Make Your Playing More Melodic
Boost Your Melodic Imagination with 16 Masterful Melodies
This might be a confronting question:
How many melodies can you play right now?
Not riffs, not licks, but melodies.
Something that you might find yourself humming or whistling in the shower.
To make this even trickier: how many melodies can you play that weren’t written for guitar?
When my teacher asked me this, I was stumped. I realised that so much of what I’ve learned was guitar-focused. Riffs, licks, solos, chord progressions… A lot of very cool, but typical guitar stuff. (In music theory terms: a lot of minor pentatonic stuff.)
But of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to what seems comfortable or logical on the fretboard. You can play anything you like on a guitar.
And so I started looking for learning beautiful melodies to learn, anywhere I could find them. In classical music, jazz, video games, film scores, pop songs…
This really helped me see how I could play whatever I wanted. It helped me break away from the typical guitar ‘boxes’ on the fretboard, that we often fall into. What’s more, I started to absorb all the melodic fragments all those tunes were made up of, which slowly but surely came through in my playing. It made me a more melodic player.
This course will help you do the same. You’ll learn 16 melodies by ear. I chose them for very specific reasons:
- These melodies are played on violins, cello’s, piano, voice, horns… Anything but guitar.
- The melodies are different from the typical guitar-lines we like to play, opening up your mind to the possibilities of the fretboard.
- You will expand your melodic vocabulary with some of the greatest melodies every written.
- The songs are from a range of genres: classical music, modern jazz, film scores, 90s pop songs and catchy jazz tunes from the 50s.
- All the tunes are either super catchy or simply beautiful melodies.
Of course, you’ll learn all of these songs by ear, using the interactive TAB system you might know from my other ear training courses:
By figuring out the songs by ear, you’ll ingrain the music in your mind on a much deeper level.
In short, the course is a really fun way of making your playing more melodic.
Enroll Now
This course is available exclusively to StringKick All Access Members. To get access to this course as well as all the other StringKick courses, join now! If you change your mind later, you’ll get a full refund within 30 days.
30-day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee
When you join StringKick you are fully protected by my 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you change your mind for literally any reason (don't like the colors on the site / decided you'd rather learn the trombone), simply let me know within 30 days and I'll give you a full and prompt refund. No hassles or hoops to jump through.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Masterful Melodies?
Masterful Melodies is an ear training course that expands your melodic vocabulary by teaching you 16 beautiful melodies from classical music, jazz, film scores, and pop songs. Unlike typical guitar riffs, these melodies were originally written for violin, cello, piano, and voice, helping you break away from familiar fretboard patterns and become a more melodic player. You’ll figure out each melody by ear using the interactive tab system.
What composers or artists are the melodies by?
The course features melodies composed or performed by Johannes Brahms, Maurice Ravel, Chet Baker, Norah Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Wheatus, Sonny Rollins, Jaga Jazzist, Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Michael Andrews and Erik Satie.
Is this course suitable for beginners?
This course is part of the Make Your Ears Awesome series. If you’re brand new to ear training, go with Make Your Ears Awesome: Kick-Starter and Make Your Ears Awesome: Riffs and Melodies first, as they’re great preparation for this course! If you’re already somewhat comfortable figuring out songs by ear using your guitar but want to further develop that skill, this course is right for you!
How do I get access to this course?
This course is available to StringKick All Access members. When you join, you get instant access to this and all other courses on the site.
What if I don't like the membership?
Simple: if you decide the membership is not for you, you’ll get a full refund within 30 days. No matter the reason.
Why should I learn songs by ear instead of just using tabs?
Learning by ear not only sharpens your ability to hear music in more detail, it also helps you play guitar by ear! This is a core musical skill that helps you anytime you pick up a guitar, whether it’s with improvising, soloing, jamming with other musicians, writing songs or just playing in general.
How does the interactive tab system work?
The interactive tab guides you without spoiling the answer. It shows you how many notes you need to find and which strings they’re on. If you need help getting started, you can reveal the first note. Then you fill in what you think the notes are and check your answer. If you got something wrong, you can try to correct it or see the right answer.
Can I adjust the difficulty level?
Yes! The course offers three difficulty modes:
Normal Mode – Fill in all the notes first, then check your complete answer. This is the default setting and how the course was originally designed.
Note-by-Note Mode – Get immediate feedback after each note you fill in, so you know you’re on the right track. This mode also limits the answer options to just six choices, making it easier to get started.
Hard Mode – For advanced students who want an extra challenge. The tab doesn’t tell you which strings the notes are on: you have to figure out both the string and the fret yourself.
You can switch between difficulty modes at any time to match your current skill level.
Can I do this on my phone, tablet, or laptop?
Yes, the course works on any device with a web browser. You can login to StringKick on any device you own and switch between them whenever you want. The interactive tab system works great on mobile, so you can practice wherever you are.
How can I get in touch if I have any other questions?
Feel free to contact me here or email me at just(at)stringkick.com if you have any questions!
