Jamie Humphries – Ultimate Fretboard Navigator Volume 1 and 2

Ultimate Fretboard Navigator Volume 1/2

If you read the Power Pentatonics review then Jamie will need no introduction -- if you didn’t then go read it! Another one of those quietly great British players who are a part of Lick Library in The Ultimate Fretboard Navigator Volumes 1 and 2 he addresses one of the most important fundamentals of guitar playing -- the ability to move around the neck fluently. As a great proponent of the CAGED system he of course uses that methodology as the basis for all of the examples in these two DVD’s but for those are are unaware of how that system applies to guitar have no fear -- he explains it all in the first few moments of Volume 1.

Taking those chords in their basic open form he explains about chord voicing, and the intervals contained within each voicing which are one of the keys to the CAGED system. For example the basic open C chord is 1 3 5 1 3 (from a 5th string root) and of course while there are “personal” voicing for each chord knowing which intervals are located in the chords is essential.

Armed with this knowledge and using your first finger as a “movable capo” you then simply re-finger the chords to be played with your 2, 3, 4 fretting hand fingers and this gives you a movable C A G E or D shaped barre chord -- this allows you to view the formula, chord shape and scale shape all relevant to that simple chord. Knowing that the A shape is simply an inversion of the C shape (along with a knowledge of chord formulae) followed by all the others in series allows you to unlock the entire neck for both arpeggios, scales, chords, intervals….

Simple, but awesomely effective. Without repeating verbatim the information presented in the Ultimate Fretboard Navigator I should just note at this point that this theory and methodology is applicable to every single player in the world and I view it as essential.

Moving on Jamie explains the Harmonised Major scale and it’s importance in the construction of scales, chords and modes along with the pentatonic and blues scales and each section of information is constantly referred back to the CAGED system in order to underline and amplify the method. As per usual, there are demonstrations and backing tracks on the DVD in order to provide musically motivational practice examples as well as a series of simple licks in order to facilitate and expand on the ideas. Simple to write about but trust me, there are hours and hours of study and more than that -- hours of absolutely invaluable practice regardless of style.

Ultimate Fretboard Navigator Volume 2 presents more theory as related back to the CAGED system but includes modes, minor and major scales (including 3nps patterns as well as the 5 CAGED positions) pentatonic substitution (along with a horde of backing tracks and performances) Arpeggios…if volume 1 provided you with hours of work then volume 2 does exactly the same and all of it is as essential.

There are further sections on utilising runs to connect positions, some legato phrasing and picking exercises aimed at providing a knowledge of the extended framework -- this in particular is a lengthy section but does amply illustrate various technical approaches without the bias of (for example) trying to explain every position in terms of sweep picking. Providing the bare nuts and bolts in order to develop your own style is a fantastic idea and I wish more products would take the time to emphasise it.

If I had mentioned it before, Jamie is an extremely relaxed and capable teacher who’s down to earth style actually makes the information here far less dry and stuffy -- it’s fun to learn and his explanations and anecdotes really add a valuable human quality to the Ultimate Fretboard Navigator which adds to it’s appeal beyond the high quality of the theory and practice.

As noted -- I don’t often class any product as essential but if you don’t already have the information, or if you do and need clarification these should both be in your library.

Ultimate Fretboard Navigator Volume 1 Rating:

Ultimate Fretboard Navigator Volume 2 Rating:

Jamie Humphries on YouTube

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