Course Description

Do you know the feeling of "mystery" that surrounds the Gypsy Jazz style?
How to get that special sound?
How to play that unique swing?
How to create those stylistic super-cool solos?

Absolutely everything you need is right here – the most accurate guidance, the best exercises, the most important techniques, so after learning this course you'll be able to play any song you want in the Gypsy Jazz style and sound like the "real-thing.”

  • La Pompe – the heart of Gypsy Jazz rhythm
  • Stylish chord shapes and chord progressions
  • Rest-stroke picking – The Gypsy Jazz technique
  • Arpeggios and stylistic licks
  • Ornaments and embellishments
  • Improvisation in the Gypsy Jazz style


You'll learn all the basics of this style. After learning this course, you'll be free to continue your journey in the Gypsy Jazz style, with confidence.   You’ll know what you’re doing, because you get those elusive essential fundamentals that you may have heard hinted at or taken for granted elsewhere.

169 minutes of video lessons
33 PDF pages

Course curriculum

    1. 1.1 What is Gypsy Jazz

    2. 1.2 Gypsy Jazz and contemporary Jazz

    3. 1.3 Repertoire

    4. 1.4 Download repertoire list - PDF

    5. 1.5 Gear

    6. 1.6 Community Discussion - Ask Questions, Comment and Share Your Thoughts!

    1. 2.1 Chords

    2. 2.2 Chord shapes

    3. 2.3 Down stroke La Pompe

    4. 2.4 Traditional La Pompe - Movements

    5. 2.5 Traditional La Pompe - The swing

    6. 2.6 La Pompe -PDF

    7. 2.7 Minor Progression

    8. 2.8 Major progression #1

    9. 2.9 Major progression #2

    10. 2.10 Chord progressions PDF

    11. 2.11 Rhythm embellishments

    12. 2.12 Community Discussion - Ask Questions, Comment and Share Your Thoughts!

    1. 3.1 The rest-stroke picking

    2. 3.2 Down stroke and Sweep

    3. 3.3 Upstroke and the major scale

    4. 3.4 Rest Stroke Picking - PDF

    5. 3.5 Arpeggios - The road to perfect technique

    6. 3.6 D minor 9 arpeggio

    7. 3.7 A7 arpeggios

    8. 3.8 A sweeping arpeggio

    9. 3.9 Arpeggios - PDF

    10. 3.10 Ornaments

    11. 3.11 Ornaments -PDF

    12. 3.12 Community Discussion - Ask Questions, Comment and Share Your Thoughts!

    1. 4.1 minor 6 lick#1

    2. 4.2 minor 6 lick -Long

    3. 4.3 minor line cliché link

    4. 4.4 Minor licks - PDF

    5. 4.5 Dim7 lick over Dom7

    6. 4.6 Dom7 lick#1

    7. 4.7 Dom7 lick#2

    8. 4.8 Dom7 licks PDF

    9. 4.9 Community Discussion - Ask Questions, Comment and Share Your Thoughts!

    1. 5.1 Keeping the form

    2. 5.2 Three basic major triad shapes

    3. 5.3 Three basic minor triad shapes

    4. 5.4 Major and Minor triads - PDF

    5. 5.5 Chromatic approach and enclosure

    6. 5.6 Triads and Arpeggios

    7. 5.7 Chromatic approach and enclosure - PDF

    8. 5.8 Community Discussion - Ask Questions, Comment and Share Your Thoughts!

    1. 6.1 Dark Eyes Melody

    2. 6.2 Dark Eyes Chord Progression - Basic

    3. 6.3Dark Eyes Chord Progression - Advanced

    4. 6.4 Dark Eyes – basic and embellished - PDF

    5. 6.5 Dark Eyes improvisation-triads

    6. 6.6 Triad shapes for Dark Eyes

    7. 6.7 Dark Eyes with triad shapes– Etude #1

    8. 6.8 Etude #1 -PDF

    9. 6.9 Dark Eyes with triad shapes - Etude #2

    10. 6.10 Etude #2 - PDF

    11. 6.11 Dark Eyes improvisation with Licks-Etude #3

    12. 6.12 Etude #3- PDF

    13. 6.13 Dark Eyes improvisation with Licks-Etude #4 (fast)

    14. 6.14 Etude #4- PDF

    15. 6.15 Community Discussion - Ask Questions, Comment and Share Your Thoughts!

About this course

  • $200.00
  • 62 lessons
  • 3 hours of video content

Social proof: reviews

Everette Ayers

5 star rating

“Excellent Course!”

“Excellent Course!”

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Richard Williams

5 star rating

“This is a fantastic course! I primarily play other styles of guitar music so this course has been an eye opener for me. So much valuable information for anyone wanting to improve their improvisational skills, and for anyone on the fence about l...”

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“This is a fantastic course! I primarily play other styles of guitar music so this course has been an eye opener for me. So much valuable information for anyone wanting to improve their improvisational skills, and for anyone on the fence about learning Gypsy Jazz. There is enough here to improve guitar players of all levels, and intrigue those who have never tried Django's music before. Yaakov is an exceptionally good teacher, the lessons are clear and concise and the pdf's that back them up are to the point. A great investment for any serious guitarist. ”

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Rob Herrington

5 star rating

“Very interesting intro. Teacher has the personality and enthusiasm to make us want to know more!”

“Very interesting intro. Teacher has the personality and enthusiasm to make us want to know more!”

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Bill P

5 star rating

“This is a great course that introduces concepts from several other courses Yaakov has on offer. If you're not sure which course is right for you, this one might help you decide. It covers La Pompe, the Rest Stroke and Arpeggio Course, the Magic of...”

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“This is a great course that introduces concepts from several other courses Yaakov has on offer. If you're not sure which course is right for you, this one might help you decide. It covers La Pompe, the Rest Stroke and Arpeggio Course, the Magic of Triads, as well as applying it all to a song--Dark Eyes. ”

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Philip Bryan

5 star rating

“This lesson was broken done in easy to understand language. Best tutor of this style, I feel I have achieved more from Yaakov than anyone in my 40 years of playing guitar.”

“This lesson was broken done in easy to understand language. Best tutor of this style, I feel I have achieved more from Yaakov than anyone in my 40 years of playing guitar.”

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star rating

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Randal Naranjo

5 star rating

“This is a great introduction to gypsy jazz. This technique is completely different from everything I have learned about playing guitar. Yaakov does a great job breaking it down. ”

“This is a great introduction to gypsy jazz. This technique is completely different from everything I have learned about playing guitar. Yaakov does a great job breaking it down. ”

Read Less