How and what to practice.

Gibson0918 · #1 09-27-2009, 05:41 AM

Can anybody tell me some good ways to practice jazz guitar?
I'm really starting to get in to jazz but i'm kind of curious as to what I should be working on from day to day. I'm a pretty experienced guitar player but jazz is still kind new to me.

A couple answers would be great.

fep · #2 09-27-2009, 08:56 AM

Songs, scales, arpeggios, chord melody, new chord voicings, more songs, dynamics and articulation, tension and release, and did I mention songs.

It's really hard to be specific though, I create a weekly schedule that seems to change every week. I recently purchased the book 'The Advancing Guitarist' by Mick Goodrick which is giving me lots of ideas as to what to practice.

peterk1 · #3 09-27-2009, 11:18 AM

Depends what you want to do really and what makes your ears perk up.

When I started, I got a one year subscription to Just Jazz Guitar magazine and started fooling around with the tunes in the first issue (there's about 5-6 songs in each; sometimes there's videos/MP3s put on the site to support the lessons and tunes) and I absolutely fell in love with the sound of one guitar by itself. The magazine is a nice inexpensive way to get a sampling of a bunch of different things.

Then I got some Robert Conti arrangements and started learning all those big lush chords that I've always wanted to know how to play on guitar.

....I've since moved on to a lot of other elements, but that's how I got started. A lot of people will get really into doing single-line solos right off the bat. Some get into comping.

Find the thing that turns you on the most and try to go with it. It will lead to to the rest with a minimum of boredom/frustration.

franco6719 · #4 09-27-2009, 01:04 PM

Oh hey, my problem is what NOT to practice. There ya is....

gravyTrain · #5 09-27-2009, 05:18 PM

A good place to start is with learning the chords that are often used in jazz, one great book for doing this is:

Mickey Bakers 'Complete Course in jazz guitar' book 1

The way he goes through all the exercises forces you to learn multiple positions of commonly used chords. The exercises are pretty much in the form of commonly used chord progressions, and substitutions for vanilla progressions.

Gibson0918 · #6 09-27-2009, 05:35 PM

Ok I really appreciate the help guys.
Any other suggestions?

lkmuller · #7 09-27-2009, 05:46 PM

I agree with gravyTrain.........chords, chords and chords. From the chords will come the understanding of how to solo.

Gibson0918 · #8 09-28-2009, 03:05 AM

Yeah I'll definately get that book he's talking about.

I might get that subscription to that magazine also.. I think the magazine might be a little too advance for me though. I'm still trying to grasp some bits and pieces of theory that I don't understand.

Bill C · #9 09-28-2009, 04:16 AM

some book ideas ...

Joe Pass Guitar Chords - a good starting place imo for the common "grips"
Joe Pass Guitar Style - iirc, more advanced stuff on soloing, comping and theory

vsaumarez · #10 09-28-2009, 07:24 PM

There is no substitute for a good teacher, because they will be able to assess your level and ability, and put you on a course most suited to your needs. There is endless material out there on where to start, but it can be daunting.

I suppose the first step is really:

1) to start building a collection of music of your favorite artists, and try to determine what it is you like about them. Emulating who you like is a good way of learning from a master.

2) Next step is to pick a tune you like and familiarize yourelf with the chords, and melody.

3) Establish key centers, and learn the major scales. Find the arpeggios for each chord.

4) Learn the jazz minor scale, and where to apply it.

5) Learn licks, and apply them.

That should keep you busy.

emanresu · #11 11-14-2009, 08:28 AM

I felt always at the "beginning" when studied jazz guitar. I am not sure if that suits for everyone but neckmapping.com has a nice and simple approach.

C.A.JO. · #12 11-14-2009, 11:02 AM

Can't tell you exactly what to practice, but try to cover 2-4 of the below mentioned topics when you practice:

- Technique (right hand, left hand, legato, rolling, what's holding you back?)
- Ear training (could be exercises, could be transcribing licks, solos, tunes?)
- Harmony (voice leading, chords, comping, etc.)
- Melody (single note lines, licks, phrases, sequences)
- Scales/Arpeggios (major scale, melodic minor, common arps, etc.)
- Vocabulary (learn new licks, perfect the old)
- Reading (sight reading, study theory, etc.)
- Repertoire (learn new tunes, perfect the old)

What I do is that I create four 8-day routines. Each routine covers 4 of the above mentioned topics. During 32 days I try to cover all of them, and I have a system, so that I cover everything during 32 days.

