Sustainable Playing

Skill Building Guitar Course from Rafael Moreira

Sustainable Playing. There's nothing wrong with having a solo prepared in advance, but what happens when you're not able to make that happen? Do you get the desired result when you're put on the spot in a musical situation and have to come up with something? In other words, is your playing sustainable? Rafael Moreira brings his vast experience to the subject of improvisation to give you the tools and concepts you need to play freely.

56 Lessons

Complete course with step-by-step lessons and practice examples.

Multi-Camera

Course filmed with 6 cameras for the perfect angles.

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Tabs & Info

Download tabs, helpers, JamTracks and docs included with lessons.

Included

Access this course, along with all other courses with Membership.

Full Course Breakdown

This course will help you enter any musical situation knowing that you will not get 'stuck' in playing only licks and phrases you have learned, but you will be free to follow your ears and your fingers where they lead you.

1

Introduction

Join Rafael Moreira as he discusses the key techniques and concepts in this course, Sustainable Playing.

3:39 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

2

Establishing Feel (Chromatic Exercises)

Sometimes, it's not all about the notes, it's about feel! Rafael starts us out with a couple of awesome exercises designed to accentuate certain notes that will in turn accentuate different feels.

21:14 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

3

Pentatonic Shapes Across the Neck

Learning certain scales across the neck like they are second nature is a key element to being free in your playing. When you don't have to think about your scales, you're free to focus on other aspects of improvising. Let's start with the pentatonic scale.

21:18 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

4

Pentatonic Shapes In Groups of Six Notes

Of course, we rarely run a scale up then down when playing and improvising. In this lesson, Rafael shows us how to make the pentatonic scale a bit more musical by running them in groups of six notes.

34:49 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

5

Pentatonic Shapes in 4ths and 3rds

Now it's time to play the pentatonics in intervals. This lesson will focus on playing them in 4ths and 3rds.

31:24 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

6

Pentatonic Shapes in Groups of Three Notes

Here is yet another useful way to play and think about the pentatonics. By playing this common scale in groups of three notes, you increase your facility to be able to grab portions of the scale and make it sound awesome at any time!

32:52 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

7

Major Modes Across the Neck

Now we get into the major scale modes. Rafael shows us how to access these scales up and down the neck, again aiming to make them second nature in our guitar playing.

26:50 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

8

Major Modes Across the Neck - Double Stroke

In this lesson we tackle the major scale modes again, but this time we do it with a double stroke to increase our dexterity.

27:03 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

9

7th Chords Across the Neck

Let's get into some chords now. Rafael shows us how to play 7th chords across the neck starting on the low E, then A, then D strings.

22:41 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

10

Playing Major Scales on One String at a Time

Playing your scales and improvising horizontally on one string is a great way to visualize the scale degrees, and also a great way to simplify your playing and forces you to focus on the melody!

15:24 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

View this Lesson
11

Playing Minor Scales on One String at a Time

Now that we've played the major scales on one string, let's look at the minor scales.

33:27 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

12

How to Create and Develop a Motif

The best improvisers put something in their solos to catch the ear of the listener, something to grab their attention. That thing is a motif. If you have motifs and themes in your solos, you'll make them memorable!

6:39 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

13

Playing Motifs Through the Modes

In this lesson, Rafael develops a motif, then shows how you would adjust it to play diatonically through the modes.

9:04 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

14

Introduction to Playing Over Changes

Transitioning between non-diatonic chords can be a challenge sometimes! Rafael takes a look at some ideas for taking on these changes with confidence!

10:39 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

15

Shape Proximity

Shape proximity is the idea of using common or close notes to transition from different scale shapes. This is a great tool to learn for becoming more economical with your movements on the guitar.

10:44 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

16

Neutral Notes and Space

Adding space to your solos can be just as effective as the notes you play. Likewise, using common notes connects your ideas and gives the listener something to latch on to.

0:00 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

17

Anticipating Changes

Anticipating what the chord changes will be in a song through your improvising is a great way to lead the listener through the song. In this lesson, Rafael will show you the best way to execute this unique technique!

13:51 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

18

Developing a Solo

Even if you're not composing a solo before hand, you can essentially have a template for what a solo could be like! This is a great technique that will allow you to have a general idea of how you want to structure your solos, then you can freely play the notes and lines that will meet the goal of on the spot improvising!

9:22 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

19

Long vs. Short Solo

Playing a long solo is a different beast than a short one. You have to pace yourself and fill the time without being boring! Here's a hint, don't be so quick to resolve it!

18:48 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

20

Controlling Your Timing

To control your timing, you must master the rhythm underneath. Rafael shows us some exercises that will help us detach from the rhythm and develop control over our timing.

0:00 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

21

Detaching Yourself from the Beat

This lesson includes further examples detaching yourself from the beat by displacing the quarter note beat of a rhythmic phrase.

6:44 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

22

Two Sides of a Musical Riff: Line Placement

There are various ways to place lines and licks within a measure. Depending on where you place the line, it can greatly effect the tension and resolve. Rafael shows us some examples of this concept in this lesson.

6:47 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

23

Chromatic Lines

Chromaticism is a great tool to use to connect notes and lines. The 'in between' notes shouldn't be glossed over when we're building our licks and lines. In this lesson, Rafael gives us some examples of integrating chromatic notes into your playing.

