Jazz Guitar Upper Structures: How Shell Voicings Become Rootless Upper-Structure Voicings
Upper structures aren't a separate subject — they grow out of shell voicings. Drop the root from a 1-3-7 shell, raise the guide tones into tensions, and you're already playing upper-structure, rootless voicings.
How Wes Montgomery Actually Read the Fretboard
Most players trying to learn from Wes Montgomery start with the octaves. That's the imitation. This is what was actually happening underneath.
How to Practice Triads for Voice Leading
Think you know triads? The 'Mick Goodrick' cycle approach changes everything. Learn how moving one note creates functional harmony.
Breaking Through Your Improvisation Rut: A Practical Guide to Connecting Melody and Guide Tones
You know your scales and chord tones—but your improvisation still doesn’t sound musical.
The missing link isn’t more theory. It’s learning how to connect melody and harmony through guide tones, voice leading, and simple triadic movement inside a real song.
Beyond Chord Tones: The Secret to Fluid II-V-I Lines on Jazz Guitar
Most players memorize chord-tone shapes but still sound disconnected. This article explains why guide-tone voice leading—not arpeggio recall—is the key to flowing II–V–I improvisation, and how tracking 3rds and 7ths creates smooth, lyrical lines.
How to Start Self-Taught Jazz Guitar: A 3-Step Method to Master Your First 'Real Book' Tune
Feeling lost when opening the Real Book? Many guitarists jump straight into chords or melodies without truly understanding the tune’s structure. This three-step approach—focusing on melody, bass, and shell voicings—shows how to internalize any jazz standard from the inside out.