A Better Way To Learn The Guitar! 

I truly love the way you teach: slowly, clearly, no showing off or "screaming" all the time to show you are in the spotlight. Here the content QUALITY defines the channel

One of the most tasteful players around... and THE best teacher. Period. Thanks, Jack!!!

Dear Jack, in this lesson there is something special, that is very difficult to find out and this something is generosity and warmth. Congratulations, Maestro!

jack your like the bob ross of guitar lessons , relaxing and you make difficult concepts understandable ,thank you

When I began learning lead I bought book after book, memorizing as many scales/boxes as possible, but none of the books explained how to actually use the scales. I could play in key/scale, but it still sounded like I was just noodling. I spent a long time asking other players how they use the scales, with no good answers, until finally coming across one who said to throw the scales in the garbage and just play the chords. It took a while for it to register but I have since passed it along as: “You can’t go wrong with chord tones; they’re already a part of it!” I wish this video was available 25 years ago. It would have saved me a lot of time. Excellent lesson, Jack!

In the 1970s everyone was scared to show you anything like this they were scared you would get better than them. Thank God for youtube.

Please don't quit teaching guitar on RU-vid, Jack... You have students from all over the world now. And you're opening up sounds on that instrument that i have not heard before 😊

being a good player doesn't neccesarily mean you're a good teacher, but Jack is the absoulte best when it comes to both.

I don't know how many times I've heard "target the chord tones" and "aim to land on the third of the next chord" without truly understanding what was meant, but this is the first time I've heard it articulated in such a way that I've actually understood it 🙂 I'm going to have to buy your course now...

Brother Jack, your humility is so intact, but so is your talent and teaching ability. Making what is difficult become understood and attainable is a quality of a great teacher. You do that well.

Who else immediately heard In My Life? 😋 Ha! Just saw Uncle Larry laying down the solo to this on an old Martin a few vids back. So it's been pinging around the old noggin' a few days now. Lovely lesson, Jack. What a great way to break down a chord progression.

Your video quality and your on screen tone / pace are just getting better and better my friend! Perfect chord tone lesson, perfect delivery! Love it.

I play chromatic harmonica & am able to learn from this exceptional guitar teacher. Many Thanks Jack Ruch

OMG! You’ve totally described my first five years of learning how to play guitar. It took me that long to realize how much was missing in my knowledge base. Thank you for talking about this. You’re such an amazing player and teacher.

You make a lot of sense Jack. Would love to meet up with you someday. Quick story, back in the 70's I thought I was a real hotshot with a new Les Paul. I auditioned for a country band in CA. When the main guitar player showed up, he was playing like this, except everything he played looked like a chord. I was blown away and humiliated. Went home with my tail between my legs. I have spent a lifetime learning how to play like that guy. This way you are showing us all is a great tool I so wish I had back then! God bless you bro.

Like many of you, I have heard guys talking about "playing over the changes", about "the importance of triads", and I've listened to their beautiful melodic playing, been amazed - and a bit dumbfounded. And then along came Jack. I bought the "magic of triads" course, and Jack makes it all make sense. I've been playing for over 30 years and all of a sudden I'm like a kid with a new toy. This guy can not only play with the best of them, but he is a teacher. Thanks Jack!

I love the fact that you name the notes and not „second fret, third string“ etc. 👍 It sinks in quicker and internalises where notes are. 🎸

For years I have been telling my students that there is no big mystery in playing a great melodic solo; just play the notes in the chords. I appreciate this video very much. Also, your tone, playing , and teaching demeanor are perfect. Thanks Jack.

Bravo well explained! I have been playing guitar for almost 58 years and gypsy jazz for the last 25 and you have hit the nail on the head. Gypsy jazz soloing 'as you know' is 80% based on arpeggios of the chord structure of the song. One does not even think of any key but just small snippets of arpeggios of one chord going into another. Simple to understand a little harder to master. Keep it up...🎸👍

Jack, this rings so true. I spent so much time trying to find the scale I could play over everything! I wish someone had told me this when I was a beginner. It took me years to realise thinking scales alone wasn’t the best way.

