In this lesson, we will look at turnarounds (aka turnbacks) and their various variations as applied to major keys, minor keys, suspended resolutions and other progressions. A turnaround is a series of chords that helps bring a chord progression back to the tonic key and is usually found at the end of a tune. In […]
There are few tunes in the jazz repertoire that strike fear in the heart of players such as the John Coltrane tune “Giant Steps,” which can be a challenge from both a soloing and comping perspective. When guitarists first begin to explore John Coltrane’s Giant Steps changes, this series of chords can seem like an
Songs like Wave, Dindi, Blue Bossa, and Corcovada have long been part of the jazz repertoire.
In this lesson, you will learn to play Brazilian jazz guitar with these 10 Latin guitar rhythms from Brazilian and Cuban music traditions. Rhythms patterns include bossa nova, samba & salsa.
Latin Jazz Guitar Rhythms Read More »
Besides learning chord shapes, it’s also important that you develop your right-hand technique. Rhythm is an important aspect of playing chords because it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing!
In this lesson you will learn 10 essential jazz guitar chord rhythms that every jazz guitarist should know.
10 Essential Jazz Guitar Chord Rhythms Read More »
In this lesson, you will learn how to read jazz chords on lead sheets the way they appear in fake books such as the Real Book.
You will learn how to color your chords, use chord tensions and substitutions while making sure your chords don’t clash with the melody.
How to Read Jazz Chords and Lead Sheets Read More »
The diminished scale is used to improvise over Diminished chords, which occur quite frequently in jazz chord progressions. This scale is built by alternating whole and half steps.
In this lesson, you will learn the theory behind diminished scales, as well as how to use them in your jazz guitar solos.
The Diminished Scale Read More »
In this jazz guitar lesson, you will learn 11 variations of the minor blues chord progression and 2 guitar chord studies over the minor blues.
Comping over a minor blues tune is an essential skill for any jazz guitarist, as minor blues tunes are some of the most commonly called songs on jam sessions.
Minor Blues Chord Progressions Read More »
Expand your jazz guitar soloing chops by learning how to play and apply the dominant diminished scale.
Theory, diagrams, licks, solo & backing tracks included.
The Dominant Diminished Scale For Guitar Read More »
One of the most popular tunes at jam sessions and pick up gigs is the Herbie Hancock classic Cantaloupe Island. While you can learn the chord progression, melody, and check out soloing on this tune, many guitarists skip the main riff of the tune. Though it’s originally played on piano, you can easily adapt that
Cantaloupe Island Piano Riff For Guitar Read More »
When learning how to solo in jazz, one of the scales that comes up in our studies time and again is the altered scale, which is the 7th mode of the Melodic Minor Scale. While this scale comes up often when reading about jazz improvisation, it can seem like a bit of a mystery. To
The Altered Scale For Jazz Guitar Read More »
In this lesson, you will learn how to play traditional blues rhythm guitar.
You will study an essential blues rhythm riff to add to your blues playing + chords that will help you move beyond open and bar chords.
Blues Rhythm Guitar – Chords and Riffs Read More »
The harmonic minor scale is a seven-note scale that has the same notes as the natural minor scale with the exception of the seventh note that is raised by one semitone. This seventh note works as a leading tone to the tonic, that’s why it is used often on dominant chords going to a tonic
The Harmonic Minor Scale for Jazz Guitar Read More »
Being able to analyze jazz harmony is an important skill for any jazz musician.
In this lesson, you will learn how to use Roman Numerals for musical analysis and transposing on the guitar. This essential music theory lesson includes full song examples.
Roman Numeral Analysis for Jazz: How to Analyze Chord Progressions Read More »
Rhythm Changes is one of the most popular song forms in jazz and essential to get under your fingers.
This doesn’t mean that it is an easy chord progression. Playing an inspired jazz solo over a Rhythm Changes can be hard because of the many chords and the fast tempo it is usually played in.
Introduction To Rhythm Changes (+ Chord & Solo Study) Read More »
The ii V I chord progression is the most common progression used in jazz, that’s why it is important to master this progression.
In this jazz lesson, you will learn 20 ways to play through 2 5 1 chord progressions, in both major and minor keys.
