Paul Meyers | Guitar Solo Course – Blues For The Millennium - Learn from Mentors Around The World

Solo Guitar Course – Blues For The Millennium

An example of composing, arranging and improvising for solo guitar

Produced by Paul Meyers

photo & video

Buy Now

WHAT YOU GET

27 Lectures | 65 mins of Video Lessons
Easy Step-by-Step Lessons
Fun, Fast, Flexible Learning
Videos Recorded in Full HD 1080p
Available on IOS and Android
Access to Exclusive Materials
Class on-Demand, View whenever you like

You own this class

Lecture list

Product Description

In this course I play and talk about solo guitar playing, using my composition for solo guitar called Blues for the Millennium as an example.

Full details

What can this product offer me?

This course will give you many very important ideas for your own composing, arranging and improvising for solo guitar.
You will learn many techniques and concepts that can be applied especially to jazz and blues, but also to any other style of solo guitar playing.
This will demonstrate many examples of harmonic. rhythmic and textural ways for developing and unifying a solo piece.

Who is this for?

For Jazz, Blues, Classical guitarists and more.
This course is designed to help ANY guitarist who wants to develop their own solo guitar music and performing.
For advanced students – an experienced foundation and background in guitar and theory is strongly suggested

Lecture list

	Lecture series 1: Starting slow, keeping the mood and building	Preview	11:53	Buy Now
Lecture 1	The first 12 bars of Blues for the Millennium		2:43	Buy Now
I play the first chorus and we look at the “call and response” quality of the piece, thinking about bringing out two different instrument “sounds”.
Lecture 2	Thinking “Like a Piano”		1:57	Buy Now
I demonstrate a blues with a more traditional solo jazz guitar approach, where the lines are more closely connected to the chords, and compare it to using a “piano style” of thinking to open up the approach to the guitar for composing, arraigning and improvising.
Lecture 3	Looking at the bass part and the top parts		2:32
Seeing the two “voices” of the call and response melody, bass and treble, and looking at these exact parts. I talk about the relative freedom of the bass part contrasted with the 6ths in the treble part which are “composed”. Then a look at the structure of the unusual chords which end this chorus.
Lecture 4	Building in the second chorus		1:41
Here you will see the development that comes in the second chorus. A more active bass melody and just a little more chord movement keeps the “mood” of the tune but allows it to grow.
Lecture 5	Starting the solo with the bass		2:58
Moving into a solo section while keeping the mood and flavor of the tune. The bass grows out of its melody into actual soloing, but still answered by 6ths above. I talk about how certain notes in the solo could be planned. So, even in the “improvisation” section, arranging can play a big role.
	Lecture series 2: Developing, changing keys, but keeping the feeling	Preview	11:36	Buy Now
Lecture 6	Continuing the bass solo		2:31
Just like the melody, the bass solo is two choruses long and gets more active in the second one. Also, to help think like a bass player, I use only the bottom four strings for the solo. At the end of this chorus a big “modulation” chord is played that will bring the music to the key of Bb.
Lecture 7	Looking at the modulation chord, and listening		2:30
Taking apart the new chord and looking at it two ways. A note about how important a key change can be as a composing/arranging tool — and the importance of listening.
Lecture 8	A new melody in Bb with chords		3:00
Here the call and response idea is continued but reversed. We’ll look close at chords used for the high melody “call” and a variation of the “response” chord which adds even more color.
Lecture 9	Continuing through this melody		1:53
Seeing the structures for all of the chords in the next 4 bar section, again looking for a strong sound for the “response” chord.
Lecture 10	Diminished sounds and a variation for the IV chord		1:41
Another chord variation, leading from the IV chord back to I. An example of how you can use the sounds from the every note in the diminished scale to build new chord sounds. We’ll look this idea in more detail in the next lesson.
	Lecture series 3: The turnaround and a new solo	Preview	11:20	Buy Now
Lecture 11	Using “thick” sounds in the turnaround.		2:19
The last 4 bars of this chorus ends with a turnaround ( III-VI-II-V – all 7th chords ). You’ll learn a lot of strong colorful sounds that you can add to dominant 7th chord.
Lecture 12	Low triads at the end		2:53
Talking about those sounds in the turnaround, that they are all from the diminished scale. Then the melody comes back home on Bb, but with 3 other chords, all very low major triads, played under that note. Pthatlus some artificial harmonics bringing out a few more “diminished” colors at the end.
Lecture 13	Starting a new solo, but keeping the mood		2:11
Finishing that chorus, the next one begins with the same “calls”, but the answers now are solo lines played in the high register. So, even the though solo has started, the arrangement keeps the feeling of the tune with the high melody idea.
Lecture 14	Continue building the main ideas		1:58
I play an example of this new chorus, and also talk about the variations of the turnaround chords that I used this time ( still using “diminished” colors ).
Lecture 15	A turnaround variation		1:58
Looking in detail at this turnaround variation, which uses tritone subs and 6ths from the diminished scale. We spend a lot of time on these sounds because they are very rich in possibilities.
	Lecture series 4: Developing the high solo	Preview	10:36	Buy Now
Lecture 16	Continuing the solo into the last section		2:47
The 3rd chorus in Bb starts again with the “call and response” idea, and this time the “call” is with the very low chords, continuing from the ones that ended the chorus just before. So the feeling of the music from the very beginning is kept by using that device.
Lecture 17	Soloing on the turnaround		2:33
Thinking “like a piano”, certain parts of the solo can be more or less worked out. You see how I did that for the turnaround on this chorus. This again helps the keep the unified feeling of the arrangement.
Lecture 18	Keeping the “mood” of the tune, looking at the arrangement and solo		2:56
Talking about improvising, but still finding ways keeping the feeling of the what has come before. I demonstrate a bit and talk about these all of these ideas.
Lecture 19	Moving forward and keeping the flow		2:18
Herre is an example of a complete solo chorus, with it’s own particular set of chords. After that some thoughts about how to handle “mistakes”, and the importance of staying in tim even when that happens.
	Lecture series 5: More about improvising and finishing the tune	Preview	10:14	Buy Now
Lecture 20	Listening to yourself		2:38
Here I talk about recording yourself as a part of your practice routine. This is a very effective way to put yourself in a “performance” situation during your practice, and then you can come back later and objectively look at all the details of your playing.
Lecture 21	The importance of developing motives		2:37
Finding simple melodic and rhythmic ideas in your lines and developing them is an important part being able to “tell a story” when you’re improvising. Here I talk about that idea and how important it is in music, whether composing, arranging or improvising.
Lecture 22	An example of motivic development		2:27
Here is an example of a simple melodic and rhythmic idea that is used to go through the whole chord progression of this tune.
Lecture 23	Finding new ideas and internalizing them		2:30
Talking here about the process of adding new ideas to your own “vocabulary” – so that you can develop your own musical “language”. This starts with working out exact ideas that sound and feel good to you to play. Over time you will absorb these ideas so well that you can use them in new variations each time.
	Lecture series 6: Developing chords, and finishing the tune	Preview	9:46	Buy Now
Lecture 24	Building chords up in any direction		2:29
Here is a very useful concept for discovering new ways to play any chord. By building them up from any of the fundamental parts ( Root, 3rd, 5th or 7th ), and in any direction across the neck, you will learn how to capture chord sounds, and create new ones, wherever your hand is on the neck of the guitar.
Lecture 25	Building chords down in any direction		2:36
The same concept works in reverse. So here you’ll look at building the chords from the top note down, and in any direction as you build notes under them. Again this gives you more choices to choose from.
Lecture 26	Back to the tune, with a variation		2:07
At the end of the solo I come back to the Bb melody. I use the same 3 chord “call”, but alternate the “response” ideas between the low chords and high improvised phrases. This uses the full range of the guitar and is the high energy point of the arrangement.
Lecture 27	Bringing it all back home		2:32
After the strong Bb chorus I end the tune where its started, back in the calmer G major blues. A simple bassline brings it back, the G blues returns like the beginning, and I end it with a turnaround using pairs of notes alternating between the top strings to the bottom, again keeping in the mood of the tune right to the end.

