The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    The last lesson! Third position, a bunch of new scale fingerings, and some chord forms.

    Congratulations to all that have made it this far, just a couple of steps left to reach the finish line.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Frank, I'm guessing you find this lesson fairly easy? As you already know the fretboard. I don't. My grasp on the shapes of the scales is so weak. So for the exercises on 112-113 I can manage the first 4 lines fairly well, but the last line of each exercise is difficult.

    The one thing to be said in favour of 3rd pos is the frets are closer now, so I actually can reach by stretching, and pivoting with the thumb. And of course, these keys are most useful for jazz.

    I think, rather than aiming for perfection in each exercise, I might give myself a deadline - end of August to finish the book. I do what I can in that time and call it a day. I can mop up later.

  4. #3

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    Maybe a glitch or two... that's a lot of notes. It seems Leavitt is making the scale exercises a little tougher.


  5. #4

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    No glitches to speak of really, at least none that would wake up that dog on the floor.

    A few mistakes here:
    https://www.box.com/s/8efd1c27de051a71e116
    https://www.box.com/s/e4f32c38c150c224c88a
    https://www.box.com/s/d74dd1ac57de473f06bc

    Db to go, and the review.

  6. #5

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    Db is killing me. How can anyone remember all those flats? Trying to think shapes, but I make so many mistake when I do that.

  7. #6

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    Hi Lauren,

    I was listening to your last three recordings and was thinking we sure have come a long way. Good job on those.

    Yes Db, 5 flats, that's getting to be too many.

    Here's the Third Position Review, this was a bear.

    221 chord changes, maybe about 750 'melody' notes, 4 key changes of 2 flats, 3 flats, 4 flats, 5 flats. That's a lot to get through without making a mistake.

    Well there are a few mistakes here (I wish I started this at a slower tempo, it would have been easier to get through).


  8. #7

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    Hi Frank, When you put it like that, yes it is a lot! Thanks for the encouragement. You made very few mistakes, I think I counted only two. But really, it's good just to keep going, and the tricky bit is the concentration especially where the key changes come in.

    I think I'll try to record today. Yesterday I just worked on Db and nothing else.

    However much I complain about these pages, these are the keys that are important for jazz, and I need to get them. I've been just opening up the realbook to have a read through, but I find while nothing is unplayable, the key changes get me.

    What I find with Db is my piano-playing really lets me down. So for Bb, I think two flats and I know instinctively which they are. That works up to 4 flats. For Db, I don't think about numbers of flats, or even numbers of sharps. I just see the shape - all the black notes and the two white notes on the right where there'a a gap. That leaves my brain free to think about accidentals and anything else.

    Now, if I can see shapes on the piano, why can't I see them on a guitar?

  9. #8

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    Lauren, thanks for listening.

    Quote Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
    Now, if I can see shapes on the piano, why can't I see them on a guitar?
    That's a good question. The only things I can think of is 1) you've spent a lot more time playing the piano and 2) the layout of the piano is so much easier to understand visually.

    However, there are things about the layout of the guitar that makes some things easier, like learning a chord, say Cm7, and realizing all you have to do is slide that grip around to get Bm7 Am7 Fm7 Gm7 etc.

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    That's a good question. The only things I can think of is 1) you've spent a lot more time playing the piano and 2) the layout of the piano is so much easier to understand visually.

    However, there are things about the layout of the guitar that makes some things easier, like learning a chord, say Cm7, and realizing all you have to do is slide that grip around to get Bm7 Am7 Fm7 Gm7 etc.
    I'll tell you about a new toy I bought. It's a little magnetic white board thing with a keyboard and grand staff, and I bought it for teaching piano, but, I also got a guitar insert for myself. You can write out scales or chords on it, either in wipeable pen, or with little coloured magnets. Loads of fun. Anyhoo, what I discovered is that I can't just map out a scale on the board. Even a scale that I know very well, like G major (type 2 fingering, ionian). I can't just put the dots in the right places, I need to do it with guitar in hand. And then when I play I realise how much my fingers and my ear guide me.

    I think I need to do a lot more mapping scales out - perhaps even less practice - to get my visualisation working. I know it's something that women are notoriously bad at, me especially.

    Moving on, I recorded today.