20 Ways To Play ii V I VI Chord Progressions Read More »
A definite must-know standard, Autumn Leaves is one of the most commonly called tunes at jazz jam sessions. It can be played in Em or Gm, and therefore is an introduction to tunes that are commonly played in more than one key, forcing you to learn it in both keys. There are also major ii
Autumn Leaves Guitar Melody for Beginners Read More »
When learning jazz guitar, the blues is an essential topic that any guitarist should tackle. But, how do you move beyond the standard 12-bar form? One of the tunes that get called at jam sessions and is blues related (but not 12-bar), is Watermelon Man. Watermelon Man, a jazz funk classic written by Herbie Hancock who
Watermelon Man – Guitar Chords, Chord Melody, and Solo Read More »
Brazilian music had a great influence on players such as Stan Getz and Pat Metheny and lots of Bossa Nova songs are part of the jazz repertoire.
In this lesson, you will learn to play Brazilian jazz guitar licks and solos as you study the work of Baden Powell, Hermeto Pascoal, and more.
Brazilian Jazz Guitar Licks and Solo Read More »
Maiden Voyage is is a classic modal jazz tune written and made famous by pianist Herbie Hancock. With a cool groove, hip slash chords, and a memorable melody, this tune has become a jazz jam session essential since first being released. While Maiden Voyage is a commonly called tune, it can often handcuff guitarists who
Maiden Voyage Chords – Modal Comping Study Read More »
The melodic minor scale is built of seven notes. It contains a minor third (b3) and major sixth (6), but also has a major seventh (7) which gives it a unique sound compared to other minor scales such as the Dorian mode. Outside of the major scale system, the melodic minor scale is the most
How to Use the Melodic Minor Scale Read More »
A guide for those that want to take their guitar playing to the next level and are looking for a jazz guitar university program.
Finding and making a choice between the available schools can be though. This guide will help you make your choice.
Top 25 US Jazz Guitar Schools Read More »
While there are many jazz soloing techniques that use chromatic notes and other outside sounds, not every important concept steps outside the key center. The most popular example of this is the diatonic enclosure, which is built by playing two diatonic notes surrounding a diatonic target note in your lines. Used by just about every
The Diatonic Enclosure – Application and Practice Guide Read More »
Joe Pass is one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time and a master of chordal playing.
Study how Joe builds his classic chord sound on the guitar by learning to play Joe Pass chords with these essential lines and concepts.
Joe Pass Chords – Essential Lines and Concepts Read More »
One of the first things you’ll notice when playing jazz guitar chords, is that there are a lot of variations for each chord type to get under your fingers. When playing over major family chords, for example, you can play C6, Cmaj7, Cmaj9, C6/9, etc., and they all have a similar function but sound different
How to Play 6 Chords on Guitar Read More »
Satin Doll is a classic jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington.
In this lesson, you will learn an easy Satin Doll chord melody arrangement for guitar. This chord melody is suitable for beginner Jazz guitarists up to intermediate level.
In the next section, you will learn a chord study that brings some variation in your comping over Satin Doll.
Easy Satin Doll Chord Melody for Guitar Read More »
One of the most popular jazz standards of all time, Georgia on My Mind is a favorite vehicle for jazz guitarists of all levels of experience. With a memorable melody, engaging chord progression, and a slow bluesy feel, Georgia is a great tune to jam on in a solo, duo, or combo setting. In this
Georgia on My Mind Guitar Chords Read More »
Maj7 arpeggios are a must-know concept for any jazz guitarist, but they can be difficult to get under your fingers when working these shapes around the entire fretboard. Finding a system to organize your maj7 arpeggios can make playing and soloing with maj7 arpeggios easy, as you will be able to think less about the
How to Play Maj7 Arpeggios Read More »
Studying jazz chords means two things, learning how to play chord shapes on the guitar, as well as learning how to use theory to apply these shapes to jazz tunes and chord progressions. One of the first theoretical concepts that jazz guitarists will need to get down is the theory behind diatonic chords and how
What Are Diatonic Chords? Read More »
One of the most commonly learned and played jazz standards is On Green Dolphin Street. In a similar fashion to Autumn Leaves, this tune is often played in two different keys, C and Eb. In this lesson, you’ll learn a chord study played over On Green Dolphin Street in the key of C major. If
On Green Dolphin Street Jazz Guitar Chord Study Read More »
When exploring minor key sounds as a jazz guitarist, one of the first chord qualities you will discover is the mMaj7 chord (the minor major seventh chord). Coming from the first mode of the melodic minor scale, this chord can be used over various minor chord situations, in both major and minor keys, but it
Minor/Major Seventh Chords For Jazz Guitar Read More »
