The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I wish I was good enough to play solo jazz guitar, but, in the meantime, I have found some luck using a looper. I have been doing this since the middle of 2015 …my sets consist of mostly original ‘loop jams’, but I also play some John Coltrane, Miles, The Meters, Stevie Wonder, etc.



    I am not going to turn the heads of accomplished jazz guitarists, but I definitely get repeat bookings at nice local venues as well as community events. I even got to open up for some cool acts such as Felix Pastorius and Hipster assassins as well as the Funky Knuckles.


    I get that the looper is seen as gimmicky by some, and I respect that opinion…but, it’s really worked out for me.


    Keeping things fresh can be a challenge, but I try to make each arrangement unique in some way - also, I switched to a Headrush Looperboard a couple years ago which allows me to run four independent loops of differing lengths. Starting the tunes with a different ‘layer’ each time can keep things interesting as well as adding and subtracting layers during the song - being able to lay a highly varied bass line under a short loop really helps things to not sound super mechanical and overly repetitive. When I play with my drummer we can vary things even more.


    Also, in the clip linked above, please excuse my slightly out of tune high F string (I am a 4ths tuner) — this gig was super rainy/humid that went from really warm to almost chilly very quickly …totally messed with my tuning! It was lovely to sit out in front of a local art gallery and play for three hours though


    Cheers folks!!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Very enjoyable!

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by chasranney
    Very enjoyable!
    Thank you!

  5. #4

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    Return bookings indicates you are doing something right. Keep it up!

  6. #5

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    Nice playing. I like looping that Stevie song too. I am not a big Instagram guy; is there some YouTube channel where I can see some more of your videos? Interested in you work with a drummer and a loop.

  7. #6

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    Nice playing. I see you have a few buttons to chose from on the floor!

  8. #7

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    When I saw the thread subject, I thought "not another karaoke looper guy", but I looked anyway. What a pleasant surprise! Some classy stuff you have going on. Proof that in the right hands, all these new toys really do have musical uses. I can see why you get those gigs.

    Thanks for sharing...

    Tony

  9. #8

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    Very cool. What gear are you using and what is your setup?

    Do you pre-record tracks, or are they all made up on the spot?

    How many of the songs are single progressions? How do you handle songs with different sections?
    Last edited by Dana; 02-05-2022 at 12:08 PM.

  10. #9

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    Lovely!) And though I am not usually hooked by the tone - here the tone is especially sweet.

    May I ask what guitar is this? Looks very beautiful.

  11. #10

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    Thank you for checking things out and for the kind words, folks! I have really grown to love this current era of my musical life. I just played two gigs this weekend - local brewery in Pittsburgh, and then opened up for a national Phish cover band ...interesting times haha. I had my drummer for both gigs - we grew up together cracking jokes and being ridiculous, I am very fortunate to get to make music with one of my very best friends.

    @Jonah - this guitar is a Jaros, a custom builder from PA. I inherited this guitar from my dad - I went with him as a kid to the shop to pick out the wood. It's a great guitar for just about anything.

    @Dana - I use a Markbass bass amp as I have found it to give a good full range response, a Line 6 M13 for effects, and a Headrush Looperboard for all the looping.

    Most of the original jams are based off of short loops - it gives me a wide range of options to work with the harmony and layering. Also, shorter loops give a quicker return when layering so it feels very interactive. I try to think of these tunes as something that progresses in a linear fashion, almost more like electronic music, rather than using traditional song formats.

    That said, I do a few tunes where I will loop a quick click track and then play multiple sections, then drums kick in and we just go back and forth - each time I go around I try to do something different or use a different effects combination to change it up ...you have to really be playful to make this entertaining for an audience. One tune I do this with, for example, is Cissy Strut by the Meters ...it's a simple AB song format and I can jam on it til the cows come home. I play a lot for the jam crowd, they will never hate you for playing the Meters.

    @tbeltrans --thank you very much. it took many years of shedding on the guitar and looper to get this to a 'gig-able' state. it's very rewarding to be able to go out and play instrumental guitar gigs...i wanted to do that since i was a kid!

    @strbender - a few buttons indeed! ...i am lucky to be able to load in/out in two trips haha

    @alltunes - thanks!! you can catch me at facebook.com/kylegreenemusic ...i need to get some newer videos up. Here is a video of a show with my drummer - this was definitely more of a 'show' than 'guy in the corner playing guitar' gig...this place has great beer, too haha:



    @citizenk74 - thank you!! i appreciate it

    Cheers folks, thanks again for the feedback!

  12. #11

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    sounds good according to me.

  13. #12

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    Loved the playing and the guitar.Thank you

  14. #13

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    Thanks @itsmyname and @Archtop Guy!! I appreciate your ears and feedback