The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hello!

    I am absolutely brand new to jazz. I love listening to it, but have never played it before in my life. I am a classical guitar teacher in Georgia, and improvising is totally new to me. I enrolled in a Jazz Theory course at a local university and have no idea what to expect. I want to broaden my musical knowledge and have always wanted to learn some jazz. I was wondering if someone here would give me a few pointers on what I should think about studying in advance. The class doesn't begin until fall so I still have several weeks to try and learn as much Jazz theory in advance as I can. I am truly a fish out of water here so any help you give me will be greatly appreciated!

    Should I begin memorizing modes, and if so, which ones would be the the most useful?

    Thank you!
    calico
    Last edited by calico; 05-18-2008 at 12:58 PM. Reason: mispelled word

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    If you're a classical guitar teacher you won't have much of a learning curve. Sure, the styles are different, but it should be easy to integrate; after all, western music is based off of the same theory regardless of style.
    Here are some of my suggestions:
    If you're a classical teacher, I'm assuming you can read music well. This will really help you when playing the melody off of lead sheets. However, it may be more difficult to break into improvisation, depending on how much of it you've experienced. I would start by improvising over your own chord progressions; you can record yourself if you have the ability, or you can get band in a box, which i think is phenomenal for practicing improvisation.

    If you literally know nothing about improvisation here is the simplest way to begin: take a given chord progression, lets say: Dm7 G7 Cmaj7.
    Its in the key of C, so all you need to improvise over it is a C major scale. This works for all diatonic music. Just identify the key of the song, and play the corresponding major scale over it. It'll sound kind of lame, but we all have to start somewhere. Good luck with your studies.

  4. #3

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    Also, in response to your mode question:
    Since you're a teacher, hopefully you know your major scales inside and out. Modes are the same thing as major scales, only with different roots. So if you know your major scales, you can derive the modes as well.

    I think one of the more common modes in jazz is Dorian, which is a major scale beginning on the second note. In the key of C its DEFGABC (note: its identical to C major, just beginning with a different root, in this case, the second). Try playing it over a progression and you'll notice that it has a minor quality.

  5. #4

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    Thanks for the help buddha12. Although I teach CG, I never delve deeply into theory with my students - only the most basic stuff. I took 2 years of theory while working on my music degree (and that was several years ago), but am ashamed to say I have long since forgotten most of it. I have a lot of review to do!

    Maybe I'm over-reacting, but for a lot of classical guitarists, the though of leaving the printed note and just playing improv scares the bejeezeez outta some of us! Me, for sure! But, it's time to try something new and I've always loved jazz. I will definitely brush up on scales, and begin improving Dorian over a chord progression. I bought the book, "How To Play Jazz" vol. 1 published by Aebersold and it came with a practice CD. Ya'll would laugh if you saw me, but this is all new stuff to me!

    Thanks again!

  6. #5

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    Although I teach CG, I never delve deeply into theory with my students - only the most basic stuff.
    After re-reading that I sound as if I never talk about music theory with my students. I do, it's just that none of them so far have been interested in it beyond interval recognition, knowing a few key signatures, and some basic scalar patterns. I teach my more advanced students the Segovia scales and such, but I guess I'm getting off my own topic here. o.k., I'll stop now......

  7. #6

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    Hey Calico,
    Try learning some of the standard repertoire this summer before you start your theory class. Since you play classical you can check out any of the great solo jazz guitar books out there that have arrangements of standard tunes. Here's a list of 10 tunes that you might want to check out before the fall.

    1) C Jam Blues (The blues is the most basic and yet most fundamental form in jazz)
    2) I Got Rhythm (Again one of the most fundamnetal forms in jazz)
    3) Summertime
    4) Autumn Leaves
    5) Tune-Up
    6) Blue Bossa
    7) Killer Joe
    8) Pent Up House
    9) Doxy
    10) Maiden Voyage

    And try listening to as much jazz and jazz guitar music as you can this summer. As much as classical guitar is taught by learning music off of a page, jazz guitar is taught by ear and by learning from recordings. With your background I would expect you will be able to pick up a ton of stuff really quickly if you just get your ears used to these new sounds.

    MW

  8. #7

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    You might want to focus on chord tone arpeggios before worrying too much with scales. Play over a looped progression as Budda says, but just play the arp for each chord and try to create musical phrases that sound pleasing to your ear by experimenting with different intervallic patterns. Be sure to "swing" your notes as you play. That sing-songy, finger snapping, effect you get from swinging the notes will make you sound like you are playing jazz. Then experiment by starting each of your phrases with a chromatic note from a half step higher or lower. For example, start a C Major 7 arp with the flat fifth, then play the rest of the phrase using just the chord tones. Then try adding more chromatics as passing tones between chord tones of the arpeggio. If you are swinging the notes, you will start hearing jazz like phrases that you've heard on recordings so often. The course is going to introduce you to a lot of theory, so I would recommend getting the rhythm and sound of jazz into your ears instead of cramming on theory in advance of the class.

