The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hello everyone, I am 16 years old and its been a year of me playing jazz guitar. I speak with a background in percussion (snare drum).

    I started getting lessons from a really good teacher, and right now he's been encouraging me to look at the mel bay Joe Pass books for 2-5-1 licks and lines ideas as well as looking at Billie's Bounce from the Omnibook. I've been practicing these just fine and trying to get them up to speed, but I still feel like I'm missing something in terms of jazz guitar. I don't know much in terms of harmony music theory and I always feel lost when my teacher explains exactly what I'm playing or how I can create a new shape. He taught me about 3-note chords (which I think are also known as shell voicings of a chord) and stuff like that as well.

    I'm always trying to learn more about jazz guitar because I really want to be better, but everytime I click on a youtube video or post, I get so lost and I feel like I'm missing out on really valuable information that I could apply to my playing. So my question is, what are some steps or a method I can use to make sure I definitely get better (and maybe do the cool things guitarists like Jens Larsen do on youtube)? Any help would be appreciated!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by BeginT
    Hello everyone, I am 16 years old and its been a year of me playing jazz guitar. I speak with a background in percussion (snare drum).

    I started getting lessons from a really good teacher, and right now he's been encouraging me to look at the mel bay Joe Pass books for 2-5-1 licks and lines ideas as well as looking at Billie's Bounce from the Omnibook. I've been practicing these just fine and trying to get them up to speed, but I still feel like I'm missing something in terms of jazz guitar. I don't know much in terms of harmony music theory and I always feel lost when my teacher explains exactly what I'm playing or how I can create a new shape. He taught me about 3-note chords (which I think are also known as shell voicings of a chord) and stuff like that as well.

    I'm always trying to learn more about jazz guitar because I really want to be better, but everytime I click on a youtube video or post, I get so lost and I feel like I'm missing out on really valuable information that I could apply to my playing. So my question is, what are some steps or a method I can use to make sure I definitely get better (and maybe do the cool things guitarists like Jens Larsen do on youtube)? Any help would be appreciated!
    Heed the advice of Howard Roberts: Slow down. When you are learning something, go as slow as you need to to play the lick, chord, phrase, or whatever with no mistakes. You can gradually increase tempo, but get it under your fingers correctly first before going faster. When you make mistakes practicing, you are practicing mistakes. Patience, Grasshopper.

  4. #3

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    The best thing you can do is stick with your teacher.

    Second best thing is find some other people to play with. Open mics and blues jams are a great place to meet horn players.

    The worst thing to do is watch YouTube and get overloaded with hyper analyzed music theory. You’ll learn that stuff along the way as you need it. And you’ll hardly need the theory.
    Last edited by AllanAllen; 05-28-2022 at 03:01 PM.

  5. #4

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    Welcome!

    I found this quite wise:


  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    The best thing you can do is stick with your teacher.

    Second best thing is find some other people to play with. Open mics and blues jams are a great place to meet horn players.

    The worst thing to do is watch YouTube and get overloaded with hyper analyzed music theory. You’ll learn that stuff along the way as you need it. And you’ll hardly need the theory.
    Yes on one and two, and only a partial yes on number three. The thing you are missing is the connection between hearing and theory. Theory explains why something works, but if you do not understand it in sound you will never really understand it. So learning theory is actually REALLY GOOD (Allen and I seem to disagree on this point) but you need a lot of interaction with a teacher to do the ear training that makes theory come alive; you just won't get that on YouTube. If your teacher is not explaining theory IN SOUND you have no hope of really understanding it. I would suggest checking out a harmony class at your local community college.

    A good harmony class will map every theoretical construct to its sound: you will learn to identify sounds and you will learn names for them. Specifically, you will learn to identify the distance between notes (intervals) and chord qualities (major, minor, augmented, diminished) and then how to combine these skills to understand what you hear (whether IRL or in your "mind's ear) so that you can play it or write it - or any of the above. You will learn to distinguish major from minor from augmented from diminished instantly the moment you hear it, just as you can distinguish red from blue or sweet from sour instantly without thinking. THAT is what a good harmony study and a lot of hard work will do for you.

    At that point you will have the basic skills necessary to hear, understand and use the chromatic hamony and other advanced concepts that are the basis of jazz.

    I lucked into finding an awesome harmony teacher in a community college when I was not much older than you are. He showed us everything in sound, on the piano, every day. HEAVY emphasis on ear training. It was invaluable.

  7. #6
    Hello everyone, your replies have been incredibly helpful and useful to me, so I say thank you to every one of you. Since I am high school right now, I'm not sure if I can pay for ear training lessons, but I will definitely keep the concepts of harmony study and try to find other people to interact with. I will also try to put a lot more trust in my teacher, as I am confident that he is proficient enough to lead me to where I want to be. Thank you for all of your comments , and please, if you have anything to add, I would love to hear it. My teacher stresses that I play legato, which is something that I really took for granted when I started playing a year ago, so I've been practicing slow with patience and trying to do every line I do as smooth as possible. Once again, thank you.