I've never had a guitar lesson in my life 😉. My folks didn't have enough money to pay for lessons and I got a job during the school holidays to buy a guitar (an Avon Les Paul). So, I just worked it out with scraps of information I picked up. Some years later, a musician friend who had an excellent grasp of theory tried to explain it to me, but I suppose I just felt intimidated by the theory. Your channel is, in my opinion, miles ahead of pretty much every other channel on RU-vid. For a guy who says he's not trained to be a teacher, you have a natural gift for passing on some difficult concepts in a really unintimidating way. I hadn't really picked up my guitar for several years when Covid hit, but when it did I decided I was going to set out and try and understand what I was doing on guitar. I found a couple of channels on RU-vid which were great, and one day the algorithm pointed me towards your channel. For all the misery Covid brought to peoples lives, it gifted us this RU-vid channel. I really appreciate all the hard work you put into this channel Jack. Long may it continue and go on to bring you more success. Your new triads course is another great example of your natural ability to teach, and teach well.

Jack, you’ve got the ability to talk to us where we are in the musical journey! I can’t tell you how valuable that is to so many of us! I’ll be checking out your courses!!

Cord shapes and not scales as starting point. Roger that. I remember Mr Trapp giving a advice like this. The fact you're saying the same thing means this is the trick toward progress. Many thanks for sharing.

Thanks, Jack!

I have been self taught for a few years, in the last months I have been really digging deep into the why of guitar. Spending all night watching videos and the next day putting everything into practice. You have helped me put so much into context In my head and connected so many points. I can almost see a map right on your fretboard!! Love it man!! LOVE THESE VIDEOS!!

I just frickin LOVE your energy my bro. You're a blessing.

So many players I respect talk about the importance of triads...but no one has put out lessons with the clarity and thoroughness of Jack's new course. Knowing triads well enough to improvise a melody you create in your head is one of the biggest guitar thrills I ever had.

This is really insightful! I was lucky enough to start my guitar journey having played piano for 12 years previously and I think having the musical intuition from that was so helpful to avoid these common pitfalls. People love to hate on music theory but understanding WHY you do things is so important.

As a self taught bedroom guitar player I was aware there was a lot of things I didnt know. But the net has shown me I knew just about nothing. These lessons are invaluable to me and I can't tell you how much they are appreciated.

As someone who’s been playing for years I found this extremely helpful. Great lesson to really learn the guitar harmonically and not just repeating the same scale patterns that can sound really boring

There are a lot of world class players out there who think they can teach but they are not. Jack is one of the rare players that exceeds excellence on both counts. How did I not know about you earlier? Thank you for your gifts!

I've been enjoying your videos for awhile but this one is the best I've seen so far - at least for where I'm at currently. I especially liked the part at the end where you played over the progression highlighting the root, then third, then fifth - it really brought the concept of the lesson home. Thanks for explaining this so clearly!

Great lesson Jack. Between you, Guthrie, and Uncle Larry, my guitar playing has improved more in the last few months than it did for 25 years! I was previously just rambling through scales or scale patterns as you described in the beginning of this video. Of course I would always get stuck hunting for good sounding notes in songs that didn't have chords in the key I was rambling through. Not any more!! Finally starting to feel like a musician after all these years!

I started teaching guitar (and drums) a little over a year ago after playing music for 30 years of my life semi-professionally. My students range from ages 5 to 75, and I think I've learned more in the past year than I have in most of my adult life lol. Btw, this is easily the best guitar lesson channel on RU-vid. Thanks for all that you do!

If you ask 10 people how you should learn guitar you'll get 20+ answers. I find your lessons are always clear and easy to follow! Cheers Jack!!

Jack, you described exactly how I learned guitar and got stuck, you, GT, Jeff McErlain, Brett, and Little Tommy are getting me straightened out!

The whole melody is inside the notes of the chords, beautifully explained most learner's are lost in playing lead because of lack of this fundamental knowledge for many years I too was lost because in those days there were no guitarists whom to consult and we were just rythm players. This video is the best explanation of how to play melody for those who can't read notations.

Jack, I couldn’t agree more with the comments already made about your amazing teaching skills. I have been playing over 50 years, mostly jazz now, but I never enjoyed lessons more than the ones you have posted to RU-vid… like this one. Your explanations are articulate, deliberate and slow, and very clear. I have picked several gems about improvisation soloing from you. Please continue to do this and I…as well as others I am sure… will be happy to support your work via your paid services. I’m signing up today! Thanks again. Best wishes.

