As a non-profit educational website Modern Guitar Harmony allows guitarists all over the world to explore new harmonic concepts in the form of voicings, cycles, substitutions, re-interpretations and so much more.
The presented harmonic material is derived mainly from Mick Goodrick’s excellent series of guitar voice leading almanacs which contain both standard and unusual voicings in the major, melodic minor and harmonic minor landscapes.
Other harmonic sources and references will also be used.
Application of this material can be applied to all genres and, very interestingly, the guitar player has to approach this material in a complete individual manner which will result not only in a paradigm shift on the instrument but also in a unique playing voice.
Any in-depth study of harmony is really a process of self discovery especially when you are only given set harmony and you have to make music with it.
The questions that arise are endless. Will I play chords, arpeggios, a mix of the two, or counterpoint? Which notes will I use to embellish these harmonies and what is the most effective way to use these embellishments? Even questions such as tone need to be addressed.
Ultimately once the material has been sufficiently digested you can leave all the questions behind and you can, at last, just play.
It is MGH’s intention to become the Mick Goodrick Foundation website so please support generously.
Stelios Mihas and Mick Goodrick’s 9 Early Pieces
Guitar Music Theory 101
New: MGH Music Services for All Your Musical Needs
Modern Guitar Harmony can be found in the following places;
- Patreon Modern Guitar Harmony
- Bandcamp Modern Guitar Harmony
- Youtube Modern Guitar Harmony
- Facebook Group Modern Guitar Harmony
- Facebook Page Trippy – The Guitar
Interviews
Ben Monder Interviewed by Mick Wright (Youtube)
Randy Roos Interviewed by Mick Wright – Part 1 (Youtube)
Randy Roos Interviewed by Mick Wright – Part 2 (Youtube)
Short Stories for Modern Times
Short Stories are small compositions crafted from the cycles in the Goodrick Almanacs (Now available for FREE here).
These compositions don’t just follow the whole cycle as the pieces can change key, add melody and chromatic notes, involve counterpoint and much more.
Short Story #1 – Spread 3 Part Fourth Cycles (Marc Rum)
Short Story #2 – Closed 3 Part Fourth Modulating Cycles (Marc Rum ) – Favourite
Short Story #3 – Harmonic Minor Cycle 4 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #4 – Bass Line Movement in Harmonic Minor (Marc Rum)
Short Story #5 – Spread Quartal Harmony Cycles 2 & 6 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #6 – Harmonic Minor Cycle 6 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #7 – Major Scale Quartal Harmony Cycle 2 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #8 – Spread Triads in C Major Cycle 2 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #9 – Spread Triads in C Major Cycle 2 (Marco Giussani)
Short Story #10 – Melodic Minor Spread Triads Cycle 2 (Marco Giussani)
Short Story #11 – 3:2 Polyrhythm in C Melodic Minor Closed Triads (Marc Rum)
Short Story #12 – Harmonic Minor Closed Triads Cycle 2 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #13 – Harmonic Minor Spread Triads Cycle 2 (Marco Giussani)
Short Story #15 – Improv in Melodic and Harmonic Minor using Spread Triads (Marc Rum)
Short Story #16 – Major Spread Triads Cycle 4 (Marc Rum)
Short Story #18 – Prelude in C Major Spread Triads Cycle 4 (Marco Giussani)
Short Story #19 – “Monderisms” – Harmonic Minor Cycle 4 (Marc Rum)
Practical Talk
Guitar Harmony Basics with Tom Lippincott
How To Use The Mick Goodrick Almanacs
Jack Pezanelli’s Triads Over Bass Notes for Non-Functional Reharmonization
Jingle Bells using Back Cycling Triads, Contrary Motion etc
Tribute to Mick Goodrick by Tom Lippincott (and Lesson)
MGH Philosophy
13 Steps to Musical Integration
Embrace Your Originality and Uniqueness on Your Guitar
Gear Talk
Harley Benton R-458 FFB Multiscale Guitar Review
How Do I Get a Great Tone From My Player Telecaster?
Bite Size Life
Bite Size Guitar Theory Lessons
Guitar Theory Lesson 1 – The Musical Alphabet (Blog and Youtube Vid)
General Articles
10 Top Guitarists Pay Tribute to Mick Goodrick
MGH Guitarists to Watch
Stelios Mihas and Mick Goodrick’s 9 Early Pieces
Mikko Hilden – MGH Guitarist of the Month – April 2024
Barry McCormack – MGH Guitarist of the Month – March 2024
Az Samad – MGH Guitarist of the Month – February 2024
Steve Herberman – MGH Guitarist of the Month – January 2024
Tom Lippincott – MGH Guitarist of the Month – December 2023
Christian Miller – MGH Guitarist of the Month – November 2023
Mike Papapavlou – MGH Guitarist of the Month – October 2023
Beth Marlis – MGH Guitarist of the Month – September 2023
Tim Mirth – MGH Guitarist of the Month – August 2023
Josh Workman – MGH Guitarist of the Month – July 2023