Whats most important things to work on

[guitarplayer007]

For beginner to intermediate jazz guitarist?
Thx
Ken

[mr. beaumont]

Boy, that's tough, especially not knowing where you're doing good and where you're struggling.

If I could recommend only one thing (well, okay, two things) it would be complete immersion in jazz--listening constantly, and stealing as many licks as you could (and analyzing them--know what they're working over, not just the lick itself)

[guitarplayer007]

Thanks Jeff,

I have about 2 hrs a night to practice and there so many dam things in jazz to work on. But sometimes i think i should just stick with some basics. Like Arpeggio work, Comping, Improv, Tunes
ken

[guitarplayer007]

Hey Jeff,

Just listened to yor version of Days of Wine, very nice. My question to jazz players is how do you learn to use all those passing chords in between the chords and melody?
thx
ken

[Jake Hanlon]

time and swing feel

[guitarplayer007]

thx jake

[fep]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer007

Thanks Jeff,

I have about 2 hrs a night to practice and there so many dam things in jazz to work on. But sometimes i think i should just stick with some basics. Like Arpeggio work, Comping, Improv, Tunes
ken

Yes tunes.

And work on arpeggios, comping, and improv over the structure of tunes... that way most of your practice is including tunes.

For example, play 1/8th note arps changing the arp everytime the chord changes, don't start on the root everytime, just go to the nearest chord tone of the next arp.

The second and third exercises on the following document is an example of practicing arps over a tune. (I wrote this up based on an excercise discussed in a master class I attended)

Long Arpeggio Exercise - Bob M.pdf - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

[guitarplayer007]

Hey Fep,

thanks, i;m at work and cant access document, but will check it when i get home. has anyone ever seen the Greg Fishman Etudes for guitar? I have the book and must admit i love them. if i could play with that type of clairty of harmony i would be very happy. When i play them i wonder how someone can actually improv like that. Most of his etudes have 2 chords per measure.
ken

[Stringbean]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer007

For beginner to intermediate jazz guitarist?
Thx
Ken

Focus on sounding good. If it's just one note, a riff, a scale, a song...whatever. Make sure it sounds as intended.

[guitarplayer007]

ok, thx

[Stringbean]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer007

ok, thx

you're welcome

[sc06yl]

Finding a comfortable technique is of importance. There is no one proper way to play the guitar per say, but there is a couple of generally held beliefs the most crucial being to fret notes as close to the wire as possible. I would also try and keep your thumb behind the guitar neck as much as possible, this allows the largest reach of your fingers. I would also recommend holding the pick (if you play with one) with your thumb and index, so when the time comes to play hybrid (using pick and fingers) that you are comfortable holding the pick this way.

To start, and to better learn the neck I would recommend playing scales in position. Start by playing F in all the positions up to the 13 fret, make sure at any given point you know exactly what note you are playing, if this means you have to say it aloud and practice slowly so be it. After do the same with F jazz and harmonic minor. After you are comfortable doing those, practice the same in intervals, thirds, fourths...ect and in triads...ALWAYS with a metronome. Never push your tempo, make sure you can pick all the notes clearly before you move the tempo up. After you are comfortable with F, move on to other notes, it will be a lot easier, as you will notice the patterns just appear at different frets. It is boring work and difficult at first, but after a month or two, it becomes pretty easy, and can be practiced without much attention. I can do all of these, (which I do every day, at least twice, with different scales), and usually watch sport centre with my metronome clicking away. It is a good way to master the neck, and build technique at the same time.

I would also recommend learning tunes. Start with something simple like Autumn Leaves, and learn the changes and melody (at least in two octaves) in every key. Then practice hitting the guide tones (3rds and 7ths) in time, in all keys. Although you'll probably never get a tune like this called in anything other G minor, or E minor (because thats the key the Real Book has it in), it is a good way to learn patterns in different keys, because a lot of standards may not be written in GbMajor or other more obscure key signatures, you will see progressions or portions of tunes that use Gb as a key centre (ex. Have you Met Miss Jones)

This is pretty much what my guitar teacher had me work last year when I asked him the same question. Along with tag, ALWAYS USE YOUR F@CKING METRONOME!

Another good way to get into the swing time feel is practice quarter note triplets and half note triplets. To master those you need to have a really good feel of the triplet, which will help your swing time feel.

[sc06yl]

Finding a comfortable technique is of importance. There is no one proper way to play the guitar per say, but there is a couple of generally held beliefs the most crucial being to fret notes as close to the wire as possible. I would also try and keep your thumb behind the guitar neck as much as possible, this allows the largest reach of your fingers. I would also recommend holding the pick (if you play with one) with your thumb and index, so when the time comes to play hybrid (using pick and fingers) that you are comfortable holding the pick this way.

To start, and to better learn the neck I would recommend playing scales in position. Start by playing F in all the positions up to the 13 fret, make sure at any given point you know exactly what note you are playing, if this means you have to say it aloud and practice slowly so be it. After do the same with F jazz and harmonic minor. After you are comfortable doing those, practice the same in intervals, thirds, fourths...ect and in triads...ALWAYS with a metronome. Never push your tempo, make sure you can pick all the notes clearly before you move the tempo up. After you are comfortable with F, move on to other notes, it will be a lot easier, as you will notice the patterns just appear at different frets. It is boring work and difficult at first, but after a month or two, it becomes pretty easy, and can be practiced without much attention. I can do all of these, (which I do every day, at least twice, with different scales), and usually watch sport centre with my metronome clicking away. It is a good way to master the neck, and build technique at the same time.

I would also recommend learning tunes. Start with something simple like Autumn Leaves, and learn the changes and melody (at least in two octaves) in every key. Then practice hitting the guide tones (3rds and 7ths) in time, in all keys. Although you'll probably never get a tune like this called in anything other G minor, or E minor (because thats the key the Real Book has it in), it is a good way to learn patterns in different keys, because a lot of standards may not be written in GbMajor or other more obscure key signatures, you will see progressions or portions of tunes that use Gb as a key centre (ex. Have you Met Miss Jones)

This is pretty much what my guitar teacher had me work last year when I asked him the same question. Along with tag, ALWAYS USE YOUR F@CKING METRONOME!

Another good way to get into the swing time feel is practice quarter note triplets and half note triplets. To master those you need to have a really good feel of the triplet, which will help your swing time feel.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by guitarplayer007

Hey Jeff,

Just listened to yor version of Days of Wine, very nice. My question to jazz players is how do you learn to use all those passing chords in between the chords and melody?
thx
ken

Some are just inversions of the "chord of the moment" (You want to eventually get yourself to the place where you can play any given chord in several places on the neck.

Some of them are the "chord of the moment" with extensions--so depending on the melody, I might take what was originally a "Cmaj7" and play a Cmaj9, or C6/9, or Cmaj7#11...

Just about any chord can be approached with a diminished or dominant chord from a half step away. I do that a lot too.

Lastly, I'll often sub chords to create descending basslines and such. The tritone sub is one of the easiest subs to get a hold on when starting out--do a search here and I'm sure you'll find a 100 threads on it.

[Kman]

I would say learning the classic II-V-I bebop licks and practicing them over standards.

[guitarplayer007]

thanks Jeff, maybe i will make a youtube of me playing a standard you can give some ideas to work on? I have a bunch of jazzrock stuff and blues on youtube under kidpoker007. but would appreicate your input on a standard.
Thanks
Ken