Jazz Guitar Chords : the Basics

Here you'll find the guitar chords that every aspiring jazz guitar player should have as a foundation to play jazz music. The chords are categorized according to chord type: major, minor, dominant and diminished.

You can also download the basic jazz guitar chord charts bundled together with a tutorial about the theory behind chords in a free e-book. It's important for a jazz musician to have a thorough understanding about music theory.

Shell guitar chords are the most basic jazz guitar chords and contain only the most important notes of a chord.

The major chords that are essential knowledge for every jazz guitar player.

All minor chords you need to know to get started playing jazz..

All the basic dominant chords you should know to be able to play standards.

The chord charts for the most important half-diminished, diminished and m/maj7 chords.

All the basic guitar chord charts grouped together with an explantation about how chords are made.

The majority of these basic chords are of the moveable type : you can slide them up or down the neck.

For example:

If we slide this Amaj7 chord 2 frets up, it becomes a Bmaj7 because the root is now a B note :