Chord Melody Part 1
5.0 (18)

In my opinion, chord melodies are one of the most challenging things you can do on the guitar - you have to hold down melody, harmony, groove, and tempo, while making it all sound good at the same time. In this course we will dive into chord melody playing. What are some of the key elements into taking a song and making it sore in a solo guitar setting. We will look at different approaches from right hand technique, to harmonic options, to phrasing, to chord voicings. Chord melody is a bit endless, so in the course there will be clear guidelines of how to start on this magical and challenging journey. We will look at specific arrangements, dissect them, and understand them so you can then make your own. Chord melodies changed the way I play and see my instrument - I am excited to show you what I have learned in my 15 years of studying and obsessing over it. As a note: we will study a mixture of genres. This will not be just jazz - we will also check out pop, soul, and r'n'b. I know sometimes when we hear "chord melody" we go right to Joe Pass- we will be using chord melodies to look at a variety of genres.

What's included

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Unlimited access to recordings of class.

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Molly Miller
On TIL since 2021
I am a lover of guitar. I have been playing since I was 7 - I grew up playing with my 4 siblings. I studied at USC, where I received my Doctorate in Guitar Performance and now am a professor. I play constantly- touring with artists such as Jason Mraz and my own trio, playing in LA, and sessions.
What you'll do
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Phrasing
How to get your melodies to sing!
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Hybrid Picking/ Right Hand Technique
I found this technique super helpful for chord melodies. You have more control over what notes are being played and more options when you can hybrid pick. We will work on some right hand technique through different exercises as well.
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Triadic Chord Meldies
You can do a lot with just a few notes.
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Seventh Chords in Chord Melodies
Using these slightly larger chords can help fill out the sound- let's investigate!
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Arranging For Chord Melody
While this is endless (which I love!), let's look at some key elements of how to arrange a chord melody
Who you are
Strong Intermediate to Advanced Player: Have a strong understanding of the fretboard. I would recommend having taken my String Theory 2 course. You should know: - Some seventh chord voicings - Some triads throughout your instrument - Basic theory knowledge (major scale) - Barre chords and open chords
What to bring
Guitar, zoom, and time to dig in! I would recommend having 1.5+ hours throughout the week to work on the material. I understand life is crazy, but if you can spend three sessions of at least 30 minutes a week diving into the material, you will be so solid in this course!
5.0 (18 reviews)
John G
November 2023

I really enjoyed this course. She provided us with straightforward arrangements of classic tunes, then encouraged us through examples and feedback to make the tunes our own. Watching the other students post their videos was fun and inspiring and made me more comfortable to post my own. I’m looking forward to the follow up course!

David Lipscombe
November 2023

Molly Miller is a great teacher. She explains the material clearly and encourages questions from her students. She stimulates creativity and is incredibly supportive.

Daniel
November 2023

Molly is superb!

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Eric
November 2023

I can’t believe how much I learned in just six weeks! Molly is super friendly and laid back, while also being a stellar guitar player. She’s also as good a teacher as she is a musician. I can’t wait to take more classes with Molly!

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Jake Rasp
March 2023

If you're an intermediate guitarist, looking to break through a practice rut or plateau, take these classes!! Dr. Molly shows a killer ability to integrate the individual students needs into her group class. She has a great awareness for listening and assessing where folks are at and provides tools to take the next step. Being a group class format, you will get the most out of it if you keep tuned into the group chat over the course of the week. Also, learn from my misstep and plan enough time to practice and prepare each week! The return on your investment will be so much greater. Thanks Dr. Molly for an enlightening and motivating series of classes!

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Josh
March 2023

Learning from Molly Miller was awesome. Very talented and teaches with great understanding and knowledge for any level of player.

Clarke
February 2023

This course is a great introduction into linking and connecting chords with melodic runs. During the course she disects a few classics using an arrangement designed to explore the variety of ways that you can approach the same thing. Molly is awesome. Super understandable teaching approach, and somehow manages to cater to a wide range of skill levels all at once. 100% will be taking more courses with her after this one.

Quincy
February 2023

Dr. Miller's instruction is genuine and thoughtful, while continuously reiterating the most critical elements of the chord melody concepts. Loving the arrangements so far, and the overall vibe of the course!

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Richard Kok
June 2022

Thank you so much Dr. Molly Miller for being so generous with your time. These classes were so fun and I am going to use what I learned in my playing. Have a great tour!

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Brett Callaway
June 2022

Molly's classes continue to be a goldmine of information. She has a wonderful ability to introduce concepts in a digestible way. She always promotes creativity! Couldn't recommend them more!

Zack Capes
June 2022

Molly knows her stuff! We covered everything from technique, good practices for playing chord melodies, and even music theory. Having someone like Molly for a teacher is truly a boon for any guitar player.

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Chris McLatcher
June 2022

Didn't know Molly coming into the course, but a friend highly recommended. Was NOT disappointed! Super knowledgeable, highly relatable, and the useful nuggets that she sprinkles into each lesson are worth the cost of the class alone. You will learn a ton!

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Dan MacLean
June 2022

Dr Miller is a really engaging and enthusiastic instructor with a great knowledge of her topic and clear interest in helping her class develop. The materials were excellent and focused on the needs, feedback from, and interest of the class. These all made the learning a fun challenge. The homeworks certainly weren't rote practice and helped me start to develop a genuine understanding for chord melody and I'm confident I'd be able to go on and enjoy making my own arrangements.

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