    Db major:
    https://www.box.com/s/7a0477ff9d3b3e6c9a72
    3rd pos review:
    https://www.box.com/s/e0f71f4d7770dacb9776

    For these, I didn't even try to keep time, but just allowed myself 'forgiveness' time to try to get to the right note.

    And these chords are none too easy either:

    https://www.box.com/s/22140ec950e233087b4c

  11. #10

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    Lauren,

    I listened to the recordings, really most of the time you were playing in time. I think I needed to tell myself "Ab" at the key changes too, it's easy to lose track.

    So I worked up page 116 also (I played a few licks at the end of Exercise 2, those really are nice sounding chords).

    Exercise 1, not too clean, but I'm moving on.

    Last edited by fep; 08-15-2012 at 02:01 PM.

  12. #11

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    Cool licks too, you play them nice and easy. Definitely chords I'm happy to work on, they sound so good.

    Now that I've worked out diminisheds, what about the augmenteds? I understand the structure of the chord, I just don't get what it's doing there. It's not a 7th and I don't know where to put it. Now, if it were a 7#5, that would be OK. Do you get augmented chords?

    Thanks for the feedback. There's a lifetime for me to get all these shapes ship-shape. For now, I just want to finish the book!

  13. #12

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    Thanks for the feedback too.

    The augmented chord. I'm not an expert on this. One thing is for certain, I hear it as a tension chord or, in other words a chord of non-resolution.

    I've seen them acting as dominant chords and resolving to a chord a 4th higher with the #5 resolving up to the third of the next chord. Often times the I chord will change it's function to a V/IV (five of four) with the use of an augmented chord. At least that's how I hear it (i.e. this is not from a book).

    | I / Iaug / | IV / / / |

  14. #13

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    There is a mistake on this one:



    I can't remember, maybe I got through this one cleanly?


  15. #14

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    The Scales



    The Chords, the 2nd exercise includes that Mickey Baker stretchy Gmaj7 from his lesson one, the bane of all small handed guitarists. I couldn't reach on this long scale guitar so I moved the exercise up a whole step to A.


  16. #15

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    Much easier than the Third Position Review


  17. #16

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    Wow, that was a long journey.

    I'll call this one the swan song. So, I wanted to celebrate by adding a few of my own licks to this chord exercise.


  18. #17

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    Hi Frank, Wow, well done. Really, man, congratulations!

    I thought you could get through that pretty quick. I did listen to it all, and there is little to say, except, well done!

    Interesting you said the 4th position review is easier than the 3rd. I haven't got to it yet, but it looks a little more scalar and less jumping about.

    As to that maj 7th on p 121, yes, that had me screaming a wide variety of profanities, including 'Baker' and 'Mickey'. But, having washed the sweat away, and slept on the problem, I just can't see the point in working so hard to play a chord that contains (1) the root and (2) the 5th. So I think my considered decision is to work on the dom7#9 (a little easier and, I can see the point), and for the maj7, simply substitute one of the many easier chords I can for that one. Wait till rootless comes my way, or if it doesn't, then just make it up as I go along.

    But at the end of the day, there was a reason I took Mr Baker's book back to the library.

    OK, I will get on with this over the weekend and coming week. I've worked hard enough I might as well do the last chapter some justice.

    Thanks for your input on augmented chords, I haven't had a chance to digest it, but will soon.

    So, then, Frank, what do you reckon? What have you learned from covering the entire book? You were already an accomplished player, but it's not all been totally easy for you. Did you get out of it what you hoped? Were there any surprises? And how does it feel to be finished?

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    The augmented chord. I'm not an expert on this. One thing is for certain, I hear it as a tension chord or, in other words a chord of non-resolution.

    I've seen them acting as dominant chords and resolving to a chord a 4th higher with the #5 resolving up to the third of the next chord. Often times the I chord will change it's function to a V/IV (five of four) with the use of an augmented chord. At least that's how I hear it (i.e. this is not from a book).

    | I / Iaug / | IV / / / |
    Got it, Frank, thanks for this. Played it, it sounds like a dominant but without the 7th. I checked through MM and without fail they resolve a 5th down. Sometimes it looks a little more confusing e.g middle p108 E+ to F for the modulation into F, but of course, the E+ is equally well a C+. I suppose it's all in the name of good voice leading, and having lots of ways of doing the same thing.

