Arpeggiated I-vi-ii-V progression in the key of B major

Pentatonic improvisation in A minor with vibrato, using one of Michael's jam tracks. Honestly, I am still practicing the previous lesson.

Pentatonic soloing over each chord of the I-vi-ii-V progression in the key of C. I show what patterns to use over the entire fretboard, using Michael's way to count the patterns (C is 1, A is 2, etc). For my way (C is 3, A is 4, etc) the same rule applies, just the counting is different.

I am playing the D-G-A progression using closest moves (now that we can). The tonic chord (D major) is playing successively in the root, 1st, and 2nd positions.

The ballad of the dissected worm.

As the song goes, "Mind, it's strictly rhythm. Let the flute make it cry or sing." Providing accompaniment for a lead instrument is a good way to practice intermediate guitar skills such as those acquired in Level 2. I should do it myself more often, not just in summertime.

15 seconds into this cover of "Don't stop believing" by Journey, I boost my signal, take a short solo, and then turn the signal back down to rejoin the rhythm section. Just like Michael says in his video!

With me being sick most of the week, Colin Sapp (our teacher for that session) had roughly 1 day to integrate me into the band. My special thanks to him.

Practicing the 3-voice major triad shape on the strings 321 in the key of A major.

Practicing the Root Position Major triad on the 321 strings. It consists of the top 3 voices of the A shape triad.

An exercise on using the looper. I loop over the I ii V I progression of "I'd rather be blind" and improvise an approximate melody.

Just my homework for this improvisation. This take uses the D major / B minor vamp. It's fun not fixing mistakes (let's call notes out of scale jazz; so, yes, I jazzed this take up).

I use the middle solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps to illustrate some bends and slides.

I am playing the A minor pentatonic up and down the fretboard, using sequencing and a few hammer-ons. Got my guitar refretted with Evo Gold wire.

It has been recently said (https://youtu.be/Ag4iFa6E_yY) that my generation Z (I'm born in 2010) doesn't care about music. Some of us are extreme virtuosos, due to our uncanny capability of slowing down videos, but otherwise we have no idea what we are doing. "American pie" is most likely certainly about us.

Since at GuitarGate we believe otherwise, let's do some theory. I improvise an 8-bar period (mostly melody) and show how sequencing and hammer-ons and pull-offs can be used to resolve the "basic idea" (the first 2 bars, which are also repeated in bars 5 & 6). Functionally, the role of the basic idea is to announce the key. The key is confirmed by a final resolution to the "tonic function chord."

I'll do more on the harmony part when I get smarter.

I am playing the Major Pentatonic Scale in the keys of C and E in all 5 CAGED positions. For the key of E, I explain how to play the open position. In a normal pentatonic pattern, each string plays a group of 2 notes. For the key of E in the open position, some of the groups of 2 notes must be broken across strings, since the normal location would fall behind the nut. A simpler alternative is not to play the open position, unless it neatly aligns with a standard pattern.

Not a reaction request, just some medieval music. I played it for Michael.

I play sequences of 3 and 4 groups in C Major Pentatonic in the 4th position (Michael's 2nd) and E Minor Pentatonic in the 1st position (Michael's 4th). I start in a position near the nut, work up the first string once the position is exhausted, then return through the same position 1 octave higher and then down the string on which the starting tonic was located. Then I traverse the cycle in reverse order.

I play the pentatonic scales (Minor/Major in the A and E shapes). This is my last submission as an 11-year-old.

The A and E shapes are called by Michael the 2nd and 4th positions. I've learned them previously under the names of 4th and 1st positions, which I continue using personally. Adopting one naming convention or the other makes no concrete musical difference. The conventions are related through the circular shifting

CAGED: C A G E D
Michael: 1 2 3 4 5
Alexandra: 3 4 5 1 2

In the video, I say 2nd shape, etc. Although "position" and "shape" are interchangeable, most guitarists say A shape (not A position) or 2nd position (not 2nd shape, as I said in the video).

I am playing the I-IV-V (major and minor) and the I-vi-ii-V progressions "in position" aka using "closest moves"

I start from the major open chords: C, G, and D and I play each of them going up on the fretboard, while cycling through the 5 shapes of the CAGE system. I then do the same for the C, G, and D minor chords. I call the roots of the chords "tonics," but this is formally a mistake. Chords have "roots," scales have "tonics." The distinction is necessary because, for example, a V chord has its root starting on degree 5 (the dominant) and not on degree 1 (the tonic).

I am practicing the Major scale in the keys of G, C, D, F, A, Bb, and E, which are the most used guitar keys. I am explaining why these scales are considered to be guitar friendlier. The core keys C, G, D are the only keys that contain all open notes. This property protects against accidental playing of the open notes; and allows for the open notes to be used in arrangements, since they are part of the keys.

I practice Michael's syncopated rhythm using Buffalo Soldier and the I-vi-ii-V-I progression. I show how to think of this progression as a sequence of intervals for the roots of consecutive chords in the progression (a descending minor third, followed by a bunch of ascending perfect fourths). I also illustrate the minor version (in the form i-V-ii_dim-V7-i) by way of an improvisation.

Eric Gales and Joe Bonamassa make it official: Michael Palmisano judged it right back then (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyJN9tlkzPM) and Eric Gales wants his crown. Because Michael was not available (he was busy producing "I want my barn"), the producers went with Keb Mo as the referee. When Eric wakes up at the end of the video ... Michael's original analysis remains a real lesson in music for us all. Enjoy! (I am not sure Michael can comment on it without getting blocked, but the duel in the video is well crafted.)

I am practicing the I-IV-V and I-VI-II-V progressions. I explain a bit how we should think of the I-IV-V progression, in order to switch between close positions on the fretboard. Given that this progression is so important, I also mention its link to the circle of fifths (and fourths). I conclude by playing the I-VI-II-V progression in the key of A major.

Here's a trick I know that may be helpful if you have trouble playing a clean barre chord. Try to put the pressure in the middle of the barre-ing index finger (or at least imagine yourself doing it). The trick helped me get better sounding barre chords (hopefully, I am not imagining it).