CV Academy Members Home
Welcome to the CV Academy! This page will keep you informed about site updates, news, and special events.
October 20, 2021
This month, we conclude the Performance Project “ISS (Intervallic Space Station).” If you haven’t checked out this lesson yet, it’s a fun one filled with lots of great Verheyen ideas over an 80s synth-rock tune. Next month, stay tuned for more short-form quick lessons from Carl!
Ray
August 5, 2021
New Performance Project! “ISS (Intervallic Space Station)” is an 80s-inspired space rocker full of intervallic Verheyen goodness. It’s based on the CVA lessons “Em Rhythmic Sequence,” “Minor Sliding Lick,” “Double Octave Line,” and “Movable 6/9 Chord.” Play along to the backing track and let’s see your stuff on social media! Tag @cv_academy or @carl_verheyen on Instagram.
Ray
July 6, 2021
We finish our lessons on the first two Performance Projects, “Acute Blues” and “Peach Jam.” Both of these tunes finish with a bang! This month, we show you their challenging final solo sections, both with speedy, intervallic Verheyen lines. Get these up to speed and you’ll really be a CVA master. If you can play em, let’s see it on social media! Tag @cv_academy or @carl_verheyen on Instagram and show us your stuff.
Ray
June 1, 2021
The “Acute Blues” and “Peach Jam” Performance Projects continue this month with the second sections of the tunes. “Acute Blues” has a BB King-style solo for you to learn, and “Peach Jam” has a syncopated pastoral section that will challenge your chops and rhythm. The updates are added to the original pages for these lessons.
If you’re working on the Performance Projects, tag Carl or the CV Academy on social media and let us see how you’re coming along!
Ray
May 3, 2021
Two big announcements for the CVA!
Announcement #1 – we’re very excited to introduce a new lesson format that we call Performance Projects. These are original compositions that combine ideas from several CVA lessons into performance-ready tunes complete with backing tracks. We hope that these tunes show you how you can apply the licks and concepts you’ve been learning so you can make real music! Performance Projects are designed to be challenging, so we are splitting them up into parts to be learned over the course of three months. We’re releasing two Performance Projects this month: a 12-bar shuffle blues called “Acute Blues,” and a southern rock tune called “Peach Jam.” We hope you enjoy learning these tunes, and we would be thrilled to see CVA students post their renditions on social media.
Announcement #2 – We have teamed up with Truefire.com to host the CVA there as well as here on Carl’s website. Truefire’s technology has allowed us to make several improvements to the learning experience. You are not obligated to switch to Truefire, but we would encourage you to make the switch if you find any of these reasons compelling:
- Truefire’s interface is more user-friendly, and it is easier to find the lessons you’re looking for
- We have arranged some of the lesson material into courses so that you have a clearer learning path
- There are three price tiers: $15/month (access to a reduced amount of CVA lessons), $29/month (identical content and price to what you already have here), and $54/month (premium membership that gives you one video exchange lesson per month with Carl and a monthly group Zoom Q&A session with Carl)
I want to emphasize that the $29/month membership is exactly the same price and content here as on Truefire. The only difference is the interface/organization, which you may find to be more user-friendly on Truefire.
If you’re a big Verheyen fan (and I know many of you here are!), then you may particularly enjoy the premium membership on Truefire so that you can personally interact with Carl.
Click here to check out the CVA on Truefire.
Ray
January 19, 2021
Something hard, something easy! We ring in the new year with a masterclass on the hardest tune Carl has ever had to learn, Herbie Hancock’s “Actual Proof.” Much respect if you can tackle this very rhythmically-challenging tune! To balance things out, we also have an easy doublestop blues lick that sounds great. You can quickly add this swamp blues lick to your playing!
Ray
December 12, 2020
We have exciting new lessons for the holidays! Learn how to add in a quick open string so you can zip around the fretboard in the E7 Country Lick and G7 Country Lick lessons. Learn more of Carl’s signature intervallic lines in the Angular Blues and Stairstep Lick lessons. Create a cool melodic sequence in the Melodic Patterns lesson. Finally, terrorize listeners with the Return of the Insane Wang Bar Licks!
Happy playing!
August 19, 2020
More lockdown lessons from Carl’s house! We have lessons on playing the blues tune “Key to the Highway,” country licks from adding notes to the major pentatonic scale, and a sliding lesson to make your blues playing more slippery. Check them out on the Newest Additions page!
