Andy Fite

Andy Fite continues his logical, comprehensive exploration of the fretboard with a masterclass on melodic patterns built from their smallest unit: two notes. If your improvised solos tend to sound like scales going up and down, this systematic approach — working through ascending and descending 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, and 7ths through major scales in multiple keys — fills that gap in a focused, musical way. What's covered Each interval pattern in three forms: the pattern itself (2 notes), the palindrome (3 notes), and the pattern reversed on the second step (4 notes) Two ways to practice every pattern: as separate groups and as one long flowing line A speed concept borrowed from Lennie Tristano — the smallest unit of speed is two notes, practiced relaxed and unhurried Phrasing choices on guitar: notes on one string vs. across a string crossing, and finding sweet-sounding diagonal fingerings Staying relaxed, breathing, and keeping the work musical rather than mechanical "The purpose of the thing is to develop greater freedom, flexibility and focus in one's melodic improvising." — Andy Fite You'll also receive Andy's composition "Song for the Fifth of April" , notated in both TAB and standard notation, which shows how he uses these melodic patterns to build a melodically strong solo guitar piece. Full video is 37 minutes, with 3 pages of PDF materials in standard notation and TAB. Soundslice Enhanced.

Andy Fite continues his Into Tonal Beauty series by adding chromatic neighbor tones to the I-IV-I-V-I progression — the chord progression he regards as the essence of tonal music. A follow-up to "Into Tonal Beauty: Escaping Chord Grips," this class works methodically through every upper and lower neighbor to every voice of these chords, in major and minor, producing rich dissonances that resolve with their own logic. "As a jazz musician, my early training (and it seems most people's training) concerned itself with matching the improvised melodic line to whatever chord is happening, in a strict vertical sense." — Andy Fite What's covered I-IV-I-V-I with chromatic neighbors in closed position (in B-flat), working through all three inversions The same study in minor (D minor), including the leading tone, the dominant major 7 color, and other surprising sounds Open-position voicings in major (F) and minor (E-flat minor), with fingering strategies and why half-step connections belong on the same string How to practice the material musically — as chords, arpeggios, and melodies — treating the exercises as meditations rather than mechanical drills Prelude No. 8 from Andy's set of 24 preludes (2004), a solo guitar piece built on lower neighbors that shows the concept as finished music If you want to hear chord progressions clearly and control the harmonic character of your melodic improvisations, this class will get you there. Includes 3 pages of PDF materials in standard notation and a Soundsliced version of Prelude No. 8 (adjustable tempo and looping for effective practice and study). Full video is 43 minutes.

Andy Fite teaches guitarists how to leave the "chord grip" habit behind and connect individual voices fluidly, the way a pianist does. Drawing on the voice-leading appreciation he picked up in secondary piano studies at the University of Pittsburgh, Andy shows how the simple progression I-IV-I-V-I — which he considers the seminal progression defining tonal music — can open up a richer harmonic conception than grips and chord-scale thinking allow. "The chords of a song, I want to say, are NOT the harmony. The harmony is something more like a road, and the chords merely the signs marking the way." — Andy Fite What's covered A simple system for playing any chord in every possible place on the fretboard, starting from triads in all inversions I-IV-I-V-I in closed position — moving each voice by step instead of jumping grips, in major and minor I-IV-I-V-I in open position — open voicings, right-hand cleanliness, and playing the progressions as chords and arpeggios Why the major V chord's leading tone gives tonal music its gravitational pull home Prelude No. 1 from Andy's set of 24 preludes (2004), a solo piece that grew directly out of this progression — score included This is a compact, efficient class — the right wisdom in 28 minutes — for anyone who wants to see the fretboard more clearly and hear harmony as moving voices rather than shapes. Includes 1 page of PDF materials in standard notation and a Soundsliced version of Prelude No. 1. Full video is 28 minutes.

Andy Fite continues his Comprehensive Approach series, moving from scales into harmony: playing the major scale in parallel intervals and then in three-voice triads, all over the fretboard. This is the heart of Andy's course of study for getting his hands on every possible chord — and, along the way, understanding chords as part of a linear, melodic conception of harmony. What's covered Two-voice intervals in parallel — running the C major scale in seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths, ninths, tenths, elevenths, twelfths, thirteenths, and on up to seventeenths, the whole neck each time Closed-position triads — root position, first inversion, and second inversion triads straight up the scale, with Andy's interval-stacking logic (a third on a third, a fourth on a third, and so on) Open-position triads — the wider 5-6, 6-5, and 6-6 voicings for all three inversions, plus a look at Andy's notebook plotting every interval combination across 36 scales Practice attitude throughout — slow down when you lose focus, breathe, make every voicing sing rather than playing mechanically For guitarists who have the scale work from Part 1 under their fingers and want to build real chord mobility from it. Andy recommends running the material through at least four or five keys — ultimately all twelve. Running Time: 23 min

Guitarist Andy Fite performs "Santa's Getting Mental" , his original comedic Christmas song about poor Santa losing his mind in a department store — wandering the perfume counter, eyeing the lingerie department, and settling on a clown disguise, a power drill, and a case of Mountain Dew. The performance includes a guitar solo between verses. A short holiday performance video (about 3 minutes) for anyone who enjoys some seasonal musical humor.

Andy Fite opens his Comprehensive Approach series with a deep, methodical study of the major scale on guitar — played along single strings, in every position, and across the whole fretboard. The goal, in Andy's words: if you can put your hands on everything, you'll be freer to play what you're hearing in your head. He compares learning the instrument to learning your first language — and insists you play these materials as music, never practice them mechanically. What's covered Scales on single strings — every major scale up each of the six strings, an idea Andy first encountered in a Gene Bertoncini workshop, for the kind of fretboard clarity piano players get for free Position scales — all seven (often eight) positions per key, each spanning two octaves plus a third, demonstrated in C major The long scale — Andy's own diagonal fingering (1-2-4, sliding at the half steps) that runs the whole neck in one smooth motion, breaks the tyranny of position playing, and opens up song-like, saxophone-style phrasing Scales in parallel — harmonizing the scale in seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, tenths, and thirteenths, the first step in Andy's quest to get his hands on every possible chord A patient, philosophical starting point for guitarists at any level who want real clarity on the fretboard. Master all three scale orientations and, as Andy puts it, the note you're hearing will always be right under your fingers. Running Time: 26min