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You are here: Home / Archives for Jazz Education

Jazz Education

Do You Need a College Music Degree?

By Adam Rafferty 39 Comments

Adam Rafferty - Fingerstyle Guitar - Do You Need A College Music Degree
Most of my favorite musicians in the world did not get college degrees in music. The list is very long 🙂 to name a few…Tommy Emmanuel, Charlie Parker, George Benson, Stevie Wonder all do not have degrees.

Should you?
graduate-jpg-new
[Read more…] about Do You Need a College Music Degree?

What’s the Best Approach for Improving Your Guitar Technique?

By Adam Rafferty 14 Comments

Learning to blend technique and feel are like having a good balance of “head and heart.”

Both are important!

  • If all we use is our head, the feel will be missing
  • If all we use is our feelings, we’ll miss out on good musicianship and nice harmonies

I got a question recently from a subscriber that read…

I was wondering what your opinion was on practicing technique, learning scales, chord progressions, and theory in the context of a song versus on their own.

This is really a good – and complex question. Here goes… [Read more…] about What’s the Best Approach for Improving Your Guitar Technique?

Practicing Guitar and Your “Happy” Brain Chemicals…

By Adam Rafferty 19 Comments

11-14-brainThis is a pretty taboo subject, but let’s dive in.

I recently got an email from a reader saying:

“Hi Adam. I’m going through a phase where I can’t find any I situation or have as much fun playing as I used to. Have you got any idea or any tips or me to get back into it? Thanks – Mick”

Musicians are human, and all of us have ups & downs because it is built into our system. When we have ups & downs, much of “how we feel” has do do with the presence or absence of certain naturally produced brain chemicals.

[Read more…] about Practicing Guitar and Your “Happy” Brain Chemicals…

Adam Rafferty Rethinks Recording CDs & Distribution

By Adam Rafferty 43 Comments

Note: This article is NOT a gripe & whine session. It’s an inquiry of “what should musicians do now that the game has changed?”

  • Below I will outline 12 points.
  • Items 1 – 6 diagnose “the problem” with doing things the old way in the today’s environment (it’s a mismatch)
  • Items 7 – 11 become solution oriented, so yes there is hope! (we have to think differently)
  • Item 10 is my big AHA moment and I describe what I may do next

[Read more…] about Adam Rafferty Rethinks Recording CDs & Distribution

Practicing Music or Practicing Guitar Technique – What’s Better?

By Adam Rafferty 3 Comments

Adam Rafferty guitar technique
Often when we hear a soulful musical performance we can’t imagine that the “wonderful music” had to be practiced technically.

Even though we are “feeling it” as listeners, much more than “feelings” had to go in to it.

Master musicians look at music from all angles, musical and technical.

Master musicians love it all…music and technique. They go together.

[Read more…] about Practicing Music or Practicing Guitar Technique – What’s Better?

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FREE - “Discover the 7 Tools You'll Need to Record Awesome Fingerstyle Guitar - At Home!”
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Start playing "Simplicity" and "Vitamin E Blues" - in just minutes...for FREE!
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Discover 5 Powerful Techniques that Will Make You Sound Like a Full Band on a Single Guitar. Learn to play Bass Lines, Melodies and Grooves at the Same Time - Guaranteed!
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Get the FREE PDF and Start Playing "Simplicity" for Solo Guitar in Just Minutes!
You will love learning and playing this song...and your friends and family will listen in amazement as YOU play it!
Learn to play "Silent Night" for Fingerstyle Guitar - Instantly!
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Learn to play "Silent Night" for fingerstyle guitar - Instantly!
You'll get a PDF with complete guitar tabs and 8 video guitar lessons - free.
FREE - “Discover the 7 Tools You'll Need to Record Awesome Fingerstyle Guitar - At Home!”
Learn how you can get great results with very affordable equipment. I'll show you exactly what I used at home to record my most recent CD. Enjoy!
Start playing "Simplicity" and "Vitamin E Blues" - in just minutes...for FREE!
Your tabs will come INSTANTLY via email. Just fill out this form, grab your guitar and start learning - Instantly!
Discover 5 Powerful Techniques that Will Make You Sound Like a Full Band on a Single Guitar. Learn to play Bass Lines, Melodies and Grooves at the Same Time - Guaranteed!
Watch these FREE guitar lesson videos revealing my “secrets” to guitar technique, groove, and effective practice so that you can improve YOUR playing, INSTANTLY!
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FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
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Get the FREE PDF and Start Playing "Simplicity" for Solo Guitar - Instantly!
You will love learning and playing this song...and your friends and family will listen in amazement as YOU play it!
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FREE - Get PDF tabs and 9 Step-by-Step Video Lessons for "Vitamin E Blues" - Instantly...
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"Just A City Boy" - Instantly...
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"Ciao Bella" - Instantly
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"Listen to Your Heart" - Instantly...
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"Shelter Island" - Instantly...
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"America" - Instantly...
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10 Tips for Healthy Guitar Practicing
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Learn to play "O Come All Ye Faithful" for Fingerstyle Guitar, Instantly!
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Learn "Angels We Have Heard on High" for Fingerstyle Guitar, Instantly.
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Learn to use harmonics, slaps and percussion!
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Download The "Groove Scales PDF" and Watch Your Technique Improve Effortlessly!
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Learn this simple yet powerful warm up technique in minutes...
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Download The "4 Levels of Thumb Picking" and Watch your Technique Improve Dramatically!
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Full chord progression as played in the video is included in the tabs.
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Discover Lush Guitar Harmonies With a Simple
One Finger Move...
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You'll also get the 'move' as well on D, G, C, E and A minor chords in the tabs!
Learn to play "O Holy Night" for Fingerstyle Guitar - Instantly!
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Give Your Technique and Fretboard Knowledge a Boost - Quickly and Easily....
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You'll get the 3 octave G scale with all tabs and fingerings - Instantly!
Learn to Play Arpeggios "Magically" on the Guitar - In Just Minutes...
It's actually so easy to understand and play arpeggios using this technique, that you'll feel like you're cheating! :-) Enjoy!
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Are You Curious About the Jazz Solo from
my "Black Orpheus" Video?
Tabbed out just for you! Here's the improvised solo from "Black Orpheus" plus a lead sheet of the alternate chord changes I use. Enjoy!