TrueFire Guitar Courses
Rick Stickney’s TrueFire Guitar Courses specialize in Funk, R&B, and Soul Guitar Lessons including The R&B Guitar Fills Playbook. Access these top-tier TrueFire Guitar Lessons and transform your musical skills.
What You Get
TrueFire Guitar Courses are interactive video software available on the TrueFire app for Windows or Mac computers and iPads. Features include multi-angle video lessons, slo-mo, looping, automatic updating, full screen, plus:
- .MP4 Video Files
- .PDF Charts
- Jam Tracks
- Guitar Pro TABS
Learning how to construct and play tasty ‘fills’ is a requisite skill for guitarists that not only elevates your rhythm and lead guitar chops, they also greatly enhance the overall vibe of any musical performance for your audience.
Rick Stickney’s R&B Guitar Fills Playbook presents an easy, yet highly effective approach for constructing your own soulful fills, across the chord progressions that you’ll commonly encounter on the gig or when jamming.
”The tastiest fills you hear in contemporary music root back to the classic Soul and R&B fills of the 60’s and 70’s. These timeless fills can be artfully tweaked to create endless variations of your own.
In this Playbook, I’ll show you how to easily construct your own soulful fills to connect chords, fill around a vocalist, or even use in your own songs.
We’ll play double stops through chord changes, add color and articulation, passing thirds, sliding fourths and sixths, and do it all authentically by adding melody, dynamics and feel.
We’ll apply all of these approaches over some great live jam tracks for real-world musical context.”
You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson. Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.
Grab your guitar, and let’s dig in with Rick Stickney!
Having command of a versatile and extensive vocabulary of fills to connect chords and accompany singers is an essential skill for all guitarists.
Rick Stickney’s collection of 30 Timeless R&B Guitar Fills can be applied to any style of music you play, from rock and country to jazz, funk and blues. ”The tastiest fills we hear today, in contemporary music, root directly back to classic Soul and R&B music from the 60s and 70s.
To broaden your fills vocabulary, I’ve put together 30 of my favorite and most versatile R&B fills, which you can use as presented or tweak any way you wish to create your own variations. I’ll show you fills that you can play over major, minor and dominant chord progressions, in a variety of keys and feels.
As you learn the fills you will also gain valuable insight into how to visualize them relative to common chord shapes and positions on the fingerboard, making it a breeze to move these to other keys later on.
We’ll practice all 30 of these fills over jam tracks for real-world musical context.” You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace. You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson.
Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.
So grab your guitar, and let’s get started!
The secret sauce for improvising and soloing over funky feels is really not about scales, modes, arpeggios or licks — it’s simply phrasing and timing.
Rick Stickney’s Filthy Funk Phrasing for Lead Guitar reveals a very simple, yet highly effective approach for taking your funk lead phrasing to the next level.
”Applying syncopated rhythmic feel and phrasing to the licks, scales or arpeggios that you already know is the key to crafting tasty, stanky fills, lines and full-length solos.
I’ll show you a very simple, yet highly effective approach for taking your funk lead phrasing to the next level by applying the same funky rhythmic patterns you use when playing rhythm parts.
We’ll start with an intensive sixteenth note phrasing workout and then broaden your palette of funky phrasing approaches with unison slides, chromaticism, sextuplets and more. You’ll apply all of these approaches over some great live jam tracks for musical context.”
You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson. Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.
In Mixolydian Connections, you are going to learn an entirely different approach to making music with the mixolydian scale. The problem with learning scales has always been knowing what to do with them once you’ve learned your box position patterns.
In Mixolydian Connections, we are going to break the scale down into small 2 or 3 note combinations. Throughout the course I call these note combinations “puzzle pieces.” I’ve identified 6 of these puzzle pieces within the scale, some very tried and true sounds, they are:
- The 5th-6th-root combo
- The major 3rd
- The major 3rd-root-b7 combo
- The 2nd-root combo
- The 5th-6th-b7 combo
- The 4th-major 3rd combo
In this first lesson we are going to work on learning where all these puzzle pieces live within the larger box pattern for G mixolydian, position 1. It’s very important to learn not only where they are but also where they are in relative position to the root. This is crucial as you start to move into other keys. It’s equally important to get the sounds of these note combinations in your ear.
We are then going to start combining these pieces like pieces of a puzzle, hence the name Mixolydian Connections. An example would be connecting the 5th-6th-root combo with the major 3rd, etc. So no more having to memorize licks. You are going to be able to start making very musical sounding phrases immediately, even if this scale is new to you.
This method has helped my private students immensely, and vastly cut down on the time it takes to go from learning a pattern to playing tasty, melodic solos in the mixolydian mode, and it will work for you too!
