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 »
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 »
Listening to Wes Montgomery play jazz can be both a liberating and intimidating experience. For a guitarist still learning the ropes of chord soloing, trying to play like Wes is daunting from the get-go. As far as chord soloing goes, Wes is known for his incredible speed, rhythm, and musical sensibility. Using familiar shapes, most
Wes Montgomery Chord Solo – Jazz Blues & Yesterdays Read More »
Just Friends is a classic jazz standard that is often called at jazz jam sessions and pick-up gigs. Because of this, having a strong understanding of the Just Friends chords will come in handy when jamming on this tune in a jazz combo setting. The chord study in this lesson will help you build your
Just Friends Chords – Jazz Guitar Chord Study Read More »
Take your chord playing to the next level with 5 essential chord exercises in this in-depth lesson.
You will learn how to play chord scales, inversions, tune studies, and more.
Essential Jazz Chord Exercises 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 »
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 »
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 »