    The other thing that threw me a little is p 121 where he says a Dm(maj7) could be called an A+. I'm not sure I totally trust him on this as the Dm has that D in it, which would be a 4 or 11 of A+, and I'm not sure that's kosher.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
    The other thing that threw me a little is p 121 where he says a Dm(maj7) could be called an A+. I'm not sure I totally trust him on this as the Dm has that D in it, which would be a 4 or 11 of A+, and I'm not sure that's kosher.
    I agree, I'm not sure I interpreted it correctly.

    I took it to mean, another way you'll see it that will give you the (approximately) same sound and function even though it is a different chord.

    On my recording, I played A+ (i.e. not Dm(maj7), it's the second video on post #14. You can hear how similar the two sound.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
    Hi Frank, Wow, well done. Really, man, congratulations!

    I thought you could get through that pretty quick. I did listen to it all, and there is little to say, except, well done!
    Thanks Lauren,

    Once I got real near the end I got really focused (maybe a little obsessed with finishing it). So I just banged out a bunch of videos in those last couple of days.

    Thanks for listening!

    Quote Originally Posted by ten left thumbs
    As to that maj 7th on p 121, yes, that had me screaming a wide variety of profanities, including 'Baker' and 'Mickey'. But, having washed the sweat away, and slept on the problem, I just can't see the point in working so hard to play a chord that contains (1) the root and (2) the 5th. So I think my considered decision is to work on the dom7#9 (a little easier and, I can see the point), and for the maj7, simply substitute one of the many easier chords I can for that one. Wait till rootless comes my way, or if it doesn't, then just make it up as I go along.

    But at the end of the day, there was a reason I took Mr Baker's book back to the library.
    I do like the voice leading from that Ab7#9 (or as Mickey called it D13b5b9) to the Gmaj7 voicing with the top notes staying the same and the others moving down by a semi-tone.

    The best duplication I can think of is

    xx6577 - Ab#7

    xx5477 - Gmaj7

    I know you hate those diagrams, here's some pictures. Note that my ring finger is not fretting anything and the pinky is fretting two notes. Sometimes, I like to keep the top notes ringing as I move from one chord to the next. Just for you:


    Ab#7


    Gmaj7

  22. #21

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    First position scales and review:

    https://www.box.com/s/ce4224ecbe6957c0b272
    https://www.box.com/s/c05161375a3c3633ae3e
    https://www.box.com/s/626f5d0271957d64f6d2

    Not perfect. This was somehow easier, perhaps because I only had to toggle between two keys. Or maybe I've come to grips with Db? Who knows.

    Still working on the chords for the 2nd position review - I can play then all, just not to time. Have a lesson next week, that's something to ask my teacher about.

    6 pages to go.

  23. #22

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    Hi Lauren,

    Really good job on the exercises. I felt I was right there in your home with you... the breeze through a window, a vehicle driving by, fun.

    6 pages to go! I'm cheering you on from the sidelines now.

  24. #23

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    Yep, Frank, that day was hot enough to open a window. Doesn't happen much here, so it's well worth recording. I should be just about ready to record some more. The scales aren't too bad, but these chords are getting difficult.

  25. #24

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    Ok, scale exercises, in the sharp keys, 4th position:
    https://www.box.com/s/c03e7e1fdc318b6d7174
    https://www.box.com/s/ea0bf563298b11f15c62
    https://www.box.com/s/bf377b75cd86c387ff12
    https://www.box.com/s/e179e1b97f542e21ac6c


    Not flawless, but somehow I did better than I expected!

    I had a quandry whether to do G maj in the 1A pattern leavitt gives, or to abandon this and go for the CAGED shape I already know (dorian). In the end I did it the way Leavitt says, awkward stretches and all. I think they sound as legato as the rest. If I put my mind to it, I can reach this stretch, now in 4th, whereas I couldn't in 2nd.

    And chords p 121

    https://www.box.com/s/984b2363a199e4e19c2b

    I've abandoned all pretence of keeping rhythm here.

    For the insane MB chords, I did a combination of dom7#9 as written, that and the maj7 with root on 4th string (thanks Frank!) and doing one as written and the Gmaj7th the much easier way I can already do.

    3 pages to go.

  26. #25

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    4th position review:
    https://www.box.com/s/a06ab9f044528804e416

    Bit of chromatic improv at the end - do you like it?

    Last page of chords:
    https://www.box.com/s/88d540ca3d5d6f8ef678

    Hands were shaking at the end of that. They still are.