Drill / Exercise / Technique that You'd Say Made the Biggest Change?

[jamiehenderson1993]

Which jazz guitar drill or exercise made the biggest difference in your playing?

[James W]

No drill or exercise made much difference for me.

The real game-changer for me was in terms of technique, when I decided to pursue a picking motion from my thumb and finger rather than the wrist. Just to note one big difference is that I used to have a problem with my plectrum hitting the body of the guitar, but that has disappeared.

[emanresu]

The ultimate one was:

---4--1---2----3-
-1--2---3---4---

And backwards.
--4----3----2---1---
-----1---4----3--2--
Super legato, one note ends when the other starts. Then add an empty string:
---4--1---2---3-
-------------------
-1--2---3---4---

This was the one true gamechanger. But it was classical guitar. So much flex and reach gained in such short time.

[pamosmusic]

Probably learning bebop heads in a bunch of positions. Wanted to get the whole slurring into downbeats thing going on and that really helped.

[GuyBoden]

Changing from "3 Note Per String" fretboard patterns back to CAGED fretboard patterns a few years ago.

"3 Note Per string" patterns didn't work for Jazz. (For me anyway.)

[AllanAllen]

Years long practice.

G Major scale
G major scale in 5 positions
12 keys of major scale in 5 positions

G major scale in 3rds
G major scale in 3rds in 5 positions
12 keys of major scale in 3rds in 5 positions

G major scale in triads
… you get the idea

After 7th chords I stopped being so rigorous and moved onto Bebop heads.

[AllanAllen]

Thinking about it, the exercise was probably getting my butt into a chair with the guitar and a metronome and just doing it regularly.

Establishing a way to have focused practice with small achievable goals. Instead of abstract and worthless goals like “play more guitar” or “learn more vocabulary” set a goal to learn the first 4 bars of Yardbird Suite. The next day learn the next 4.

[BreckerFan]

A few different things that I'd separate into two different buckets, one mechanical and one improvisational.

Mechanically I'm a committed economy/sweep picker. Exercises that have helped with that are
1. 3-1 patterns. Arepggios with a few passing notes that alternate 3nps/1nps or vice versa. Iterating through maj7/dom7/min7/half dim/dim and connecting them
2. Exercises to isolate and work on economy string changes. For example, playing 4 note, 2nps pentatonic cells. G Bb C D, with picking up, down, down, up.
3. Transcribing and writing lines with picking in mind. Rather than choosing a fingering based on left hand ease, I'll be purposeful about number of notes on a string to facilitate the right hand. Do this enough and it becomes more practical on the fly.

By improvisational I just mean stuff that makes it easier to grab a note or idea that you're hearing on the guitar. I know all my scales in 3nps patterns, but I also practice smaller things so you don't have to think in such big positions:
1. Triad arpeggios in all inversions in position. 3 and 4 note arpeggios.
2. Playing triads through the cycle of 5ths in a five fret area
3. Playing scales in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths in position.
4. Kreisbergs interval matrix stuff in a five fret area. Playing an interval by another interval (5ths in minor seconds, in major seconds, in minor thirds, etc)

[rpjazzguitar]

With all due respect to those who value hard work, dedication and thrift, I'm always looking for the 5 minute lesson that improves my playing with minimal effort.

So, here's one of those.

Start with xx2233. Move it through the major scale. That means, move each note to the next scale note on the same string. So, the next one is xx3455. Then, xx5567 and so on. 7 voicings. Only four grips are required.

Next, loop a ii V I in C and comp it by using the 7 voicings interchangeably. That means you'll get a C against a G7 at times, and an F against a Cmaj7. Try out those voicings and keep using them if you like the sound. I did and do. Two bars of Cmaj7 medium tempo? Play four different voicings. Make a melody with the top notes.

Most of the work is getting this down in 12 keys plus a few enharmonic equivalents. Easier to do by playing tunes than by isolating anything, or so I think. Might help to completely avoid the key of C# and others of that general ilk.

Sure, it's not zero work, but for something that can completely change your comping, it's pretty quick.

Next, do it with melodic minor. Start the same way, xx2233. All those voicings will be interchangeable. Pays even bigger dividends, arguably.

[wolflen]

Joe Diorios Intervallic Designs opened new doors for me..combined them with melodic patterrns

The diminished and augmented scales and all the chords embedded in them a wealth of ideas found in this kind of thinking.

the study of some Scofield solos..not to sound like him..just trying to understand his thinking.

Because I explore the "fusion" style alot..the use of "slash" chords..the wonderful McLaughlin/Zawinul/Davis feel of "In a Silent Way"

[Bill C]

Having my teacher insist, despite my protestations, that I relearn my right hand technique/picking strategy from square one …

[vintagelove]

This will improve picking.

