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Copied from a 2015 Medium post by Sam Blakelock (whose last post was in 2020). I find this helpful. Thanks, Sam.
- Play the melody up high.
- You don’t need a chord for every note.
- Don’t need to over reharmonize.
- Add different alterations or colors to chord (rather than heavy reharmonization).
- Have strong voice movements between chords.
- You need to have motion and movement in chords.
- Don’t play fills that don’t go anywhere.
- You don’t have to play bass, chord, melody all the time, dip in and out between all three.
- Keep it easy for yourself.
Just a moment...
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01-23-2026 11:19 PM
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"Don’t play fills that don’t go anywhere."
Ah, come on, what fun is that?!
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Nice find, thanks for sharing it.
Originally Posted by TF
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"But can you play Spain?!"
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Paul, #17 on page 2 reads: "Dammit, if I hear another guitarist butcher my tune, Spain, I may go mad! Please Stop! Originally Posted by pauln
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Do you think Joe Pass would like this Corcovado cover? or too simple for him?
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yes yes indeed.
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Excellent simple down to earth advice from Joe that is amazingly profound.
These were all taken from the video “An Evening With Joe Pass”. Interview by Don Mock, concert and audience Q&A.
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Here is Chatbot's two cents...
1. Guitar Setup
- Choose the Right Guitar: A hollow body or semi-hollow body guitar is commonly preferred for jazz due to its warm tone, but solid body guitars can also be used effectively.
- String Gauge: Use lighter gauge strings (such as .011-.050) for easier bending and finger movement, but heavier gauges may offer more volume and tone.
- Action Height: Set up the action to be comfortable for your playing style, balancing playability with sound quality (lower action for ease of play, higher action for projection).
- Pickup Selection: Experiment with different pickups (humbuckers vs. single coils) to find the sound that resonates with your jazz style.
- Intonation: Ensure your guitar is properly intonated so that it plays in tune across the fretboard.
- Setup for Tuning Stability: Regular maintenance, tuning, and perhaps using locking tuners can help keep your guitar in tune during performances.
2. Form and Fingering Technique
- Chord Voicings: Learn complex chord voicings (7th, 9th, 11th, 13th chords) and their inversions, including drop 2 and drop 3 voicings.
- Finger Positioning: Maintain relaxed fingers and use proper fingering to facilitate chord changes and scale runs. Use your fingertips to minimize
- Alternate Picking: Practice alternate picking for smoother lines. This applies to both single notes and arpeggios.
- Legato Techniques: Incorporate hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides to create fluidity in your playing.
- Palm Muting: Use palm muting sparingly to add dynamics and texture to certain passages.
3. Picking Technique
- Pick Choice: Choose a pick thickness that allows for control (medium thickness often works well). Some jazz players prefer fingerstyle.
- Angle of Attack: Experiment with the angle at which you strike the strings; a slight tilt can produce different tonal qualities.
- Rest Stroke vs. Free Stroke: Use rest strokes for more force in played notes and free strokes for more legato phrases.
- Bebop Picking: Study the picking patterns used in bebop lines, which often include syncopation and accents on beats.
4. Strategy for Learning
- Listening: Immerse yourself in jazz recordings and live performances to develop an ear for the style.
- Transcription: Transcribe solos from jazz guitarists and other instruments to understand phrasing and note choices.
- Practice Scales: Focus on major, minor, blues, pentatonic, and modal scales. Pay special attention to the jazz minor scale.
- Use Backing Tracks: Play along with backing tracks to practice improvisation and to develop timing and groove.
- Set Goals: Establish clear short-term and long-term practice goals to track your progress.
- Daily Practice Routine: Include warm-ups, technique exercises, ear training, and repertoire in your daily routine.
5. Improvisation
- Learn Chord Progressions: Master standard jazz chord progressions (e.g., ii-V-I) and practice improvising over them.
- Rhythm Changes: Familiarize yourself with rhythm changes as they provide a solid foundation for improvisation.
- Motivic Development: Develop and manipulate small motifs during your solos to create cohesiveness.
- Use of Space: Don’t be afraid to leave space between notes to allow your phrases to breathe.
- Chord Tone Targeting: Focus on targeting chord tones during your solos to establish strong melodic lines.
6. Performing
- Know Your Material: Be well-prepared with your repertoire, including understanding the structure and feel of each piece.
- Play with Dynamics: Vary your volume and intensity to evoke emotion and maintain listener interest.
- Stage Presence: Engage with your audience through eye contact and body language.
- Collaboration: Communicate with the other musicians on stage; listen actively and adapt your playing to what others are doing.
- Be Open to Feedback: Accept constructive criticism from peers, and use it to improve your performance.
7. Sounding Most Musical
- Tone Quality: Focus on achieving a warm, full tone. Experiment with settings on your amp and effects pedals.
- Use of Effects: Subtle use of reverb, delay, or overdrive can enhance your sound without overwhelming it.
- Emotional Expression: Convey emotion through phrasing, vibrato, and dynamics.
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In the Usenet days I recall there was a rule or pragma stating that every discussion eventually led to someone referring to Nazis, after which it fizzled out and died. Do we now need to update that, replacing “Nazi” with “Chatbot”?
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Back to JP, incredibly good common sense advice.
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My favorite Joe Pass advice is, "Don't ever play anything that's hard."
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That's easy for him to say. Originally Posted by Tim Clark
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“Shearing style”
Yesterday, 05:26 PM in Comping, Chords & Chord Progressions