Vincent Raniolo

Insanely great!

Shhhhh! Don’t tell anyone but this is the best bargain for TrueFire students by far. Vinny...I can’t say enough about your channel and ALL of the material.

A Must Have Tool in a Guitarists Arsenal

Rhythm Guitarists Unite! I have been playing rhythm guitar for several years now with a local gypsy jazz group based in Honolulu. I have to say that Vinny's charts, tips, and jam track videos are a HUGE help in learning new repertoire and honing techniques. His approach is straight forward and succinct which is great! I've recently started to pick up the Steel Guitar and the jam tracks are perfect for playing along and practicing my soloing on various songs. With his years of experience playing with other phenomenal musicians, you really get the inside scoop on what it takes to be a great guitarist. Not to mention the amazing amount of content on his site that is continuously growing! With a subscription to Rhythm Ship, Vinny makes it affordable for everyone to learn from the knowledge passed down from generations of amazing guitarists. All aboard the Rhythm Ship!

One of the Best Steals in TrueFire

If you’re interested in learning jazz guitar on TrueFire for about the same once-a-month price of a large Starbucks coffee, Vinny Raniolo’s Rhythm Ship channel is a steal. This cat is the real deal guitar-wise. For the novice player, or someone whose progress has plateaued, the plethora of TrueFire educators can be overwhelming. Who should I start with? Is my goal to just cop a few licks from famous players? Will I learn to be an awesome player after only a month or two of TrueFire? I discovered Vinny only about a year ago, by accident. I found a Frank Vignola video on YouTube at that time. I watched it and considered the the music he played to be very pleasant. I gave it a thumbs up and the all-knowing, all-seeing YouTube started pumping FV videos into my YouTube feed. I watched a few more and saw FV playing with some Raniolo fellow. I said to myself, “Self, that Vinny meshes very well musically with FV.” I checked the web and discovered that the FV Trio was playing in No-Where (lol) Indiana, in a little town that I had never heard of and hours away from where I lived in another state. Frank and Vinny were onstage with a Ron Carter-caliber double bass player. All three played as if they had played together hundreds of times. Tight, melodic, supportive, funny, and they stayed off of each others’ toes musically. After their very entertaining performance I purchased a copy of each of their CDs that were being sold offstage. During a brief conversation with the three of them I mentioned a guitar acquaintance of theirs and mine—I’m withholding his name—who had intended to become a TF educator, but had changed his mind. Vinny said he himself was going to be a TF instructor, and I told him that I’d watch for him. After procrastinating, I finally got around to becoming an All Access student, even though I’m long retired as a classical player and university guitar teacher. I was not disappointed. VR’s Rhythm Ship has lots of sound videos on rhythm, but also lots of interesting jazz chord melody solos, including some from his own album AIR GUITAR. Check out, for example, Come Fly With Me and its light bouncy intro. Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust is a phenomenal composition, and Vinny treats that masterpiece with the musical respect that it deserves. Vinny is also responsive to TF student questions. For example, he was asked to possibly post a chord melody arrangement of La Vie en Rose, and BAM! within a couple of days we had the video and accompanying sheet music available for download. FWIW, I’ve noticed that not all TF instructors are prompt in answering students’ questions (granted some are performing, traveling, recording, in rehab, or busy choosing upholstery and furnishings for their tour bus or Gulfstream). Skip just one Starbucks a month and learn from a very talented, well-experienced guitarist whose playing reminds me of a young Herb Ellis. VR is a seriously good player whose best days, I predict, are ahead of him, provided he stays away from ATVs and MMA-type activities.

Great Site Vinny

Vincenzo! Great site... I'm asking for help on "Walking My Baby Back Home"... Someone told me I was playing it wrong...imagine that! Can you give us the skinny on how to play it a la Vinny?

Wonderful!

Vinnie, What a great site. I can't believe how much music is already posted and ready to go. You have already included two pieces I've really wanted to learn - your solo on Tico Tico, Frank's version of I Got Rhythm. Surprised and delighted to find Les Pul Lover on the site this morning. Working through the new chord melody - Fly Me To The Moon and the new Lover exercise - top notch materials. Thank you so much - you're very generous. If possible I would like to request the tune Flying Down To Rio from the Air Guitar recording. It's a cool tune that I was not familiar with before listening to your version - I can't get it out of my head.