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This Latino artist, composer and guitarist, has inspired a new musical trend that he has called “Southern World Music”. This innovative mix of sounds is a blend of the tango from Argentina, flamenco from the south of Spain, and several musical styles from Southern California. Marcelo has done live presentations and recorded with artists like Ricky Martin, Selena, Leon Gieco, Daniela Romo, Sergio Arau and Bebu Silvetti to name a few. In television, he accompanied stars su... (more) Marcelo currently offers 137 guitar lessons at JamPlay, with 127 intermediate lessons, 4 song lessons and 6 lessons in our Artist Series.
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Internationally known Latino artist, composer and guitarist explores key Flamenco and Spanish rhythms and progressions. Marcelo breaks down these styles in a proven, easy to understand method.
Marcelo artfully demonstrates the playing style he teaches in this Flamenco & Spanish Guitar series. He also plays through four basic rhythm techniques and sets the course for the lessons ahead.
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Marcelo teaches the eight basic right hand moves for the Rumba Flamenca strum pattern. He then shows you how to apply it to a single chord as well as one of the most important chord progressions in Spanish music.
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Marcelo blends familiar sounds with new ones as he looks at how to combine the rumba rhythm with a standard blues progression and the Phrygian mode.
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Take the rumba and the Andalusian Cadence to the next level by adding tasty extensions and chord substitutions.
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Marcelo teaches the rhythm portion of his popular song "La cita" as a way of applying the techniques and progressions covered in the series thus far.
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Learn how to insert fast and tasteful triplets into your strumming. Marcelo demonstrates two different ways of performing the technique and combines triplet fills with the rumba strum.
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3.0 Difficulty
Using the song "La cita", Marcelo explains how to add accents and hits to the basic rumba strum.
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Marcelo mixes it up by teaching several popular variations to the rumba strum. He reviews the basic rumba and demonstrates how to incorporate different rhythms without skipping a beat.
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Moving on to the second of four Spanish guitar rhythms in this series, Marcelo introduces the bolero. He teaches the right hand moves and demonstrates the technique over a variety of common chords.
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Marcelo explores four popular chord progressions commonly applied to the bolero rhythm and reviews the techniques needed to play the bolero strum.
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Using the chord progressions covered in previous lessons, Marcelo explains how to add tasty variations to the basic bolero rhythm. Have fun!
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Chill with Marcelo and the soothing vibe of the Brazilian Bossa. This is a comprehensive lesson that covers a variety of chord progressions, jazz voicings, right hand techniques and various patterns that make this style of guitar come alive!
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Blending time signatures and applying the strumming techniques you've learned so far, Marcelo brings you the upbeat and challenging South American 6/8. Try it with a variety of chord progressions...Try it with the plucking technique!
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2.5 Difficulty
Marcelo dives deep in to the world of finger picking in this monster lesson. He explains how to effectively play scales while keeping certain pedal tones going on the upper strings. Marcelo then applies the right and left hand techniques to both the Phrygian and Phrygian Dominant modes.
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This lesson continues where the last one left off. Marcelo explores the finger picking techniques covered in the previous lesson over barre chords. He also teaches several new scale positions corresponding to different modes of the Major scale.
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Get your dancin' shoes... grab some percussion instruments... or just sit down with your guitar and explore some salsa playing with Marcelo! In this lesson, you'll learn some great chord progressions and distinctive rhythmic techniques that will bring your music to life.
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Using the famous Andalusian Cadence chord progression that was covered in earlier lessons, Marcelo offers up different scales and phrasing ideas that players can use over each chord. Then, he talks about transitioning from chord to chord from a soloing perspective. This one is a must see!
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Marcelo teaches the popular cha cha rhythm that has been made famous by performing greats such as Carlos Santana.
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Marcelo takes you in to the style of Django Reinhardt with this fun lesson on gypsy jazz. You'll learn a few chord progressions and the right hand "la pompe" strumming pattern with and without a pick.
Be your own band!...sort of. Marcelo shows you how to use moving bass notes while playing chords at the same time. He applies this over a number of chord progressions, including the 12 bar blues.
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After harping on the importance of the 12 bar blues for his entire series, Marcelo finally explains the blues in detail. He covers chord changes, explains different "forms," and even talks about chart reading. This is an essential lesson for every guitarist!