[jamiehenderson1993]

Probably learning bebop heads in a bunch of positions. Wanted to get the whole slurring into downbeats thing going on and that really helped.

Ah, this is really interesting! How did you work on the slurring into downbeats? Just like super slow, careful practice? Any heads you'd suggest that were both fun to play and 'educational'?

[jamiehenderson1993]

Years long practice.

G Major scale
G major scale in 5 positions
12 keys of major scale in 5 positions

G major scale in 3rds
G major scale in 3rds in 5 positions
12 keys of major scale in 3rds in 5 positions

G major scale in triads
… you get the idea

After 7th chords I stopped being so rigorous and moved onto Bebop heads.

This is excellent - thank you! I did the same thing but in Bb

[jamiehenderson1993]

Thinking about it, the exercise was probably getting my butt into a chair with the guitar and a metronome and just doing it regularly.

Establishing a way to have focused practice with small achievable goals. Instead of abstract and worthless goals like “play more guitar” or “learn more vocabulary” set a goal to learn the first 4 bars of Yardbird Suite. The next day learn the next 4.

I think honestly, this is the key advice here - thank you for this.

[jamiehenderson1993]

Kreisbergs interval matrix stuff in a five fret area. Playing an interval by another interval (5ths in minor seconds, in major seconds, in minor thirds, etc)

I've never heard of this - can you explain please? or can you link to any resources?

[jamiehenderson1993]

Having my teacher insist, despite my protestations, that I relearn my right hand technique/picking strategy from square one …

Ooft! That must have been tough - what, specifically, did you change?

[GuyBoden]

This is excellent - thank you! I did the same thing but in Bb

I like to add a few more extra notes to each CAGED pattern.

Example:

[Christian Miller]

I find this a really difficult question to answer because there's been so many.

For mapping the changes of a tune, there's no better drill than the Barry Harris scale outline - 1-7 (or 1-7-1 if there's two bars) through the scales in a tune, all positions. Usually we chunk down the changes a bit as well - so A-7 D7 becomes just D7, for example.

The advantage of going up to the 7th is that all the chord tones land on the beat, so it outlines the harmony of the tune very clearly.

If you do that, the question of 'what do I play on this tune?' vanishes.

I used to get roasted on that in class, and then I knuckled down and did it for a few months, and was able to keep up.

[jamiehenderson1993]

I find this a really difficult question to answer because there's been so many.

For mapping the changes of a tune, there's no better drill than the Barry Harris scale outline - 1-7 (or 1-7-1 if there's two bars) through the scales in a tune, all positions. Usually we chunk down the changes a bit as well - so A-7 D7 becomes just D7, for example.

The advantage of going up to the 7th is that all the chord tones land on the beat, so it outlines the harmony of the tune very clearly.

If you do that, the question of 'what do I play on this tune?' vanishes.

I used to get roasted on that in class, and then I knuckled down and did it for a few months, and was able to keep up.

This sounds like something I should really be doing!!!

Could you possibly give an example or further explanation or perhaps link to a video that goes into a bit more depth on how I can start working on this from first principles please?

[CliffR]

Transcription. My ear is terrible, but it turns out I'm not entirely tone deaf. Christian has encouraged me in his lessons to transcribe bebop heads and things have improved dramatically.

[Bill C]

Ooft! That must have been tough - what, specifically, did you change?

At the time, and with hindsight, I’d never really thought about my right hand before, other than via a couple of years of classical lessons, so there wasn’t much to unlearn! Started resting the pick between thumb and forefinger rather than “grabbing” it. Movement mainly from the wrist. Trying not to rest the right hand on the guitar at all. Consciously thinking about down and up strokes in relation to the rhythm of the line. This was thirty years ago now - obviously there are many different and valid approaches, and I wouldn’t claim to be a good player, but this helped me make gradual progress over time.

[Blue J]

Transposing. Specifically scales, chords, and songs from standard tuning to Open D tuning. This has improved my ear drastically.

[pamosmusic]

+1 for transcription. Specifically transcribing scales, chords, and songs from standard tuning to Open D tuning. This has improved my ear drastically.

I think you mean transposing?

[grahambop]

This sounds like something I should really be doing!!!

Could you possibly give an example or further explanation or perhaps link to a video that goes into a bit more depth on how I can start working on this from first principles please?

Check out the ‘Things I learned from Barry Harris’ channel on youtube, especially the early episodes, where he covers the scale outline stuff in various contexts.

e.g. this one on rhythm changes: