Blog
Reharmonization 101 — Chromatic Progressions with Passing Diminished Chords
A guitarist's guide to reharmonization: keep the melody and the overall skeleton, but swap or insert chords to add motion and color. This article introduces the passing diminished chord as a new tool, and maps it against the techniques we've already covered — secondary dominants, Related IIm7, tritone subs, deceptive cadences, and slash chords — with step-by-step audio examples.
A Guitarist's Guide to ii-V — Breaking Down V7 with Related IIm7
A guitarist's guide to Related IIm7, the most fundamental reharmonization technique in jazz: taking any lone V7 and inserting its matching IIm7 to form a ii-V pair. See how the guide tone line extends on the fretboard, hear the rhythmic drive of ii-V chains, and work through turnarounds, jazz blues, tritone subs, and extended dominants with audio examples.
Secondary Dominants on Guitar: Progressions & Examples
A guitarist's guide to secondary dominants (V7/x): how a temporary V7 before each diatonic chord adds pull and color, with interactive examples in C major.
Slash Chords on Guitar — How to Read Them and What Scales to Play Over
C/E, Dm7/G, Fmaj7/G — a guitarist's guide to slash chords. Sort out the two types (chord-tone bass vs. non-chord-tone bass), learn which scales work over each, and turn your Drop 2 / Drop 3 inversions into a ready-to-use toolkit for any slash chord you see.
Tritone Substitution on Guitar — Why G7 and D♭7 Share the Same Shape
A guitarist's guide to tritone substitution, the go-to jazz reharmonization. See why G7 and D♭7 are interchangeable by discovering they share the exact same two notes on the fretboard, with interactive audio examples.
The Circle of Fifths for Guitarists — A Practical Map for Modulation, Progressions, and Improvisation
A guitar-first guide to the Circle of Fifths. Since standard guitar tuning is stacked in 4ths, the circle maps directly to your fretboard. From I-IV-V and ii-V-I to modulation and capo decisions, learn to read the circle as a practical map — with interactive widgets that play chords as you explore.
Mastering II-V-I from Chord Tones Up — A Guitarist's Guide to Jazz Improvisation
Learn to improvise over jazz's most common progression — II-V-I — in three stages: chord tones, scales, and altered tensions. Use chord tones as your roadmap, scales as passing tones, and altered tensions for maximum resolution. Interactive fretboard and notation included.
Never Get Lost Again: A Guitarist's Guide to Diatonic Chords for Ear Training and Songwriting
Learn diatonic chords from a guitarist's perspective. Use the fretboard's built-in geometry — the 4th/5th relationship between strings — to find chords in any key, transpose instantly, and write songs with confidence. Interactive fretboard diagrams included.
Make Your Open Chords Sound Pro — Embellishment Techniques That Transform Your Playing
Add hammer-ons, pull-offs, sus4, add9, and walking bass to your open chords and instantly sound more polished. Practical embellishment techniques broken down chord by chord.
Stuck Playing the Same Chord Shapes? Expand Your Sound with a Free Voicing-Based Chord Chart
If your guitar chords sound the same every time, it's because you don't know different voicing types. Shell, Drop 2, Drop 3 — the same chord can sound completely different. Explore your options with a free online chord chart organized by voicing type.
Free Online Metronome — Build Real Time Feel with Shuffle and 2 & 4 Click Practice
You can play along with a metronome, but your rhythm still feels off in a band? The problem might be that you're relying on every-beat clicks. Learn how muting beats 1 & 3, playing to beat 1 only, shuffle/swing, and subdivisions can build real time feel — with a free online metronome that lets you customize each beat.
Stuck in One Position? Break Free with a Free CAGED Scale Chart Covering the Entire Fretboard
You've learned a scale, but you always play it in the same spot. The problem is you don't have a map of the whole fretboard. Learn how open chord shapes connect to scale positions, and use a free scale chart with CAGED 5-position diagrams for 13 scale types.
The Altered Scale for Guitar: How to Use It Over V7
Learn the altered scale from both the improvisation and voicing perspectives. Understand how altered tensions work over V7 chords in II-V-I progressions.
Shell Voicings on Guitar: Which Chord Tones to Omit
You don't have to play every chord tone. Learn when and how to omit the 5th, the root, or both — and why less can sound better.
Drop 3 Voicings Explained — The Next Step After Drop 2
Once you've learned Drop 2, Drop 3 is the natural next step. Learn how skip-string voicings create a wider, more orchestral sound on guitar.
Drop 2 Voicings Explained — Unlock the Jazz Guitar Sound
A guitarist-friendly guide to Drop 2 voicings: how they work, how to build them, and how to break free from playing the same chord shapes every time.
Create Guitar Chord Charts in Your Browser — Print-Ready with notave
No install, no sign-up. Create and print clean chord charts from your phone or PC browser with the free web app "notave."
Create Guitar TAB in Your Browser for Free — with Voicing Suggestions Built In
Create guitar TAB right in your browser with notave — free, no install, no sign-up. Includes voicing suggestions, playback, and video export.