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Hey Chris... I probably posted this decades ago.... but
To play jazz Live.... You need to get your technique together. Your ears will follow.
Like 50 60 years ago... I was set up with a productive practice schedule... for guitar.( I need cover)... I took lessons from a working B-3 player as a kid.... older Black musician there is more, but who cares.
Start all daily practice with Spider drills... Played on each string from fifth position up to 12th. Then shortly after when your hands and picking begins to improve... play across strings.. 1 on 6th string, 2 on 5th, 3 on 4th string.
Then from top string down across strings, starting from 1st string
Drills
1234 2341 3412 4123
1243 2341 3421 4132
1342 2413 3124 4231
1324 etc..
1423 etc..
1432 etc..
1432
Scales
Maj. (with all modes) Play 2 octaves up and down in position moving up the fretboard.
I always worked on Chromatic and chromatic patterns
Synthetic Scales...
Whole Tone
Diminished
Melodic and Harmonic Min.
Harmonic Maj.
Pentatonics...
Etc... you can get them all from Berklee stuff, Mark Levine, David Berkman etc..
Chords... from all the scales. Inversions and what will become more important... all chords with lead lines or the note on top, which will lead you to be able to start learning how to Comp. And then open the door to "CHORD PATTERNS"... which is how we as jazz players comp and solo... Almost all single chords will become "Chord Patterns"
Sight Reading
Rhythmic studies
Tunes
Take the time to write all this material out so you will also understand what is implied and where it's from...which will lead to how things work or function together with different musical contexts, tunes. And how tunes can have different approaches to playing. Kind of like playing a Bb blues in Minor..
You'll find out where you need work... adjust as you improve.
Feel free to ask me anything.... I can cover... both in the practice room or performance.
Reg
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01-24-2026 04:11 PM
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dont do any of the above ..dive straight into transcriptions...plethora of stuff out there..Tabs and notation..before long youll be blowing like a jazzman...academic stuff id leave behind..unless you like exercises
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The routine I am happy with is this:
Every day the first thing to do after a tea is to pick up the guitar, spend 30-60 minutes just for getting a groove going.
Groove and the sweet snap into the fingers. This is the one thing that I have to do even if the world is burning down the same time.
And then there is all of the other things.
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So I went ahead and instead of overthinking my practice just practiced this AM. The standard I'm working on is Have You Met Miss Jones. I found all the stuff I crammed into a spreadsheet I did not want to do so I just practiced the tune itself by...
- Playing the head in time (i was around 104bpm)
- Playing the changes in time via shell voicings
- Playing the head in time without looking at the chart
- Playing the changes in time without looking at the chart (try to sing the head at the same time if possible. Bridge was tricky)
- Try to play the head along with the root note of the changes in counterpoint. This was fun and difficult (once again at the bridge) but was rewarding and helped me understand the chords and "feel" the movement of the tune. This also helps me understand how chord melody is constructed.
The above took about 1.5hrs. I have the tune and changes memorized and feel I understand the changes a lot better. Next, I am going to try to arpeggiate the changes while sticking to a single position on the fretboard and move up a fret at a time to see if I can do that. I don't feel comfortable playing over certain chords in all areas of the fretboard so I feel this will help.
I think I was wanting to make a huge spreadsheet of all the stuff I wanted to practice because I've recently started lifting weights again and spreadsheets help me there. However, this is not working out - a lot more critical thinking is required. I still have a spreadsheet but all it tracks is the standard, the key, the BPM, length of practice, approach of practice, and any comments for that day. I think with this kind of stuff you probably need to be flexible.
Maybe I'm wrong and will change my mind in a couple days but for now I like this setup.
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A practice routine needs long term commitment and flexibility. (IMHO)
Stick with it and give the exercises time to get into your head (sub-conscious mind).
(Remember, it will probably take months before the rewards will become tangible.)
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02-02-2026, 07:22 PM #81LanBaul Guest
Guitar is not as standardized as piano but 3NPS scales and CAGED shapes cover all keys and are easy to track.
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This is a good place to be along with working on the stuff Reg talked about. His posts are oddly dismissed here, which is super weird because modern youtuber jazz guitarists like Cecil Alexander cite him as an influence.
Originally Posted by chris32895
Something to mull over...
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On the idea of critical thinking in learning, working, and developing musical things, I use a general approach centered around "mystery"...
The mystery is that which the musical thing holds before you can play it. We have all probably experienced being awed by a series of phrases or chord sequence, but then after the process of becoming able to play it, the mystery is diminished, maybe gone.
Typical is receiving a set list where a singer specifies a particular recording that is their "context" for how they sing the song. The point is it may be something you haven't played before.
The critical thinking approach is comparing what your ear and hands feel like before and after being able to play something:
Listen to the thing, try to play it, and assuming not being able to play it, stop
Now I think about it like this:
You know that ten minutes from now you will be able to play it. Something will have changed for that to happen. In a moment you will try again and examine what is going on right now by asking yourself what does your ear feel like not knowing how it goes? What do your hands feel like not knowing what to do?
