you playing "over-the-top". Using left-hand multi-string taps, slaps, pulls, and slides along with right-hand whacks and whunk-dumps, you'll be a complete one man band with a percussion section right on your guitar. There's even an easy-to-read percussion key signature along with the music so ya can fit in yer hi-hats and kick drums. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: HOW TO PLAY GUITAR: Anthology , ACOUSTIC U.

You don't need a rack full of gear to generate amazing guitar textures. Just listen to Chet Akins. With his bare hands, the country boy from Tennessee created more fretboard magic than entire genres of guitarists. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: TWANG U, ACOUSTIC U.

The ever-clever Adrian, an English fingerstyle wizard, takes us back to his early days in Brit C&W bands, where he got a lot of stuff wrong and stumbled into his own style. The examples cover what he calls "corny double-stops," a shuffle intro and a very hip ending tag. Let some of Adrian's originality rub off on you. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

Elfin Brit Adrian Legg is one of the most inventive pickers on the planet. He sat with Joe Gore and described his methods, which is a mish-mash of Celtic, classical, and twang, buoyed by his fluency with banjo-picking style: fluid, three-note rolls, percussive frailing, and other techniques. By learning some of Legg's stuff, you can tap into the intuitiveness of his playing - which will ultimately give you a leg up. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

Adrian Legg's column is a diatribe about the virtues of the acoustic guitar and the "macho materialism" of the electric. A basic eight-bar phrase accompanies the article. Play it on acoustic. If you don't have one, get one. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

There are two kinds of guitar players in the world: those who are fans of Adrian Legg and those who haven't heard him yet. This lesson offers a window into Adrian's inventive use of basslines, open strings and passing chords- you'll learn how to sound like a banjoist and bass player jamming with guitar accompaniment, all within your own six strings. Don't miss this one. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: ACOUSTIC U.

Adrian Legg's beautiful, harp-like arpeggios are featured in this example. Using a capo at the fifth fret and combining open strings with fretted notes, you'll learn how Adrian creates his shimmering arpeggios. Beautiful! This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: Acoustic U

Richard Gartner unveils a very cool and very player-friendly open tuning called "Dadgad" (D,A,D,G,A,D). It allows you to improvise via the use of pattern picking and using shapes. Richard's "Dadgad Bluerag" is a fun, in-your-face 16-bar song that employs all the versatility found in the tuning. This lesson includes Power Tab and is featured on the following CD compilations: HOW TO PLAY GUITAR: Anthology , ACOUSTIC U. Get more videos, notation and tab for this guitar lesson on TrueFire TV (http://truefiretv.com)