IFR blog > Instrument blogs > Guitar blog
Deep Foundations for Guitar

Deep Foundations for Guitar is a step-by-step video course teaching the first level of the IFR method for guitar. This is where you will build the ideal foundation for a lifetime of creative improvising on the guitar.

Should I start with the video course or the e-book?

I'm debating whether I should buy the IFR e-book or the Deep Foundations for Guitar video course. Can you tell me what is included in each one, and what are the pros and cons of each?

Beyond CAGED

Thank you for writing your book. I really like your philosophy. Can you explain the difference between the IFR system and the CAGED system?

How to think about chord shapes

I'm confused about how to understand chord shapes in relation to the major scale. For example, the 3 chord would be notes 3, 5, 7, 2. In learning to see this as a minor chord shape, should I be able to think of this as 3, 5, 7, 2 and 1, b3, 5, b7 at the same time?

Introduction to chord melody on guitar

In this lesson I demonstrate what chord melody technique is and how it will enrich both your soloing and your accompanying. I also teach you the first step to building a complete chord melody technique on the guitar.

Get ready for my chord melody video course

In this video I'll teach you a fantastic creative exercise for learning to see the chord notes in the music all around you. This is the ideal preparation for my chord melody video course.

Free sample lesson from Chord Melody Guitar 1

In this free sample lesson from Chord Melody Guitar 1, we build the tonal map on the fretboard and we begin working with the chord notes of the 1 chord and the 4 chord separately, learning to make our own creative choices about when to use the bass note.

Improvising with classical right hand technique

An IFR student asks how to incorporate classical right hand fingerstyle technique in the IFR creative exercises. In this video I demonstrate the two most useful right hand techniques to learn first.

Visualizing larger intervals on the fretboard

Sometimes when you are soloing, it's easy to see the notes immediately surrounding you but it's hard to picture instantly a note that's farther away. In this video I show you how you can learn to visualize larger intervals on the fretboard.

Jumping strings without getting lost

I am having difficulty keeping my place when I skip strings. I don't want to fall back into just memorizing scale patterns. I know it takes time to break old habits, but what would you recommend I focus on so I don't get lost as much and develop an effortless flow with the scale degrees?