Jazz Guitar Starting Right, Mix and Match

[Dave Woods]

Outside of the context of a tune, The Five One Progressions are the only progressions worth practicing. The Five One progressions happen over and over again in tune after tune. In Jazz and other forms of modern music any type of Five Chord from any major or minor Mode, can resolve to any kind of One Chord from any major or minor Mode. Any Type of Five Chord can also resolve to any other type of Five Chord.

The Five One progression is so fundamentally strong that this works. What's most important through all of this is "which one of the Five Key Positions contains the chord I'm playing on?" This keeps you on track until your hearing and fingering are so automatic that you don't need this as a crutch any more. In learning a new tune you can fall back on it.

The next file coming up is One Chords, Mix and Match

Dave Woods, Jazzguitarstartingright.com

http://tinyurl.com/232ctnt

[mr. beaumont]

you don't want to include the ii, or do you think jazz stopped advancing in 1930?

more get rich quick gobbeldy-gook.

[Drumbler]

Who needs the 5?

How about just the 1?

[nigel]

I'm a newbie. I understand that certain -familiar chord progressions are favored in jazz 'cos they are rich harmonic palettes for solo/improvs, but my question is: Why can't I play guitar like Jim Hall & Joe Pass!?

[FatJeff]

Originally Posted by nigel

I'm a newbie. I understand that certain -familiar chord progressions are favored in jazz 'cos they are rich harmonic palettes for solo/improvs, but my question is: Why can't I play guitar like Jim Hall & Joe Pass!?

Because you are a newbie? :-)

Seriously. This shit takes a long time. How long have you been listening to jazz (and by this I mean every day for at least 30 minutes)? How long have you been playing jazz (and by this I mean every day for at least 90 minutes)?

[Drumbler]

Originally Posted by nigel

Why can't I play guitar like Jim Hall & Joe Pass!?

Look on the bright side.

Jim Hall and Joe Pass couldn't play like you either.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by Drumbler

Look on the bright side.

Jim Hall and Joe Pass couldn't play like you either.

Nor could they play like each other!

[saponsky]

Nor like me!

[jeffstritt]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

you don't want to include the ii, or do you think jazz stopped advancing in 1930?

more get rich quick gobbeldy-gook.

Wow, I never thought that I would hear the words, "Jazz Guitar Instruction," and "Get Rich Quick," in the same sentence!

[mr. beaumont]

I'm playing on the idea of a hundred videos, books and websites, all which claim to "unlock the secret of jazz."

here it is: when the chord changes, change what you're playing to accomodate it. practice that for hours a day for the next 10 years or so.

There's NO shortcuts. No secret potion, no magic to unlock.

Jazz is not rocket surgery.

[FatJeff]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I'm playing on the idea of a hundred videos, books and websites, all which claim to "unlock the secret of jazz."

here it is: when the chord changes, change what you're playing to accomodate it. practice that for hours a day for the next 10 years or so.

There's NO shortcuts. No secret potion, no magic to unlock.

Jazz is not rocket surgery.

Well, that sounds easy enough - can you tell me how I can purchase this method of yours, Mr. B? I don't want to have to actually do the scales or anything - I'm pretty sure if I find the right formula it will all just lock into place.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by FatJeff

Well, that sounds easy enough - can you tell me how I can purchase this method of yours, Mr. B? I don't want to have to actually do the scales or anything - I'm pretty sure if I find the right formula it will all just lock into place.

You're kidding, right?

[FatJeff]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

You're kidding, right?

LOL gotcha

[mr. beaumont]

I had to ask, because I'm actually in the throes of writing a method book for players of other styles who want to cross into jazz, and I know I've mentioned that here before...but my whole premise is you GOTTA learn the chords, the scales, the arpeggios, and practice for hours...nothing that people don't already hopefully understand--my method is just to break things down into digestable chunks, as the concept of "jazz" can be very heady.