My father was a high school teacher for 30 years and he encouraged me to consider teaching guitar about 40 years ago. My first crack at it didn’t go well. I gave it up. He said, “I hope you’ll try teaching again, when you’re ready to take it seriously.” He knew I was a good player with a good grasp of music, in general. Fast forward to 2002: A guitar teacher I knew asked me if I was interested in subbing for him while he was on vacation. I agreed, and I guess I was finally ready. This is my 21st year teaching guitar and the one thing my father said that made so much sense was, “You could do a lot worse than teaching. You’ll always learn something.” He was absolutely right. I’ve become a better player and learned so much from exchanges with students and my own curiosity that it’s hard to quantify. I’m sure Jack Ruch will agree. “You’ll always learn something.” Indeed. Thanks, dad.

Thank you Jack.

Man I really appreciate it, that you’re willing to teach us these good kind of lesson for free! Best guitar teacher bro ever!🎉❤

Dear Jack, I think you are one of the tastiest players on RU-vid, for sure! Thank you for sharing your mastery with us!

Great stuff of the great! In my opinion - this is the best roadmap and not only for the beginners! As far as I am concerned the blueprint is as follows: a) Determine basic triads for all chords a certain progression and prepare beforehand comfort playing zones in various sets of strings throughout the entire fretboard; b) Play melody using these "navigation" notes using passing tones and chromatic stuff and also M & m pentatonics, hammer ons and pull offs, intervals, double stops etc.; c) When getting more or less profound use more sophisticated embellishment stuff - modes, altered, half/whole tones scales etc. Bunch of thanks, Jack!

OMG Jack, that is it. You are really gifted in breaking down concepts and then applying them. Thanks

The explanation at 2:15 about just learning shapes and playing those shapes in the right key summarize my life for 25 years. And just in the past year I was exposed to theory and thr major scale, and intervals, etc. so, to quote my guitar teacher, "instead of shredding shapes, it lets you know WTF you're doing". I haven't learned how to put it into practice yet, but at least I now know what I don't know.

I slugged it out in bars for like 15 years before I realized I couldn't gig four to seven nights a week anymore. I started teaching and It's the best thing i've ever done. Like you, I came into it not really knowing how to teach or what to expect, but like you said, it's all trial by error. Onward and upward!

Looks like I'm going to have to start spending some quality time with my fretboard. Thanks. Great lesson.

Many of you session player guys are getting as good at teaching as you are at playing .Whatever level of playing anyone is on, teaching what you know to someone at your level or not quite at your level is a skill, and just like playing takes diligence. You, Congilio, Pappa, Andres, and many I probably don't even know their names keep getting better at conveying what you know and can do into practical application. I'm nowhere near professional but I'm sure this also adds to income that provides a little more stability to your income and the prices you guys offer are incredibly affordable plus all of you offer free stuff as here. I own 2 or 3 of your programs and they have added something to my life that makes it more enjoyable. Keep up the great work and blessing to all of you working artist that makes the world a better place.

Best “landing on the “right” note” explanation ever. Thanks for this!

Wow! Awesome lesson. Thanks.

Out of all the guitar channeled I’m subbed to he has the best tone . It’s freaking perfect mix gain and still sounds warm and clean. I love the 335 the most but that tele is amazing.

Learning to solo after playing finger picking n rhythm for years Really a good teaching.

Excellent material jack, muchas gracias.

Great lesson slow and understandable

such a melodic player!

Thank you Jack

Hey Jack, Superb Lesson!!🔥🙏

This Is by far One of the best Guitar RU-vid Channel, thanks for what you do mate!

Great lesson! Thank you very much! Just bought all of your Triads courses with Brett Papa ))

Rarely get this kind of simple unpacking of chords scales and melody explained so carefully. Keep it coming pleased its your IP Jack and you will grow your channel for sure as its the missing link in RU-vid guitar tuition.

Thanks jack! I've been playing guitar for than 20 yrs but finding out about your lessons is the best thing that could've happened to me. Those daunting terminologies and theories that I didn't think I could understand, is now very clearly goes to my head and my heart and in to my playing. Thank you for making your lessons clear, simple and understable for a simpleton like me.