2:25 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

24

Using Diminished Patterns

Diminished patterns are a great way to add some uniqueness to your playing. They take you outside of the traditional sound of scales and harmony and add a flair that make people sit up and take notice! Rafael shows us some ways we can bring these patterns into our playing.

5:00 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

25

Vibrato

Vibrato is essentially the player's voice. It is unique to each individual, and can really bring uniqueness to your sound. There are a few different ways to create a good vibrato that Rafael will cover in this lesson.

8:11 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

26

Bends

The next expressive technique Rafael is going to explore is bending. This is again one those techniques that is unique to the individual. This lesson will explore a few differnt types of bends that you can add into your playing.

12:11 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

27

Open String Lines

Using open strings in your lines creates a definitive vibe that is hard to replicate when playing all closed position scales and lines. In this lesson, Rafael shows us a few easy ways to incorporate open strings into our playing.

9:33 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

28

Sliding Arpeggios

These sliding arpeggios take a slightly more horizontal path up the neck of the guitar than traditional arpeggios do. Therefore, they tend to sound more natural and spontaneous when you use them in your licks and lines. Rafael goes through the entire diatonic chord scale playing these sliding arpeggios to get your fingers familiar with the patterns.

22:47 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

29

Sliding 7th Arpeggios

Just like in the previous lesson, here are some sliding arpeggios that you can pull into your playing. The difference here is these add the seventh degree to give you a slightly different sound.

19:47 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

30

Arpeggios, Bends and Tapping

In this last lesson of the series, Rafael shows us some ways to add bends and tapping to our arpeggios that can take our playing to the next level!

9:41 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

31

Lick Introduction

Welcome to Rafe's Lick Factory! We're going to pick 5 themes and develop 5 licks per theme, letting the licks evolve as we go. Here Rafael gives you the lowdown on this series.

1:01 Runtime

0.0 Difficulty

32

G Lydian Lick 1

First off, we'll look at a lick in G Lydian.

2:07 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

33

G Lydian Lick 2

Let's try another take on that feel, for G Lydian Lick # 2.

1:33 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

34

G Lydian Lick 3

Shifting it further, let's give G Lydian Lick # 3 a go.

2:56 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

35

G Lydian Lick 4

Now on to G Lydian Lick # 4. Check out how if falls in the rhythm in different places.

1:55 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

36

G Lydian Lick 5

G Lydian Lick #5 will finish it off with a challenge.

2:26 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

37

Pentatonic Chromatic Lick 1

Penta-chroma-what? Pentatonic Chromatic Lick #1 starts off our next round of five licks.

2:09 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

38

Pentatonic Chromatic Lick 2

Dig in deeper with Pentatonic Chromatic Lick #2.

0:00 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

39

Pentatonic Chromatic Lick 3

How far can we go? Let's see with Pentatonic Chromatic Lick #3.

1:33 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

40

Pentatonic Chromatic Lick 4

Check out Pentatonic Chromatic Lick #4. This lick is worth a million dollars, man!

0:00 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

41

Pentatonic Chromatic Lick 5

Pentatonic Chromatic Lick #5 will have you wishing for a sixth, but it's time to move on.

0:00 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

42

Skipping Around Lick 1

Try this one on for size, making some moves with Skipping Around Lick #1.

2:30 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

43

Skipping Around Lick 2

If that made you dizzy, Skipping Around Lick #2 will make your head spin.

1:30 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

44

Skipping Around Lick 3

Don't forget to move around in time as your try Skipping Around Lick #3.

2:23 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

45

Skipping Around Lick 4

Can you keep up with Skipping Around Lick #4?

3:49 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

46

Skipping Around Lick 5

Skipping Around Lick #5 will be the perfect challenge to finish this set off

1:58 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

47

Getting Vertical Lick 1

Look up in the sky! It's Getting Vertical Lick #1!

2:51 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

48

Getting Vertical Lick 2

Watch out, if you learn Getting Vertical Lick #2, everyone will start stealing your licks. You have been warned.

2:21 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

49

Getting Vertical Lick 3

Getting Vertical Lick #3 will keep your head in the clouds.

1:47 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

50

Getting Vertical Lick 4

Listen to how Getting Vertical Lick #4 sounds when you shift it around in the beat.

2:03 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

51

Getting Vertical Lick 5

Getting Vertical Lick #5 will take you right to the edge of the fourth set of licks.

2:02 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

52

Diminished Returns Lick 1

Check out the unique flavor of Diminished Returns Lick #1.

2:54 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

53

Diminished Returns Lick 2

Diminished Returns Lick #2 will further challenge our guitar mastery.

2:09 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

54

Diminished Returns Lick 3

The rhythm of Diminished Returns Lick #3 will take you to crazy places.

2:53 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

55

Diminished Returns Lick 4

Diminished Returns Lick #4 might be the best one yet!

2:12 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

56

Diminished Returns Lick 5

Can you believe you made it?! Diminished Returns Lick #5 is our last example for this pack!

3:25 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

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Magnetico

  • Los Angeles, California
  • Playing since 1980
  • 69 lessons at JamPlay