  8. #7

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    It's good to further your general knowledge, that way you can learn more efficiently and integrate stuff more easily. However, it's also important to focus on topics that are relevant to the specific areas that you need to improve - don't try to go at everything at once. For example, with my lessons, a giant hole in my Hammond playing when I started was my lack of chord melody, so that's what I'm working on. I'm also working on improving my feel, call and response, and developing melodies. So pick a concept that will up your playing and then work it hard across a few tunes.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Smith
    It's good to further your general knowledge, that way you can learn more efficiently and integrate stuff more easily. However, it's also important to focus on topics that are relevant to the specific areas that you need to improve - don't try to go at everything at once. For example, with my lessons, a giant hole in my Hammond playing when I started was my lack of chord melody, so that's what I'm working on. I'm also working on improving my feel, call and response, and developing melodies. So pick a concept that will up your playing and then work it hard across a few tunes.

    I find that, even one working on one given aspect, you discover other things along the way, and all sorts of stuff, unexpectedly falls into place. It's nice when that happens.

  10. #9

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    Don’t waste time working on things you can already do; but do make sure you can do the things you think you can.

    Recording seems a good method of self assessment

    Real practice is quite hard so do short bursts

    don’t confuse practicing with playing

  11. #10

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    Oh - it’s important to identify things that you are really terrible at because that’s how you can make the most palpable gains.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by starjasmine
    Yes on one and two, and only a partial yes on number three. The thing you are missing is the connection between hearing and theory. Theory explains why something works, but if you do not understand it in sound you will never really understand it. So learning theory is actually REALLY GOOD (Allen and I seem to disagree on this point) but you need a lot of interaction with a teacher to do the ear training that makes theory come alive; you just won't get that on YouTube. If your teacher is not explaining theory IN SOUND you have no hope of really understanding it. I would suggest checking out a harmony class at your local community college.

    A good harmony class will map every theoretical construct to its sound: you will learn to identify sounds and you will learn names for them. Specifically, you will learn to identify the distance between notes (intervals) and chord qualities (major, minor, augmented, diminished) and then how to combine these skills to understand what you hear (whether IRL or in your "mind's ear) so that you can play it or write it - or any of the above. You will learn to distinguish major from minor from augmented from diminished instantly the moment you hear it, just as you can distinguish red from blue or sweet from sour instantly without thinking. THAT is what a good harmony study and a lot of hard work will do for you.

    At that point you will have the basic skills necessary to hear, understand and use the chromatic hamony and other advanced concepts that are the basis of jazz.

    I lucked into finding an awesome harmony teacher in a community college when I was not much older than you are. He showed us everything in sound, on the piano, every day. HEAVY emphasis on ear training. It was invaluable.
    I actually agree with all of this. I just think YouTube jazz lessons should be avoided by beginners.

    An interesting exercise Jens Larson knocks out in a few minutes, for example running diatonic arpeggios at 120bpm in all keys major and minor with approach notes, could be weeks of work for a beginner and not as helpful as learning a few tunes. Running before you can crawl.

  13. #12

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    Hey BeginT... if you're a real HS kid, trying to learn how to play guitar, jazz guitar. You're in luck, you might actually get there.

    Do you have a lesson plan, daily time thing. What you need to get together is your technical skills. You probably need about 75 to 80 percent of your time being just physically learning the fretboard and how to play anything anywhere. (technical skills)

    Chords, scales, arpeggios etc... and speed.... again speed... chops.

    If you've been working on rhythm.... you're ahead of most already.

    The other 20 - 25%.... work on sight reading, Form.... Form.... Form is the musical organization of space or time, which will become the musical organization of what you play.

    You're already to old to do the kid approach things.... play slow, learn tunes and much of the advice above. Most teachers, on line lessons etc... are just trying to make a living. They're doing great things and do want to help etc...
    but the bottom line is $. (disclaimer... no one on this forum )

    Anyway.... there's no use trying to play jazz tunes or in a jazz style, (performance skills) until you get your chops together.

    If you want more info.... PM me with a short... short phone vid of you playing anything...I'll recognize where you're at and I'll give you some technical lesson plans BS.
    Last edited by Reg; 05-29-2022 at 06:51 PM.

  14. #13

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    Your doesn't mean you are, you're means you are. Your means belonging to the person. Just fyi.

  15. #14

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    I think the following is true for students at any level.

    It's very easy to be distracted from your plan.