    If you can't visualize the arps all up and down the neck, just try to play the tones you can visualize from the standard chord grips you've already been using extensively.

  9. #8

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    Oh, and let me add one other thing. Just take any classical piece you know, and try playing it by swinging the notes as you play. You just jazzed Bach. Try adding some slides and hammerons, or the chromatic approach tone idea I was talking about to the classical piece. You'll be amazed at the effect. I play simple classical pieces swing style all the time like that. It's fun. I do this with all types of music. It's really interesting how varying the rhythmic approach to a song can vary it's style so much without really doing any critical thinking.

  10. #9
    Stringbean Guest
    I found a pretty cool trick to help with beginning improv. Start with a basic blues form, I'm currently using C Jam Blues. I'm pretty sure it's just 3 chords. C7 F7 and G7.

    Make a backing track recording of the chords. Then figure out the melody, it's really easy, just 2 notes, but it definately swings. Play that for a while think about the chords changing and try and hear the 3 part theme.

    Then, think about each chord and how it is a dominate color. Notice that C7 is the dominate chord found in the key of F major. And likewise, F7 is found in the key of Bb, and G7 is found in key of C major.

    Now, to improvise over the C7 chord, used the notes that make up the F major scale. This will put you in the mixolydian mode. Likewise use the corresponding major scales over the F7 and G7 chords. Again you will be in the mixolydian mode.

    Now here's the fun part. To make your solo sound musical, pick any mixolydian melody you can find and play it over each chord (transposing as you go). You'll be amazed at how the same melody sounds remarkably appropriate over each chord. Somehow, the original melody played in the three keys is unified in the blues structure.

    You can use little snippets of the melody to run over each chord, or play the whole thing. Play the melody backwards, skip parts and loop sections...it's really kinda fun. Then go back to the 2 note C Jam Blues melody, and thats jazz!

    A good mixolydian song to use is the old folk song OLD JOE CLARK.
    Last edited by Stringbean; 05-21-2008 at 01:38 AM.

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringbean
    Now, to improvise over the C7 chord, used the notes that make up the F major scale. This will put you in the mixolydian mode. Likewise use the corresponding major scales over the F7 and G7 chords. Again you will be in the mixolydian mode.
    Stringbean has some seriously useful advice on this. I agree with everything he said, even the above. But, I just want to throw this out as an alternative way of thinking for those that are just getting started:

    Yes, if you play the "F major scale" over the C7 you are in "mixolydian mode." Then, when the chord switches to F7 you can play the "Bb major scale" and again, you will be in "mixolydian mode," just as Stringbean says.

    Another way you can think of this is to simply think about "mixolydian" as a scale with the following intervallic relationship: 1,2,3,4,5,6,b7. This is the sound of mixolydian. If you apply this intervallic forumla to each chord, you'll get the same thing. But, you will be thinking C7 when you are playing C7 and F7 when you are playing F7, which will open the fretboard up to you and align your ear and mind to the chord at hand.

    When I see C7, I want to be thinking C7 and the intervals of C7, not F major. If I'm visualizing the 1,2,3,4,5,6,b7 as I play over a C7, then it is very easy for me to use chromatics. I know exactly where the b3 and b5 is and can use them to construct phrases. Plus, because I am thinking in C7 intervals, instead of F major, the sound of C7 appears all over the fretboard to me. I can play endless lines over C7 up and down the fretboard without thinking about patterns per se. Yes, if you go back and look at it, I will have been playing in "F major" the whole time (excluding any chromatics used), but I was thinking C7, which is what I should be thinking when I am playing over C7.

    I offer this as an alternative for a beginner, because I think it makes it obvious why "F major" sounds good over C7. It's because when you play an "F major" pattern over C7, you are playing the intervals of 1,2,3,4,5,6,b7 (with respect to the C7 chord). Well of couse that's going to sound harmonious! Yes, you can do the same thing by analyzing the notes being used, I understand that. But the intervals are easier for me to think about analytically.

    If you can get to the point that you can visualize the intervals and relate that to the actual notes you are playing, then that's even more powerful, but just being able to recognize the intervals in relation to the roots of any chord is a great place to start.

