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Masterclass Posted Nov 16, 2023

Escaping Pentatonic Prison

Guthrie Trapp @guthrie

About this masterclass

This masterclass features guitarist Guthrie Trapp giving an in-depth lesson on moving beyond pentatonic scales and truly understanding chord progressions. Guthrie wastes no time getting to the point, tearing down unnecessary guitar "rules" and focusing on what really matters - making music.

Guthrie walks through chord shapes, arpeggios, pentatonic scales and more, showing how they are all connected and should be viewed as one complete system rather than separate entities. A highlight is his demonstration of approaching dominant 7th chords, emphasizing the notes that change in the chord. Michael Palmisano provides excellent support, ensuring any technical difficulties are sorted and encouraging participation.

This no-nonsense masterclass is packed with invaluable advice from a true professional. Guthrie strips away excess theory and gets right to the core of playing music over chord changes. It's clear he only wants students to focus on the essentials and start making great sounds immediately.

Transcript

AI summary

Introduction (0:00-0:20)

  • Michael introduces Guthrie and gets things started
  • Guthrie hears the "East Nashville alarm clock" train in the background

Guthrie's philosophy (0:20-4:30)

  • Guthrie tears down unnecessary guitar "rules"
  • Emphasizes listening and making music over scales and theory
  • Pentatonic scales are just for basics, need to expand horizons
  • Focus on melody, phrasing, and musicality over noodling

Fundamentals that helped Guthrie (4:30-6:00)

  • Learning chord shapes all over the neck, not just open positions
  • Relates chord shapes to scales, arpeggios, pentatonic boxes
  • Views all of these as interconnected parts of one system

Approaching dominant 7th chords (13:20-25:50)

  • Outlines the notes that change in major vs major 7 vs dominant 7 chords
  • Emphasizes resolving the flat 7 to the major 3rd of the next chord
  • Introduces the dominant 7th scale and targets chord tones

Closing remarks (38:09-end)

  • Guthrie and Michael wrap up and thank everyone
  • Guthrie offers to expand on any topics in future lessons
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