Hoagy Carmichael Masterclass
4-Week Intensive (6 Songs)
Course Description
Explore the timeless music of Hoagy Carmichael through six of his most celebrated compositions while developing a deeper understanding of melody, harmony, chord melody arranging, and improvisation. This masterclass emphasizes musical storytelling, voice leading, and horizontal thinking, giving players practical tools they can apply to any standard.
Week 1 – The Essentials
Song 1: Stardust
Song form and phrase architecture
Horizontal melodic thinking
Voice leading
Harmonic analysis
Guide-tone movement
Chord melody foundations
Improvising from the melody
Song 2: Georgia On My Mind
Blues influence
Secondary dominants
Emotional phrasing
Ballad interpretation
Chord melody voicings
Motivic development
Harmonic substitutions
Week 2 – Lyricism & Harmonic Color
Song 3: Skylark
Advanced melodic construction
Extended harmony
Harmonic color
Voice leading
Upper-structure voicings
Melodic embellishment
Song 4: The Nearness of You
Functional harmony
ii–V–I relationships
Ballad voicings
Space and lyricism
Harmonic analysis
Countermelodies
Guide-tone improvisation
Week 3 – Swing & Groove
Song 5: Up the Lazy River
Early swing vocabulary
Rhythmic phrasing
Traditional jazz language
Blues vocabulary
Swing comping
Four-bar phrase development
Ensemble accompaniment
Week 4 – Performance & Integration
Song 6: Rockin' Chair
Blues harmony
Gospel influence
Vocal-inspired phrasing
Chord fills
Bass movement
Call-and-response improvisation
Solo guitar concepts
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will:
Understand the harmonic and melodic architecture of each composition.
Develop expressive chord melody arrangements.
Improvise using horizontal melodic development rather than scale-based patterns.
Recognize and apply ii–V–I progressions, secondary dominants, chromatic approach chords, and effective voice leading.
Gain a deeper appreciation of Hoagy Carmichael's songwriting and its lasting influence on jazz, the Great American Songbook, and modern guitar performance.