Jazz guitar chords are fun to play, but knowing which chords to learn can be complicated. Start by learning the basic chords in our beginner lessons, and work your way up to the more advanced chord voicings and progressions.
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 »
Drop 3 chords are usually one of the first chord types beginning jazz guitarists start to learn.
They are ideal to use in a solo or duo setting because the bass note of drop 3 voicings is always on the 5th or 6th string.
In this lesson, you will learn how drop 3 chords are built and how you can use them on guitar (chord chart included).
Drop 3 Chords & Inversions Read More »
Take 5 is probably one of the most recognized jazz standards of all time.
As the title of the song suggests, Take 5 is in the 5/4 time signature. You will learn how to play Take 5 chords on guitar with both the original groove and a more advanced, syncopated chord study.
How to Play Take 5 Chords on Guitar Read More »
Back cycling is an important concept in jazz music.
In this lesson, you will learn what back cycling is exactly, and how you can apply it to your solos and jazz chord progressions.
How to Practice and Apply Back Cycling Read More »
The Girl From Ipanema, written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, is probably the most famous bossa nova song ever.
In this lesson, you will learn the original chords and rhythm as recorded by Jobim.
The Girl from Ipanema Chords 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 »
Autumn Leaves is another classic jazz standard that every jazz guitarist should have under his belt.
Learn the fun and cool-sounding Autumn Leaves jazz guitar chords based on intervallic ideas and rootless chords.
Autumn Leaves Jazz Guitar Chords Read More »
Besame Mucho is a popular Bolero song played by Elvis Presley, Andrea Bocelli, and The Beatles, among many others. The most famous jazz version of Besame Mucho has been recorded by Wes Montgomery on his album Boss Guitar.
In this lesson, you will learn a chord accompaniment on acoustic guitar.
Besame Mucho Chords Read More »
Drop 2 chords are the most popular and useful chord voicings for jazz guitarists and have been used by many great jazz guitar players such as Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass.
Download our chord chart and learn how to play drop 2 chords for comping, soloing and chord-melody arrangements.
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 »
When learning how to play jazz guitar chords, one of the uncommon, yet cool-sounding shapes, which you will run across, is the maj7#5 chord (aka augmented major seventh chord). Though it is not as commonly used as the maj7 or maj7#11 chord shapes, the maj7#5 chord is an interesting sound that you can add to
Augmented Major Seventh Chords For Jazz Guitar Read More »
A fun and interesting chord progression, the tune Killer Joe is a commonly called jazz standard on jam sessions and gigs. While the tune looks easy from an initial look at the chords, especially the A sections which are only two chords, it can be tricky to keep things from becoming monotonous when playing over
Killer Joe Jazz Guitar Chord Study Read More »
Shell jazz guitar chords are also known as guide tone chords and are the most basic type of chords used in jazz.
Shell chords are a good place to get started because they contain the most important notes of a chord and can be used to build more complex chords.
Shell Jazz Guitar Chords (For Beginners) Read More »
Jazz guitar chords can be complicated and as a beginner, it’s hard to know where to start. When first learning how to play jazz chords, many of us are intimidated by their sounds and shapes. But, jazz chords don’t have to be difficult to get under your fingers if you begin with the right shapes.
17 Easy Jazz Guitar Chords For Beginners Read More »
Summertime is a classic jazz standard that is often played at gigs with a singer.
In this chord study, you will learn how to play Summertime’s chord changes with a variety of voicings such as drop 2 chords, 4th chords and 3 to 9 chords.
Summertime Guitar Chord Study Read More »
Playing the minor ii V i progression is an essential skill for any jazz guitarist, and this progression is often seen by jazz guitarists as being derived solely from the harmonic minor scale. However, as with many musical concepts, there are standard alterations that are often used to make things sound sweeter to Western ears.
Understanding the Minor ii V I Progression Read More »
This short lesson is about a type of chord that occurs frequently in Steely Dan songs and that is known to Steely Dan fans as the ‘mu major chord’ or the ‘µ chord‘. Mu major is another name for an add 2 chord and is nothing more than a major triad with an added 2:
Steely Dan Chords Read More »
My Funny Valentine starts with a recognizable descending minor chord progression that you will find in many other jazz standards as well.
In this lesson, you will learn 10 ways to play the chords of this famous progression.
10 Ways to Play My Funny Valentine Chord Changes Read More »
