Four-Note Chord Voicings
—Play Guitar Like A Pro—
Build a repertoire of skills that can be applied to any style of music like pop, funk, rock, blues, singer-songwriter etc.
Learn the essential extended chords you need to comp like a pro while building on your rhythmic knowledge, with lessons on swing, bossa nova and fingerstyle strumming—all in the context of popular songs and jazz standards.
Mondays 8pm-9pm EST
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES
SEPT. 11th to DEC. 4th, 2023.
Click here for FAQs including course cost and schedule.
"Steve is the real deal, a Toronto treasure."
For those of you who may be thinking of upping your guitar game, or introducing guitar to some budding rock stars, I can't think of anyone I'd entrust that to better qualified than Steve.
Awesome guy, great teacher, uber-skilled. – Ian T.
Have questions? Click the button below to learn more.
What Steve Briggs says about the Four-Note Chord Voicings course
" When guitarists are ready to expand their chord vocabulary, it’s important to remember that it’s not enough to just learn the chord shapes. You must also put these chords into context. When you study how they are commonly grouped together, then you can begin to develop strategies for negotiating your way through all the standard chord progressions.
The good news is that there aren’t as many different combinations as it may initially seem.
Also there are multiple song examples for any chord progression combination. In this course, we will play through standard song examples with the chord diagrams clearly written in on your chart. This provides your context, and also it’s a very engaging method for teaching these chord shapes.
I have found that an effective way of learning is to frame something new as not really new but a variation on something you’re doing already. With this in mind, each week we will introduce a new chord type or concept while also building on all the recent additions to your chord vocabulary. We are focusing on only the most common chord shapes and progressions, and you will be able to identify and read through chord charts.
And of course meeting and playing with other fellow musicians is a plus!"
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What’s the difference between online courses and online private lessons?With online private lessons, you can set up weekly lessons with an instructor who will be able to monitor your progress and tailor the lesson to your needs. On the other hand, once you purchase one of our online courses, you'll have access to a comprehensive selection of pre-recorded videos and supplementary material. You can complete these courses on your on time from the comfort of your home.
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What online courses and classes do you offer?There are three online services that we offer: (1) One-to-one online live instruction (2) Online live group classes like our Practical Theory for Working Musicians (3) Our pre-recorded Online Masterclasses such as our course; TRIADS 1. Here's a quick breakdown of these services: (1) One-to-one online instruction: These are our private instrument and vocal lessons that can be booked with any one of our instructors. You can click here to view our Private Instruction page and click here to view Our Instructors. Interested in taking lessons? Click here to get in touch with us. (2) Online group classes: These are live online classes with limited capacity. They are offered a few times throughout the year and are a great way to progress quickly on your instrument while working with a group of supportive peers. One such class we run is our Practical Theory for Working Musicians by Steve Briggs. You can contact us here to get more info on our upcoming online group classes. (3) Online Masterclasses: These are pre-recorded, high-quality video courses that are available to purchase on-demand. After purchasing, you'll have access to the course for one year and you can complete it at your own time from the comfort of your home. Along with the course videos, you'll also have access to downloadable supplementary material and playalong practice tracks to support your learning. Click here for more info on our TRIADS 1 online course.
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What if I have to cancel a lesson?We require a minimum of 48 hours notice by email in advance of any lesson in order to be eligible for rescheduling. Please see our Policies page for more details.
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Is sign up available only at the beginning of the studio year?No. You can sign up at any time in the year if there is availability. And we pro-rate your fee to your start date.
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Do you offer lessons in the summer?Summer lessons work differently than our regular season lessons and do not happen every year. There are no cancellations or make-up lessons available for summer packages. For more info please contact the studio if you are interested in upcoming summer lessons.
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What if I want to try out lessons before making my commitment?We’ve got a solution for that! Ready-Set-Go! Plan (for new students only) First time students can take advantage of a two-lesson trial package ($72 for two x 30mins, $144 for two x 60min lessons) After your two trial lessons, if you choose not to continue you are not obligated to commit to a full membership. If you choose to continue, the Ready-Set-Go fee is applied to your Studio Year fee.
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How much?Private lessons Membership varies slightly based on the day of the week your weekly lessons fall on (ie, there are more Tuesdays than Saturdays in the year due to holidays, so the Saturday Yearly fee is less. Contact us for fee info on the program you’re interested in. Groups and Classes Fees for groups and classes vary significantly based on the design of each program. Please contact us if you need more info.
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What are my payment options?There are three options: Payment for the year in full: cash, cheque, e-transfer or Visa/Mastercard Two-Instalment option: September and January cash, cheque, e-transfer or Visa/Mastercard Monthly instalments (Auto-payments on the 9th of each month, Sept-June) Visa/Mastercard
Sample Syllabus
Four-Note Chord Voicings
Intro to Harmonized Major Scales | Maj7, Min7, Dom7, Min7b5
Intro to the Circle of Fifths
Intro to Maj6, Min6, Maj9, Min9
Intro to Diminished Seventh Chords
Intro to the 3-6-2-5-1 Turnaround and Altered Dominants
Intro to Tri-tone Substitution and Descending lines in Minor
Intro to Ascending Lines in Minor
Intro to Three Note Shell Shapes
Intro to Spread Dominant 7th Triads
Bossa Nova (Finger style & Strum)
Using four note chords in Popular music
More Bossa Nova and Pop review
Pre-requisites
- A guitar, and a desire to learn
- Time allocated for personal daily practice between classes
- Knowledge of barre chords
- Finger dexterity (able to move from barre chord to barre chord with ease)
- Knowledge of the notes on the fretboard, particularly fifth and sixth strings
- Prior theory knowledge is an asset