The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    So after many false starts, I've finally figured out a system that basically 'does the job'.

    - using simple diatonic standards ( e.g. summertime and autumn leaves):

    - solo over the changes jumping about the arpeggio for each chord,

    - throw in tactically added diatonic scale notes to link things up and make diatonic enclosures around the chord tones.... this seems to have the effect of keeping the intervals small and allows me to lead into a target note for the next chord to make it sound pleasant...

    - I'll do the above in all of the 5 'CAGED' positions on the neck, as the natural finger movements for each position result in each position producing different sounds. By playing a 'loop' ( is chorus the correct Jazz term?) in each position I'm able to play fairly long solos that don't really repeat on themselves. I position my fingers as if I'm playing a minor pentatonic scale in each position (I'm a blues-rock convert so that's really easy for me) and use that as the basis for finding the right notes for each chord in the progression.

    So with this approach I'm knocking out nice sounding stuff that friends and family have complemented me on, but I'll admit that it is limited. My stuff has more of a gypsy jazz sound, which is great, but I'm not getting the smokey jazz sound that i'm also after.

    Basically I'm asking for advice on how to move forwards and build on what I'm doing at the moment. I dunno if what I describe above is unorthodox but it definitely does the job.

    I was thinking I'd next look at altered scale stuff over dom7th chords.

    One thing I think I'm not doing yet is 'playing the sound in my head'. The rhythms and timings for sure are coming from my soul but note selection feels like it's based on geometric patterns on the fingerboard rather than coming from my brain. I'd like to be able to play along to a tune I'm humming to myself internally, if that makes sense?

    Thanks for any advice.

    KK

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Well, that "smokey" jazz sound is in the phrasing, too, not just note choice.

    Do you have anything recorded? I'd argue you could spend 10 years on what you're doing now and find a whole lot in it. Chord tones, enclosures, and chromatic approaches aren't something you "graduate from."

  4. #3
    Thanks for the reply, yes I do have some stuff recorded, all be it on a phone with poor sound quality over a backing track. Now here's a challenge, am I brave enough to post a mp3 here for public consumption lol. I'll see what I can dig out from my phone later and take the plunge!

    I'm not trying to 'graduate from' the way I'm now playing necessarily. It feels like a really solid foundation and using my approach I seem to be able to pick up a new tune pretty quickly, e.g. I just did Blue Bossa a couple of weeks ago and was up and running after a few runs through a backing track. Its more like I want to add variation and get out what's inside me more.

    What I'm trying to say maybe is that the approach isn't limited but that my playing feels so.

    Music says a 1000 words, let me get round to posting a sample and see what u think.
    Last edited by KingKong; 03-24-2022 at 10:56 AM.

  5. #4
    Hmmm, tbf there is good advice in ur reply already. Whilst initially feeling a bit dismissive I'm now taking from it the idea of keeping at this simple approach and milking it as much as I can,

    Thanks, genuinely.

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingKong
    Hmmm, tbf there is good advice in ur reply already. Whilst initially feeling a bit dismissive I'm now taking from it the idea of keeping at this simple approach and milking it as much as I can,

    Thanks, genuinely.
    You're welcome.

    People really make jazz out to be more complicated than it needs to be, and WAY TOO MUCH emphasis is put on note choice..."what scale can I play over this chord?"

    It's the kiss of death for most.

  7. #6

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    Yes, altered sounds on the 5 chord is a good next step. Also it's good to be able to have command of the bluesy tonality, that is very common - blues scale + mixolydian. You can also run scale ideas, not only arp ideas. Run a scale idea and don't interrupt it when the chord changes, just adjust to the different notes, that's how you get command of those.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingKong
    So after many false starts, I've finally figured out a system that basically 'does the job'.

    - using simple diatonic standards ( e.g. summertime and autumn leaves):

    - solo over the changes jumping about the arpeggio for each chord,

    - throw in tactically added diatonic scale notes to link things up and make diatonic enclosures around the chord tones.... this seems to have the effect of keeping the intervals small and allows me to lead into a target note for the next chord to make it sound pleasant...

