The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hi All,

    I've been playing guitar since I was a kid. I've a rock/country player. But I've worked on Jazz for a couple of years. My lessons have just been randomly watching youtube...no real focus to my practice. I know basics like arpeggios and standard chords.

    I need a real instructor I think. And I'd like to find some people to play with.

    How did you guys find your teachers and jam buddies? I live in Southern CA so there should be a lot of choices, and I'm not opposed to online lessons. I feel like I'm getting better all the time but it's just so chaotic how I learn

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I think Jonathan Stout is in southern CA. I’d start with him.

    For people to play with, I go to open blues jams and meet horn players.

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    I think Jonathan Stout is in southern CA. I’d start with him.

    For people to play with, I go to open blues jams and meet horn players.
    Thanks! I just don't even know how to find open anything nights. I used to play bluegrass with a bunch of fun oldtimers, but that was a fluke we just happened to know some of the same people. Now that I've relocated I'm lost.

  5. #4

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    I had to create a Facebook account to search for blues jams. Might be worth a shot.

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by AaronMColeman
    Hi All,

    I've been playing guitar since I was a kid. I've a rock/country player. But I've worked on Jazz for a couple of years. My lessons have just been randomly watching youtube...no real focus to my practice. I know basics like arpeggios and standard chords.

    I need a real instructor I think. And I'd like to find some people to play with.

    How did you guys find your teachers and jam buddies? I live in Southern CA so there should be a lot of choices, and I'm not opposed to online lessons. I feel like I'm getting better all the time but it's just so chaotic how I learn
    I teach online.
    I have students from all the world.

    Check me out here

    Double A Jazz - Jazz Guitar Workshop, Jazz Guitar Workshop


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #6

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    @Aaron,
    I highly recommend forum member Pete Sklaroff for online lessons -- he will bring order to your chaos!

    On top of getting a good teacher, "playing with others" is probably one of the best ways to increase your skills! "So Cal" is a huge area (I'm originally from Orange County), but like others have said, find the open jams, "jazz hangouts," local coffeehouses, and maybe even consider posting on Craig's List (augh! of course, you may be killed/robbed, but you may also find some cool players!).

    And have fun!

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by AaronMColeman
    Hi All,

    I've been playing guitar since I was a kid. I've a rock/country player. But I've worked on Jazz for a couple of years. My lessons have just been randomly watching youtube...no real focus to my practice. I know basics like arpeggios and standard chords.
    The above sounds familiar. Some ideas that may be helpful in addition to finding a good teacher. They are in no particular order.

    1) play with a looper; alternate between lead and rhythm playing; also play to backing tracks
    2) try and push some jazz tunes on your rock playing friends
    3) join Frank Vignola’s Jazz Channel on TrueFire $10/mth. Very easy to post videos of your playing that the community (and or Frank) can counsel you on. Also contains a lifetimes worth of quality learning material by Frank himself
    4) concentrate on learning songs and not chasing “methodologies”
    5) be careful about getting too involved with YouTube “gurus”….spend time on your instrument and not the computer
    6) get Garrison Fewell’s book Jazz Improvisation for Guitar: A Melodic Approach
    7) get the DrumGenius app
    8) learn how to read music

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by marcwhy
    @Aaron,
    I highly recommend forum member Pete Sklaroff for online lessons -- he will bring order to your chaos!

    On top of getting a good teacher, "playing with others" is probably one of the best ways to increase your skills! "So Cal" is a huge area (I'm originally from Orange County), but like others have said, find the open jams, "jazz hangouts," local coffeehouses, and maybe even consider posting on Craig's List (augh! of course, you may be killed/robbed, but you may also find some cool players!).

    And have fun!
    I'm from OC (Fullerton right now). I'd be willing to go pretty much anywhere in LA down to SD. Not a hotbed for Jazz, but so many people here there have got to be some who play jazz

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by alltunes
    The above sounds familiar. Some ideas that may be helpful in addition to finding a good teacher. They are in no particular order.

    1) play with a looper; alternate between lead and rhythm playing; also play to backing tracks
    2) try and push some jazz tunes on your rock playing friends
    3) join Frank Vignola’s Jazz Channel on TrueFire $10/mth. Very easy to post videos of your playing that the community (and or Frank) can counsel you on. Also contains a lifetimes worth of quality learning material by Frank himself
    4) concentrate on learning songs and not chasing “methodologies”
    5) be careful about getting too involved with YouTube “gurus”….spend time on your instrument and not the computer
    6) get Garrison Fewell’s book Jazz Improvisation for Guitar: A Melodic Approach
    7) get the DrumGenius app
    8) learn how to read music
    I just started (1) this week! I really try to focus on songs since I love the music not the methods necessarily. And yes (8) learning to read music is a must. I'm a hack reader but I've decided to avoid all tabs and focus on things I have to read. It's been great. Thanks!

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by AaronMColeman
    I'm from OC (Fullerton right now). I'd be willing to go pretty much anywhere in LA down to SD. Not a hotbed for Jazz, but so many people here there have got to be some who play jazz
    Nice! Were you around when Steamers was still happening?! Such a great club!

    [Not sure how up to date his web site is, but contact Ron Kobayashi and see where he's playing! He used to play a lot in Fullerton, and he did some jam sessions here and there -- and he's a cool cat!]

  12. #11

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    I am studying online with Richie Hart. I highly recommend him. He is a monster player and teacher with 50 some years of experience. He teaches how to use your ears as the primary tool for playing. He will make you work hard.

  13. #12

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    - Learn to read music (opens so many doors)

    - Ear training (will help in more than just jazz)

    - iRealB app. Will play the chords, bass, and drums for pretty much every jazz tune. You learn the melody to play over chords. Practice solos over chords.

    - Get a good list of 'learn these first' jazz tunes online. No reason to start on the hard ones.

    - Set up to record easily. Reaper is a good, inexpensive app with lots of support. Focusrite makes good PC interfaces.

    As for finding others to play with.. yea.. it's really hard. Here in southern Oregon there are very few. And none within a reasonable driving distance. Same with teachers which is something I would rather do face to face.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by AaronMColeman
    Hi All,

    I've been playing guitar since I was a kid. I've a rock/country player. But I've worked on Jazz for a couple of years. My lessons have just been randomly watching youtube...no real focus to my practice. I know basics like arpeggios and standard chords.

    I need a real instructor I think. And I'd like to find some people to play with.

    How did you guys find your teachers and jam buddies? I live in Southern CA so there should be a lot of choices, and I'm not opposed to online lessons. I feel like I'm getting better all the time but it's just so chaotic how I learn
    Stu Goodis is a really good jazz guitar teacher. He has a method and a process and one that helped me and many other students over the years. (a few of my jazz jam buddies took from Stu, which is how we meet).

    He is in north Orange County. Google Stu Goodis for his contact info.