Teach Yourself Chords and Progressions with CD by Paul J. Newman is not a compendium of every conceivable chord in every possible position; nor does it attempt to be an encyclopedia of the infinite number of chord progressions which might exist.
For the kind of music you play, and for the instrument you play, there is a specific “library” of chords and forms played in the small group of keys which work best on the guitar. And the harmonic forms and structures of Rock music (Alternative, Metal, R & B, etc.) are fairly specific as well.
Our aim is to describe and illustrate chords & progressions in a practical context so that guitar players can use them in the same manner of the artists who inspire them. There is certainly enough appropriate material throughout for your own original inventions; but simply mastering the content will qualify as a worthy goal. Teach Yourself Chords and Progressions by Paul J. Newman is exclusively distributed by Santorella Publications.
To follow is a sampling of some of the lessons on progressions you’ll receive; The Major Triad • The Minor Triad • Seventh Chords • Pentatonic Minor Progressions • 6th and 9th Chords • Suspended and Added Chords • Barre Chord Workout • Augmented and Diminished Chords • Open String Combinations
About the Author
Paul Jared Newman hails from Greenwich Village, New York and has been involved with the guitar since the late 60’s. Forming his first group, “The Lower Class”, at age 13, their first engagement was at the now legendary Judson Poet’s Theatre, in The Love Cure, one of the first Rock musicals produced in New York.
The early work of the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton inspired Jared to explore the Blues records of John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Muddy Waters and others greats, leading to nights spent painstakingly trying to copy their guitar playing, and days falling asleep at school. An infatuation with classical music and Spanish guitar began soon after, and he has remained a musical eclectic ever since.
The day after graduating UC Berkeley in music, Jared took off for Europe and hooked up with a band from Antwerp, Belgium, with whom he toured for almost two years. The call of his hometown was strong, however, and he returned to the “Big Apple” to embark on a multifaceted career as musician, classical and pop music editor, publisher and songwriter.
In the 80’s Jared formed the Art Rock band “Not Heaven”, playing the New York club circuit. He taught guitar and music theory at the American Institute of Guitar in Manhattan for several years and started AIG Publications, concentrating on classical and flamenco guitar editions including the bestselling Keys to Flamenco Guitar series by Dennis Koster.
As an author, Jared’s published work includes the Teach Yourself series of guitar books and Classics for the Guitar in Tablature, all available wherever Santorella Publications are sold. His arrangements Five Women Composers for Guitar and Ernesto Nazareth: Brazilian Tangos are published by MelBay.
Jared holds an MM in Guitar Performance from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and continues to play, teach and write about his favorite styles of guitar playing.