[Dave Woods]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I'm playing on the idea of a hundred videos, books and websites, all which claim to "unlock the secret of jazz."

here it is: when the chord changes, change what you're playing to accomodate it. practice that for hours a day for the next 10 years or so.

There's NO shortcuts. No secret potion, no magic to unlock.

Jazz is not rocket surgery.

Dave Woods

Change what you're playing to accommodate it? Fine!.....How? Every chord you play is in a Key in some way shape or form. This is the context within which you hear and keep your sense of direction.
I'm just showing how a chord voicing and its basic arpeggio lie within the five Key positions, Cages, shapes, call them what you will, we all use and have been used in all the 60 years I've been playing. What I've done just shows somebody how to get started.

The concept of interchanging Five and One chords has been used in composition for decades. I learned it back in the 60's when I studied composition at Arizona State University. I guarantee you that it's used in the jazz standards over and over again.

By the way, I hopped over to your site, nice finger style stuff.

Best Dave

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I had to ask, because I'm actually in the throes of writing a method book for players of other styles who want to cross into jazz, and I know I've mentioned that here before...but my whole premise is you GOTTA learn the chords, the scales, the arpeggios, and practice for hours...nothing that people don't already hopefully understand--my method is just to break things down into digestable chunks, as the concept of "jazz" can be very heady.

You came so close to writing a best seller!

I'm a software developer (pronounced "code monkey")

YouTube Video

Anyhowdy, I've taught in the past, and so many of my students thought those "Learn Java in 21 days" or even "... in 24 hours" books would have a magical incantation for them. I'd show them do something cool and they'd ask "how'd you know to do that?", and I'd tell them I've been programming for over thirty years; you pick up ideas as you go along. They didn't like that answer.

[jeffstritt]

Well everybody I'm glad we have established that there are V- I resolutions in jazz. I'm sure that this was vital information for us all.

[mr. beaumont]

Dave, I want to apologize publicly to you-- I was very punchy in that first post.

There's been a lot of talk about shortcuts and a bunch of teachers offering secrets (for sale) here lately. I jumped the gun and figured you were another--I did not see that you are offering your knowledge for free.

And considering the V-I cadence is essentially western music in a nutshell, it's as good a place as any to start.

[Dave Woods]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Dave, I want to apologize publicly to you-- I was very punchy in that first post.

There's been a lot of talk about shortcuts and a bunch of teachers offering secrets (for sale) here lately. I jumped the gun and figured you were another--I did not see that you are offering your knowledge for free.

And considering the V-I cadence is essentially western music in a nutshell, it's as good a place as any to start.

Dave Woods

Apology accepted.

I've been playing for 60 years, was a composer arranger guitarist teacher back in the day in New York City. Loved composing and teaching the most.

I'm 75 years old now. What am I going to do with what I've learned, have it chiseled on my tomb stone? I had a great composition teacher, Grant Fletcher. He said to me, "all I ask is that you pass along everything I've shown you, and I have.

When the MIdi thing came along I got into composing with the computer. These days I write meditation music and play improvised solos over the tracks.

Here's one I wrote for my family,I hope you like it.

http://tinyurl.com/ya22pfv

[Reg]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Jazz is not rocket surgery.

I dig that... Reg

[Drumbler]

Originally Posted by Dave Woods

Dave Woods

I'm 75 years old now. What am I going to do with what I've learned, have it chiseled on my tomb stone?

You are right. You've got to share the ideas.


Now, you've got me thinking about this a bit. I'd relate it more to substitutions.

V = iim

V = viidom = iim = IV

I = vim = iiim

Relating this to the fretboard we see sharing of notes among chords. In most cases the sharing of two or more notes between chords allows substitution. Common tones.

