swiftlessons posts
Posts: 887
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Sweet Ukulele Outro Riffs - End Songs in Style!
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another ukulele tutorial. In today's session we'll uncover essential chord shapes and strumming techniques as we learn three melodic outro riffs in major keys. Let's get started!Links: Premium Lessons Request a Song Swiftlessons Facebook Gro...
5 Blues Guitar Turnarounds You Need to Know!
Hello friends,Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another blues guitar tutorial. In today's session I've broken down five of my go-to turnaround riffs in the key of A. Learning these techniques will give us the opportunity to hone our hybrid picking skills, as we discover a variety of useful ch...
Soulful Lick for Blues, Jazz and R&B | Learn to Jam in the "C Position"
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lick of the week. In today's session we'll be investigating the useful C position of the major pentatonic scale and learning a catchy phrase for blues, jazz and R&B. We'll begin by reviewing a bit of CAGED theory before tackling this...
Tom Petty "Learning to Fly" Easy Rhythm & Slide Guitar Lesson
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another beginner friendly song tutorial. In today's session I've broken down the rhythm and lead guitar parts for "Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. We'll begin by learning the basic rhythm techniques, before learn...
Paul Simon "American Tune" Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson | Part 2
Hello friends,After several days of technical difficulties, I've finally completed my breakdown of Paul Simon's 1973 classic "American Tune." In this session we'll be learning the fingerstyle techniques for the bridge, third verse, and outro sections. Let's get started!Watch ...
Paul Simon "American Tune" Guitar Lesson with Tabs - Part 1
Hello friends,Welcome back to Swiftlessons for video #1 of a two part series breaking down Paul Simon's 1973 masterpiece "American Tune." This is an excellent song for any player looking to develop their fingerstyle technique, and I consider it a must learn for aspiring songwriters. In t...
Essential Rhythm Guitar Lesson | 12 Bar Jazz-Blues Progression in Bmaj
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another rhythm guitar tutorial. In today's session we'll expand our knowledge of essential chord progressions, and learn a jazzy variation to the 12 bar blues in B major. We'll begin by reviewing some basic music theory before applying a sho...
Bebop Your Blues - Jazzy I to IV Transition Lick
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lick of the week tutorial! In today's session we'll be examining a jazzy I to IV transition lick in the key of B major. Studying this useful phrase will reveal essential jazz lead techniques including: • The minor second (upper neighbo...
Paul Simon "American Tune" Cover & Lesson Demo
Hello friends,Wow, has it been another challenging week! Here in Philadelphia we've been faced with severe civil unrest, while the majority of city's peaceful protesters and police work to establish common ground. As someone who was raised in the Quaker faith, I love seeing my friends and ne...
Dom7 Chords of the Open Position - Beginner Guitar Lesson
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another beginner friendly fundamentals lesson. In today's session we'll be learning another essential skill as we analyze the origins of the dominant 7 harmony, and seven of it's most common shapes in the open position. Let's get started...
Ben E. King "Stand By Me" - Beginner Guitar Songs
Hello friends,As part of an effort to revamp my First Repertoire Songbook, I've created a new chord sheet for my 2013 beginner guitar lesson on the Ben E. King classic "Stand By Me." Attached you will find a PDF study guide complete with lyrics, and chord/strumming diagrams. Use this les...
"Last Kiss" - Wayne Cochrane/Pearl Jam - Beginner Lesson
Hello friends,As part of an effort to revamp my First Repertoire Songbook, I've created a new chord sheet for my 2014 lesson on the Pearl Jam version of the Ed Cochrane classic "Last Kiss." Attached you will find a PDF study guide complete with lyrics, and chord/strumming diagrams. Use t...
Bob Dylan "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" | Chord Sheet
Hello friends,This week I'm working on a revamped version of my First Repertoire songbook, and I've designed a new layout for the chord sheets that it contains. Attached you will find an exert from that ebook, a PDF study guide for Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." E...
How to Transpose Songs on the Fly!
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another music theory guitar tutorial. In today's session we'll discuss how to use our knowledge of the major scale and notes on the fretboard to quickly transpose major chord progressions. We'll begin by reviewing a movable position of the m...
IV to I Jazz Blues Arpeggio Lick - Diminished Flavor!
Hey friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for a patreon exclusive tutorial breaking down a fancy jazz/blues arpeggio lick that takes you from the IV chord to the I. We'll begin this tutorial by learning two moveable shapes, A7 and D9, before breaking this phrase up into two easy to learn sections...
