Private tuition
JAZZ GUITAR TUITION With TREFOR OWEN.
GET THE BEST IN JAZZ GUITAR TUITION FOR A REASONABLE COST.
For further information
phone 07423 016888
or e-mail tojazzgtr@aol.com
Tuition can be at my studio in Cheadle, Cheshire or at your home.
JAZZ GUITAR TUITION WITH TREFOR OWEN
IS AVAILABLE ON A ONE TO ONE OR GROUP BASIS, (workshops).
(Distant learning packs also available. Click here.
ONE HOUR OR TWO HOUR LESSONS CAN BE ARRANGED.
COST OF LESSONS: £40.00 FOR ONE HOUR. £65.00 FOR TWO HOURS. OTHER PERIODS BY ARRANGEMENT. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR LONG-TERM STUDENTS.
SPECIAL OFFER FIVE LESSONS FOR THE PRICE OF FOUR:
BOOK AND PAY £160 FOR FOUR LESSONS IN ADVANCE AND GET A FIFTH ONE FREE, PLUS BY TAKING UP THIS OFFER YOUR LESSONS WILL BE EXTENDED TO ONE AND A HALF HOURS DURATION.
FREQUENCY OF LESSONS CAN BE NEGOTIATED.(For example, every two weeks, monthly, etc).
GROUP TUITION FEES CAN BE NEGOTIATED.
LESSONS BY MEANS OF SKYPE ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
Please Note:
Payment can be made by: Cash, Credit/Debit Card or Cheque.
No matter what your age, and however inexperienced you think you are, you can be a successful jazz guitarist.
My method aims to give you a practical approach to the study of Jazz guitar.
There are four main areas of study:
“Improvisation”, “Harmony” “Chord Melody” and “Accompaniment”.
First and foremost, I believe that every jazz guitarist must know his chords and have the ability to be a good accompanist, which includes playing good four in the bar (swing style) rhythm and bass line comping. Also, my method of improvisation is based on knowing the pivotal note of the chords.
There are many approaches to jazz improvisation and very often students are either left confused, with no real direction, or made to feel that there is so much to learn that being a successful jazz guitarist is beyond their reach.
My alternative approach to improvisation has five improvisational devices which a student needs to master, and they are:
1). The minor pentatonic/blues scale.
2). The major tonality.
3). The jazz minor.
4). The diminished arpeggio and diminished scale.
5). The whole-tone scale.
The Alternative Approach.
My improvisational method is quick and easy and is an “Alternative Approach” to the usual scales and modes. For example, simply preparing and conditioning one improvisational device, either the minor pentatonic/blues or the Major 7th arpeggio, will enable you to improvise over Major, minor, dominant 7th and half diminished chords. It will give you the ability to improvise over the harmonic sequences of jazz standards in a very short period of time.
Other studies include: Developing other improvisational devices, their development and application to form a “Base to Build From” for improvised lines. Developing a good practice procedure. Chord Melody, Four in the Bar (swing style) and Bass Line Comping.
Pentatonic and Blues Scales.
I have pioneered a method of utilising the pentatonic and blues scales to improvise over jazz standards by identifying pivotal notes of the Major, minor and dominant seventh chords.
A Base to Build From.
A “Base to Build From”, consists of four studies: The “Major Tonality” explains how to prepare, develop and condition the Maj7th arpeggio as an improvisational device, and the “Approach to Improvisation” study deals with the application of the “Major Tonality” through the recognition of the main character notes of the chords. (Simply by developing and applying the “Major Tonality” it is possible to improvise over many jazz standards).
The “Jazz minor”, “Diminished Arpeggio/Scale” and “Whole-tone Scale” studies show how they can be prepared as improvisational devices, each one with its own “Base to Build From”. The method is therefore based on the preparation and conditioning of the three improvisational devices and how they should be applied to a harmonic sequence. Please remember that the Diminished Scale” and “Whole-tone Scale” are very much tension devices!
Harmony.
The “Harmony” study deals with jazz theory. In addition it explains how to group chords into logical sequences and change chord sequences into numbers, thereby giving you the ability to build a repertoire of jazz standards quickly.
Accompaniment.
The “Chord and Chord Directory” study deals with the physical side of playing chords, and introduces the recognition of groups of chords, (chord grouping), and thereby enables you to hear chord sounds collectively.
The “Hendrix Chord” (from a practical point of view), is a method that gives the guitarist the facility to form many chord forms out of one basic fingering pattern, thereby “Establishing Economical Chord Forms”, thus giving economy of movement. It can be used to facilitate all chords, Major, minor, dom7th and diminished also the altered and extended forms that the guitarist will encounter. It is the perfect introduction to the “Locked Knuckle Technique”. The “Locked Knuckle Technique” is a method of left-hand fingering which is based on forming Major, minor and dom7th triads, (root, third and seventh), and where possible fingering the root note of the chord with the second finger. In addition the Hendrix chord method gives easy access to the m7b5 chord, (half-diminished), which, in my opinion, is the most misunderstood chord in harmony. (Not all chords can be fingered with the second finger on the bass note, but many can).