Ray
May 13, 2020
This month, we bring you blues licks galore from Carl’s home studio during quarantine. Carl shows you several great licks you can use on dominant 7 chords using open strings to extend the range of the lines. He also shows you some turnarounds to use for your acoustic fingerpicked blues playing.
Go to the “Newest Additions” page to check out the lessons!
April 8, 2020
In this “lockdown edition” of the CVA, we have a special treat: the launch of a new video series entitled “Carl’s Guitar Diaries.” These videos take you behind the scenes at gigs, recording sessions, and more. In the first episode, you’ll hang with Carl and the band at the legendary Los Angeles jazz club The Baked Potato. Meet the band members, get a rig rundown, and enjoy performances from soundcheck and the gig. Carl’s Guitar Diaries will also be on YouTube next week, but CVA members get to see it before anyone else.
Exclusive to CVA members, we have a half hour of additional footage of CVB performances from the show that you can only see here.
Go to “Newest Additions” to start watching Carl’s Guitar Diaries #1.
Because of social distancing, Carl and I can’t film any studio-quality lesson videos for a while, but we will bring you iPhone lesson videos filmed from Carl’s house for the next update.
Ray
March 20, 2020
The CV Academy is back in a big way! After dealing with some technical problems, we have a dozen new lessons to keep you busy practicing while you’re stuck at home during these strange times. Many new tabs are on the way as well, and look for some special behind-the-scenes and rig rundown videos in April. Check the “Newest Additions” page for the new lessons. Stay healthy and have fun jamming!
Ray
December 8, 2019
Carl has been hard at work on a new album lately but found time to film some killer new lessons for the CV Academy! You’ll enjoy learning how to play his tunes “Wildflowers #2” and “Down Like Hail” as well as his arrangement of “Someday After a While.” He offers an in-depth analysis of the Beach Boys’ classic tune “Good Vibrations” and two juicy licks from the Lick Book. Finally, check out the Master the Entire Fingerboard lesson for ways to learn the notes all over the neck.
Happy holiday shredding!
Ray
September 17, 2019
Lots of cool licks this month! We have a slippery E7 chord lick, two “giant” lines in F and Gm, a wicked Am line, a bendy B7 line, the riff from Carl’s version of “You Don’t Love Me,” and a “What I Learned From…” lesson focusing on Eric Johnson’s fiery pentatonics.
I just noticed I forgot to write the news update for last month, so if you’re keeping score at home, here are the lessons we added back in August:
Ray
July 16, 2019
NEW FEATURE
All videos on the CV Academy now have a playback speed control. You can slow down videos to 75% or 50% speed to help you learn fast or difficult passages.
July 15, 2019
Get inventive, mysterious, and creative with this month’s lessons! Carl serves up an assortment of ear-catching ideas, including lessons on spicy dominant chords, rhythmic pentatonic ideas, blues chordal licks, and inventive rhythm guitar. He also teaches you how to play his tunes “Highland Shuffle” and “Little Swamp.”
Coming soon to the Academy and YouTube: behind the scenes videos of Carl’s gigs and studio sessions. Stay tuned!
Ray
June 15, 2019
Lots of bluesy country ideas this month! Check out the lessons on open string licks, compound bending, blues variations, and rockabilly double stop bends. Plus, Carl shares his techniques for creative songwriting in a “Song Seeds” lesson.
Ray
May 4, 2019
This month we have six useful ideas from Carl’s Lick Book and analysis and arrangements of two classic songs: the Beatles’ “In My Life” and the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” Also, the CV Academy has reached a milestone – there are now over 200 lessons on the site! Finally, look for many new transcriptions to be uploaded in the next week. Enjoy!
Ray
April 10, 2019
Lots of licks to learn this month! Carl opened his lick book to teach many useful ideas both for lead and rhythm playing. In addition, we have a new Song Analysis lesson, this time on the Beach Boys classic “Surfer Girl.” As always, check “Newest Additions” to see this month’s lessons.
Also, we got the bugs out after the site update and are able to put the lessons in their proper categories again.
Ray
March 3, 2019
We have several types of interesting lessons this month. As always, Carl offers up a variety of licks from his Lick Book. By request, Carl presents an in-depth discussion of his philosophy on picking hand technique. Also by request, Carl demonstrates the high-speed hybrid picking riff from his tune “Constant as the Wind.” Carl also shares what he has learned from Jaco Pastorius and Roy Clark. Finally, we have a new lesson format: Song Analysis. In these lessons, Carl analyzes what makes some of his favorite songs so great. This month, he discusses “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John and “Here, There and Everywhere” by the Beatles.