Then "force" yourself to try some more by counting in. This is confronting the mystery. You want to get a very vivid memory of the feeling of your ear and hands not being able to play it because ten minutes from now you will be able, and at that time you will have a vivid feeling in your ear and hands that you can do it. The thing is afterwards, you want to compare those feelings - what feels different in your ear and hands afterwards?
Then I figure out how to play it and compare and contemplate the feelings of before and after. Not emotional feelings, but the feeling of the ear and hands - it is the confrontation by forced trying that makes clearer this kind of feeling in the ear and hand.
Although a thing may be demystified via this process, the comparison of how your ear and hands felt before and after being able to play the thing does not answer any questions as to what changed or how it happened, but doing the comparison seems to positively connect things internally below conscious control in the long run..
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Say whaaaaat? Reg has bodacious street cred in this forum. I'm sure IRL too :-) though I haven't had the pleasure... Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Everyday, I'm playing the Songs I know, but trying to incorporate new technical exercises and rhythmic timing stuff.
I try to remind myself, "less single note noodling and more comping, comping, comping."
But again today, I have to remind myself, more comping.
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Noodling feels so close to practice, it’s dangerous. Originally Posted by GuyBoden
Everyday, I'm playing the Songs I know, but trying to incorporate new technical exercises and rhythmic timing stuff.
I try to remind myself, "less single note noodling and more comping, comping, comping."
But again today, I have to remind myself, more comping.
I’ve been doing a “Superchops light” routine. First I learned Cherokee, Melody, then chords. Then I wrote some tonal centers and substitutions. Then I figured out guide tones, and started mapping rootless 9th arpeggios on my guitar. I have back to back gigs this weekend, but Monday I’ll start recording a backing track to metronome and playing to that. After I learned the melody and chords, it’s all been free time.
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I mean … it’s okay to practice single notes too.
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Obviously. I don't know what Guy's on about... perhaps he needs this book - Martin Taylor Single Note Soloing for Jazz Guitar: The Complete Guide to Melodic Jazz Guitar Improvisation (Learn How to Play Jazz Guitar) eBook : Taylor, Martin, Alexander, Joseph, Pettingale, Tim: Amazon.co.uk: Books Originally Posted by pamosmusic
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There’s this thing that goes around the forum that 90% of what you do as a guitarist is comp and that just hasn’t been true for me.
Most of my gigs have been trio. Solo is a close second. Then probably duo and quartet tied for third.
As the guitarist in a trio, you’re maybe comping a third of the time tops? Solo is kind of a different thing. Duo is 50/50 depending on the instrumentation, and quartet is maybe 30/70. So on balance quite a lot more single note playing than comping.
I feel like that 90% number could only really be true if you were mostly playing in big bands, but that’s pretty rare these days.
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Indeed. And if one's single note soloing sounds like noodling, if anything that's a reason to practice it more, not less. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
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In performance (as a trio) I don't divide playing as comp and solo. Depending on the tune, I imagine what I am playing at the moment might be categorized something like this:
intro
head
riffs (may be lines, octaves, chords)
chords
chord melody (may be voiced chord series)
accompaniment
soloing
ending
I'll call these I, H, R, C, M, A S, and E for reference.
I may include H, R, C, M, A, S
H may include R, M
R may include C, M
C may include M, A
M may include R, C, A, S
A may include R, C, M, S
S may include R, C, M
E may include R, C, M, A, S
A tune played through six progression cycles might look like this where each symbol includes what it may include above, so just schematic...
The nature of practice is to develop grasp and ability to relate and execute these elements.
Intros and endings, heads, and riffs, octaves, chord melody, etc. all have a soloish aspect to them, maybe less of execution but more of being various degrees of an out front attention; whereas, general accompaniment may include some of these same elements its feel is a move away from up front attention.
My diagram is not very good and the marks for the elements (and what they may include) are visibly kind of tedious. In words, what I try to do is emulate Wes' sense of "always soloing" even when not strictly soloing by melodically, harmonically and rhythmically maintaining connection to the tune no matter what he was playing (there always being some degree of "soloishness").
This is what informs my practicing, seeking connections between the various elements that comprise the particular tune's style and feel, in order to differentiate that tunes' expression in subsequent performance. My desire to solo is sublimated into all the other ways of playing by considering their connective development as "soloish", so I use chord series with voicing, distinct riff lines, octaves, double stops, triads, chord melodyish voicing, etc. to limit outright soloing for most tunes (but may relax that limitation for blues and some particular tunes). It is always good to practice preparation to play more than you need (technique, speed, complexity) in anticipation for performance... but the key is not to feel compelled to play more than you need, just be relaxed - ready, willing, and able; this is confidence.Last edited by pauln; 05-30-2026 at 04:05 PM.
