Neo Soul Learning Pathway

‍Grade 4. Extended Soloing Applications‍

‍Day 1. Pentatonic positions 2

Continue on your quest to pentatonic mastery.

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‍Day 2. Expanding major and minor scales

Here, you'll build out your scale maps and feel your fretboard really start to unlock.

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‍Day 3. Altered position 2

Today, you dive back into the alluring sounds of the altered scale. Plenty of guided practice exercises and jamming to be done here!

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‍Day 4. Minor + altered position 2

Rome wasn't built in a day! Neither is your soloing skill set. Your hard work will pay off here, and we'll make the process fun along the way.

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‍Day 5. Tasteful techniques

Now that you've done some serious scalar digging, we'll work on making it sound neo-soulful!

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‍Day 6. Adding chords to solos

Here, we're back to the land of chord-melody soloing with extended applications to spice up your soloing.

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‍Day 7. Recap, history, and connecting positions

You'll know the drill by now. On Day 7, we recap and get a history lesson. But wait, there's more! We have a bonus lesson on how to really smooth out your soloing by connecting scale positions.

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Performance pieces

As with the previous grades, you'll cap off this grade choosing from 10 songs that we'll challenge you to learn. You'll once again have live-band backing tracks and an opportunity to get custom feedback on your playing.

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Final quiz

To cap off the Grade, you'll complete an interactive quiz that'll ensure you're ready to move on to Grade 5.

Grade 5. Studying the Legends

‍Day 1. Spanky Alford

Join gospel guitarist TJ Whitelaw as he walks you through how to play like Spanky, whose playing has an overwhelming influence on neo soul. He’s the archetypical father of the style, fusing gospel and R&B sounds to create the neo-soulful sound we all love.

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‍Day 2. Jonathan Dubose and quartet guitar

Here, TJ Whitelaw will break down Dubose's style, whose singular approach to chording structures, rhythm, and lead lines is foundational to the neo-soul style.

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‍Day 3. Erick Walls

Today, we're joining back up with Melanie as she gives us an inside look into the stylings of one of her favorite players: the wide-ranging Erick Walls. His mastery of slides, whammy-bar vibrato, drop-2 voicings, and top-three string combos have had a massive influence on Melanie's playing.

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‍Day 4. Eric Gales

New day, new Eric! Gales is another master whose playing has had a profound impact on Melanie's style. His playing has that rare “best of both worlds” quality – there’s a deep soulful expressiveness, while also a very high ceiling of technical ability. Toss in some really lyrical vibrato and it all comes together to make up his amazing style.

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‍Day 5. Isaiah Sharkey

The man. The myth. The master. Isaiah is a monstrous player – so much so, that he's John Mayer and D'Angelo's guitarist of choice. If there's only one guitar player you listen to when learning neo soul, it’s Isaiah. The way he fuses gospel chords and harmonies over modern grooves is remarkable. Sam Blakelock breaks it down for you in this lesson.

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‍Day 6. Melanie Faye

Today, we check out the style of your very own neo-soul mentor, Melanie! Her playing took the internet by storm a few years ago, and she's since become an in-demand artist whose unique guitar-driven sound we're following very closely. Melanie breaks down her favorite techniques today.

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Day 7. Mateus Asato

By now, your neo-soul know-how and swag level are at an all-time high. Oslo-based producer and guitarist Nicklas Myhre will close things out with some pro tips as he dissects the style of Brazilian guitarist and Instagram sensation, Mateus Asato.

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Performance pieces

As with the previous grades, you'll cap off this grade choosing from 11 songs that we'll challenge you to learn. You'll once again have live-band backing tracks and an opportunity to get custom feedback on your playing.

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Final quiz

To cap off the Grade, you'll complete an interactive quiz that'll ensure you're ready to move on to Grade 6.

Grade 6. Six Neo-Soul Solos

‍Day 1. Nicklas Myhre-type beat

Today, we’ll write a solo over a Nicklas Myhre-produced beat from his neo-soul Master Class.
Sam will guide you through different soloing approaches and help you build a framework to write your own memorable solos.

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‍Day 2. Minor solo

Today you’ll focus on how to use your improvisations to your solo-writing advantage by playing a solo with intention over a simple form.

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‍Day 3. Lofi solo

Today we’re going to access a hypnotizing lofi aesthetic and build a solo in that dimension. Lofi beats have become ubiquitously beloved by instrumental musicians, songwriters, and anyone with a pile of work to focus on. The beautifully imperfect atmospheres provide a trancelike vibration and help creatives achieve a flow state.

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‍Day 4. Major solo

We’re here again and ready to keep the creative writing habits flowing. Today, simplicity will serve you as we learn to craft an ear-worm hooky solo.

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‍Day 5. Stevie Wonder-type solo

Today, we’ll tackle writing a solo in the style of Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely. We’re finding ourselves today at the crossroads of familiarity, fun, and challenging. Isn't She Lovely is an uplifting, ultimately pleasant, and unmistakable hit, but for all its charm, it does call for a bit of prep work to get inside the changes.

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‍Day 6. Acoustic R&B jam and solo

One more chance to try crafting a memorable melodic solo. Today is the tenderest of all – we’re getting into acoustic R&B jams, so you can serenade your lover even if you don't have access to electricity.

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‍Day 7. Submit your solo

Today, you’ll pick one of six songs to write your own melodic soul solo over and video yourself crushing it.

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Performance pieces

As with the previous grades, you'll cap off this grade choosing from 10 songs that we'll challenge you to learn. You'll once again have live-band backing tracks and an opportunity to get custom feedback on your playing.

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Final quiz

To cap off the Learning Pathway, you'll complete an interactive quiz that'll ensure you're ready to move on to new material.