Jeff Gunn

Jeff is a Guitar instructor at JamPlay.com

Jeff Gunn is Juno Award nominated guitarist, songwriter and producer for his work on Emmanuel Jal's The Key (Gatwitch/Universal). He is the author of the Hidden Sounds: Discover Your Own Method on Guitar (Mayfair Music Publications) and a regular "guitar tips" contributor in print and film with Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Guitar World, Canadian Musician, Overdrive (Thailand), and The Guitar Mag (Thailand). He has appeared on CBC, CTV Canada AM, Good Day New York, Fox TV, Ted Ta... (more)

Jeff currently offers 109 guitar lessons at JamPlay, with 109 intermediate lessons.

Jeff Gunn's contribution to JamPlay

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Intermediate 109 Lessons

Biography Read Up

Discover Harmonics for Advanced Players

This comprehensive course was designed to focus solely on harmonics, 'Discover Harmonics for Advanced Players' teaches guitarists how to include harmonics as a mainstay in their performance through multiple genres. Guitarists will learn how to take a variety of harmonics including natural harmonics, artificial/harp harmonics, percussive harmonics and pinch harmonics to the next level using a range of fingering hand, strumming hand and picking techniques.

Discover Harmonics for Advanced Players

Jeff Gunn takes an in-depth look at the world of harmonics. This course is designed for the intermediate to advanced player that is looking to spice up their playing with the addition of harmonics.

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Sounding Natural Harmonics in Familiar Locations

Our first lesson focuses on a variety of approaches to sounding natural harmonics at the 3 most common positions including the 12th, 7th and 5th frets.

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2.5 Difficulty

Exploring Natural Harmonics in Other Locations

Of course, some natural harmonic locations are not as common, and in this lesson Jeff explores how to sound natural harmonics in other positions including the 2nd, 4th, 9th, 19th frets and over the soundhole

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3.0 Difficulty

Natural Harmonics as Melodies

Now let's take some of the natural harmonic locations we explored in the first two lessons and create a melodic passage from them, using Jeff's song 'Starlight'.

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3.0 Difficulty

Sounding Artificial Harmonics

Artificial harmonics are all about getting used to certain distances on the guitar. In this lesson, we will explore the 12 fret, 7 fret and 5 fret distances required to sound artificial harmonics and the technique used to sound the harmonics.

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3.0 Difficulty

Fluidity Between Artificial Harmonic Locations

Now that we have explored the various distances needed to sound artificial harmonics, will learn how to move between artificial harmonic strumming hand locations in order to develop a sense of fluidity in their movements and musicality.

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Creating Melodies with Artificial Harmonics: Candle Lanterns

Just like we did with natural harmonics, now let's create a melody using artificial harmonics. For this lesson, we will use Jeff's song 'Candle Lanterns'.

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3.5 Difficulty

Creating Melodies with Artificial Harmonics: Luminescence

Let's up the challenge of creating melodies with artificial harmonics with Jeff's song 'Luminescence'.

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3.5 Difficulty

Using Artificial Harmonics in a Pop Song: The Key

Artificial harmonics can be used in a variety of different genres. Including pop music as Jeff demostrates here using his song 'The Key'.

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3.5 Difficulty

Sounding Percussive Harmonics in Groups

Let's move into some percussive or 'slap' harmonics. This lesson gets you familiar with the technique, and gives you a few different ways to execute it as well!

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2.0 Difficulty

Sounding Percussive Natural Harmonics with Rhythmic Accompaniment

Now take the percussive harmonic technique one step further by adding rhythmic accompaniment. Again, we will look at sounding locations at the 12th, 7th and 5th frets.

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Sounding Single Note Percussive Natural Harmonics

This techniques is acheived by executing a 'tapping' motion on a single string above your harmonic locations. Let's look at 12, 7 and 5th fret distances.

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2.5 Difficulty

Single Note Percussive Natural Harmonics with Rhythmic Accompaniment

Now Jeff adds rhythmic accompaniment to the single string natural percussive harmonics. It's easy! Keep the beat while tapping on your harmonic locations.

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Creating Melodies with Percussive Natural Harmonics

Putting this technique to practical use now, Jeff explores how to create a melody using percussive natural harmonics by using his song, 'Beginnings'.