    I'm not suggesting that you think of intervals as you play, necessarily. But if you think of them as you practice these modes or scales and relate them to the chord tones, then the patterns will present themselves naturally. But the difference to a begginer is that when you use patterns that have become self-apparent because you learned the intervallic relationships first, then the patterns will mean more to you than just a palette of tones. The advantage of this will really become apparent when you are doing chord melody when you have to construct voicings to make fingering melody notes easier. If you are used to thinking of intervals, and not just patterns, then it will be quite easy for you to construct voicings at will. You can throw the chord books away.

    Anyway, just some opinions. Take it for what it's worth or ignore. Lots of better players out there than me, that's for sure.

  12. #11
    Stringbean Guest
    Hey Goofsus4. I like that approach too. I guess I'm hung up on modes cause I've been playing so much tinwhistle these days. Damn thing is only one key, and the modes help to flesh it out.

    Here's another trick I just discovered. I think it will work...

    Let's say you're working on C Jam Blues again. C7, F7 and G7. Knowing that the keys move along from F major to Bb major and C major, use the dorian mode from each key to solo over the blues changes.

    To help the melodic sound pick a simple Dorian melody to transpose over each key. A good choice is Scarborough Fair.

    So over the;
    C7 you play Scarborough Fair in G Dorian
    F7 you play Scarborough Fair in C Dorian
    G7 you play Scarborough Fair in D Dorian

    Try to arrange the melody to fit the blues form;
    Statement / Restatement / Conclusion
    Or, retain Scarborough Fair's original phrasing over the blues changes...this will cause some interesting tensions.

    Maybe, mix in the Old Joe Clark Mixolyian mode melody with the Dorian melody.....nah, too cheesey!

    Note:
    If we remember that the dorian and mixolydian modes are derived from the major scale, we only need one fingering pattern to play both sounds.
    Last edited by Stringbean; 05-21-2008 at 04:13 PM. Reason: spelling

  13. #12

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    Thanks for all the great advice. I wish I could just jump in there and start doing it. Problem is, I need to hear what is you all are talking about. Are there any mp3's available for downloading which I could listen to first just to get an idea of what it sounds like? I think I may need to take a few lessons from a Jazz guitarist before class starts - at least to get me started safely between the ditches. I may very well immediately veer off and crash but at least I'd like to have a fair start. The class is about Jazz theory - I'm just assuming we will be improvising some of the time.

  14. #13
    Stringbean Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by calico
    TAre there any mp3's available for downloading which I could listen to first just to get an idea of what it sounds like?
    It's all right here: YouTube - Duke Ellington - C Jam Blues (1942)

  15. #14

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    I'm no jazz master but I do like things short, simple and sweet.

    Play what you hear.

    In order to do that you have to learn theory (or at least SOME way to organize tones. Established theory would probably be the easiest, most complete way). Chord spellings, formulas, same with scales. What scales go with which chords, arpeggios, etc.

    You want to learn how these theoretical concepts sound and ideally relate them to what you already know. Ex: If you learn about the Major scale, to relate it to a song that starts with or uses the Major scale, or third or dorian or whatever.

    Sing those sounds using intervallic names and note names.

    Sing chord progressions of new songs. Really hear the changes.

    Play what you want over the changes. Listen and notice what you're doing.

    It's not hard. It's just a long process.

  16. #15

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    Hello everybody.......I’m new here, so I’d like to send my best wishes to all in the forum, and I look forward to participating in it.
    By all means, memorise the modes, as when it comes to improvisation, you cannot have too much in your armoury.
    However, I would personally favour the suggestion given by the great Joe Pass, at a seminar which I attended in London, many moons ago. He suggested learning songs, songs, songs.......lots of them , and in different keys.
    Of course while learning songs, you are killing two birds with one stone, as these rich melodies contain lots of scale fragments, arpeggios etc.
    At one point, Joe asked people in the audience to call out a song title. He would respond with an instant chord/melody performance, beautifully crafted, neat and complete.
    I guess that, throughout his career, having played so many songs/melodies, his pool of melodic ideas was very deep, and he was also unlikely to come up against any harmonic situation that he had not previously encountered.
    When speaking to someone, you are not (are you?) consciously thinking “I’m gonna use a verb now”. To refer to the great Joe Pass again, I doubt very much, that he would ever be consciously thinking “I’m gonna use the C Lydian augmented scale now”
    I believe that, whatever the chord progression, he heard melody over it. And what better place to find melody than in songs!

  17. #16

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    Joe Pass was also forced by his drunken father to play tunes from the radio.