4 topics I practice these days are:

Technique (I work on my right hand picking)
Vocabulary (I work on 4 licks in different octaves in every key)
Ear training (I always include some form of ear training in my practices)
Improvisation (here include some tunes from my repertoire)

My next routine which I'm starting in 2 days consists of these topics:

Scales/Arps (I rotate them. Scales on day 1, arps on day 2 and so on)
Transcribing (new tunes. this way I cover both repertoire and ear training)
Harmony (time for some chord grabbing technique)
Repertoire (review of selected tunes, trying to incorporate new ideas)

And so it goes on. Hope I gave you some ideas.....?

ivano · #13 11-17-2009, 05:52 AM

I would agree with subscribing to Jazz Guitar Magazine, there are lots of helpful bits and pieces that the beginner and more advanced player can access, far better than some monthly magazines.

Problem I have is knowing which Keys to be more familiar with, one cannot know everything but I would like to be able to function in 3 or 4 keys without too much worry. I know C maj/A Minor F Maj/D min, what others should I learn?

Bill C · #14 11-17-2009, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivano

Problem I have is knowing which Keys to be more familiar with, one cannot know everything but I would like to be able to function in 3 or 4 keys without too much worry. I know C maj/A Minor F Maj/D min, what others should I learn?

Hi Ivan

I suppose the correct answer is "all of them", but if you know C/Am and you went down a fifth to F/Dm, why not keep going down a fifth, so Bb/Gm next, then Eb/Cm etc etc. I can think of three good reasons to do this. Firstly it gets you thinking about the cycle of fifths, second a lot of old standards are in these keys, and lastly these are "non-guitaristic" keys.

Have PM'd you by the way ...

Bill

NSJ · #15 11-17-2009, 10:04 AM

Just to let you know, I called them twice over the period of a couple weeks, looking to subscribe, left clear messages with my return phone #, and got absolutely NO RESPONSE from them. How utterly disrespectful of them!

Screw them, I say. What a pathetic way to run a business!

randalljazz · #16 11-17-2009, 12:54 PM

it's basically a mom and pop operation---he does the articles, she runs the subscriptions and other biz end (something like that). they do it all, the two of them, only farming out the actual mailing. so cut 'em a little slack. better yet, just send in your check and subscribe. it won't start with current issue unless you specify, and then she'd like another $4 if the bulk mailing has already gone out.

it's a GREAT mag.

NSJ · #17 11-17-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randalljazz

it's basically a mom and pop operation---he does the articles, she runs the subscriptions and other biz end (something like that). they do it all, the two of them, only farming out the actual mailing. so cut 'em a little slack. better yet, just send in your check and subscribe. it won't start with current issue unless you specify, and then she'd like another $4 if the bulk mailing has already gone out.

it's a GREAT mag.

Didn't know that. Thanks. I'll send 'em a check.

derek · #18 11-17-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randalljazz

it's basically a mom and pop operation---he does the articles, she runs the subscriptions and other biz end (something like that). they do it all, the two of them, only farming out the actual mailing. so cut 'em a little slack. better yet, just send in your check and subscribe. it won't start with current issue unless you specify, and then she'd like another $4 if the bulk mailing has already gone out.

it's a GREAT mag.

It is the BEST mag. It is just Ed and his daughter-in-law I believe. truly a labor of love. And our own Matt Warnock has been doing a lesson and several cd/publication reviews in it lately.

JohnRoss · #19 11-17-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gibson0918

Can anybody tell me some good ways to practice jazz guitar?
I'm really starting to get in to jazz but i'm kind of curious as to what I should be working on from day to day. I'm a pretty experienced guitar player but jazz is still kind new to me.

Sketchy, you don't say if you are used to practising scales and so on properly (that 'properly' means dozens of things). But in general, I think one has to play jazz to find out what one needs to work on, even if that only means messing around playing blues and "When the Saints" in A (jazz doesn't have to be complicated or dazzlingly virtuoso, you can improvise perfectly well using only a few notes, or even one - Jobim's "One Note Samba" is a manifesto). Allow me to suggest that you find yourself a buddy or two to jam with, in the same position as you, or better still, a bit better than you, it'll pull you up. What I did, as a classical music student decades ago, was to join a mainstream trad jazz band, some Dixieland but a goodly amount of Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman as well. Anyway, after months of comping, the chords, the rhythms and the swing had become almost ingrained in me, so when I began soloing it was just another step, no big deal. That would probably be too retro for you, but you see what I'm getting at.

ivano · #20 11-18-2009, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NSJ

Just to let you know, I called them twice over the period of a couple weeks, looking to subscribe, left clear messages with my return phone #, and got absolutely NO RESPONSE from them. How utterly disrespectful of them!

Screw them, I say. What a pathetic way to run a business!

Steady-on fella, they run good operation, on time and international too. I am in England and I got responses when I telephoned. If they are just a two person operation then please respect the fact that they may be busy, (growing interest in jazz), someone may be sick, (difficult to cover), and they may not have fully comprehended your message.