When people start writing their own songs, they often get stuck because they don’t know which notes and chords sound good together. It’s great when you can write a fully formed song by ear, but in reality we usually have to take simple ideas and work at them… swapping chords around, trying different alternatives. ThisContinue Reading

If you’ve downloaded Denny Ilett’s fantastic new ‘Jazzin’ the Blues’ package, you’ll be hearing a whole new sound for Jam Track Central… SWING. Swing was the pop music of the 1930s and 1940s, and both jazz and blues players absorbed influences from the swing style. The primary blues player associated with swing is of courseContinue Reading

Most people play their first solos using the minor pentatonic scale, usually with a simple ‘box’ shape. Here’s the most common one, showing the A minor pentatonic at the 5th fret…   The great thing about box shapes is that you can move them to different positions, to suit the song you’re playing. For aContinue Reading

It’s a scary thing, but we all have to face it at some time. You’re jamming with friends, just taking it easy, when someone goes… “Hey, go on, take a solo!” Oh noooooo! Don’t panic, though. We’re here to help, and it doesn’t have to be too scary. We’d all love to be Guthrie Govan,Continue Reading