Description
The Art of Swing Guitar
Tuesdays, 7:30 PM ET (4:30 PM PT)
May 7 – June 11 (via Zoom)
All sessions will be video recorded & made available immediately following class
Cost: $270 for 6 live on-line classes
The approach to this six-week class is to deeply learn a song while refining the skills of rhythm guitar accompaniment, and lead playing. The class will spend two weeks on each song to provide time to relax into the structure of the piece in order to make the chord changes and melodic ideas more intuitive – all while improving your skills as both a rhythm and lead guitarist.
With the 2024 Summer Olympics being held in Paris, this session of “The Art of Swing Guitar” (L’art de la guitar swing) will feature classic French standards that are often played in a swing repertoire including “La Vie en rose,” “Je suis seul se soir” and “C’est si bon” as well as learning songs with similar chord progressions – “J’attendrai” and “Si tu vois ma mére.” Plan to expand your skill set and deepen your understanding of swing guitar while learning these great songs. We will also work on transposition to create more accommodating keys for singers or instrumentalists. French lyrics provided.
All handouts will be will be in standard notation and tablature with chord diagrams so note reading is not required. MP3 play-along tracks as well as practice videos will be provided to ensure you have the proper support between each class. French lyrics provided.
Chords and Rhythm Accompaniment
- Basic chords
- Passing chords
- Advanced chord shapes
- Memorizing chord progressions
- Learning Similar (Adjacent) Chord Progressions to expand repertoire
Lead Playing
- Developing a “swing feel”
- Learning from a lead sheet
- Memorizing the melody to be able to play it in several locations on the guitar
- Embellishing the melody
- Using Scales for improvisation
- Using Chord Tones for improvisation (applied arpeggios)
- Let the rhythm guide your solo
- Composing a solo
- Composing a solo on the fly
- Learning from the greats (licks, phrases and rhythms)
- Intros/outros
Theoretical and Fretboard Understanding
- The commonality of chord progressions and song form
- Mapping the fretboard
- Making arpeggios musical
- Researching a song
- Listening for learning
- Practicing for success
- Technique for improving tone
All handouts will be will be in standard notation, tablature and chord diagrams so note reading is not required. MP3 play-along tracks as well as practice videos will be provided to ensure you have the proper support between each class.
Questions? email Greg Ruby
What students are saying…
I’ve been listening to Jazz for about 25 years now, and I started learning guitar about 5 years ago. As a fan of Greg’s music for many years, I came to his classes as a beginner/intermediate guitar player. Immediately I was impressed by three things: First, Greg has developed wonderfully well-thought out systems and written materials that are both logical in their structure, and immediately applicable to PLAYING MUSIC, not just practicing it. Through the PDF handouts, the videos following the classes, and his ability to clearly explain complex concepts, he lays the foundation for guitar players of every level. Second, Greg’s classes are filled with magical nuggets of wisdom – little tips and tricks that advance your playing immediately. These might be exercises, positional tips, or simple ways of explaining rather opaque concepts – the kinds of knowledge that only comes from decades of experience, and it can take a lot of the frustration out of the learning process. Lastly, Greg is able to communicate to the students’ experience in a way that so many players at his level cannot. He loves what he does, and it shows. I feel that he truly wants his students to succeed. The chance to learn from such a gifted performer, historian, and teacher who is generous with his knowledge and materials has been a highlight of my guitar journey.
– Daniel N.
