Intermediate Triad Inversion Workout
This week we’re moving beyond triad basics and tackling a systematic workout that builds real fretboard fluency—by connecting G, C, and D triads across positions and string sets through inversion movement.
Start Routine
Minor Triad Workout
We’re back to triads this week—this time focusing on minor shapes, working through 12 C minor voicings using the A, E, and C forms. Once those are under your fingers, we’ll move through inversions just like last time, building toward full major/minor fluency.
The Gospel Triad Trick Pt. 1
This week we’re applying last week’s minor triads using the “Gospel Triad Trick”—alternating a major triad with a minor triad one whole step above to create soulful, melodic motion in your rhythm playing. We’ll start over a C groove, working first on the DGB strings, then the GBE set, all while building your rhythmic instincts along the way.
The Gospel Triad Trick Pt. 2
This week we’re expanding the Gospel Triad Trick by crossing string sets, shifting positions, and introducing a new chord change—from C to F. You’ll build four triad voicings per chord, work them across the fretboard, and explore the smoother I–ii motion in both C and F. Watch how the neck starts to open up as you internalize these sounds and transitions.
Minor Triad Vamp
This week we flip the Gospel Triad Trick for minor grooves, exploring how major triads a whole step down (the ♭VII) can add color and motion to minor chords. Using an Am–G pairing, you’ll build rhythm fluency, triad movement, and real-world fretboard awareness across the top three string sets—all over a tight minor vamp.
Chord Scales
Ever feel like your playing’s in limbo—not sure if you’re leveling up or spinning in place? That’s where I’ve been lately. And it’s a reminder: the line between “basic” and “advanced” is blurrier than it seems. This week we’re running major chord scales—C, A, and F—across three-string sets. It’s not flashy, but if you can do this cleanly, musically, and in time, you’re ahead of the game.
Rhythm Changes Pt. 1: Chords
We’re digging into the A section of Rhythm Changes by mapping out the root motion across the I–vi–ii–V, including a common jazz reharm in bars 5–6. Keep it simple, stay with root notes, and get these shapes under your fingers before we build more vocabulary next week.
Rhythm Changes Pt. 2: Bridge
This week we’re digging into the bridge of Rhythm Changes—D7, G7, C7, F7—and using it as a launchpad for structured improvisation. You’ll cycle through root notes, shell voicings, arpeggios, and scales, then bring it all together over the full AABA form.
Drop 2 Chord Scales
Pat Martino’s spirit meets top-string drop 2 voicings in this week’s routine—a chord melody workout that sharpens your ear and deepens your harmonic control. We’re focusing on melodic voicings where the top note guides the line, using inversions and diatonic chord scales across major and minor families. Listen close, play slow, and let the melody lead the way.
Barry Harris 6th Diminished Scale Chord Scale
We’re unpacking Barry Harris’s 6th Diminished scale—a major scale with a ♭6 that lets us alternate between I and V without ever leaving the key. This week’s routine blends ear training, chord melody, and harmonic motion by connecting C6 and Ddim7 shapes up the neck.
Donna Lee Pt. 1
We’re diving into the first half of Donna Lee, tackling its infamous bebop phrasing with a strong focus on picking mechanics and articulation. This isn’t about getting close—it’s about playing it right, with clarity, feel, and control.
Donna Lee Pt. 2
We’re finishing off the melody to Donna Lee this week, covering the second half of the tune with a fresh set of changes and an even sharper focus on phrasing. It’s a tough stretch, but if you made it through last week, you’re ready for this. Break it down, play it slow, and let the details guide your progress.
Voice Leading Arpeggios
We’re shifting from arpeggio patterns to voice leading—connecting chords through smooth, melodic motion. This week’s routine builds fluency by outlining a I–vi–ii–V progression with stepwise arpeggio transitions.
How Deep Is Your Love
Use How Deep Is Your Love to work on:
- Chord Vocabulary
- Roman Numeral Thinking
- Song Form Recognition
7th Chord Mastery
The 7th Chord Mastery course takes you through everything you need to know about 7th chords, from their theory and construction to practical shapes you can use right away. We’ll start with shell voicings on the E and A strings, apply them to Duke Ellington tunes for a real musical context, and then move into CAGED forms, drop 2, and drop 3 voicings. Along the way your hands will get stronger, your ears will sharpen, and you’ll gain the confidence to hear, play, and apply these chords in any setting.
The Science of Chord Progressions
*More Modules To Come
The Science of Chord Progressions explores how harmony actually works by examining real songs and the progressions that connect them. Using a large collection of transcribed examples, we learn how to recognize, analyze, and play common chord movements while understanding how they function on the fretboard. Along the way the course moves through major, minor, and more advanced progressions, helping you develop the ability to hear, interpret, and apply these sounds in any key.