The heart and soul of funk is rooted deeply in the rhythmic groove that drives the entire band.
Mastering the art of syncopated rhythm and dynamic strumming patterns is essential to laying down a solid, infectious funk backdrop on guitar.
In this course, I’ll walk you through a straightforward yet transformative collection of 10 (verify total) funk rhythm approaches to elevate your groove and infuse your playing with that signature funk vibe. For each, I’ll first explain the technique or concept at hand, and then I’ll use it in a performance study over a backing track.
Along the way we’ll explore techniques and approaches like 6th & 9th combos, Side Steppin’, and a rhythm pattern I call the Funky Flutter. We’ll master the bounce technique, explore the harmonic potential of dorian 3rds, cross over the bar line, and a lot more.
Ok, you ready? Strap on your guitar and let’s get groovy!
The infectious groove of funk rhythm can liven up any song, infusing it with energy and an irresistible feel that gets people moving. Whether it’s the backbone of a classic funk track, a driving force in modern pop, or an unexpected twist in rock and jazz, the funk rhythm’s syncopated beats and tight grooves are a go-to element in many genres. This essential rhythm breathes life into music, creating a vibrant and dynamic soundscape that captivates listeners.
Rick Stickney, our resident funk meister, presents 3 Degrees of Funk, a massively deep dive into funk rhythm guitar techniques.In this course, we’ll apply intermediate to advanced level funk rhythm guitar techniques, harmonic concepts, and creative approaches inspired by funk legends like Nile Rodgers, Eddie Hazel, Al McKay, Jimmy Nolen, and Ernie Isley.
We’ll work with 10 backing tracks in various funk feels, tempos, and keys.
For each track, we will build a groove from the ground up in 3 degrees of complexity. On the first pass, or degree, we’ll start with fairly simple rhythm with plenty of space. In the second degree we will embellish and add another element to the groove, for example double stops or a picking line. In the 3rd degree we will take it even further and add a final layer of funky awesomeness to the rhythm
By learning to build a multi-layered funk groove from the bottom up in this manner you will gain powerful insights into a myriad of creative approaches you can apply in your own jamming, gigging or recordings.
You’ll have TrueFire’s interactive learning tools at your fingertips, allowing you to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
The demonstrations and performances are tabbed, notated, and synced to the video with controls for looping, slow motion, fretboard animation, and many other tools designed to accelerate learning.
You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and backing tracks to practice with.
Grab your guitar, and let’s dig in with Rick Stickney!
Learning how to construct and play tasty ‘fills’ is a requisite skill for guitarists that not only elevates your rhythm and lead guitar chops, they also greatly enhance the overall vibe of any musical performance for your audience.
Rick Stickney’s R&B Guitar Fills Playbook presents an easy, yet highly effective approach for constructing your own soulful fills, across the chord progressions that you’ll commonly encounter on the gig or when jamming.
”The tastiest fills you hear in contemporary music root back to the classic Soul and R&B fills of the 60’s and 70’s. These timeless fills can be artfully tweaked to create endless variations of your own.
In this Playbook, I’ll show you how to easily construct your own soulful fills to connect chords, fill around a vocalist, or even use in your own songs.
We’ll play double stops through chord changes, add color and articulation, passing thirds, sliding fourths and sixths, and do it all authentically by adding melody, dynamics and feel.
We’ll apply all of these approaches over some great live jam tracks for real-world musical context.”
You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson. Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.
Grab your guitar, and let’s dig in with Rick Stickney!
Having command of a versatile and extensive vocabulary of fills to connect chords and accompany singers is an essential skill for all guitarists.
Rick Stickney’s collection of 30 Timeless R&B Guitar Fills can be applied to any style of music you play, from rock and country to jazz, funk and blues. ”The tastiest fills we hear today, in contemporary music, root directly back to classic Soul and R&B music from the 60s and 70s.
To broaden your fills vocabulary, I’ve put together 30 of my favorite and most versatile R&B fills, which you can use as presented or tweak any way you wish to create your own variations. I’ll show you fills that you can play over major, minor and dominant chord progressions, in a variety of keys and feels.
As you learn the fills you will also gain valuable insight into how to visualize them relative to common chord shapes and positions on the fingerboard, making it a breeze to move these to other keys later on.
We’ll practice all 30 of these fills over jam tracks for real-world musical context.” You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace. You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson.
Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.
So grab your guitar, and let’s get started!
The secret sauce for improvising and soloing over funky feels is really not about scales, modes, arpeggios or licks — it’s simply phrasing and timing.
Rick Stickney’s Filthy Funk Phrasing for Lead Guitar reveals a very simple, yet highly effective approach for taking your funk lead phrasing to the next level.