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Marcelo shares a tool that is indispensable when jamming with other guitarists. He shows us how shell chords leave room for improvisation and provide a great way to play a steady, simple rhythm through even complex chord changes.
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1.5 Difficulty
Marcelo teaches yet another popular rhythm technique for Spanish guitar and applies it to a number of familiar sounding chord progressions.
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We spend a great deal of time learning scale positions, but most of the players we know and love use a lot of the horizontal approach. Marcelo explains horizontal playing using four familiar scales and demonstrates them in a Spanish guitar context.
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Marcelo takes the scales learned in the previous lessons and applies them to 3rd and 6th intervals. He offers some improvisational ideas that will enhance your creativity!
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By request, Marcelo has returned to teach his song, "La Cita". In this lesson, he will break down the melody line.
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Now that you've learned the melody of "La Cita", it's time to learn the scales to set you on your way to some great improv!
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By popular request, Marcelo teaches us his original piece, "Flues". He starts with the chords and melody and ends with ideas and scales for improvisation!
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Marcelo Berestovoy returns to JamPlay with his Fingerstyle Guitar series. Learn the style of the greats like Merle Travis and Chet Atkins with Marcelo's one step at a time method.
Marcelo welcomes you to his Fingerstyle Guitar series.
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In this lesson, Marcelo teaches us the foundation of his whole fingerstyle series. Learn each step to the classic Travis-style picking pattern, and before you know it, you will be sounding like a pro!
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Taking each of the fingerstyle steps, Marcelo now puts them into a 12 bar etude to get the most out of your practice time!
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So far, Marcelo has had you concentrate on fingerpicking over the same shapes of chords. Now, he's going to show you how to take what you know, and apply it over many different chord shapes.
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Now that you've got a good grasp of the fingerpicking pattern over chords, it's time to add a melody line on top of the progression!
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Marcelo has played this stellar original arrangement of the standard tune, "The Sheik of Araby" for years. Now, here he is to teach you his version, incorporating the fingerstyle techniques you've already learned in this series!
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Fingerpicking arpeggios in a forward manner is a natural motion for most of us. In this lesson, Marcelo takes on the less comfortable motion of playing arpeggios in the reverse motion.
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This is a great exercise that will train you to use only certain fingers on your fingerpicking hand.
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Marcelo now teaches us his original fingerstyle arrangement of the classic Scott Joplin song, "Solace".
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What is the difference between free strokes and rest strokes? Marcelo teaches a great lesson here on the difference between the two and focuses on how to get the most out of the rest stroke technique!
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How can you play any solos if you don't know your chords? It's with this mantra that Marcelo Berestovoy dives into his Theory and Improv series. Learn the foundational aspects of chording that will set you up for the ultimate improvisation success!
"How can you play any solos if you don't know your chords?" Marcelo looks to remedy this situation with his new Theory and Improv with Marcelo series. Learn foundational aspects of chording, along with the modes and scales that will make you a complete improv player!
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A mastery of harmony is required before one can improvise successfully. The CAGED system is a tried and true method that compartmentalizes the visual shapes of chords and scales. In this lesson, Marcelo gives you his take on the CAGED system.
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What is a chord? How do we know which notes make up the chords we are playing? Join Marcelo in this foundational lesson on identifying diatonic triads and 4 note chords!
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Getting tired of the same old chords? Are those massive chord books not any help? Check out Marcelo's unique way of discovering new chords!
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Join Marcelo as he continues to discover new chords! In this lesson, Marcelo puts the C major scale underneath each of the chords in the C tonality.
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So far, Marcelo has shown us how to discover new chords by placing the diatonic scale on top of or underneath the chords. Now, he uses the chromatic scale to find more advanced chords.
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Improvising: Where to start? Marcelo gives us some great, easy to follow jumping off points in this lesson on improvisation.
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The modes are an often misunderstood aspect of guitar playing and improvisation in particular. In this lesson, Marcelo shares his perspective on the modes, starting with the major modes.
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Now Marcelo takes a closer look at the most commonly used minor modes.
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Join Marcelo as he applies some of the improv techniques we've learned so far to a 12 bar gypsy jazz etude.
"The Shiek of Araby" has been covered by countless artists. Now it's time to hear Marcelo's take on it! Join him as he integrates his improvisational tools into this timeless standard.
