Mas Que Nada Guitar Solo
Mas Que Nada was written and originally recorded by Jorge Ben. It was later covered by Sergio Mendes in 1966 and has gained a popular status amongst the Latin repertoire. The title translates to “yeah right” or “No way”.
Sabor A Mi Guitar Arrangement
“Sabor a Mí” is a bolero written by Mexican composer and singer Álvaro Carrillo. This is generally regarded as a standard of the Latin repertoire and I have made a guitar arrangement here that features a romantic melody and Latin jazz chords. The original key is G major but I have moved it up to […]
Guitar Choro by Mario Gangi
A beautiful choro by Italian guitarist/composer Mario Gangi. Gangi was a respected Italian guitarist, composer and teacher. It has some challenging techniques including bar chords and arpeggios up the neck but the final result is quite magical. Interactive sheet music for members below:
Sambalamento Bossa Nova (Luiz Bonfa)
This week’s lesson features a beautiful samba-canção by the celebrated Brasilian guitarist and songwriter Luiz Bonfa called Sambalamento.
Wave
This week’s lesson is Wave by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Released in 1967 this is a lively Bossa Nova syncopated rhythm and some great Latin Jazz chords. This is an intermediate-level arrangement that combines the famous melody with the Bossa NOva accompaniment.
Concerto De Aranjuez ( Bars 61 – 200)
This is the fourth lesson in my series on Concerto Aranjuez, so far I have covered the opening of the Allegro and I also did a post on the first cadenza of the Adagio. I am now continuing the Allegro bars 61 to 200. This is the part where the guitar enters after the first […]
Bésame Mucho – Chords and Solo ideas
Besame Mucho is regarded as one of the most famous Latin songs. Written by Mexican songwriter and concert pianist Consuelo Velasquez, the melody was inspired by the start of a Granados piano piece. The song style is a Bolero which, unlike the Spanish Bolero, is a popular Latin song form that originated in Cuba. It […]
Danza Brasilera (Braslian Dance) by Jorge Morel
This Brasilian dance is by Argentinian guitarist and composer Jorge Morel’s and his most famous piece. It has a fast and lively tempo with a samba feel, and there are also elements of choro found here. Let’s explore the first half of the piece including the technical and musical challenges. Full Score, Interactive Play-Along […]
How to Solo over Circle of 5ths Progression
In this lesson, we’ll look at how I created a solo over a circle of fifths chord progression. We’ll look at the chord tones and modes that I am using so that you can work out how to create your own solo improv ideas. Here’s the chord progression: Here’s the solo with a description above […]
Libertango by Piazzola
Astor Piazzola was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger. His works revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music. One of his most famous pieces is called Libertango which roughly translates to freedom tango. We’ll look at the first part main melody and […]