Rhythm Essentials: : Building timing and groove. Strumming patterns with syncopation. Introduction to sixteenth notes, and more eighth notes. Muted strumming techniques. Playing to a metronome or backing track.
Chord Expansions and Voicings Focus: Enhancing chord vocabulary dvanced voicings. Move beyond open and barre chords into 7th chords (maj7, min7, dom7). Slash chords (e.g., G/B, D/F#) for bass line movement. Experiment with inversions and partial chords. Apply these in a variety of musical styles like jazz, pop, or funk.
Melodic Fretboard Mastery Focus: Expanding fretboard knowledge and lead techniques. Master scales across the fretboard (e.g., CAGED system for major and pentatonic scales). Introduce modes of the major scale (Ionian, Dorian, Mixolydian, etc.). Learn interval shapes (3rds, 6ths, octaves) for melodic phrasing. Develop vibrato, slides, and hybrid picking to enhance expression.
Harmony in Context Focus: Connecting harmony and melody through theory. Analyze songs for harmonic functions. Understand secondary dominants and chord substitutions Play cadences (authentic, plagal, deceptive) and their emotional effects. Explore harmonic improvisation (playing arpeggios over chord changes).
Improvisation and Solo Construction Focus: Creating expressive and structured solos. Improvise using scales and modes over chord progressions. Practice phrasing with question-answer techniques. Learn target notes to outline harmony (e.g., landing on the 3rd or 7th of each chord). Combine technical elements like bends, slides, and legato in solos.
Advanced Fingerpicking and Hybrid Styles Focus: Refining right-hand techniques for melodic and harmonic independence. Practice Travis picking for alternating bass patterns. Incorporate hybrid picking (pick and fingers) for combining strums and melody. Play fingerstyle arrangements of popular songs. Learn thumb independence with basslines and syncopated melody lines.
Composition and Arrangement Focus: Using theory and technique to create original music. Write chord progressions using diatonic harmony or modal interchange (borrowed chords). Develop melodies that fit within progressions (e.g., call-and-response motifs). Arrange songs with dynamic elements (e.g., intro, verse, chorus, solo, outro). Integrate counterpoint or harmonised lines into arrangements.
Rhythm Essentials: Building timing and groove Strumming patterns with syncopation. Introduction to sixteenth notes, and more eighth notes. Muted strumming techniques. Playing to a metronome or backing track.
Chord Expansions and Voicings Focus: Enhancing chord vocabulary dvanced voicings. Move beyond open and barre chords into 7th chords (maj7, min7, dom7). Slash chords (e.g., G/B, D/F#) for bass line movement. Experiment with inversions and partial chords. Apply these in a variety of musical styles like jazz, pop, or funk.
Melodic Fretboard Mastery Focus: Expanding fretboard knowledge and lead techniques. Master scales across the fretboard (e.g., CAGED system for major and pentatonic scales). Introduce modes of the major scale (Ionian, Dorian, Mixolydian, etc.). Learn interval shapes (3rds, 6ths, octaves) for melodic phrasing. Develop vibrato, slides, and hybrid picking to enhance expression.
Harmony in Context Focus: Connecting harmony and melody through theory. Analyze songs for harmonic functions. Understand secondary dominants and chord substitutions Play cadences (authentic, plagal, deceptive) and their emotional effects. Explore harmonic improvisation (playing arpeggios over chord changes).
Improvisation and Solo Construction Focus: Creating expressive and structured solos. Improvise using scales and modes over chord progressions. Practice phrasing with question-answer techniques. Learn target notes to outline harmony (e.g., landing on the 3rd or 7th of each chord). Combine technical elements like bends, slides, and legato in solos.
Composition and Arrangement Focus: Using theory and technique to create original music. Write chord progressions using diatonic harmony or modal interchange (borrowed chords). Develop melodies that fit within progressions (e.g., call-and-response motifs). Arrange songs with dynamic elements (e.g., intro, verse, chorus, solo, outro). Integrate counterpoint or harmonised lines into arrangements.
Advanced Fingerpicking and Hybrid Styles Focus: Refining right-hand techniques for melodic and harmonic independence. Practice Travis picking for alternating bass patterns. Incorporate hybrid picking (pick and fingers) for combining strums and melody. Play fingerstyle arrangements of popular songs. Learn thumb independence with basslines and syncopated melody lines.