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True to gypsy Jazz form, Marcelo teaches us one of his original compositions, "Pa'Cito". Watch as he invokes many of Django's original gypsy jazz stylings!
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In part 2 of "Pa'Cito," Marcelo explains some scales that can be used when improvising over the progression.
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In this lesson, Marcelo teaches a beginner's version of the classic tune from the early 1900's: "After You've Gone". Learn the basic chords, as well as the basic single note melody line.
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Now Marcelo teaches us a much more advanced version of the standard, "After You've Gone". This version makes use of traditional gypsy jazz chord shapes and substitutions, as well as scales to use for your improvisation.
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In this lesson, Marcelo shows us a simple, yet unique way of determining improv scales based on the chord tones. This will simplify and revolutionize you improvisation!
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In this lesson, Marcelo takes us through the cycle of fifths and ends with a very cool etude to cement these sounds in your head!
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Marcelo now teaches us his own, very beautiful gypsy bossa. Learn the chords, melody and improv concepts for this very catchy and unique tune!
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Interested in adding new and different sounds to your improv? Check out Marcelo's unique method for doing just that!
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The idea of being a self contained unit of chords and melody is a long, time honored tradition in guitar playing. Fortunately, Jamplay has one of the best out there to teach you how to get started in this style of playing: Marcelo Berestovoy! Beginning with simple exercises and concluding with actual songs, this series will give you the essentials to getting a real handle on the solo guitar and chord-melody style.
Marcelo gives an overview and introduction to his series, "Solo Guitar".
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Marcelo gets us started with a couple of simple exercises designed to get you thinking in terms of multiple things happening on the guitar at the same time.
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Now, Marcelo expands on part one of this lesson by making the exercise sound like a song, and moving it up the neck into different positions.
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Taking the first 5 notes of the C major scale (or the tetrachord), Marcelo experiments with chor-melody by harmonizing it in many different ways.
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Moving closer towards the goal of playing an actual song in the solo guitar style, Marcelo shows us a classical style etude that we can transform into a song of different styles, as well as how to achieve the two guitar illusion.
In this lesson, Marcelo covers the various picking hand techniques that can be employed when playing solo guitar pieces.
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Now Marcelo teaches a great tune to get started with playing solo guitar. A simple 12 bar blues, that combines the two guitar illusion of chords and melody into one guitar part.
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In this homage to the great Joe Pass, Marcelo gives us a great vehicle for improving our solo guitar techniques.
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This is a great lesson for practicing different movements and pedals in a fingerstyle fashion. Based on the song "Malagueña", this exercise will strengthen your solo guitar techniques.
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Unraveling the mystery that is Jazz guitar can be a daunting task for any player. Of the skills required to play confidently in that arena, none carry more gravitas than strong confidence in chording and comping. These are core skills. Let's join Marcelo Berestovoy as he breaks down the skills required to play in an improvised Jazz setting!
Marcelo Berestovoy introduces us to 'Jazz Chording and Comping: Core Skills'
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Let's get things underway as Marcelo gives a review of triads before delving into how to play a major or minor scale via triad.
Now Marcelo will apply the same technique we used with triads in the previous lesson, but now with a four-note chord progression.
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Chord shells can be a quick and easy way to maneuver through a progression without actually fleshing out the full chord. In this lesson, Marcello provides us with a 12-bar Jazzy Blues progression utilizing this technique.
Here, Marcelo presents us with a 2-5-1 progression that uses both shell and full chord shapes.
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Chord extensions can be added to our basic triads in order to create specific colors or tones. In this lesson, Marcello provides us with a colorful progression using triadic extensions.
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Continuing with our work on extensions, Marcelo discusses the reasoning and logic for the omission or addition of certain notes in an extension.
Closing out our section on extensions, Marcelo covers another progression utilizing chord extensions, but this time adds another layer of dynamic with some syncopation.
Moving on, Marcelo discusses the importance of being able to identify the differences between major and minor tonalities.
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Altered Dominant chords can be used to create color and/or tension in an otherwise bland chord progression. In this lesson, Marcelo provides us a chord progression featuring Altered Dominant chords.
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Substitutions are used to create a certain feel of color by subbing out a chord(s) within a progression. In this lesson, Marcello breaks down this method as well as how to ensure the same functionality of the original chord(s).
