Jazz Band Audition Suggestions?

[Ares Renrut]

Hey all!

I have made the decision to try out for my schools Advanced Jazz Band. I currently play Trombone in the Intermediate Band. I am completely self taught on the guitar so, chords are not my strong-suit.

Any suggestions on what I should work on if I already have a basic grasp on the guitar? I Auditions are in May so, wish me luck. Thanks for any feedback.

Have yourselves the best day!

[hotpepper01]

Welcome Ares. Happy to read that you are starting to play guitar is your schools Advanced Jazz Band. Contrary to playing notes on your trombone, be it as a soloist or playing backgrounds, if you play guitar in a jazz band, you are a part of the rythm section next to the bass, drums and piano. 90-95 percent of the time, you are supposed to comp (ie playing chords) while someone else has the lead.
Comping is rather complex and you will learm soon enouh ones you passed the audition.
My advise would be: learn how to play "shell chords" of the major and minor chords. Shell chords are most 3 note chords on the 3rd. 4th and 6th string. That alone will be challanging enough.
I hope you will succeed in what you aim for.

[AllanAllen]

Post six

Struggling with an arrangement

if you know what tunes they are auditioning with let us know.

[Dave70]

...chords are not my strong-suit.

Work on that for sure!

[Jimmy blue note]

In the rhythm section, your job is to create a SOLID feeling of time, so always keep in mind your confidence must be infectious.
Metronome. A metronome will test the relationship of your hands to the fingerboard. In other words it will keep you honest if you're not making it. Keep the roots of your chords really clear (don't think fancy or give in to the urge to be anything other than be clear and strong.)
Swing feel. Walk around without your guitar. Snap your fingers. Feel these as 2 and 4. Then sing interesting rhythms where your pulse is strong coming from you, and being supported by the finger snap in the background. This is a feel thing, so internalize it before you even try to get your guitar in the game.

Try using simple voicings with root in the bass and practice your movement up and down the strings and across string sets. This is so you can get a solid feel for where the sounds are and the hand and arm movements you need to navigate the fingerboard.

If this is too basic for you, then you're in good shape. If it's a challenge, keep in mind what you're going after in all these categories.

And I might also strongly suggest as you practice, use a metronome when playing the guitar and record yourself. That little ticker is the drummer you'll be working with and 2 and 4 is the high hat you'll cue from. Learn to feel comfortable with the sound around you and solid with the sound within you.

Good luck! You can do it!

[Ares Renrut]

Thank you so much! I've borrowed one of the tunes the Advanced band is playing at the moment and am using that as a practice piece. I also have a few Real Books for my bone. If I already have a relatively solid time feel, is working up these tunes just to get the practice a good idea? Or should I start with something similar.
Also, I will most likely have to transcribe a solo for my Audition. I have ZERO experience transcribing solos, what would you recommend me do to work that skill up?
Once again, Thank you so so much for your insight.

[AllanAllen]

The advice I got was to transcribe some Chet Baker or Dexter Gordon ballads. Kenny Burrel’s Chitlins Con Carne is a good one since it’s mostly pentatonic based.

[chasranney]

Welcome Ares. Happy to read that you are starting to play guitar is your schools Advanced Jazz Band. Contrary to playing notes on your trombone, be it as a soloist or playing backgrounds, if you play guitar in a jazz band, you are a part of the rythm section next to the bass, drums and piano. 90-95 percent of the time, you are supposed to comp (ie playing chords) while someone else has the lead.
Comping is rather complex and you will learm soon enouh ones you passed the audition.
My advise would be: learn how to play "shell chords" of the major and minor chords. Shell chords are most 3 note chords on the 3rd. 4th and 6th string. That alone will be challanging enough.
I hope you will succeed in what you aim for.

These attachments all came from Jonathan Stout's swing guitar blog. Jonathan is a member of this forum and the leader of the ensemble, "Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five".

Good luck!
20EssentialChordVoicings.pdf
20 Voicings.pdf