Maj7 Chords of the Open Position | You Need to Know This!
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another beginner friendly guitar tutorial. In today's session we're back to fundamentals as we discuss the origins of the major 7 harmony, and it's finger positions in the open position (first three frets). In total we will learn eight commo...
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" Beginner Guitar Tutorial
Hello friends,Today I reworked the PDF study guide to my 2016 lesson on Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." My hope is that you will walk away from this tutorial with a few new chords, strumming techniques and an idea of how to solo over this type of chord progression. The s...
Elvis Presley "Jailhouse Rock" Guitar Lesson
Hello friends,welcome back to swiftlessons for another early rock & roll tutorial. In today's session I've broken down how to play Elvis Presley's 1957 classic "Jailhouse Rock." In this tutorial you will learn the rhythm technique for the verse sections, the boogie-woogie basslin...
Classic Blues Licks - Get to the IV Chord in Style!
Hello friends,Welcome back to Swiftlessons for another mini lead guitar tutorial. One of the best ways to grow as a guitarist is to focus on adding one simple but effective concept to your repertoire at a time. In today's lesson we'll be learning a beginner friendly chord transition lick tha...
Advanced Chords Practice Routine - Guitar Lesson for Jazz, R&B, and Blues
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for an advanced chords practice routine. In today's session i've broken down a jazzy progression that makes use of major 7, minor 7, dominant 7, diminished and dom7add13 chords. We'll get started learning each shape individually, before applying...
Simple Trick for Blues Guitar Soloing - How to Follow a Chord Progression!
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lead guitar tutorial. One of the hallmarks of an advanced guitar soloist is the ability to play licks that fit melodically over the chord changes. In today's session I've broken down how a simple major pentatonic lick can be altered to a...
Beginner Rhythm Guitar Crash Course | Five Essential Strumming Patterns
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for a rhythm guitar crash course. In today's session I'll be breaking down the basic techniques to strumming your guitar. We'll begin by reviewing the five types of note values, before learning how to count and strum useful strumming patterns. L...
Beginner "Buskers Style" Guitar Chords Lesson | Play Hundreds of Songs!
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another rhythm guitar tutorial. In today's session I've broken down how to play essential "buskers style" chord shapes - These are super beginner friendly chord forms that allow you to perform various progressions while moving only your ...
Gypsy Jazz Soloing Tricks - Django Style Licks and Concepts
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lick of the week. In today's session I'll be sharing techniques I've discovered while studying the playing of prominent gypsy jazz guitarist like Django Reinhardt. In this lesson I'll break down useful chord shapes and soloing te...
Tom Petty - Free Fallin' - Easy Guitar Songs Lesson
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another by request song tutorial! In today's session we'll tackle another Tom Petty classic in his 1989 smash hit "Free Fallin." This is an excellent song for beginners, because the entire tune is comprised of only three chords, and vari...
5 Essential B.B. King Blues Licks - Lead Guitar Tutorial
Hello friends,Today I'm back with another blues lead guitar tutorial breaking down five classic B.B King licks! We'll begin this lesson by reviewing prerequisite scale patterns, and a condensed 7 bar blues progression before tackling these useful phrases. Let's get started!Links: Premium...
Elvis Presley "Lover Doll" - Chord Sheet & Tab
Hello friends,welcome back to Swift Guitar Lessons for another by request song tutorial. In today's session I'm breaking down my intermediate level arrangement of Elvis Presley's "Lover Doll" from the King Creole soundtrack. In this lesson we'll brush up on music theory as we...
Classic 2.5.1 Jazz-Blues Phrase | Lick of the Week
Hello friends,welcome back to Swiftlessons for another lick of the week. In today's session I've broken down a classic 2.5.1 lick that you can apply to jazz and blues chord progressions. In this lesson you will learn our source scale, the major scale key of C, and useful chord shapes before ...
Beginner Guitar Songs - "You Are My Sunshine" - Chord Melody & Strumming Lesson
Hello friends,welcome back to Swift Guitar Lessons for another beginner friendly song tutorial. In today's session I'm breaking down one of the most recognizable American standards, "You Are My Sunshine." We'll get started learning a basic chord melody approach, before learning t...
Progressive Melodic Minor Scale Lick - Guitar Soloing Lesson
Hello friends,Welcome back to Swift Guitar Lessons for another lick of the week. In today's session we will expand our knowledge of minor soloing as we learn a dissonant descending pattern built from the melodic minor scale. This lesson will begin with a break down of the source scale in it'...