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Here's a great 12-bar Jazz Blues progression utilizing some of the skills that we've learned thus far.
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There can be times that the guitarist is the only melodic instrument available during a song or section, and it becomes necessary for the guitarist to provide a walking bassline in addition to their chording/rhythm duties. In this lesson, Marcello provides us with a formulaic approach to this useful technique.
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Here's a fun progression that makes use of a more minimalist approach to a modern rhythm style.
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The "Joe Pass Chromatic Approach" states that when playing in a 2 - 5 - 1 progression, the 2 can always be approached chromatically from above the key. Let's join Marcelo as he breaks down this tried and true method.
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Latin rhythms have always played a very important part in Jazz comping. Here, Marcelo provides us with a progression from the realm of Bossanova that highlights this skill.
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It's important for a guitar player to be able to determine the underlying melody within a chord progression. In this lesson, Marcelo will lay out his process for constructing a melody-based progression.
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Syncopation is another level of dynamic that can be used to affect the overall feel of a musical piece. Here, Marcelo presents us with some great syncopated Jazz rhythms.
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During times that the guitar is isolated or carrying the band, it may be required for us to provide the harmony, the melody, and the bass line. In this lesson, Marcelo highlights his use of arpeggios to navigate this requirement.
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Time to shift gears! In this lesson, we'll apply some of the skills that we've learned over a full instrumental Dorian vamp!
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Continuing with our full instrumental backing tracks, here Marcelo applies our chord shell technique that we learned previously to a catchy Swing number!
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Let's continue applying the skills that we've learned with this pleasing Modern Bebop-style backing track in Em!
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Now let's revisit our earlier Swing ballad, but this time with a full band which will require us to make the proper concessions to avoid playing within the bass player's range.
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Congratulations! We've reached the end of the course and will close it out with this fun 12-bar Swing track.
Music Theory. The mere mention of it sends guitar players of all levels running the other way! Many times this is due to a preconceived notion that learning theory is next to impossible. However, in this course, Marcelo will streamline music theory specifically to guitar players to help them understand the terminology, mechanics, and mathematics of music theory as it applies to their instrument of choice.
Marcelo Berestovoy welcomes us to 'Easy Guitar Theory', and lays out the requirements for this course.
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Let's kick things off by identifying the purpose and location of the keys with sharps in the Major Scale.
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Now let's take a look at the other side of the coin and discuss our keys with flats.
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In this lesson, Marcello will discuss the definition and purpose of intervals.
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Here's a practical application of the intervals we covered in the previous lesson.
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Triads are at the core of many chords and scales. Here, Marcelo discusses these very important foundational shapes.
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Here's a practical application of the triads we discussed in the previous lesson.
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One additional note added to our triads brings us to our 4-note chords. In this lesson, Marcello will cover the structure and musical connectivity between various 4-note chords.
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Here's a practical application of the 4-note chords Marcelo highlighted in the previous lesson.
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In this lesson, Marcelo will cover the functions and relationships between the three main categories of chords: Tonic, Dominant, and Sub-Dominant.
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In this next lesson, Marcello discusses the Chord Symbol System, which is an elegant system that allows a musician to clearly and concisely describe a chord without the need for a lengthy list of numbers and symbols.
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Here's a practical application of the Chord Symbol System that Marcelo covered in the previous lesson.
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The age-old question, "What key is this in?". Here, Marcelo will cover how to go about quickly and easily deciphering the key of a musical piece.
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Secondary Dominant Chords are chords that do not reside within a specified tonality. In this lesson, Marcelo will discuss how these can be used to create tension and resolution or add an unexpected twist in our chord progressions.
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Let's move on as Marcelo breaks down the Major Tonality's evil twin, the Minor Tonality.
Modulation is a useful tools for switching keys on the fly. In this lesson, Marcelo will highlight some efficient ways to incorporate this technique.
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Extensions are useful tools that allow us to break out of the box and add some extended runs to our scaling while technically keeping us within the same scale.
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The 9, 11, and 13 are all extensions that reside above the 7 of a tonality. Here, Marcelo highlights useful ways to utilize these extensions!
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In this lesson, Marcelo takes us beyond our scale extensions into the realm of altered notes.