[CrackerJackLee]

Originally Posted by nigel

Why can't I play guitar like Jim Hall & Joe Pass!?

i'm in the same place... but i just go at it one note at a time... if you listen to one record and make it your mission to learn it, you will surprise yourself... take one Charlie Christian tune and try your best to learn it... wear the CD out... look up Barney Kessel on YouTube... all the theory and practicing are great but they don't replace the bottom line - learn from the greats by copying the greats... improvisation is overated... LOL! no one will ever pay to listen to you or me improvising... but when my hands are off the fingerboard, i read everything i can to "understand" guitar... but when i'm on board, i follow my ear... this makes me happy, but there's as many guitarists as there are guitarists... happy trails!

[CrackerJackLee]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

when the chord changes, change what you're playing to accomodate it. practice that for hours a day for the next 10 years or so. There's NO shortcuts.

right... and new players, like myself, should stick to a limited repertoire until we know what we're doing... too many of us play at every tune we can find and end up with nothing... it is often said that new players today can't even play one tune from memory... this is the fault of improvising being overated... improvising is for thirty year pros... newbies should learn a few tunes by rote first... then monkey around later...

[JohnW400]

I guess I need to post this again for soem of the impatient newbies here


magicwand.com


Don't forget the magic words

[coolvinny]

Dave, keep this stuff coming. If someone's not interested, they should just ignore you rather than attack you. You're 75 so you probably already know that. Anyway, for every person who takes the time to try and rip into you, there are probably five people who learned something, or at least gained some insight/perspective, who just don't get around to leaving positive feedback.

Originally Posted by Dave Woods

Outside of the context of a tune, The Five One Progressions are the only progressions worth practicing. The Five One progressions happen over and over again in tune after tune. In Jazz and other forms of modern music any type of Five Chord from any major or minor Mode, can resolve to any kind of One Chord from any major or minor Mode. Any Type of Five Chord can also resolve to any other type of Five Chord.

The Five One progression is so fundamentally strong that this works. What's most important through all of this is "which one of the Five Key Positions contains the chord I'm playing on?" This keeps you on track until your hearing and fingering are so automatic that you don't need this as a crutch any more. In learning a new tune you can fall back on it.

The next file coming up is One Chords, Mix and Match

Dave Woods, Jazzguitarstartingright.com

http://tinyurl.com/232ctnt

[monk]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

you don't want to include the ii, or do you think jazz stopped advancing in 1930?

Just a couple of comments in passing;

When I was at GIT, Joe Pass said many times that he treated a I vi ii V as I I V V.

Jazz educator/pianist Barry Harris has been quoted as saying "We really don't play ii scales in bebop."

Regards,
monk

[mr. beaumont]

I knew that about Joe, interesting to hear it from Barry as well.

I go back and forth actually--I feel treating the ii V as a ii is a little more modern sounding, whereas focusing solely on the V is a little more old school.

Both approaches have their place, IMHO.

[jeffstritt]

Originally Posted by monk

Just a couple of comments in passing;

When I was at GIT, Joe Pass said many times that he treated a I vi ii V as I I V V.

Jazz educator/pianist Barry Harris has been quoted as saying "We really don't play ii scales in bebop."

Regards,
monk

Man what a rip off, Joe Pass didn't come to GIT when I was there! I would have sold my soul for that!

Of course we got Joe Diorio, so I'm not complaining!

[monk]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I knew that about Joe, interesting to hear it from Barry as well.

I go back and forth actually--I feel treating the ii V as a ii is a little more modern sounding, whereas focusing solely on the V is a little more old school.

Both approaches have their place, IMHO.

Mr. B,
I agree. And subbing V7 for ii7 or ii7 for V7 can create some less obvious lines.

Jeff,
When were you at GIT?

Regards,
monk

[jeffstritt]

I was at GIT 2005-2006. Now I was trying to learn how to be a rockstar or whatever, but I've always played jazz. Years later I still look over my books and notes and notice a lot of areas where I can put some work in.

I should have spent more time with the jazz and fingerstyle guys, but oh well. Now I get to practice twice to make up for lost time!