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Sounding Single Percussive Artificial Harmonics

As you might have guessed, it's time to explore artificial percussive harmonics. We start by learning to execute them on a single string.

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Fluidity Between Percussive Artificial Harmonic Locations

This lesson looks at achieving a smoothness and fluidity with your percussive artificial harmonics as you move between the various locations.

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2.5 Difficulty

Single Percussive Artificial Harmonics with Rhythmic Accompaniment

Time to add some rhythmic accompaniment to your percussive artificial harmonics. This will help you to integrate this technique into a more musical and song-like setting.

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2.5 Difficulty

Chords with Percussive Artificial Harmonics and Rhythmic Accompaniment

Not only can we play single notes with our percussive harmonics, but this technique works great on chords as well! Jeff also adds in some rhythmic accompaniment, to bring this to a more musical place.

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Creating Melodies with Percussive Artificial Harmonics: Angelicus

Jeff uses his song 'Angelicus' to demonstrate how you can use percussive artificial harmonics to create melodies in songs.

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Creating Melodies with Percussive Artificial Harmonics on Electric: Stargazer

Now let's switch over to the electric guitar! Using amp tone and effects can create a fantastic atmosphere in which percussive artificial harmonics really thrive! Jeff uses his song 'Stargazer' to demonstrate.

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Sounding Pinch Harmonics on Electric Guitar

Pinch harmonics are generally associated with electric guitar, so let's stay on the electric! Jeff turns up the gain and demonstrates how to get these tricky harmonics to sound!

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2.5 Difficulty

Sounding Pinch Harmonics on Acoustic Guitar

Not to say we can't sound pinch harmonics on acoustic guitar! Although a little harder to achieve, Jeff shows that playing pinch harmonics on acoustic is possible!

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Exploring Pinch Harmonics in Riffs and Solos

Pinch harmonics can add a lot of flavor to your riffs and solos. In this lesson, Jeff plays a few riffs on the electric using pinches along the way.

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2.5 Difficulty

Sounding Pinch Harmonics in Compositions

Can pinch harmonics be an element in your composing? Absolutely! Jeff shows us how we might purposefully use pinch harmonics when composing riffs or songs.

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Putting It All Together through Melody: Beginnings

As we near the end of the course, let's put all of the techniques we've learned into one piece. Jeff's song 'Beginnings', serves as the vehicle for all of our harmonic techniques!

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3.5 Difficulty

Putting it All Together Through Melody: Electric Guitar

Of course, these techniques can also work on the electric guitar as well. In the last lesson of the series, Jeff shows us how to effectively play various harmonic techniques on electric, and how they can take on a new and exciting flavor!

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Discover Harmonics on the Guitar

Perhaps more than any other sound, harmonics reveal the beauty of the guitar. 'Discover Harmonics on the Guitar for Beginners' explores how to sound a variety of harmonics including natural harmonics, artificial/harp harmonics and pinch harmonics using a range of fingering hand, strumming hand and picking techniques.

Discover Harmonics on Guitar for Beginners Introduction

Perhaps more than any other sound, harmonics reveal the beauty of the guitar. Jeff will discuss the course objectives in this introduction as well as discussing pre-requisites needed to achieve success.

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Sounding Natural Harmonics at the 12th Fret

Let's start with the basics of harmonics! The easiest and most common location to sound natural harmonics is at the 12th fret. Jeff shares a few exercises with us to get this technique down!

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Sounding Natural Harmonics at the 7th Fret

The second easiest and most common location is at the 7th fret. Let's do a similar set of exercises for this location so we can practice how to get that great harmonic sound!

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Sounding Natural Harmonics at the 5th Fret

The 5th fret harmonic location is simply an octave above the 12th fret location. It is however a little tricker to sound. Let Jeff show you some tips and tricks for getting a nice clean sound at this location.

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Sounding Natural Harmonics in Other Locations

This lesson focuses on the not so common natural harmonic locations on the guitar. Mainly, the 2nd, 4th, 9th and 19th frets. And although trickier to execute, can really come in handy when you're searching for just the right harmonic sound!