Note: we are working out some issues with a site update that have created problems with sorting this month’s lessons, so they do not yet appear in the “Newest Additions” category. You can still find the new lessons on the Lessons & Categories page. They are entitled:
“Constant as the Wind” Riff
A Major Triplet Lick
G#m Pentatonic Sequence
How to Play “Havona” by Weather Report
Right Hand Technique
What I Learned From Roy Clark
Song Analysis: “Here, There and Everywhere”
Song Analysis: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
Ray
February 2, 2019
We have licks galore this month to increase your musical vocabulary and to inspire your own creativity. Carl shares many ideas for creating lines using concepts like sequences, triads, chromaticism, and using the full range of the instrument. In addition, Carl shares what he learned from the great keyboardist Joe Zawinul.
Ray
January 2, 2019
We’re starting the new year with a 10-part lesson series on crafting authentic, beautiful tones in a variety of styles: blues, jazz, country, rockabilly, rock, surf, and more. Carl brought out his arsenal of guitars, amps, and effects to his garage to give CV Academy members a comprehensive tour of tone!
Ray
December 2, 2018
Our holiday gift to you is lots of cool licks and ideas! Fans of Carl’s solo work will enjoy learning the main melody to “Riding the Bean” and the beautiful chord voicings to “New Year’s Day.” We also have several hip licks from Carl’s lick book, a lesson on melody phrasing techniques, and ideas on creating lines from the diminished scale and whole tone scale. Enjoy!
Ray
November 2, 2018
This month we have several ultra-hip, ear-turning ideas for you to learn. First, we have three more lessons on diminished scale licks that will add tension and interest to your lines on dominant chords. Next, Carl shows you creative lines from his tunes “Beyond My Reach” and “Riding the Bean.” In addition, Carl shows you how to create flowing chordal lines on dominant chords. Finally, Carl shows you how to invoke a swampy, funky blues groove on a static E7 chord.
Ray
October 2, 2018
We have many fascinating new lessons for CV Academy members this month! First, there are several signature Verheyen lines for you to add to your soloing vocabulary. Next, there are three lessons on chord voicings, including Add9, sus2, 6/9, and exotic chords you can create using your fret hand thumb. We have another “What I Learned From…” lesson featuring more insight that Carl has gleaned from Pat Martino. Finally, we have a lesson where Carl clears up the confusion that many of us have about how to transpose when going from guitar to ukulele. Dig in and enjoy the lessons!
Ray
September 2, 2018
It’s the start of year 2 of the CV Academy! Your fingers will get a workout this with several lessons on creative country bending techniques. We also have a masterclass on Carl’s original tune “Taylor’s Blues,” which features plenty of signature Verheyen intervallic licks. Check out the new material in the “Newest Additions” link.
Ray
August 2, 2018
The CV Academy turns 1 year old this month and we’re going strong! Thank you to all the members who enjoy learning from one of the finest guitarists alive. This month, Carl shares some killer ideas he picked up from Jimmy Herring and Oz Noy and shows you a sophisticated diminished scale line. We also have a new series of lessons called “Carl’s Noodles” where we transcribe some of Carl’s best off-the-cuff improvisations while he is warming up to film CV Academy lessons or between takes.
Ray
July 1, 2018
Think you know your scales? You’ll realize that there’s always room to improve your fretboard visualization after watching Carl’s new series on scales this month. He shows you the scale patterns he uses, then demonstrates a series of increasingly challenging exercises to improve your fretboard knowledge. In addition to this series on scales, we are continuing the series of tritone licks with licks 3-5. Finally, we have an easy jazz lick and a beautiful sliding harmonic concept for you work on. Check out the “Newest Additions” link to see all the new material!
Ray
June 2, 2018
Licks, licks, licks! This month we have a batch of hot licks fresh from Carl’s lick book! Carl discusses his thought process in coming up with his ideas, which is sure to spark your own creativity. In addition, we have (by request) a lesson explaining how Carl plays the instrumental section of his tune “Revival Downs.”
Ray
May 2, 2018
This months’ masterclass is a tour of Carl’s live touring rig. Check out his signal path from his signature guitar to pedals to effects rack to amps. We filmed this masterclass in Carl’s garage and cranked up the volume!
April 2, 2018
Academy member John (jfree) requested a lesson on Carl’s arrangement of Ray Charles’ song “Hard Times.” So, this month’s masterclass is on “Hard Times.” Thanks, John! We also have a lesson on major and minor pentatonics in the blues, What I Learned From Leslie West (“Mississippi Queen”), and a jazzy line to use on the I-IV change in a blues tune. Plus, we have a quick lesson on tape delay machines if you’re interested in tone.