“Bass-line Comping”, is a technique which will give the guitarist the ability to simulate a bass line when playing in a bass-less combination.
Associated Studies.
There are other associated studies to enable you to become the complete Jazz guitarist. For example, if you do not have a good knowledge of the guitar fingerboard then “Fingerboard Organisation”, (the “CAGED” system), is a method of finding any chord or scale, in any key, very quickly by simply memorising five Major chord Forms. “Facility” deals with building a good single string technique, correct right-hand and left-hand technique and, very importantly, how to practice constructively, by introducing you to a practice procedure.
The “Dom7th Chord” study tells you all about its functioning and non-functioning aspects.
JAZZ GUITAR TUITION
by
TREFOR OWEN
Details of the 22 studies that Trefor Owen has written for jazz guitar
IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE STUDENT HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED SOME FACILITY ON THE INSTRUMENT. (e.g. Minimum requirement to understand this course: Barree Chords, some scales).
AREAS OF STUDY
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to jazz guitar. An overview, (Included with each study).
STUDY 1
FINGERBOARD ORGANISATION
The C A G E D System
How to find any chord or scale on the guitar fingerboard by simply
memorising five Major chord forms.
STUDY 2
FACILITY
Getting the most out of a practice session. Constructive practising. Correct right and left hand technique and developing independence.
STUDIES 3 to 6.
The alternative approach to improvisation. developing a “Base to Build From”.
STUDY 3
THE MAJOR TONALITY
The preparation and conditioning of the Major seventh arpeggio as an improvisational device. The Major 7th arpeggio is the base for the Major Tonality.
STUDY 4
APPROACH TO IMPROVISATION.
Identifying the main character notes of chords and applying the Major Tonality as an improvisational device.
STUDY 5
THE JAZZ MINOR
The development of the Jazz minor and its application to the dom7th, minor and mi7b5 (half-diminished) chords.
STUDY 6
THE DIMINISHED
The development of the diminished arpeggio and scale and their application to the dom7th, minor and mi7b5 (half-diminished) chords.
STUDIES 7 to 14.
GUITARISTS! BE GOOD ACCOMPANISTS!
THE ART OF ACCOMPANIMENT.
STUDY 7
ECONOMICAL CHORD FORMS
THE HENDRIX CHORD
FOR THE SIX STRING GUITAR
A method of left-hand fingering which introduces the “Hendrix Chord” as a basic form to facilitate all chords including the altered and extended chords and can be used as an introduction to the “Locked Knuckle Technique” which is based on forming Major, minor and dom7th triads, (root, third and seventh).
STUDY 8
KNOW YOUR CHORDS
Chord grouping, Converting chord symbols into numbers, Building a Repertoire, Harmonisation of the Major and minor scales, Minor scales, Chord families, Popular chords, Chord grouping, Chord substitution.
STUDY 9
CHORDS & CHORD DIRECTORY
Basic and regular chord forms and fingering.
A practical approach to chord grouping.
STUDY 10
INTRODUCTION TO BASS LINE COMPING.
Introduction to bass line comping using the 12 bar blues chord sequence.
STUDY 11
ADVANCE BASS LINE COMPING.
Building bass-line modules and their application to chord sequences.
STUDY 12
7 STRING GUITAR
Easy conversion from 6 to 7 string guitar.
STUDY 13
DEVELOPING THE BOSSA NOVA RHYTHM
Chord voicing and accommodating the melody.
STUDY 14
MUSIC THEORY
Harmonisation of the Major and minor scales.
STUDIES 15 to 22.
Aids to improvisation
STUDY 15
THE 12 BAR BLUES & RHYTHM CHANGES
Introduction to the harmonic sequence of the12 bar blues and
rhythm changes. Improvisation on the12 bar blues.
STUDY 16
DOMINANT SEVENTH CHORD
From the improvisers point of view applying improvisational devices to
functioning and non-functioning dom7th chords.
STUDY 17
VISUALISATION
The guitar is a pattern instrument.
Use it to your advantage through visualisation of the guitar fingerboard.
STUDY 18
SYMMETRY
Creating tension in improvisation with the use of symmetric movement.
STUDY 19
ADVANCED IMPROVISATION
Creating tension and expanding your musical vocabulary. Also the application of the secondary relative
minor in improvisation.
STUDY 20
AUGMENTED FORM
Augmented chord form and the whole-tone scale.
STUDY 21
RHYTHM CHANGES ADVANCED STUDY
Chord substitution and improvisation.
STUDY 22
THE HALF-DIMINISHED CHORD.
The most misunderstood chord in music.
For further information contact:
TREFOR OWEN on 07423 016888 or
E-mail = tojazzgtr@aol.com