Mary Halvorson Demonstrates Creating Exercises

Guitarist Mary Halvorson shows you how to develop new musical ideas, as well as your technique, by turning musical phrases you discover into etudes and incorporating them into your practice routines.
Learn more: academy.jalc.org
Mary Halvorson - Guitar
Eric Suquet - Director
Bill Thomas - Director of Photography
Aaron Chandler - Sound Engineer
Rich Emery - Production Assistant
Seton Hawkins - Producer
Recorded March 6, 2014

[@JamesScottGuitar]

Mary is a VERY unique and interesting musician. In a wonderful way her music reminds me of early electronic music. Folks need to be paying attention to her.

[@spb7883]

Honestly some of the most interesting stuff by her I’ve heard, and that includes her recordings.

[@JRCGuitarist]

It’s cool that she mentions the open strings idea. That’s something I’ve been doing as well. I’m working to see how I can incorporate open strings into my playing stylistically, I’m glad that I just heard about her. She would be a good template for me to listen to.

[@robertgrippo5312]

A great concept applicable to any style or genre. Write your own exercises GREAT idea!

[@robertbodle2354]

This was a great lesson suggestion. I really like the idea of serving one's own unique vocab as a means of personal musical development.

[@coulton-davisjazz2872]

This is my favorite of your talks. I have done this too on piano! I "wrote" some exercises that take you through all the inversions of minor7b5 arpeggios in melodic minor (two per "key"). I This process you describe is a great way of developing your own sound.

[@munray805]

Great suggestions! Easy to understand, much appreciated!

[@railcar123]

That etude was pretty cool!

[@endezeichengrimm]

This is solid advice.

[@tangobayus]

Much better than average melodic development :)

[@antjamnow1286]

Great lesson content and ideas. Focus on tone, though, everyone!

[@JamesRone]

Or focus on whatever you want to develop, I suppose.

[@carpballet]

Atonal is cool and I’m sure very hip, but man, I’m not sure most people could take a whole album of it.

[@JamesRone]

Luckily, there are so many other albums for them to listen to. Most of them, even.

[@stevenbeechey]

Someone wouldn't happen to know where I could find a transcription of the full open-string étude Mary plays at 2:30?

[@119FU]

+Steven Beechey You'll probably have to transcribe it yourself homie. But don't worry it's fun as!

[@stubhead]

Yeah, I think what she talking about is NOT doing other people's stuff - figure out exactly what you CAN'T do, then... do it.

[@urikmej7636]

Why that guitar thick af