Challenging yourself with "small chords"
Plus, Levi Clay's new guitar platform!
Hey there, got a fun mix for you this week. I’m challenging you to try writing something using small chords like INXS or The Edge instead of full power chords. I’m also sharing a great new guitar platform from Levi Clay that’s all about guided practice, plus some killer videos on sweep picking, legato, triads, and even how George Benson approaches octaves. I guarantee there’s something in this issue that you’ll like!
🔊Turn This Up
My recommendation this week is more of a challenge to you. INXS were all over the radio when I was growing up, and I still love their songs today. Songs like “What You Need”, “Need You Tonight”, “Suicide Blonde” and “New Sensation” I could play a million times. If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you’ll know that I’ve been incredibly open to all types of guitar players and their contributions to music.
At Chasing Sound, I don’t just cater to shredders, blues players, country legends, or any particular genre. I firmly believe that there’s always something new to learn from all different musical styles. In fact, I think players who blend genres are some of the most interesting musicians out there.
This week, I’d love for you to challenge yourself to write something with “small chords” like INXS or The Edge from U2. Instead of full-on power chords, let’s experiment with triads and see what creative progression we can come up with. If you’re feeling inspired, feel free to record a video with your work!
❓Sunday Sound Off
As I try to create new and fun things for Chasing Sound I always want to hear what you’re working on, what you’re struggling with and how I can help. So that’s why this week’s question is a poll. If it’s something other than the 3 options below, write me a comment or reply!
📝 Course of the Week
This week, the recommendation isn’t just one course; it’s actually a whole new guitar learning platform from Levi Clay. Levi Clay has been putting out books and running his Patreon for a long time with a focus on guided practice routines. Well now Levi has a new home for these lessons at his Guided Practice Routines website. Not only do you have daily routines, but there are also courses, such as an ear training course, a triads course, a major scale deep dive and much more. I signed up within the first week and am already getting a ton out of it. Go check out Clay’s new GPR site and let him know Chasing Sound sent ya! If you want an inside look into his teaching methods, check out the free “5 Levels of Triads For Guitar” video below. Also, check out his fantastic books and all his great videos on Guitar Pro. Levi was actually the one who got me inspired to use the software years ago!
🔗 This Week’s Guitar Links
Sweep Picking: The ULTIMATE Guide - After asking his Patreon supporters (happy to say I'm one of 'em!) Ben Eller made a super helpful video about sweep picking. The video covers everything from understanding muting, how to work with rest strokes, the importance of pick angles and so much more. Sweeping isn't just for folks looking to shred, it can also be used in a ton of other genres for getting around the fretboard in a hurry.
George Benson's Secret Octave System (Nobody Teaches This) - George Benson is one of the kings of smooth octave playing in jazz. This lesson from Chase Maddox shows us how to shake up this playing concept a bit by staggering the notes, introducing notes other than just the octave, and more. Just like the sweep picking video above, even though this video focuses on Benson's jazz playing, I can see this concept being used in other genres too.
Why PROS Use TRIADS - Beginners Use SCALES - Tim Pierce - Someone should do a stat count on how often I mention triads - simply because I think they're one of guitar's best ways to learn the fretboard, play chords that sit in the mix, and much more. Tim Pierce talks about the basic concept of triads, how to use them as a visualization point “heads up display”, and why they're so important. He also touches on how to push yourself to practice and some other helpful topics.
These Are Some Wicked Tones And Licks You Gotta Hear! Killer Amp and Pedal Tones With Joey Landreth - Because of all the great courses coming out of the Brett Papa camp, I've been watching his channel more than ever. He sat down this week with Joey Landreth, who's an incredible guitarist who always gets amazing tones. Ariel Posen was in his band, and I feel like they have so much in common in regards to their tones and how they play. Brett and Joey talked a bit about the Revv D25, which is Joey's new signature amp and how he's been using it, that he's in the final stages of his new album, and of course a spotlight on his pedalboard.
Jack Gardiner Doesn’t Sacrifice Quality with His Laney LFR Cabs | AMS Interview - Speaking of great interviews, one of my favorite players Jack Gardiner just sat down with the folks at American Musical Supply. Happy to say in another life I worked for one of the interviewers, and I'm so happy that he's getting to do all these great interviews - I always feel like he asks questions that I'd like to ask. Gardiner talks about how he started on YouTube along with meeting Tom Quayle, humor in music (like his friend Guthrie Govan) and injecting funny "quote lines" into your leads, a bit about gear, and of course what happened with the recent "guitar copying scandal”. It's a great interview with some solid playing from Jack.
The Main LESSONS That Transformed My Legato From Beginner To Now (I Wish Someone Had Shown Me This) - It must be legato week or something, because we had 3 awesome videos that attack legato and learning from different angles. The first video comes from John Cordy where he discusses how to slow down and work with a metronome when you're practicing the technique, how to deal with descending legato, what speed bursts look like, and how you should attack as little as possible with your pick. Later this week we had Daniel Seriff talking about one of the best legato players out there, Tom Quayle. Seriff talks about making creative decisions and not getting bogged down in muscle memory. You can check that video out here. And if you want one more legato video, check this awesome lickfrom Leon Todd!
Understanding Minor 7 Flat 5 Chords and EASY Ways To Improvise Over Them! - Want to understand minor 7 flat 5 chords and how to play leads over them? This week we have Jack Ruch discussing that exact thing - Ruch explains how this chord slots into major scale harmony as the seventh chord in the rotation, he also talks about what you should be targeting when writing your solos, and how to use chord substitutions. And if you're looking to break out of using everyday major and minor chords, it looks like Ruch has an upcoming course on subs with Brett Papa!
I am loving this format! Thanks for keeping it fresh.