I don't know where and how to start (I need some mentor!)

[hwikyeongkim]

Hello, everyone
I'm a policeman in Korea (currently serving my country as a solider; compulsory military duty).

I've been playing guitar for a while. Mostly blues and funk. Simple patterns, chords, and pentatonic scale.

I've been dying trying to get jazz guitar language in me but it's really difficult.

The problem I have is where and how to start. Fast fingering/picking, sliding down through all those scalesm, and comping seem tough but I believe practice will get me there.

Should I start with the book or should I just practicing scales and chord tones in slow tempo and build up as I get comfortable? Or should I start with a standard tune and get down comping and a few soloing?

I know basic theroies such as 2-5-1 and I know how to strum and solo in blues but for instance, all those crazy solos don't just come from scales; I think it's more than a theory, it's a language which you speak freely (after getting down all basics).

Yea, getting comfortable with jazz language (in guitar) is priority I think.

Could you help guide my journey to jazz guitar? I appreciate your experience and experiments on your daily practices.

[tonyknight]

Welcome!

You're in good company here! There are many of us just like you, trying to learn this new language!

If you haven't already done so, check out the threads on Blue Bossa interactive-practice and Havey You Met Miss Jones. That's exactly why se set them up - there are some real experts (I'm sooo happy they're participating and they know who they are) and then there are the rest of us who are getting our arms around the multiple components of bringing a song together in a jazz vein...

We felt that actual songs would be a great way to make whatever other methods we use be more practical.

[Gramps]

Check out the lessons on this site. If you have questions, people can answer them.

If I were starting over again I'd learn how the harmonized major scale works. Then I'd learn to play a Maj7, 6th, m7, and m7b5 chord shape with the root on the low E and the shape for the same chords with the root on the A string. Then pick out an easy jazz song and start applying the chord shapes to the song.

I think that would get your foot in the door.

[billkath]

I agree with Gramps, but would add root on the D string as well. That's three shapes for each of these chords-Major, Major 6, Major 7, Minor 7, Minor 6, Minor 7b5 , Dominant 7, and diminished 7. The essential ones to start ar Maj7, Dom 7, Min 7 and min 7 b5---those chords are the very basics and essential to learn.

[Gramps]

oops! left out Dom7. That could very well be the most important one.

[Stackabones]

Originally Posted by hwikyeongkim

Or should I start with a standard tune and get down comping and a few soloing?

I'd start learning a bunch of standards -- chords and melody. Don't worry about soloing till you know several songs inside and out.

[donojazz62220]

Don't forget to listen to as much jazz as you can get your hands on. Train that ear. Listen to that swing rhythm and internalize it.

This forum has some great info/threads on "must listen to" jazz albums...

[jojolapin]

I think a really nice start point would be Jazz Comping 1 – Building a chord voicing vocabulary - Guitar Noise

It'a just about harmonized major scale, common jazz chords on the 3 top strings, comping, all applied to a few nice standards not difficult, but a nice first step into jazz i think

[ksjazzguitar]

Yes,

Jazz is difficult. It is difficult to get started. But you kind of have to just dive in. It's like learning to swim - you can't do it without getting wet and when you're starting, you're going to end up swallowing some water.

Just keep at it and don't get discouraged, it'll take a while until you get comfortable, but that's normal. There are lots of great resources on the net, including us. But I still say the best thing is to find a good teacher. Don't get discouraged.

Peace,
Kevin