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Here's a practical application of the altered notes that we covered in the previous lesson.
Here, Marcelo breaks down the differences in chord symbols and mechanics between 'Add' and 'Sus' chords.
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Now it's time for a practical application of the Add and Sus chording that we learned in the previous lesson.
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In this next lesson, Marcelo gives us a quick overview of the modes of the Major Scale.
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Congratulations! We've arrived at the final lesson of the course! Modal interchanges can be thought of as a bridge between modes. Here, Marcelo will highlight some useful ways to navigate this technique!
Are you looking for ways to spice up what you already know and make it more interesting? Join Marcelo Berestovoy in this series diving into a series of etudes written exclusively for this lesson series. From arpeggiated shapes, moving triads, to syncopated rhythms, these etudes are perfect to add to your fingerpicking repertoire.
Marcelo introduces the series!
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To get started, Marcelo explores a thoughtful etude that utilizes forward arpeggiated shapes.
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When learning scales, you will learn what an interval is. This etude utilizes diatonic thirds, incorporate this one into your repertoire!
Marcelo explores an etude that utilizes forward and reverse arpeggiated shapes. We'll also learn a useful inverted D Major chord!
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Discover this lovely melody with Marcelo as he discusses alternate ways to pick with the right hand.
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Learn this flirtatious etude that uses moving triad shapes. You can use these shapes to move up and down the neck with ease.
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Emulate what pianists do with both of their hands at once, which involves pulling on multiple strings at once. Take it slow, you'll get it!
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You'll surely recognize this sound, it might even make you dance. Take notice of the syncopation while practicing.
With this etude, the focus is on sequences of rapid individual notes, be sure to stay in sync with the right and left hand.
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Discover that classic hammer-on country sound. Marcelo also discusses the different textures you can get out of different guitars.
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Originating from Eastern Europe, this style's influence can be found in many genres. It utilizes a bass progression and melodic sequence stacked into one phrase.
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Learn how to do it like Jazz bassists, walking up and down with the bassline.
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In the last etude of the series, Marcelo discusses how to play lead over the top.
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Wes Montgomery was a powerhouse musician in every sense of the word. An amazingly gifted and innovative player, he's influenced countless guitarists over the last 50+ years. In this series, Marcelo takes a small peek into his genius. He looks at the techniques that defined parts of his playing.
The genius of Wes Montgomery can never be understated. In the series introduction, Marcelo previews what he is going to cover in this, an "In the Style of" series.
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Right away, anyone will notice that Wes Montgomery played with his thumb almost exclusively. Marcelo uses this lesson to break down this technique and get you on your way!
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Wes Montgomery's use of octaves has inspired countless guitar players over the years. In this lesson, Marcelo looks at the common shapes he used, and how to implement them into your playing.
Harmonically, Wes Montgomery was based in the blues. In this lesson, Marcelo shows us how he always brought his playing back to the blues scale and passing notes.
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Now Marcelo explores some other techniques that made Wes Montgomery's style so unique, particularly chord solos, chording between phrases, and injecting a latin feel into parts of his arrangements.
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Marcelo bring the entire style of Wes together here in this original song, "à La Wes Blues".
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In this series Marcelo provides a unique perspective on classic Beatles songs. These original arrangements will allow you to perform the melody and chords all in one! As a bonus, Marcelo does an in depth harmonic analysis and shows how to improvise solos over the chords as well.
Join Marcelo for his beautiful solo guitar arrangement of Yesterday. This lesson includes an intermediate solo guitar version, a beginning solo guitar version, and an improv version that will show you how to play the song with another guitarist or band.
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The guitar part that Paul McCartney plays on Blackbird is already legendary, but just imagine playing the vocal melody line on top of the guitar part! Marcelo shows you step by step how to do just that. In addition, Marcelo breaks down the chords and harmony, to allow you to improvise over the changes.
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"All My Loving" may not be the first Beatles song you think of when developing solo guitar versions of Beatles songs, but Marcelo has chosen this one, and it stands out due to it's beautiful melody and classic chord progression. This lesson includes an intermediate version, a beginner version and a special section showing you how to improvise over the chords!
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Join Marcelo as he takes the classic Beatles song, A Hard Day's Night, and shows us his original solo guitar arrangement. In addition, Marcelo also gives you insight into improvising over the chords!
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