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Natural Harmonics in Song

Now let's look at integrating natural harmonics into a song setting. Jeff will break down a simple chord progressions that includes some natural harmonics, and will give you a chance to practice this with him!

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Creating Artificial Harmonics - 12 Fret Distance (Single Notes)

Let's move on to artificial harmonics! This is a very different technique, and luckily Jeff is quite an expert at it! Join him as he will take you through the basic technique, giving you some 12th fret distance exercises to practice.

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Creating Artificial Harmonics - 12 Fret Distance (Combinations)

In this lesson, Jeff continues with the 12th fret distance on artificial harmonics, this time in combination with regular notes.

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2.5 Difficulty

Creating Artificial Harmonics - 12 Fret Distance (Chords)

This technique moves from plucking individual artificial harmonics to strumming across the entirety of the strings to grab our favorite chords!

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Creating Artificial Harmonics while Switching Locations - 12 Fret Distance

Now let's practice grabbing artificial harmonics while changing positions on the left hand.

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Sounding Artificial Harmonics - 7 Fret Distance (Single Notes)

Just like with natural harmonics, the 7th fret, or 7th fret distance in the case of artificial harmonics, its one of the more easily accessed points on the guitar. Join Jeff for several exercises to get the technique under your fingers.

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Sounding Artificial Harmonics - 7 Fret Distance (Combinations)

Now let's explore the 7th fret distance while also using regular fretted notes. Just like with the 12th fret distance, this combination technique opens lots of possibilitites on your instrument!

12:36 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

Sounding Artificial Harmonics - 7 Fret Distance (Chords)

And also just like the 12th fret distance, we now move to accessing chords as artificial harmonics.

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Creating Artificial Harmonics while Switching Locations - 7 Fret Distance

We rarely if ever stay in one postition on the guitar, so it's important to learn how to move between positions while still accessing your artificial harmonics. The exercises in this lesson will help you grasp this idea!

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Sounding Artificial Harmonics - 5 Fret Distance (Single Notes)

Let's move on to our artificial harmonics with a 5th fret distance. These can be tricky but very rewarding as it takes the register of your guitar to a rare level!

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Sounding Artificial Harmonics - 5 Fret Distance (Combinations)

The super high octave of a 5th fret distance provides a chime or harp-like effect. Even more so when combined with regular notes on the guitar.

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Sounding Artificial Harmonics - 5 Fret Distance (Chords)

Here's a challenging one! The 5th fret distance requires a good touch when accessing your chords. Give this a try and see how you do!

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Creating Artificial Harmonics while Switching Locations - 5 Fret Distance

And finally for the 5th fret distance, let's switch up our left hand locations while still grabbing those artificial harmonics.

5:53 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

Exploring Artificial Harmonics in All Fret Distance Locations (Single Notes)

Now, let's combine all of our major fret distances, 5th, 7th and 12th, and grab the artificial harmonics as single notes. Being able to visualize the distances quickly is key to mastering this technique.

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2.5 Difficulty

Exploring Artificial Harmonics in All Fret Distance Locations (Combos and Chords)

As in the previous lesson, we're going to work on grabbing the 5th, 7th and 12th fret locations, but this time let's grab chords and a combination of regular and harmonic notes.

13:10 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

Artificial Harmonics in Song

Now it's time to move our artificial harmonics into a song situation. This illustrates how artificial harmonics can be used in your own arrangements or original compositions.

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3.0 Difficulty

Sounding Pinch Harmonics

In this lesson, Jeff gets out his electric guitar to illustrate the concept of pinch harmonics. This can be played on acoustic or electric, both with different sounding results!

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Pinch Harmonics Riff

Pinch harmonics are very effective when playing riffs. So turn up the gain on your amp and join Jeff to get that harmonic flavor into your electric playing!

16:48 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

Pinch Harmonics in Song

In this lesson, Jeff shows how pinch harmonics can be effective in a song situation.

9:38 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

Putting It All Together

Great job making it to the end of this course! It's back to the acoustic guitar, where we will put together all of the main techniques we have learned.