  18. #17

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    I've been doing a little work lately - I've reviewed the basic modes I,D,P,M,L, A,L and have been doodling around with them. I've found that memorizing some basic rules such as Dorian is a natural minor with a raised 6th degree helps when writing out the scales, but doesn't do me a lot of good when I'm trying to play it. Say I'm supposed to play some scales over some chords in the Key of C major. Could I use any mode I wanted so long as it was appropriate for the key of C? For instance, I could play notes from D Dorian mode, or G Mixolydian while the chords C, F and G were being strummed in sequence?

  19. #18

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    Hey Calico,
    That's exactly right. For the most part the "modes" are more used on the guitar to help us play the major scale all over the neck. Some teachers use the word mode to describe those 7 fingerings, others use the word positions, it's all relative.

    So if you have a progression in C major, you can use and/all of the modes you mentioned above and they will work great and allow you to play all over the neck at the same time.

    MW

  20. #19

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    Thank you November.
    It seems one must assume that his father was always drunk......that there were never moments of sobriety........that he always forced......never encouraged.
    In the glowing luminescence of your one-line, Earth-shattering revelation to the Jazz world, everything I have said must be invalid, null, void and irrelevant.
    Having only just joined the forum, I never thought I would have to re-consider so soon.

  21. #20

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    Trinity,
    Please don't judge the forum by one person's remarks. Sometimes things are taken out of context, or an off the cuff post is written. Overall this is the best forum I have ever been a part of, and I hope you decide to stay with us. We'd love to hear more of your input and insight into any/all of the topics posted.

    Stick with us man, ignore the stuff you don't like, dig the stuff you do, it'll be worth it.

    MW

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Trinity
    Thank you November.
    It seems one must assume that his father was always drunk......that there were never moments of sobriety........that he always forced......never encouraged.
    In the glowing luminescence of your one-line, Earth-shattering revelation to the Jazz world, everything I have said must be invalid, null, void and irrelevant.
    Having only just joined the forum, I never thought I would have to re-consider so soon.
    Hey guy. You really shouldn't talk to people like that. What I said is a fact. What you responded with is something you'd never get away with if you were with someone in real life. Leave the forum, I don't care. I'm new too but I haven't personally attacked anyone like you just did.

    Assume what you want. That's between you and your mind. I got A's in Logic, Trinity (pretty name btw). I didn't say what you did.

    You're welcome for being allowed to be in the presence of my radiant wisdom. Make the most of it. Based on your post, you seem educated enough to appreciate it.

    Plus, you're right. The 'Jazz World' needs me. I'm glad what I say matters so much that it influences peoples behavior.



    PS - If you have anything else to say, please come visit me in Los Angeles. I'd be more than happy to meet with you so you can say whatever you want directly to me.
    Last edited by November; 05-25-2008 at 09:49 PM.

  23. #22

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    wow. you knew joe pass and all of his intimate family secrets? that must have been cool. so nice of you to divulge them on a public forum.


    i hope you stick around, trinity.

  24. #23

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    It was cool. Too bad you weren't there.

    Man. You guys are really coming off as passive aggressive which is totally weak.

    If you can't find value in knowing what Joe grew up with, then I'm sorry for you. It could be seen as useful to know that.

    Anyone else have some weak, internet forum, smart-guy thing to say?
    Last edited by November; 05-25-2008 at 09:55 PM.

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by November
    Hey guy. You really shouldn't talk to people like that. What I said is a fact. What you responded with is something you'd never get away with if you were with someone in real life. Leave the forum, I don't care. I'm new too but I haven't personally attacked anyone like you just did.

    Assume what you want. That's between you and your mind. I got A's in Logic, Trinity (pretty name btw). I didn't say what you did.

    You're welcome for being allowed to be in the presence of my radiant wisdom. Make the most of it. Based on your post, you seem educated enough to appreciate it.

    Plus, you're right. The 'Jazz World' needs me. I'm glad what I say matters so much that it influences peoples behavior.



    PS - If you have anything else to say, please come visit me in Los Angeles. I'd be more than happy to meet with you so you can say whatever you want directly to me.
    Well, since you are willing to make sweeping statements based on no first hand knowledge, allow me to make one. You sir, are an idiot.

  26. #25

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    You know what. This is just lame. lol

    If you guys are getting mad 'cause I said that, it's your problem. I said it for the benefit of others. That was my intention. You guys are showing your true colors.

    I really would punch someone in the throat if they took that tone with me in real life. The invitation stands. But, alas, here we are.

    So. I didn't mean offense. You guys are pretty weak for taking a teenage-sarcastic tone with me on an internet forum. Super weak.

    But Mr. Beaumont, are you Jeff Matz? The playing is actually pretty good, so though you have no apparent social skills, your playing is nice.