”Applying syncopated rhythmic feel and phrasing to the licks, scales or arpeggios that you already know is the key to crafting tasty, stanky fills, lines and full-length solos.
I’ll show you a very simple, yet highly effective approach for taking your funk lead phrasing to the next level by applying the same funky rhythmic patterns you use when playing rhythm parts.
We’ll start with an intensive sixteenth note phrasing workout and then broaden your palette of funky phrasing approaches with unison slides, chromaticism, sextuplets and more. You’ll apply all of these approaches over some great live jam tracks for musical context.”
You’ll have all of TrueFire’s advanced learning tools at your finger tips to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
You can loop, slow down, or speed up any section of a lesson. Plus, all of the tab and notation is synced to the videos for the optimal learning experience. You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and all of the backing tracks to practice with.
In Mixolydian Connections, you are going to learn an entirely different approach to making music with the mixolydian scale. The problem with learning scales has always been knowing what to do with them once you’ve learned your box position patterns.
In Mixolydian Connections, we are going to break the scale down into small 2 or 3 note combinations. Throughout the course I call these note combinations “puzzle pieces.” I’ve identified 6 of these puzzle pieces within the scale, some very tried and true sounds, they are:
- The 5th-6th-root combo
- The major 3rd
- The major 3rd-root-b7 combo
- The 2nd-root combo
- The 5th-6th-b7 combo
- The 4th-major 3rd combo
In this first lesson we are going to work on learning where all these puzzle pieces live within the larger box pattern for G mixolydian, position 1. It’s very important to learn not only where they are but also where they are in relative position to the root. This is crucial as you start to move into other keys. It’s equally important to get the sounds of these note combinations in your ear.
We are then going to start combining these pieces like pieces of a puzzle, hence the name Mixolydian Connections. An example would be connecting the 5th-6th-root combo with the major 3rd, etc. So no more having to memorize licks. You are going to be able to start making very musical sounding phrases immediately, even if this scale is new to you.
This method has helped my private students immensely, and vastly cut down on the time it takes to go from learning a pattern to playing tasty, melodic solos in the mixolydian mode, and it will work for you too!
The heart and soul of funk is rooted deeply in the rhythmic groove that drives the entire band.
Mastering the art of syncopated rhythm and dynamic strumming patterns is essential to laying down a solid, infectious funk backdrop on guitar.
In this course, I’ll walk you through a straightforward yet transformative collection of 10 (verify total) funk rhythm approaches to elevate your groove and infuse your playing with that signature funk vibe. For each, I’ll first explain the technique or concept at hand, and then I’ll use it in a performance study over a backing track.
Along the way we’ll explore techniques and approaches like 6th & 9th combos, Side Steppin’, and a rhythm pattern I call the Funky Flutter. We’ll master the bounce technique, explore the harmonic potential of dorian 3rds, cross over the bar line, and a lot more.
Ok, you ready? Strap on your guitar and let’s get groovy!
The infectious groove of funk rhythm can liven up any song, infusing it with energy and an irresistible feel that gets people moving. Whether it’s the backbone of a classic funk track, a driving force in modern pop, or an unexpected twist in rock and jazz, the funk rhythm’s syncopated beats and tight grooves are a go-to element in many genres. This essential rhythm breathes life into music, creating a vibrant and dynamic soundscape that captivates listeners.
Rick Stickney, our resident funk meister, presents 3 Degrees of Funk, a massively deep dive into funk rhythm guitar techniques.In this course, we’ll apply intermediate to advanced level funk rhythm guitar techniques, harmonic concepts, and creative approaches inspired by funk legends like Nile Rodgers, Eddie Hazel, Al McKay, Jimmy Nolen, and Ernie Isley.
We’ll work with 10 backing tracks in various funk feels, tempos, and keys.
For each track, we will build a groove from the ground up in 3 degrees of complexity. On the first pass, or degree, we’ll start with fairly simple rhythm with plenty of space. In the second degree we will embellish and add another element to the groove, for example double stops or a picking line. In the 3rd degree we will take it even further and add a final layer of funky awesomeness to the rhythm
By learning to build a multi-layered funk groove from the bottom up in this manner you will gain powerful insights into a myriad of creative approaches you can apply in your own jamming, gigging or recordings.
You’ll have TrueFire’s interactive learning tools at your fingertips, allowing you to personalize your workspace and learn at your own pace.
The demonstrations and performances are tabbed, notated, and synced to the video with controls for looping, slow motion, fretboard animation, and many other tools designed to accelerate learning.
You’ll also get tab and standard notation files to print out, Guitar Pro files, and backing tracks to practice with.
Grab your guitar, and let’s dig in with Rick Stickney!
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