The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    I also posted this over on the Teaching/Studying Forum, but now that I think of it, it might be more appropriate here.

    Regardless of what you think of the Suzuki Method as a whole, the concept of "Play beautifully music beautifully" has merit. For those not familiar, a core part of the Suzuki Method is a progressive repertoire of songs designed to slowly introduce techniques and build skills. It is heavily based on a Classical Repertoire, but there's no reason it can't be adapted to any other style of music.


    So, what I'm looking to build is a list of Jazz Solos/Melodies to use in a similar fashion: Single Note Melodies, Chord Tone, Chord+Melody, Walking Bass+Melody, into "Full Scale" Improvised Solos, etc.


    I'm not looking for chord/scale, rhythm, comping, etc. drills -- that's all "technical skills" that would be a different part of practicing. It's also technically un-Suzuki, but that's not the point.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    The challenge is that jazz solos aren’t composed, and the more attractive examples were played by professionals in professional performances.

    That said, some solos and players are simpler than others to emulate.

    the concept of level has to be established too, because even “easier” solos aren’t for beginners. See first paragraph above.

    do you have an example solo that represents where you would like to start?

  4. #3

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    A few players to investigate are Charlie Christian, Kenny Burrell, and Grant Green. And keep in mind that you don’t have to play every chorus.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Donplaysguitar
    ... do you have an example solo that represents where you would like to start?
    That's the issue. There's so much out there. Some looks easy, and likely isn't. While there's definitely stuff out there that my seem difficult, but isn't. My frustration comes from seeing lists made by [s]experts[s] People that play well, but finding a lot of disagreement across them - one list's #3 is another's #10 and visa-versa.

    I was trying to keep this generic, for other guitarists trying to learn jazz, but maybe I need to be personally specific.

    I'm an empty nester that has helped the brood through lessons for multiple instruments, played guitar on and off for decades. I'm looking to get back into the swing (pun intended) of things and play the music I want to play. I've seen and (in one case barely) lived through the kids biting off more than they can chew and fight through deceptively difficult pieces. I'm sure there were times they could have worked on one or two pieces before their white whale and still have been able to have the too-difficult piece done by the same date -- think climbing a wall vs taking the stairs.

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by ElRay
    visa-versa.. I'm looking to get back into the swing (pun intended) of things and play the music I want to play. [/FONT]
    Play the music you want to play. Can you learn melodies by ear? Start with Blue Bossa. You can click the little gear on YouTube and set it to play at a slower speed but it keeps the pitch.

    After that, play stuff you like, get a teacher, or buy a book. Nobody here is going to give you the system you want.


  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Donplaysguitar
    ... Nobody here is going to give you the system you want. ...
    That's not what I'm asking for, but thanks for trying.

  8. #7

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    Well I’m not entirely certain what you want but jazz isn’t necessarily learned the same way that classical is, at least by most. We simply don’t have master-composed etudes and pieces ranging from the very simple to the professional level. No jazz version of Sagreras for guitar in other words.

    One way (and only one) is to learn jazz along the lines of something like the following, with a good degree of parallelism (not purely serially):

    1. Tunes - melody and comping,
    2. Written Jazz language improv patterns on common formulae: (II-V-I, long and short, major and minor. Turnarounds, Dominant cycles, then blues, rhythm changes, Coltrane changes, etc).
    3. Same as 2 but write your own.
    4. Etudes. There are more and more of these, if you will hunt to find them. (Like on this site).
    5. Write and play your own etudes.
    6. Transcribed solos, from “easy” to advanced.
    7. Same as #6 but you do the transcription.
    8. Your own solos.

  9. #8

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    There is a you tube channel called easy sax solos that may be what your looking for... also I really like chet baker solos for really understandable melodies. Don't know if that helps.