Chromatic Jazz Lick // Mandolin Lesson // For Swing Bluegrass & Country

In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play a chromatic lick that you can use to end your favorite jazz tunes or spice up your improvised solos.

We are playing a descending arpeggio line that resolves very nicely. Hayes also explains a one-chord trick that lets you use this lick for other styles like bluegrass and country music. Many others have done it before; now it’s your turn to get this classic line into your vocabulary!

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

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

Click Here To Watch Video

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Swing Ending Lick // Jazz Mandolin Lesson

Here is a swing lick that works well for ending a jazz tune like the pros!

We play the phrase in the key of A, Bb and C major. Then we demonstrate it for the songs Blues For Ike and All Of Me. It’s a must-know line for improvisers, spicing up a simple major scale with some blues sound.  

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

  • Sheet music/tabs
  • Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
  • How-to-play-instructions

 Click Here To Watch Video 

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Gypsy Jazz Chords and Rhythm // Blues for Ike // Octave Mandolin Lesson

Play gypsy jazz rhythm on the octave mandolin. I show you the chords for Blues For Ike by Django Reinhardt in this video. This tune is a 12-bar blues with an interesting twist.

The chord progression is in A and uses the major chord instead of the conventional dominant 7th chord. This tune demonstrates how you can play the “la Pompe” rhythm on both mandolin and octave mandolin.

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

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Avalon // Jazz Mandolin Duo // Magnus Zetterlund and Hayes Griffin

jazz performance video Jun 30, 2022

In this video, Magnus Zetterlund and Hayes Griffin are playing the swing standard, “Avalon” by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva, and Vincent Rose. Magnus is playing a Phoenix Neo Bluegrass mandolin and Hayes is playing a Red Diamond A-style mandolin. 

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find: 

  • Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
  • Play-a-long tracks (MP3)
  • How-to-play-instructions 

Click Here To Watch Video

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It Don’t Mean a Thing - Jazz Solo Ideas - Mandolin Lesson

Play a simple but very efficient solo line for the jazz standard “It Don’t Mean a Thing (if you ain’t got that swing)”. In this video, I give you an improvisation framework using guidelines and target notes to get the pleasant sound of chromatics.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

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

Click Here To Watch Video  

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Mandolin Lesson - Jazz Blues Melody in D - Jethro’s Jungle

In this video, I’m showing you how to play a single note melody of the jazz-blues, Jethro’s Jungle. This is a original of me, Magnus Zetterlund, in the key of D-major, and we are using some typical jazz and swing mandolin phrases.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

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

 Click Here To Watch Video  

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Jazz Blues Chords - Swing Mandolin Lesson

In this video, I’m showing you how to play the jazz-blues in the key of D-major. We are using three-string chord shapes that work very well for this style of playing rhythm.

You will play the Freddie Green four-to-the-bar style and the Charleston rhythm. 

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

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

 Click Here To Watch Video 

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Jazz Blues with Double Stops - Jethro’s Jungle - Mandolin Lesson

In this video, I’m showing you how to play the jazz-blues Jethro’s Jungle in the key of D-major. This is a original of me, Magnus Zetterlund, and we are using some double stops and typical jazz and swing mandolin phrases.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

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

Click Here To Watch Video   

To get a comprehensive understanding of the jazz blues form, check out my Fretboard Success program, following the link below.
http://www.mandolinsecrets.com/fretboardsuccess

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Sweet Georgia Brown Chords - Jazz Mandolin Lesson

In this video, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the chords to the swing standard “Sweet Georgia Brown.”

This song is nearly a century old and has become a favorite jam tune in jazz, swing, Western swing, and even bluegrass circles!

At the end of the lesson, you will know how to play the chords to this tune in the key of F major.

Hayes also shows you a bit of music theory, explaining how to these chords outline the Circle of Fifths and use chromatically descending tritone resolutions.

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Sweet Georgia Brown Melody - Jazz Mandolin Lesson

In this video, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the melody to the swing standard “Sweet Georgia Brown.” This song is nearly a century old and has become a favorite jam tune in jazz, swing, Western swing, and even bluegrass circles!

At the end of the lesson, you will know how to play the melody to this tune in the key of F major. 

Click the link to watch video

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