Instructor Biography

, Multi Award Jazz Guitarist, Masters of Music in Jazz Guitar, Jazz Guitar Professor

Paul Meyers has gained a reputation as one of the top jazz guitarists of our time. With an original technique on the classical guitar he has combined a deep understanding of the jazz tradition with strong influences of Brazilian, Latin and classical music to create a truly unique sound and concept.

Paul has performed and recorded with an ever growing list of jazz greats – Geri Allen, Karrin Allyson, Kenny Barron, Bruce Barth, Ron Carter, Eliane Elias, Eddie Gomez, Jovino Santos Neto, Rufus Reid, Claudio Roditi, Annie Ross and David Sanchez to name a few. He’s also toured worldwide for many years with two of the greatest jazz singers ever – Jon Hendricks (since 1993) and Andy Bey (from 1997 to 2008). Paul performed in Argentina and the US with vibraphonist Gary Burton, who recorded Paul’s tune Panama on his “Reunion” CD with Pat Metheny.

Critically acclaimed CDs: – two new releases are World on a String, a quintet with rising stars Donny McCaslin and Helio Alves, featuring Paul’s original compositions and arrangements, and Paul Meyers Quartet featuring Frank Wess, a relaxed straight ahead session with the tenor and flute master. These follow two solo guitar CDs, Blues for the Millennium, with his unique arrangements of jazz and Brazilian tunes, four original pieces and his own transcriptions of 7 of Bela Bartok’s “Mikrokosmos”, and Dusk to Dawn, a collection of original arrangements of Ellington, Gershwin, Lennon/McCartney, Scott Joplin and more.