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3.0 Difficulty

Deep Dive: Feeling Rhythm

Jeff Gunn takes us on an adventure through time - time signatures, that is. This course is designed for the beginner to intermediate player who is ready to add 6 different time signatures to their skillset. We'll cover everything from the standard 4/4, and the "swing feel" of 3/4 time to more challenging signatures like 5/4 and 7/8 time. So grab some Plutonium and a Flux Capacitor because by the end of this course we'll be able to feel the rhythm of any time signature to truly become Masters of Time!

Course Introduction

Jeff Gunn introduces us to "Deep Dive: Feeling Rhythm'

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Playing in 4/4 Time

In this lesson, Jeff takes us through using 1/4 notes and 1/16 notes in different arrangements.

14:38 Runtime

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Emphasizing the Upbeat

In this lesson, Jeff shows us how to emphasize the "and" between notes to help create different tempos and feels in our playing.

3:33 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

Basic Swing Feel

Now it's time to apply what we have learned about creating different feels in our playing to a specific type of playing: Swing!

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2.0 Difficulty

Single Notes in 4/4 Time

In this lesson, Jeff helps us begin to add 1/8 and 1/16 notes to 4/4 time to create different feels in our playing.

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Swinging Single Notes in 4/4 Time

Things are starting to heat up as we learn how to combine a "swing feel" to our chords and progressions.

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The Two

Jeff now shows us how to add a new count that will allow us to play different rhythms over the top. We also get to play with a bit of Calypso Music!

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The 2 Feel with Single Notes

With our new understanding of the 2 feel, Jeff now shows us how to add single notes into the mix.

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Playing in 3/4 Time

Now, we will add a new time to our understanding: 3/4 time. Jeff helps us to understand how to play this timing with good emphasis.

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Playing Single Notes in 3/4 Time

Just like before, now we will focus on adding single notes to this new timing.

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Playing in 6/8 Time

Continuing on, we are now jumping into 6/8 time. Jeff explains how this timing works and walks us through how to play it.

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Picking Notes in 6/8 Time

Now that we know 6/8 time, Jeff shows us how to play single notes to this specific time as well as how to emphasize certain notes.

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Playing in 12/8 Time

Jeff breaks down how 12/8 time works and how we can add it to our playing.

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Picking Notes in 12/8 Time

Now that we have an understanding of 12/8 time under our belts, Jeff helps us with how to pick and strum individual notes to spice up our playing.

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Playing in 5/4 Time

We will now start working on 5/8 time- an "odd" time signature. Just like in the other times, we will now learn how to play this time in the correct way.

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Picking Notes in 5/4 Time

Here, Jeff breaks down how to pick specific notes in 5/4 time.

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Playing in 7/8 Time

In this lesson we jump into our next odd time signature where Jeff walks us through how to play it correctly.

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Picking Notes in 7/8 Time

Once again, we take what we have learned about the 7/8 time and Jeff shows us how to pick specific notes to add new feels to the sound.

10:51 Runtime

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Syncopation

Here, Jeff explains what syncopation is and how we can apply it to the things we have learned so far.

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Syncopated Rhythms and Single Notes

Now, we build on top of what we have learned about syncopation using different rhythms and learning how to add single notes to it.

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Putting it All Together: Offbeats

In this lesson, Jeff helps us to take everything we have learned and apply it to the offbeats.

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Putting it All Together: 6/8 Time

In the final lesson, Jeff takes us all the way back to 6/8 time and shows us how to use all the new skills we have learned.

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2.0 Difficulty

A Closer Look: Muting

In this lesson series, Jeff Gunn shows us the ins and outs of muting. And not just on one kind of guitar- Jeff shows us how muting works on both the acoustic and the electric. In this series, Jeff breaks the process of muting down to the absolute basics and then takes us on a journey through the process of understanding so that by the end, we'll know how to use muting properly... No matter the situation!

Course Introduction

Jeff Gunn introduces us to "A Closer Look: Muting"

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Practical Muting: Part 1

In this first lesson, Jeff discusses the basics of muting on the acoustic guitar and get's us started on our muting journey.

15:59 Runtime

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Practical Muting: Part 2

Similar to the last lesson- but with the electric guitar! Jeff shows the similarities and differences of muting on an electric instead of an acoustic.

14:04 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

Creative Muting: Palm Muting

Here, we build upon what we have learned already by adding palm muting to our understanding.

