For many, especially the jazz players out there, having a large chord vocabulary at your disposal is an absolute must-have. Whether you’re playing solo guitar chord melodies, comping in a big band, or playing in a small ensemble, having the ability to nail the perfect chord anywhere on the fretboard is every guitar players dream.

In 1981, Ted Greene published his book “Chord Chemistry” as an answer to our comping woes. Long considered the be-all-end-all, definitive resource, it’s been a long time since a worthy product has come to market to challenge Greene’s hold on the chord universe.

Enter Frank Vignola‘s “Inversion Excursion” DVD…

Volume 1 – Major Chord Inversions – is not a DVD that you sit back and watch for entertainment purposes; this is a DVD that you have your guitar in hand, actively playing and practicing along with. In just over 1.5 hours Vignola breaks down virtually every conceivable basic chord inversion you can think of in most of the available string groups. Bear in mind that we’re talking simple stuff here, folks; you won’t see piano voicings, large stretches, or exotic alterations. What you will see, however, are workhorse chords that will create an excellent foundation to jump off from.

The DVD also includes access to the material in PDF format, covering all of the fingerings shown by Vignola, as well as an “Improvisation Theory” PDF and MP3 audio file.

I find this DVD to be suitable for beginning guitarists, and also for intermediate-level players that need the occasional refresher. Though certainly not as comprehensive as Greene’s Chord Chemisty (still safe as the definitive resource for now) I think the Inversion Excursion series is off to a great start, and if Vignola continues along this path it’s going to be a major contender and, quite possibly, the go-to resource for learning chords.