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Unreal
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Definitely not the Real Book path. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
Performance is what you practice.
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I'll admit, I've been addicted to "Single Note Noodling", mostly playing to backing tracks, but I sought help and I'm in recovery. Originally Posted by James W
Band-IN-A-Box was my low point 20 years ago, I couldn't keep away, I was "Single Note Noodling" to Band-IN-A-Box all day.
Looking back, I think that the Aebersold Play-A-Longs were the gateway to "Single Note Noodling" over backing tracks.
Someone gave me an innocent looking Aebersold Play-A-Long and I was hooked.
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Good to know. What does your recovery consist of? I'm curious. Originally Posted by GuyBoden
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Originally Posted by James W
How I reduced my "Single Note Noodling".
NOODLING RECOVERY ACTION PLAN
1.) Try to space out your "Single Note Noodling", particularly in the middle of the day.
2.) Aim for a stable daily "Single Note Noodling" intake that is planned. Once you have done this for one week, start to cut down slowly.
3.) Aim to cut down by 10% every week.
4.) If you start to experience withdrawal symptoms, this means you are cutting down too quickly. Increase your daily "Single Note Noodling" intake to a level where you do not have these symptoms. Aim to keep this steady for one week. After that, try to cut down by 10% every week.
THE PLAN
Week One:
90% "single Note Noodling"
10% "Comping"
Week Two:
80% "single Note Noodling"
20% "Comping"
Week Three:
70% "single Note Noodling"
30% "Comping"
Week Four:
60% "single Note Noodling"
40% "Comping"
Week Five:
50% "single Note Noodling"
50% "Comping"
I've now replaced "Single Note Noodling" with technical single note exercises, that are incorporated into practicing playing actual Jazz songs.
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Fortunately I've never experienced single-note noodling as though it were an addictive substance like alcohol or heroin which I need to be weaned off of. Originally Posted by GuyBoden
How I reduced my "Single Note Noodling".
NOODLING RECOVERY ACTION PLAN
1.) Try to space out your "Single Note Noodling", particularly in the middle of the day.
2.) Aim for a stable daily "Single Note Noodling" intake that is planned. Once you have done this for one week, start to cut down slowly.
3.) Aim to cut down by 10% every week.
4.) If you start to experience withdrawal symptoms, this means you are cutting down too quickly. Increase your daily "Single Note Noodling" intake to a level where you do not have these symptoms. Aim to keep this steady for one week. After that, try to cut down by 10% every week.
THE PLAN
Week One:
90% "single Note Noodling"
10% "Comping"
Week Two:
80% "single Note Noodling"
20% "Comping"
Week Three:
70% "single Note Noodling"
30% "Comping"
Week Four:
60% "single Note Noodling"
40% "Comping"
Week Five:
50% "single Note Noodling"
50% "Comping"
I've now replaced "Single Note Noodling" with technical single note exercises, that are incorporated into practicing playing actual Jazz songs.
I do try to give myself time to freely improvise, though. Just sitting trying to make music on the guitar out of nothing. This is not easy, and often I find it difficult to make myself do that for even just ten continuous minutes. It requires discipline. It makes you think about all the aspects of music that you're looking for, things that make it cohere and make sense.
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The really important things are understand the difference between playing and practice, to know precisely what your practice is meant to achieve, and to have a way to measure your progress.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Describe what single note noodling looks like. Originally Posted by GuyBoden
How I reduced my "Single Note Noodling".
NOODLING RECOVERY ACTION PLAN
1.) Try to space out your "Single Note Noodling", particularly in the middle of the day.
2.) Aim for a stable daily "Single Note Noodling" intake that is planned. Once you have done this for one week, start to cut down slowly.
3.) Aim to cut down by 10% every week.
4.) If you start to experience withdrawal symptoms, this means you are cutting down too quickly. Increase your daily "Single Note Noodling" intake to a level where you do not have these symptoms. Aim to keep this steady for one week. After that, try to cut down by 10% every week.
THE PLAN
Week One:
90% "single Note Noodling"
10% "Comping"
Week Two:
80% "single Note Noodling"
20% "Comping"
Week Three:
70% "single Note Noodling"
30% "Comping"
Week Four:
60% "single Note Noodling"
40% "Comping"
Week Five:
50% "single Note Noodling"
50% "Comping"
I've now replaced "Single Note Noodling" with technical single note exercises, that are incorporated into practicing playing actual Jazz songs.
Describe what comping looks like.
Right now that’s not much of a plan.
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Indeed. SMART goals are good (that's an acronym for anyone not familiar with it). Originally Posted by Christian Miller
I guess the point about measuring progress might seem elusive in some respects in the context of improvising but it's a case of identifying aspects of improvisations you admire, practising them and finally getting them into your own improvisation in a way that flows. Thus, the ostensibly subjective nature of improv is something tangibly improvable.
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