14:13 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

Palm Muting on Electric

Jeff now shows us how to add this new palm muting technique but to the electric guitar.

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Muted Riffs: Acoustic

Now we begin to add complexities like riffs to our new understanding of muting.

14:09 Runtime

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Muted Riffs: Electric

Just like the last lesson, we take on learning muted riffs, but with the electric guitar.

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Muted Single Note Lines: Acoustic

Jeff breaks down how to take our muted playing a step further by showing us how this applies to single notes.

12:51 Runtime

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Muted Single Note Lines: Electric

Now that we have an understanding of muting single notes, Jeff shows us how to use them on the electric guitar.

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Soloing with Muted Notes: Acoustic

In this lesson, Jeff starts to show us how we can take the lead by adding muted notes to our solos.

12:41 Runtime

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Soloing with Muted Notes: Electric

Now that we have learned a thing or two about soloing on the acoustic guitar, it's time to learn how to apply it to the electric.

14:32 Runtime

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Creative Fret Hand Muting

Jeff now takes us one step further into the muting world by showing us how we can get creative with our muted playing using our other hand.

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Putting it All Together: Acoustic

Now it's time to bring everything we have learned back for this final acoustic lesson.

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Putting it All Together: Electric

Having practiced everything on the acoustic, we pick up our electric guitar for one last lesson.

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Your Unique Voice: Core Skills

Along the journey, many players come to a point where they want to hone their sound to stand out in a crowd - to sound different...unique. In this informative course, Jeff Gunn takes us on a journey to explore what makes the way we play unique and how we can polish that quality until it shines. Covering everything from basic call and response to the importance of triplets and skipping strings, Gunn makes sure that you have the tools to be perfectly unique!

Introduction

Jeff shows us what we will learn from this course and gives us some examples of what to expect!

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3.0 Difficulty

Call and Response

In this lesson, Jeff shows us how to bring the magic of call and response into our playing.

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2.5 Difficulty

Call and Response - Rhythmic Approach

Here we will build upon the art of call and response by focusing on the rhythmic approach.

13:41 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

Call and Response - Your Turn!

Now it's your turn to try your hand at call and response!

12:56 Runtime

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Triplets

Let's learn about triplets and how to incorporate them into our playing.

13:56 Runtime

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Triplets with Chords

Now Jeff will show us how to incorporate chords with our triplets.

14:07 Runtime

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Single Note Quarter Note Triplets

Let's take a look at single note quarter note triplets and how to incorporate them into our playing.

13:41 Runtime

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Chords with Quarter Note Triplets

Here we will deepen our understanding of quarter-note triplets by learning about adding chords alongside them.

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Playing Horizontally

Now we will focus on playing horizontally.

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Playing Horizontally on Multiple Strings

Let's take what we have learned and start working with multiple strings.

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Playing Chords Horizontally

Time to go even further! Now let's focus on playing horizontally using chords.

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Playing Single Notes in One Position

It's time to learn how to play a different single note... In just one position.

13:48 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

Skipping Strings

Jeff shows us the magic of skipping strings and how we can use this in the upcoming lessons.

14:47 Runtime

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Playing Chords in One Position

Now it's time to focus on playing chords in just one position.

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Playing in Thirds Vertically

We've focused on playing horizontally. Now, let's learn to play thirds vertically.

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Playing in Thirds Horizontally

Now let's take our thirds and learn to play them horizontally.

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Playing in 4ths Vertically

Let's take a look at how to play 4ths, and more importantly, how to play 4ths in a vertical fashion.

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Playing in 4ths Horizontally

You guessed it! Now it's time to play 4ths horizontally.

15:28 Runtime

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Playing in 6ths Vertically

It's time to focus on 6ths an how we can incorporate them into our vertical playing.

17:54 Runtime

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Playing in 6ths Horizontally

Now we'll take our 6ths, but instead of vertically, we will focus on how to play them horizontally!

18:22 Runtime

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Putting it All Together: 3rds and 6ths

In this lesson, Jeff shows us how to put everything we have learned together using 3rds and 6ths.

14:05 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

Putting it All Together: Call and Response

Now let's close out the course by taking everything that we have learned and use it in our call and response technique!

15:29 Runtime

3.5 Difficulty

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