    - I'll do the above in all of the 5 'CAGED' positions on the neck, as the natural finger movements for each position result in each position producing different sounds...

    KK
    Hello! I practice the same, but I add:
    - improvisation in the style of variation of melodies of tunes
    - learning solos of cool musicians
    - work on the repertoire

  9. #8

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    Arpeggios, chord tones, etc... are great. But, you need to know how they are strung together melodically.

    Burt Legion addresses this in his book Connecting Chords with Linear Harmony which examines common lines used to connect harmony in jazz improvisation and composition. A wonderful book that has become immensely valuable to my own studies.

    The basic idea is that in a ii - V7 - I the 7th of the ii7 resolves to the 3rd of the V7 with that 3rd landing on the "one" of the beat.

    Phil DeGreg breaks Ligon's ideas down further into some free simplified PDFs.

    I would suggest starting here (link) at DeGreg's pdf on Legion's outlines. You will quickly see and hear how your arpeggios quickly and easily fall into play to become melodic.

    Good luck

  10. #9
    Thanks for the added posts all.

    Heres the plan for the next few weeks.

    -add altered stuff on the 7 chords, I've had a bit of a go and like the 'mysterious' sound it gives.

    -get learning some 3rd party solos to get ideas, e.g. in this one there's a new idea to investigate in every bar, seems like a goldmine: Blue Bossa - Melody, Chords, And Solos For Guitar

    And am also gonna try to get jamming, find some local cats to hook up with informally, any one got any tips for that? Am in the UK so maybe not as easy as in the us where the jazz music seems a lot more prevelant, is that fair to say?

  11. #10
    Oh yeh and need to get round to looking into jazz blues, probs gonna be easy given I've been playing blues rock for years, although jazz blues seems a bit more technical and precise. Any tips for making the conversion, I.e. blues rock to jazz blues playing?

  12. #11

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    From a note choice perspective, I find that tunes such as Autumn Leaves and Summertime can be fantastic frameworks to explore chromatic and bluesy variations on their implied minor tonalities.

    I would also add that in addition to using arpeggios, chord tones, and scales, try messing around with varying the placement of triads and other note clusters that imply West Asian, South Asian and East Asian tonalities.

    Beyond note choice, as already mentioned above, and since those are relatively straight forward tunes to internalize, they’re wonderful vehicles to explore your phrasing and play around with time and dynamics.

  13. #12

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    The approach you mention about arpeggios can be extended to infinity, that will never be consumed fully.
    I agree about adding atered scale sounds. Abm6 for G7alt for example, that really changes things and opens new possibilities.
    For the notes to come from your head not the fretboard, sing everything you play. Sing the jazz standards, don't have to sound like a singer though.

  14. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by alt
    The approach you mention about arpeggios can be extended to infinity, that will never be consumed fully.
    I agree about adding atered scale sounds. Abm6 for G7alt for example, that really changes things and opens new possibilities.
    For the notes to come from your head not the fretboard, sing everything you play. Sing the jazz standards, don't have to sound like a singer though.
    You are absolutely right, I've been keeping on with this since my original post and there are infinite things u can do with it.

    Here are 2 things that I am finding to be key to expanding it and milking it to its full potential.

    - turn off the backing track, slow it all down and actually compose little lines that cross the chord changes.. hum an idea in your head then play it back, adapt to sound better. These mini lines then become part of my standard 'lick bag'.

    - see what the hell orher people are doing.. e.g. I've been learning by rote a few of the solos from the teaching side of this site. Not with a view to playing them back by rote, more to seeing what little licks and tricks the author has thrown in and pulling them into my own bag. You find note groupings, intervals and movements that u would never come up with on ur own.

    Total fun from top to bottom!

  15. #14

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    Then comes upper structure triads