    There are as many ways of learning to play as there are players. For every great player who learned a particular way, there's an equally great player who learned in a completely different way.

    Whatever path you choose, the world will provide potential distractions.

    I would suggest that you discuss, with your teacher, whatever is distracting you.

    That's the best advice I can offer.

  16. #15

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    I would take Reg up on his offer and send him a video. Guy can really play and knows his stuff.

    Personal(l)y, I'm cool with your for you're in a jazz context.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian Miller

    don’t confuse practicing with playing
    practice - get the kick from being able to do something that you couldn't do before. Ego-tickle.
    playing - just enjoy the music

    Those two doesn't wanna mix very well quite often.

  18. #17

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    Thanks for the grammar correction...Jimmy.

    Yea Rick's point about distractions is true, but when you have a practice schedule, with a schedule of when and what to practice with check points and time lines... It's really hard to not know how fast your improving.
    Last edited by Reg; 05-29-2022 at 07:12 PM.

  19. #18

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    I don't sense that your improving.

  20. #19

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    Barry Galbraith, Pat Martino - good books
    John Scofield / 'On Improvisation' / - good video.
    Emily Remler-instructional videos.
    These are interesting materials for years of work on them.

  21. #20

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    I try to come just specifically from your post.

    It could be important to figure out for yourself some little things you want to achieve like 'I want to play this or that standard solo' or 'I want to play something John Scofield does here', 'I have some musical ideas in my head and I want to know how to make them on guitar'...

    It may seem a bit strange but even minor artistic goal may be very important and significant vehicle in your practice.

    You see.. I think that in musical teaching - and especially in jazz - and even more in jazz guitar - there is such a huge bunch of methods that you can spend a lifetime just checking them all... and it affects teaching. Teachers often teach tools and methods without trying to understand more specifically what the student needs.

    Try to do it yourself. Maybe trying to be more specific about your artistic goals - 'artistic' does not mean necessarily complex.
    It could be tasteful soul style playing, or groovy funky comping.
    Find one relatively small artistic goal and see what tools can lead you there... minimize tools to only thse that are really necessary for achieving it and those that are most accesable to you.
    And at the beginning do not double it up - I mean just figure out and fix it how to do it one way.
    Then probably try another one if you need.

    If you do not have gigs that often define your purposes quite clearly - then you should be able to define it yourself.

    That is my personal experience.

  22. #21

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    Hey BeginT...

    I can't offer any better advice than you have already received in this thread.

    But I wanted to tell you that I am extremely impressed with the clarity of your writing, the insightfulness of your questions, and your approach and willingness to work hard to get better.

    You're gonna do great, young player!

    P.S.
    Welcome to the forum!

  23. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by BeginT
    Hello everyone, I am 16 years old and its been a year of me playing jazz guitar. I speak with a background in percussion (snare drum).

    I started getting lessons from a really good teacher, and right now he's been encouraging me to look at the mel bay Joe Pass books for 2-5-1 licks and lines ideas as well as looking at Billie's Bounce from the Omnibook. I've been practicing these just fine and trying to get them up to speed, but I still feel like I'm missing something in terms of jazz guitar. I don't know much in terms of harmony music theory and I always feel lost when my teacher explains exactly what I'm playing or how I can create a new shape. He taught me about 3-note chords (which I think are also known as shell voicings of a chord) and stuff like that as well.

    I'm always trying to learn more about jazz guitar because I really want to be better, but everytime I click on a youtube video or post, I get so lost and I feel like I'm missing out on really valuable information that I could apply to my playing. So my question is, what are some steps or a method I can use to make sure I definitely get better (and maybe do the cool things guitarists like Jens Larsen do on youtube)? Any help would be appreciated!
    In addition to my advice from post#2, let me add: Learn songs. Everything you need to know is in the songs. In addition to expanding your knowledge, the give you something to play. Which comes in handy on a gig.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by BeginT
    Since I am high school right now, I'm not sure if I can pay for ear training lessons, but I will definitely keep the concepts of harmony study
    Have you heard of MOOCs? These are online classes that are often free (you may need to pay to get an actual degree) and you can typically follow them at your own pace, review lessons when needed, etc. You can find them on any subject, including music theory. I've followed this one, for instance: https://www.coursera.org/learn/edinburgh-music-theory .

  25. #24

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    There are many theories of practice. One I got from a book was:
    1) Maintenance of technique
    2) Current projects
    3) Creativity session

  26. #25
    You need to ask yourself what is it exactly you think you are missing. Progress can seem painfully slow when you first start out. There’s so much information it can be overwhelming. A good test of progress is to ask yourself are you enjoying what you are doing. If the answer is “yes”, then the pieces of the jigsaw will eventually fall into place. In which case the only thing missing is patience. Perseverance, patience and practise. Good luck.