In this jazz mandolin lesson, I’m showing you how to play the chords and rhythm for jazz standard Autumn Leaves. We’re using movable 3-string chords in closed position, that are easy to play. I play it in the key of Dm, because mandolin master Kenneth Jethro Burns recorded it like that.

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Sheet music, tabs, and play along for this tune you’ll find in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

If you want to master this style of comping, I recommend my course “Jazz Comping Guide”. That one is also part of MSA.
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In this video I show you how to play an octave mandolin accompaniment for Tarantella Napoletana. We use closed 4-string chords and 3-string chords. This Italian Folk Dance is the tarantella associated with Naples. It is familiar to many viewers of popular media as a stereotypically "Italian" musical riff or melody. 

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions

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This is a lesson for the improvising jazz mandolin player. I’m showing you an 8-note solo etude for jazz standard Autumn Leaves. I play it in the key of Dm because mandolin master Kenneth Jethro Burns recorded it like that.

This is a series of videos for this song:

• Chord Melody (intermediate)
• Melody (beginner)
• Chords (intermediate)
• Solo Etude (advanced)

 Sheet music, tabs, and play along for this tune you’ll find in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

Click Here To Watch Video

In this video I play a duo arrangement of Tarantella Napoletana on mandolin and octave mandolin.  This Italian Folk Dance is the tarantella associated with Naples. It is familiar to many viewers of popular media as a stereotypically "Italian" musical riff or melody.
In the films The Godfather (Il Padrino) (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1973) tarantella’s are played in the openings scenes.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions

Click Here To Watch Video

This is a beginner’s lesson for jazz mandolin. I’m showing you how to play a straight forward melody arrangement for jazz standard Autumn Leaves.

I play it in the key of Dm, because mandolin master Kenneth Jethro Burns recorded it like that.

This is a series of videos for this song:

• Chord Melody (intermediate)
• Melody (beginner)
• Chords (intermediate)
• Solo Etude (advanced)

Sheet music, tabs and play along for this tune you’ll find in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

Click Here to Watch Video

In this video I show you how to use the two string arpeggios I call diamonds. I use them to get a cool sound to modal improvisation and soloing.

• Solo
• Improvising
• Arpeggios
• Scale

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In this lesson, I’m showing you how to play a simple chord melody arrangement for jazz standard Autumn Leaves.

I play it in the key of Dm because Jethro Burns recorded it like that. Other common keys are Gm and Em. 

Click Here To Watch Video

This is a series of videos for this song:

• Chord Melody (intermediate)
• Melody (beginner)
• Chords (intermediate)
• Solo Etude (advanced)

In this video lesson I’m showing you how to play the picking pattern I use for Italian Tarantella. Down-Up-Down, Down-Up-Down. This is a simple and powerful exercise for right and left hand technique. A-minor scale sequence.

• Down-Up-Down
• Picking technique
• Scale
• Precision and speed

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In this video, I show you how to play an octave mandolin accompaniment for a Scandinavian traditional waltz. Melody, 2nd harmony and chords. This is a traditional dance tune from southern Sweden.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Chord charts
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions

Click Here To Watch Video