Harmonic Crossfit (Volume 1 - Rhythm Changes) + backing tracks

Harmonic Crossfit (Volume 1 - Rhythm Changes)

In this short harmonic study I present to you one of my very favorite chordal workouts that targets (in a very intense way) the development of new harmonic vocabulary, chording technique and fretboard navigation.

In Volume 1 I will be concentrating on the standard “Rhythm Changes” harmonic progression and exploring its many different voice-leading possibilities available to us on the guitar.

There are 4 different studies included here that can give you a good sense as to how I like to structure my practice when learning a new tune or working out a standard harmonic passage.

Each study should be performed as a slow arpeggiation exercise first where the chords are played by layering each note one at a time in a rubato (freely) fashion so our ears and fingers can have the chance to absorb and internalize the specific voice-leading and its sonic texture.

Once familiar with the chordal vocabulary of each study our goal is to try to play the etude “in time” and in a faster tempo where the voicings are sounded in a piano-like style (all pitches articulated at the same time). For that purpose you can use the backing tracks included with the study.

When you start to feel comfortable with the material you can use the same logic to generate other variations of these studies encompassing the many different positions of the fretboard or string group selections.

Study #1 (Stepwise Ascension/Descension) - presents a way to explore a harmonic progression where the soprano note has to move in an ascending stepwise motion until you reach the highest comfortable position on your fretboard and then descending from there back to the lowest possible position. We conserve the same motion until all chords of the desired progression have been voiced. (can be practiced on any string group)

Study #2 (Stepwise Descension/Ascension) - presents a way to explore a harmonic progression where the soprano note has to move in an descending stepwise motion until you reach the lowest position on your fretboard and then ascending from there to the highest possible/comfortable position on the instrument. We conserve the same motion until all chords of the desired progression have been voiced. (can be practiced on any string group)

Study #3 (3 Note Voicings - full range) - presents a way to explore a harmonic progression by finding interesting 3 note voicings/representations for all the included chords. This type of practice can be done on any individual string group or on all string groups combined. We can also limit our harmonic choices to a particular position on the fretboard or practice them throughout the full range of the instrument at once.

Study #4 (In-Position) - presents a way to explore a harmonic progression where we limit our chording options to only a very specific physical space/range on the fretboard and try to explore the different voice-leading possibilities available there. (can be practiced on only one string group in that position or on all string groups within the position)

Even though there are many more ways in which we can systematically organize our chordal practice and really get to explore the fullest range of harmonic possibilities the guitar has to offer, I do believe these four studies are more than enough to set you up on the right path to discover the distant peaks and valleys that lie ahead.

I truly hope this study helps you discover some new and exciting ways to construct and practice chord voicings on the guitar.

Materials Included:

Harmonic Crossfit Volume 1 - "Rhythm Changes" study (PDF file - TAB and Standard Notation).

"HD Video" of All Examples and Studies (at tempo and slowed down).

Backing Tracks.

For more info please e-mail: hristo@hristovitchev.com