The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1
    I think I told myself a while back I would try and post an example of my playing weekly (or as often as I can) to chart my progress and to invite feedback. But due to work commitments I haven't touched the axe in a while.

    Decided to get back into it and what better way is there than going over the old tried and trusted blues. Also finally got a direct audio interface so I can record my guitar straight into my favourite DAW.

    So here it is; (forgive the cheesy piano in the background, next time will try and see if I can use an ireal pro track somehow).



    Feedback appreciated.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I listened to the whole track. My main observation is your hesitancy, particularly in the turnarounds. Perhaps this comes from not being confident what notes work over particular chords in the harmony?

    I would recommend playing the chord tones over each chord in time, i.e. if playing a dom7th or even a ninth, play only the 1, 3, 5, 7, one per beat. This will take you out of a blues or key centered approach and into outlining the chords. It will sound vanilla, but that's okay because it lays out the harmonic terrain of the tune in your mind and ear to allow you to understand and play the notes that are out of the key center.

    Later on, when your harmonic map gels, you can add the in-between notes.

  4. #3

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    This isn’t really terrible.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by P4guitar
    I listened to the whole track. My main observation is your hesitancy, particularly in the turnarounds. Perhaps this comes from not being confident what notes work over particular chords in the harmony?

    I would recommend playing the chord tones over each chord in time, i.e. if playing a dom7th or even a ninth, play only the 1, 3, 5, 7, one per beat. This will take you out of a blues or key centered approach and into outlining the chords. It will sound vanilla, but that's okay because it lays out the harmonic terrain of the tune in your mind and ear to allow you to understand and play the notes that are out of the key center.

    Later on, when your harmonic map gels, you can add the in-between notes.
    yeah listening back, I see what you mean by hesitancy.

    i think it’s less not knowing what to play and more a case of it taking me time to pushing the right buttons.

    i know the fretboard and chord tomes so it’s not really that and I can pretty much transcribe any melody I hear with about 90% first time accuracy, I’m just really slow at real time playing by ear.

    that’s why I turned the tempo waaaay slow, so I could have conscious control over note choice (as in being sure I am actually playing the lines I’m hearing/singing as opposed to intellectually using theory to guide note choice).

    i think though because I’m slow because the turnarounds are fairly quick, I’m not playing much meaningful so I think I’ll go with your suggestion until I get better.

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    This isn’t really terrible.
    thanks for the encouragement.

  7. #6
    We all started here, so keep it up. Well done!

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brummy_Guitarist
    yeah listening back, I see what you mean by hesitancy.

    i think it’s less not knowing what to play and more a case of it taking me time to pushing the right buttons.

    i know the fretboard and chord tomes so it’s not really that and I can pretty much transcribe any melody I hear with about 90% first time accuracy, I’m just really slow at real time playing by ear.

    that’s why I turned the tempo waaaay slow, so I could have conscious control over note choice (as in being sure I am actually playing the lines I’m hearing/singing as opposed to intellectually using theory to guide note choice).

    i think though because I’m slow because the turnarounds are fairly quick, I’m not playing much meaningful so I think I’ll go with your suggestion until I get better.
    I think it's important not to rush yourself. You've done the right thing. Focus on playing the changes, hitting some guide tones through the changes and playing some pre learned 1 bar phrases, that you can then stitch into 2 bar phrases, over a change.

    You'll got really good tone and I think you've got a good sense of form. Thumbs up!

  9. #8

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    You're on your way. It will take time to familiarize the big notes,1-3-5 and 7, in the chords you're using. You might run through those in one position, till those are familiar, then move onto the next. Just play with a metronome, slow at first, to gauge if you can stay in time. Just keep at it, no hurry, no pressure. I anticipate the change coming and think about the third of the chord. Since I'm getting familiar with the arpeggios of that chord, that's what we're talking about, I can fall into a pattern using those notes and also include other notes of that chord scale. I need to know what note and interval that note is. That way you're learning the fretboard also.
    I just think you would have more fun if you didn't have to think too much on where to go next as the song/chords change.

  10. #9

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    I can hear the way you breathe in your phrases, that's cool I think, it's a good path.

    keep on !