Others include Brasil & Company, an all Brazilian CD with the great vocalist Vera Mara, and Euforia, an envelope pushing Latin Jazz trio with great Panamanian bassist/composer Santi Debriano and Brazilian drummer Vanderlei Pereira. Paul and Santi also reunited for a duo CD, Spirit and Samba. Earlier recordings include the unigue cello, bass and guitar ensemble Trio Concertant, first runner-up for best chamber music CD of 1992, and a jazz trio album, Blues for Henry Miller.

As a sideman: Paul has contributed to many CDs, notably three with Andy Bey – the Grammy nominated American Song, Tuesdays in Chinatown and Shades of Bey. He toured with the great Argentinian pianist/composer Pablo Zeigler, who featured Paul along with Stephon Harris on the live CD Tango meets Jazz. Others include Hearts and Minds with Susannah McCorkle, 4 on 6 x 5 with the New York Jazz Guitar Ensemble and three Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings featuring all original music – Obeah with Santi Debriano, Utatuba with Kimson Plaut and Lucky with Hans Teuber. As a performer he has been in great demand as a sideman in New York and on tour.

As an educator and clinician: Paul has taught master classes and workshops in many places including Argentina, Hawaii, Alaska and Ottawa. The Director of the Seattle Jazz Guitar Society, Micheal Biller, said:”The other side of Paul Meyers is as a teacher|clinician. Mr. Meyers has a unique ability to approach highly complex musical subjects and present each component in a practical yet multi-faceted way that allows participants to begin playing portions at tonight’s gig, jam session or rehearsal…while perfecting the premise over a lifetime.”

Paul teaches jazz guitar, improvisation and coaches jazz and Brazilian ensembles at William Patterson University (since 1988) and at New Jersey City University (since 1993), and he also taught at the first year of the Jazz for Teens program at NJPAC in Newark.

Full biography

Testimonies and Quotes

“…one of the most eloquent jazz guitarists since Kenny Burrell…”

–James Gavin, New York Times

“With his gleaming tone, assured rhythmic stance and rich sense of melody, PaulMeyers makes a very persuasive guitarist.”

–Zan Stewart, The New Jersey Star-Ledger

“First of all, Paul Meyers is a brilliant musician, but most of all he has a broad
musical concept. He has such great sensitivity where you can feel the music
coming out of his guitar and not just hear the notes. I know this will continue to
serve him well, always.”

–Andy Bey

“Paul Meyers is a guitarist’s guitarist. He displays a creative, fresh approach to
harmonic and linear playing. He’s a brilliant soloist and accompanist and excels in contemporary jazz. His arranging and performances are as good as it gets.”

–Gene Bertoncini [Internationally renowned jazz guitarist]

“A lot of guitarists play bossa nova, but they don’t catch that jazz tinge that Joao Gilberto has. The only cat I’ve heard that does is Paul Meyers.”

–Jon Hendricks

“A beautifully inventive and supportive player, Paul is such a pleasure to hear
and to work with–a real pro, who’s love of the music always shines through.”

–Karrin Allyson, Concord Recording Artist

“One of the great things about NYC’s jazz scene is the presence of musicians
like Paul Meyers – so consistently satisfying that we sometimes take his
greatness for granted!”

–Jack Kleinsinger, Highlights in Jazz

“Paul Meyers’ classical guitar artistry finds him equally at home performing
musical styles ranging from Bossa Nova to Be-Bop to Bartok – all played with
impeccable technique and true passion. His intensive workshops – especially
those designed for classical guitarists – open new worlds of musical possibilities even for those who have had years of private lessons and conservatory training.”

–Dennis Koster [Internationally recognized concert artist and author
of the “Flamenco Guitar” method books]

What I appreciate and love in Meyers’ playing is his huge sense of groove and
inner pulse. In addition to this, his tone is always clear, clean and he is definitely a great swinger. Needless for him to play the billions of speedy and insignificant notes, unlike too many jazz (or not) players of our time. His “speech” is precise and above all he is not a “talkative” musician and I do like that. Paul Meyers plays actually the way we all need in a musician: telling a nice story.

–Roland Dyens, Guitarist and Composer
Teacher at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris (France)

“I first heard guitarist Paul Meyers live in a duo setting with his long-time musical partner Vera Mara, a fabulous singer from Brazil. She and Paul were weaving in and out of that music so beautifully together, I have been a fan ever since.”

–Karrin Allyson, Concord Recording Artist

“The other side of Paul Meyers is as a teacher|clinician. Mr. Meyers has a unique ability to approach highly complex musical subjects and present each component in a practical yet multi-faceted way that allows participants to begin playing portions at tonight’s gig, jam session or rehearsal…while perfecting the premise over a lifetime.”