Sus Chords, Arpeggio Embellishments, Minor 7 Barres, Humidity, Non-Diatonic Chords | Teaching Artist July Recap
Here’s a recap of all the new Acoustic Guitar Teaching Artist lessons from July. And there is a lot more to look forward to: interactive hangouts, virtual open mics, and more!
The five Acoustic Guitar Teaching Artists—Isa Burke, Lisa Liu, Sean McGowan, Mamie Minch, and Thu Tran—are creating lessons just for guitarists like you, with one new lesson every week. You can unlock access for just $5 a month. Here’s a recap of all the lessons from July. And there is a lot more to look forward to: interactive hangouts, virtual open mics, and more acoustic guitar expertise!
Isa Burke | How I Play | Sus Chords
Suspended (or sus) chords replace the third of a triad with either the second or fourth, removing the chord’s major or minor quality. In this lesson, Isa explores the open, ambiguous nature of sus chords, showing you some versatile shapes and how to use them in your playing. “They can add a sense of tension and release,” Isa says. “It’s really nice to move between the regular triad and a sus chord. You’ll hear that a lot.”
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Thu Tran | Chords that Shaped Me | Minor 7 Barre
You may already be familiar with this shape, but a closer look at the minor seventh chord reveals its unique character and opens the door to creative exploration. Starting with Fm7 (F A-flat C E-flat) Thu breaks down the chord type through a practice-focused lens: first experimenting with rhythmic subdivisions, then moving the shape around the neck. Next, you’ll add melodic ideas by connecting the chord to the corresponding minor pentatonic scale. Finally, it all comes together in a short etude that helps unlock the shape’s full potential. “Get creative! Try to expand your rhythm and melody playing,” Thu says. “See what this chord shape can teach you about your playing.”
Mamie Minch | My Workbench | How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Humidifier
It doesn’t matter where you live or what kind of guitar you play—humidity levels shift with the seasons, and those changes affect every acoustic instrument. In this video, luthier and guitarist Mamie Minch explains why keeping your guitar properly humidified is essential, and walks through a few of the shop-tested tools and methods she relies on to keep instruments healthy and stable all year long—and for the long haul.
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Lisa Liu | How I Play | Simple Arpeggio Embellishments, Complex Solos
In this video, Lisa demonstrates some straightforward arpeggio embellishments that can add real drama to your solos. Similar to her side-stepping chord comping approach, she begins by approaching chord tones from a half step above or below. Then she uses chromaticism to connect different chord tones. The third embellishment is the enclosure, which highlights a chord tone by playing around it. Put it all together, and you’ll be on your way to crafting smoking solos—just like Lisa does here in her full chorus over the chord changes to the gypsy jazz classic “Swing 42.”
Sean McGowan | How I Play | Non-Diatonic Chords and Harmony
In this follow-up to Sean’s first Teaching Artist lesson on the basics of diatonic harmony, we explore how stepping outside the key can bring new color, motion, and depth to your playing. These examples introduce common tools like secondary dominants (V/V), diminished passing chords, and chromatic voice leading—all of which can help make your progressions more expressive and dynamic. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of what’s happening under the hood of your favorite songs—and more importantly, the tools to write and reinterpret music in your own unique voice.
Your $5 Support . . .
. . . gets you a new Teaching Artist video lesson every Wednesday, plus access to the archive of every TA lesson. You’ll also gain membership to the Song of the Month Club, where each month we transcribe an arrangement of an acoustic classic or timeless traditional tune, songs like “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” “Hotel California,” “In the Pines,” and “Canon in D.” Below is a sneak peek of the archive, all of which you get access to with your $5 support.
