Stop Playing Roots: The Power of Shell Voicings for Beginners
Transitioning to jazz guitar? Your obsession with anchoring on root notes might be muddying the mix. The bass player has the foundation covered. Your job is to define the color. Discover why stripping your chords down to just the 3rds and 7ths—Shell Voicings—is the key to unlocking smooth voice leading and that sophisticated "jazz sound."
Are You Just Memorizing Shapes? How to Truly Understand the Fretboard with Chord Degrees
Jazz guitar doesn’t have to be an endless memorization game.
By learning to see chords as degrees and functions—rather than shapes—you can finally understand how harmony works across the fretboard and start playing with clarity and intention.
The 12-Key Trap: Why Trying to Conquer Every Key in Order Is Doomed to Fail
Many intermediate players try to master all 12 keys only to get stuck in a cycle of conquering one key and forgetting another. This article explains why isolated “12-key drills” fail—and how a song-based, top-down approach allows you to absorb harmony naturally and permanently through real tunes.