DC music school favorites?

cmcmurphy22

What are your favorite DC lesson series?

ive been studying basic la Pompe, arpeggios, triads and learning songs with yakov hoter. Would like to dive into a series with someone else and learn some different perspectives. Any feedback greatly appreciated!

coleman

pmg

Thanks for giving Dennis a shout out. The material on his site is amazing and also a bit overwhelming. Like walking into a huge candy store with a big sweet tooth.

I have a lot of his videos and all are excellent and a terrific value. (I think Dennis is overly generous in pricing his stuff at almost give away prices for the high value provided.) Of all I have, the Fapy Lafertin videos are ones that I watch the most. I have taken lessons with him and find his playing to be among the most authentic among current players. (Not knocking the more modern guys - but I like the classical 30's sound and style of playing.)

However what's good for me probably won't appeal to you since we are probably at different playing levels and have different tastes (nothing wrong with that).

If you like Yakov Hoter (I do too), i suggest that start you with Dennis Chang's own videos. These were the first I purchased from him many years ago and where I learned a lot of basic licks and patterns that I still use. Unlike some of the DC videos from great players which might be more advanced than where you are at - Dennis excels as a teacher and IMO his explanations and style of teaching is about the best there is for players trying to get into this stuff.

Geez - so much to learn and listen and so little time . . .

dennis

Aw shucks thanks Paul ;-)

anyway, the concept on DCMS is a bit different, it’s more a portrait of the artist. Some of them are more pedagogical than others. To really get the most out of the lessons, Most GJ players are self taught as such they don’t always know what they’re doing in technical terms, so instead I have them perform a lot over common chord progression. you should probably know a bit about harmony and how to learn from transcriptions. There are lots of excerpts of different players on my Youtube channel, so you should just go for the player that you like.

There are lots of GJ teachers nowadays, so just check everyone out is what I say. Yaakov, Robin, Christiaan, Kanye West, Martin Gioani, etc...

ACtually, I owe Michael Horowitz a lesson for this site, I’ve been a bit lazy but I’ll get to it Michael, if you’re reading this.

I will take a standard performed by various artists from my site and analyze each solo to show the differences in approach! I’ll try to do it within the next 10 days Michael !

billyshakes

Unlike some of the DC videos from great players which might be more advanced than where you are at - Dennis excels as a teacher and IMO his explanations and style of teaching is about the best there is for players trying to get into this stuff.

I don't think you can overstate the importance of this. I was recently on a business call about a piece of software for use as a service. The guest user that was brought in was clearly super-adept at using this tool, is known in the industry as an expert, and yet the session was a waste as he quickly blitzed through various different functions. "Oh, there is this.....which reminds me <click, click> this too <new tab, click click> and this, etc" We were all still trying to process the first idea that came through his head and he was on his 5th/6th idea. He was very excited and trying to help but he just didn't have the teaching skill.

What you get from Dennis, Yaakov, Robin Nolan, Christiaan VH, etc is that they know the material and they have had enough students to know various methods to make it click for you.

cmcmurphy22

That’s good advice thanks you! I want to start expanding my vocabulary of licks now that I have the fret board mapped out pretty well. So maybe start with dennis’ basics course?

pmg

That's what I recommend. Also best to take a deep dive with one teacher and not nibble at several at the same time. Dennis's materials use more of a building block approach which allows you to build on basics as opposed to just learning licks that you might stick here and there. He also does a great job of teaching rhythm playing which is so critical in this genre (and I am still learning rhythm after 12+ years at this).

(And I promise Dennis is not paying me for plugging him - HA HA!)

juanderer

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/102051#Comment_102051

The "Gypsy Jazz Guitar Technique" course has a section on licks.

Check out "Essential Skills for the Improvising Musician," too.

Passacaglia

Well, as I focus on rhythm you may want to take this with a grain of salt, but I have both of Denis's own courses on rhythm, and have all 3 Nous'che courses. I also have all three Hono courses but as much as I love Hono and respect the high level of playing he owns, I'm totally drawn to Nous'che's style and have simply played course over and over, trying to emulate him with recordings, etc. Each cycle through the lessons, I learn more, and get better.** Every lesson is packed, in my opinion.

I finally have admitted to myself I am interested in soloing as well as rhythm and also have Fapy, Gonzalo, Yourgui, Tcha, Paulus. It's not a fair evaluation because it's been a long time (with the exception of Fapy), but wherever he's been, I've always appreciated Gonzalo's approach to conveying this stuff. On Denis's site, or even better, fireside at a fest (Buco....!).

I agree these lessons are really reasonable. There's so much there. I know myself and suspect several more to come to my library. "Suspect," lol.

** Sorry for the hijack but Denis if you're reading, I know your love of latin rhythms to continue to loosen the right hand and work on L/R independence. Nous'che continues on to ornaments then latin, you turn to latin after left hand. Thoughts on order of training, here? I don't want to take this thread aside so perfectly willing to take elsewhere, if desired all.

mac63000

(And I promise Dennis is not paying me for plugging him - HA HA!)

Sounds like you should start asking him to ;-)

littlemark

Something else to consider is sound slice. I have no concept of their pay scheme for artists. But Dennis also has lessons there. I'm not trying to direct you away from DC.

I bring this up because I have Duved's DC music school lessons and his sound slice lessons. As Dennis has said some lessons are more pedagogical. I found Duved's SS lessons really well laid out and clear. If you like the early Django stuff I highly recommend Duved's SS lessons.

Pmg also stated that taking a deep dive with one artist is the way to go. Don't try to learn everything from everyone all at once.

ChristopheCarington

@dennis - There are lots of GJ teachers nowadays, so just check everyone out is what I say. Yaakov, Robin, Christiaan, Kanye West, Martin Gioani, etc...

One of these is not like the others....