Kurt Rosenwinkel

A Practical Guide to Applying Modal Scales & Their Chords in Contemporary Jazz Are you struggling to apply modal ideas in your jazz guitar improvisation in a way that sounds natural and expressive? Want to learn how contemporary jazz guitar masters think about and apply modal concepts while others are trapped inside scale shapes? Then get ready for an in-depth masterclass into the modes that matter with Kurt Rosenwinkel. In Modal Harmony for Modern Jazz Guitar, Kurt takes you deep inside the two most important parent scales in modern jazz harmony - the Major scale and the Melodic Minor scale - and shows you how their modes actually function in real music. The key to this exploration is understanding each mode as a sound, a chord, and a musical environment in its own right. Rather than treating modes as abstract theory or fretboard patterns, this book teaches you to experience each one as a distinct tonal universe, defined by its character notes, chord colours, and emotional gravity. Sit Down for a One-on-One with a Modern Master and Learn... How the Major and Melodic Minor scales generate 14 essential modes used throughout modern jazz How to hear and target the character notes that instantly define each modal sound How modal seventh chords expand into rich, modern voicings with 9ths, 11ths, 13ths and altered tones When to treat chords functionally and when to approach them modally as independent centres Practical applications of modal interchange, borrowing colour from parallel modes and scales What to play on modern dominant sounds including Lydian Dominant, Mixolydian b6 and Altered scales Deep minor-key harmony using Dorian, Phrygian, Aeolian, Locrian, and Melodic Minor applications How a single voicing or shape can generate entire ii-V-i systems through logical movement Techniques for reharmonising and disguising progressions without losing clarity or groove A structured approach to practicing all modes in all keys with real musical context Why This Book Is Different With Kurt's approach, you can set aside dry theory and focus on what you need to play to create the contemporary sound you've been searching for. Every concept is explored through original etudes, guidance on voicings, and practicing over jam tracks specially created by Kurt just for you. You'll be playing the sounds you desire immediately, and you'll have at your fingertips the tools you need to internalise each sound, not just understand it intellectually. You'll learn how modern jazz chords are constructed, where they come from, and how to improvise over them with confidence, colour, and intention. Instead of asking, "Which scale do I use?", you'll begin saying, "What sound do I want?" By the End of the Book, You'll Be Able To: Navigate complex chord symbols with ease Add modern harmonic colour without sounding forced or random Move fluidly between inside and outside sounds Create lines that clearly express the harmony Develop a personal, contemporary harmonic voice rooted in sound rather than theory Jam with Kurt Includes free downloadable audio featuring specially created jam tracks and performance examples, allowing you to practice each mode in a musical, immersive setting. Whether you're a serious jazz guitarist, composer, or improviser looking to deepen your harmonic language, Modal Harmony for Modern Jazz Guitar offers a clear, musical pathway into the sounds that define modern jazz.

Ready for a more mindful, creative way to develop your technical guitar skills and creativity? Kurt Rosenwinkel stands as one of the most pivotal figures in modern jazz guitar, renowned for his groundbreaking approach that has redefined the genre. His influence extends far beyond his virtuosic playing: his innovative take on composition, harmony, and improvisation has left a lasting imprint on the jazz world, and continues to push the boundaries of what jazz guitar can be. In Creative Exercises for Modern Guitar, Rosenwinkel guides you on a more engaging, creative, and mindful approach to practicing guitar. It brings together all of Kurt's "shedding" video courses into a single pathway, and is packed with over 150 exercises that won't just improve your guitar technique, they'll help you build a deeper connection with your instrument. What You'll Learn: Mindful Practice: Engage in meditative exercises that focus on achieving a state of total immersion with your music. Fretboard Mastery: Play carefully tailored exercises for scales and triads across multiple positions, and master fluid movement with diagonal techniques like sliding on half steps and hand throws. Rhythmic Phrasing: Progress through exercises that increase in rhythmic complexity, helping you to build strong timing and precision. Essential Scales: Develop fresh ways to creatively explore major, pentatonic, and melodic minor scales - the core tools for any contemporary jazz guitarist. Effortless Key Changes: Develop the skill to switch tonal centres using "nearest note concepts" around the Circle of Fourths/Fifths. Kurt's Personalised Concepts: Delve into triad pairs, syncopation, cross rhythms, symmetrical diminished patterns, and the Lydian mode to expand your musical vocabulary. Each exercise is crafted to build a strong foundation of technique while also promoting mindfulness and musicality. By practicing with great attention to each note's integrity, you'll develop the precision and control needed to execute even the most complex ideas with ease. Playing Takeaways: Enhance Technique and Creativity: Strengthen your technical skills while nurturing your musical creativityVisualize the Fretboard: Improve finger memory and fretboard navigationExpand Your Rhythmic and Harmonic Knowledge: Incorporate advanced concepts into your playing to enhance your improvisation and compositionEngage Fully with Your Music: Practice in a way that connects you physically, mentally and spiritually to your instrumentPractice with Kurt: Use the included audio files to practice effectively and apply what you've learned in real-time. Creative Exercises for Modern Guitar is carefully structured to masterfully build your technical abilities, while emphasizing musicality and relaxation during practice. Audio Exercises for Enhanced LearningCreative Exercises for Modern Guitar comes with over 100 downloadable audio tracks, which serve as an invaluable resource for your practice. They allow you to work with the exercises in a truly musical context, and help you to internalize the rhythms, melodies, and articulations central to Rosenwinkel's approach. In Creative Exercises for Modern Guitar Kurt Rosenwinkel will not only enhance your guitar technique and fretboard skills, he'll open the door to a new, creative exploration and mastery of your instrument - all through mindful, meaningful practice. Buy it now