Speaking of tone, Carl and I just filmed a “rig rundown” of his massive touring rig. Stay tuned for this tone masterclass next month!
Ray
March 1, 2018
This month, Carl has prepared a masterclass (per special request) on his beautiful acoustic tune “Beyond My Reach.” He also shows you four killer country licks that come from the bluegrass and pedal steel traditions, including a monster pedal steel-style bending lick that covers the whole fretboard. In addition, he has two blues lessons: one on bending and phrasing he has learned from Derek Trucks, and one lesson on how to begin a slow 12/8 blues.
Ray
February 2, 2018
This month, the CV Academy has reached a milestone – we have now released more than 100 lessons! Carl and I hope that you are having as much fun learning from the lessons as we are making them. This month we have several cool licks from Carl’s lick book and two hip and tricky tunes to learn from the great guitarist Hank Garland. I’ve been learning the bebop tune “Move” from the “There’s a Fingering for Everything” lesson and working on my seventh chord inversions from the “3 Note Inversions for G7” lesson. Check out all the new lessons on the “Newest Additions” page and dig in!
Ray
January 1, 2018
Happy New Year! This month features a masterclass plus three additional lessons on session playing. Carl has a huge amount of experience playing recording sessions for music, film, TV, commercials, and more. The session masterclass is on the recording session for the Pixar movie “Ratatouille,” and the other session lessons are about the TV show “Cheers,” the Disneyland attraction Star Tours, and the movie “Land of the Lost.” In addition to the sessions lessons, we have three cool licks from the Lick Book, some hip pentatonic ideas, and an explanation of what and how Carl practices each day.
Ray
December 1, 2017
Here’s what’s new for December! First, by special request from Academy member Mbrink, we have a masterclass on Carl’s solo guitar arrangement of “All You Need Is Love” by the Beatles. The series on major scale modes concludes with installments 5, 6, and 7 on mixolydian, aeolian, and locrian. The “What I Learned From…” lessons this month include Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Don Rich (from Buck Owens and the Buckaroos), and Joe Pass. There is a lesson on double-time technique, which you can practice to improve your time and rhythmic feel. In addition, for players who feel that they need some grounding in the basics, we have two lessons on important fundamentals that are used in all the CV Academy lessons: chord voicings and knowing the names of notes all over the neck.
As a personal note, I’d like to mention that I think that the “What I Learned From Joe Pass” lesson may be the single most powerful practice tool I’ve ever seen. If you have ever felt lost or confused about what and how to practice, this is the answer. You can apply all of the information you learn in the CV Academy to the 5-step framework in this lesson.
Ray
November 1, 2017
We have some great new lessons for CV Academy members this month! The modes series continues with lessons on modes 3 and 4: Phrygian and Lydian. Carl teaches licks and melodies from his tunes “Garage Sale” and “Fusioneer’s Disease.” We even include full charts for these two tunes! Carl also shows many other ideas from the Lick Book, including lessons on sliding chords, using diminished scale on altered chords, extending chords with harmonics, and creating unconventional open string licks. Check the “Newest Additions” link for this month’s batch of new lessons.
Ray
October 1, 2017
Ten more new lessons will be online today! This month we are adding three Lick Book licks, two “What I Learned From” lessons (Eric Clapton and Don Carr), a lesson on whammy bar licks, how to use the melodic minor scale on dominant chords, the first two parts of a seven-part series on the major scale modes, and a masterclass on Carl’s tune “Jet Plane Blues.” I’d like to thank our members who have posted questions and suggestions in the Forum and elsewhere. Carl and I are planning to use your ideas for upcoming lessons. So keep those questions coming!
Happy playing,
Ray
September 1, 2017
We have 10 new lessons this month, including a masterclass on Carl’s tune “Fourth Door on the Right.” Click the “Newest Additions” link to see what’s new!
August 2, 2017
CV Academy officially launches! After more than a year in the making, the CV Academy is open to students. Carl has created 50 lessons covering all aspects of his signature approach to guitar playing. Each month we will add new lessons. We welcome your ideas for future lesson topics! Start learning by clicking on the lesson categories to the left, and feel free to introduce yourself to your CV Academy peers on the Forum. During this inaugural month, stay tuned for updates to the site and for uploads of even more lesson material like additional transcriptions (TABs) and audio files.