Jack, I really appreciate that you have kept the last few lessons in the key of "A". It makes it "easier" to study the subtle little connecting notes between the chords. Thanks for all your effort!

I got a lot out of this lesson. Finally I have an appreciation for triads and how to use them. I have difficulty calculating the third and fifth but now knowing what I can do with them I will be motivated to figure out each triad and closer to remembering each. Thanks for this lesson.

Cool! I’ve been stumbling into this approach for a while now. Thank you so much. I look forward to following your channel.

I like it the most when I see you playing a Telecaster

Dynamics + dynamics + dynamics + dynamics and amazing time feel can make the simplest line sound amazing.

I’d love to see a lesson on how to practice targeting chord tones on strong parts of the beat. I don’t see many lessons that cover the importance of rhythm when soloing.

Just signed up. Can't think of a better guy to learn electric guitar from. Learned a lot from you over the last year or so Jack. Thanks

This video is exactly what I needed! I grew up playing wind instruments and taking music classes so I know a lot of music theory and all these other guitar teachers have been confusing me because they teach with students that have little to no theory knowledge in mind. Thank you for making this video, and I definitely plan to view more of your content!

if I had to learn guitar again, what i would do after i learned some basic chords and very basic theory like you outline here, i'd start connecting my ears to my fingers -- i'd start with the most simple tunes, happy birthday for example, and play it every different way on the neck. what you really want to do with guitar, the ideal, is have your fingers just go to what you hear in your head. then you're good to go

Superb - I used my *own* triad shape for the C# chord in the second chord progression exercise, a Dominant 7th voicing. The Root note solo sounded slightly bland if wholly correct but the second solo focusing on the 3rd note of each triad was almost perfect (I preferred it to the 'Mix It Up' third solo). Thank you, Mr Ruch - you've given us all a great insight into how a real musician approaches things!

I think this may be the most helpful video I have ever watched.

Thank you 🙏🏻 great lesson 👍

So happy you are teaching, I always learn a thing or two from listening to you play!

thanks, great lesson

Great lesson, very helpful. Thank you!

I played keyboard for a while now so I know a good bit of music theory, I really like how you saying the notes instead of fret numbers

Fantastic teaching and playing Jack. Made me realise where I have gone soo wrong over the years. This is essential for next level guitar playing.

Thank you for existing on this 🌎.

Bought your course. Triads are the answer. Thank you.

Great video Jack. Nice way to simplify things. We need to do a collab at some point!

You are the best teacher. You helped me a lot. Thank you.😊😊

Got it. "In My Life" by the Beatles. Very actionable lesson. Thanks Jack!

Missed this one when you first posted, but what a great explanation. Love this approach.

Great lesson Jack. You and Guthrie are such a great source of information. There's a lot to unpack here, but the concept is very straightforward. I just need to spend lots of time working through the cords, triads, and connecting the cord tones. This is why I subscribe to your Patreon page 😃

This is a fantastic lesson Mr Jack. Thank so much for this. It’s what I’ve struggled with and you really simplified the process in a great way. Thank you 💯🎸

This is exactly where im at right now. I look forward to getting you course. Love your channel bro. Thx

I thank god for finding you . this is me 100%.

Beautiful, melodic playing. You have proved that keeping things simple with chord tones has great musical value. I can't do it yet but it's my goal.

Thank you, Jack! This will really help me.

Your on it Jack, in my humble opinion. That was so helpful, thank you.

Fantastic lesson! less is more, right choice of notes and chords.

suggestion - have slightly less shallow depth of field - ie stop down your lens to a bigger f number and hold your guitar more parallel to your body and your fretting hand and neck will be in focus

Another Great Job Man 🎸🎸🎸

This is an really valuable lesson that I learned today from you sir,thank you so much

You are doing a great job! Thank you so much! I really appreciate these lessons.

You are a very good teacher

I liked this lesson because it shared a unique approach and was well articulated. It didn't waste time and frustrate me with needless clarification. It was easily understandable and well presented. Thank you!

Thank you, Jack 😊 I'm so glad you are sharing this precious applied knowledge on RU-vid. Greetings from India!!

I have played for several years and it sounds like I learned as you did. It was pretty pain staking with lots of head pounding road blocks with to many approaches. I wish this simplistic version of applying triads. Dig it! Thnks for sharing and wishing you The best my man!