Sean McGowan

Sean McGowan's work focuses on jazz, fingerstyle, composition, and injury prevention for musicians. He is a professor of music at the University of Colorado Denver and has authored several instructional books.

Theory, Scales, Modes

Improve Your Technique by Practicing Scales in Broken Thirds

This workout starts with a C-major scale played in broken thirds. This might be tricky at first, but take it slowly!

May 28, 2017

Jazz

Jazz Guitar Tip: Improvise with a Familiar Chord Progression

When improvising, it is important to be able to outline the harmony of a song with single-note lines

April 23, 2017

Classical, Fingerstyle, Instrumentals

Video Lesson: Dig into a Lute Work by the English Renaissance Composer John Dowland

As a fingerstyle steel-string guitarist, you might assume that your instrument precludes learning classical literature. But this isn’t actually the case.

January 17, 2017

Guitar Technique - Fundamental

synchronize your hands guitar lesson closeup

These Fundamental Guitar Techniques Can Help You Learn to Synchronize Your Hands

This Weekly Workout will show how to synchronize the hands through a variety of exercises, concepts, and articulations

January 17, 2017

Jazz

How to Use Guide Tone Voicings on Your Acoustic Guitar to Emulate the Piano

Unlike piano, on guitar both hands must work in tandem, with a max of six notes sounding at any one moment

October 16, 2016

Jazz

How to Build Four-Part Seventh Chord Voicings for the Acoustic Guitar

Because of the complexity of harmony in the standard repertoire and the freedom of expression inherent within the genre, jazz requires that guitarists develop a flexible and diverse chord vocabulary. In this lesson, I’ll look at strategies for building four-part seventh chord voicings, their inversions,…