Guitar

Beginning Guitar

An introductory course for students with little or no experience playing guitar.
Students learn the basics, including:

• tuning the guitar
• understanding the fretboard
• using proper hand positions
• fingerings for major scales
• learning basic triads and seventh chords
• playing simple pieces
• reading music

This course is taught by world-class Jazzschool faculty with the objective of getting it right from the very beginning. Required text: Modern Guitar Method Vol. One, Mel Bay (available at Jazzschool Books and Records).

SPRING: 4/6 – 6/8 (10 weeks)

Saturdays 10 – 11:30 am

Danny Caron & Anthony Paule  $365

Jazz Guitar I

A hands-on class on the basics of jazz and blues guitar technique and style. Includes instruction in soloing and comping over standard jazz repertoire and the blues.
Required texts: Graduated Soloing: The Mimi Fox Guitar Method and Graduated Solos DVD, both by Mimi Fox (available at Jazzschool Books and Records).

Prerequisites: two years playing experience, knowledge of major and pentatonic scales and basic seventh chords.

SPRING: 4/3 – 6/5 (10 weeks)

Wednesdays 6:30 – 8 pm

Mimi Fox  $365

Jazz Guitar II

A hands-on class for intermediate-level students wishing to continue to develop their knowledge of scales (including altered and diminished), chord theory, repertoire, modes (including melodic/harmonic minor modes and more advanced concepts. Required texts: Jazz Anatomy DVD and Guitar Arpeggio Studies on Jazz Standards (available at Jazzschool Books and Records).

Prerequisites: Jazz Guitar I or equivalent; knowledge of scale and chord theory and some familiarity with jazz repertoire.

SPRING: 4/3 – 6/5 (10 weeks)

Wednesdays 8:15 – 9:45 pm

Mimi Fox  $365

The Art of Creative and Effective Jazz Guitar Comping

This hands-on course provides the intermediate to advanced guitarist with  tools, concepts and techniques essential to creative and effective contemporary comping.
This course covers:

• comping over straight-ahead, bebop, modal, funk/fusion, ballads, contemporary jazz, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban styles of music
• creative chord voicings — looking at the fingerboard and voicing chords in a more “pianistic” way; quartal harmony (clusters voiced in 4ths) in modal comping; the possibilities of dissonant intervals such as the minor 2nd; slash chords; tritone substitution; and upper-register chord voicings
• rhythmic anticipation and syncopation: the “right” places to put chords in treating rhythmic “forward motion”; comping in 3/4, 6/8 and odd meters.

Prerequisites: knowledge of chord/scale theory; ability to play major, dominant and minor seventh chords and the ii–V–I progression in all keys.

SPRING: not offered

Steve Erquiaga  $365

Guitar Master Class

The Guitar Master Class has a different focus each term and is open to intermediate/advanced jazz guitarists.

Prerequisites: Jazz Guitar II or consent of instructor.

Super Chops
SPRING 2013

Learn to play great jazz lines in the style of Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, and other jazz guitar masters while developing hand technique, aural skills, and jazz vocabulary. Emphasis on correct phrasing and stylistic nuance. Students focus on fingerings, arpeggios, scales, compound phrases and moving up and down the neck in a logical and musical way. For intermediate/advanced guitarists.

SPRING: 4/1 – 6/10 (10 weeks) no class 5/27

Mondays 6:30 – 8 pm

Mimi Fox  $365

Guitar Trio

In this intermediate/advanced class, students develop improvisation skills in the guitar trio format. Students focus on group interaction and dynamics, soloing, comping for bass solos, trading fours with the drummer, building repertoire and, finally, getting gigs! Maximum enrollment: four guitarists, one bassist, one drummer.

Prerequisites: ability to play and improvise over a jazz tune in time.

SPRING: 4/1 – 6/10 (10 weeks) no class 5/27

Mondays 8:15 – 9:45 pm

Mimi Fox  $365

A consultation or audition is required for enrollment in this class. Please email info@jazzchool.org or call 510-845-5373 for more information on how to register for this class.

Blues and Swing Guitar

This class is designed for guitarists with basic technical facility and focuses on the blues form. Students learn chord voicings, fingerboard harmony and techniques of single-string soloing. Class covers a variety of styles, from the urban blues of B.B. King and Albert Collins to the more complex swing of Charlie Christian and Aaron T-Bone Walker. Alternate chord cycles and rhythm playing are covered. Students also work with transcriptions to develop strong melodic solos.

Prerequisites: familiarity with the 12-bar blues progression, ability to play bar chords in several shapes, basic knowledge of the minor pentatonic scale, some picking facility. 

SPRING: 4/6 – 6/8 (10 weeks)

Saturdays 11:45 am – 1:15 pm

Danny Caron & Anthony Paule  $365

Flamenco Guitar

This course provides students with a basic understanding of the most important rhythmic forms and techniques in traditional and contemporary flamenco music. Cultural and historic foundations are discussed, and participants explore a variety of both left- and right-hand techniques that enhance guitar playing in any genre. Students practice playing individually and as an ensemble, and guest artists drawn from the Bay Area’s extensive community of professional flamenco performers give students a taste of the exciting dynamics involved in accompanying singing and dancing.

Prerequisites: Some prior guitar experience is recommended, and guitarists are encouraged to bring an acoustic nylon-string guitar, a recording device and a capo.

SPRING: 4/6 – 6/8 (10 weeks)

Saturdays 1:30 – 3 pm

David Gutierrez  $365

Brazilian Guitar

Designed for intermediate to advanced students, this hands-on class
covers various styles of Brazilian music, including samba, baião,
bossa nova and choro, and the techniques used to play them. The
primary focus is on learning repertoire, while developing the
following areas:

• stylistically appropriate comping rhythms
• chord melody playing
• creating solo arrangements
• right hand finger-style techniques
• melodic soloing approaches

SPRING: 4/7 – 6/9 (10 weeks)

Sundays 2 – 3:30 pm

Ricardo Peixoto  $365