Jazz Theory

[Doctor Jeff]

Interestingly, I have always been good at reading music and sight-reading through training with classical guitar, and also a very high-level handbell choir in high-school. However, that doesn't mean much for jazz theory, unfortunately.

I am always aspiring to learn more theory. I agree you have to have a modicum, at least of practical theory, to play jazz.

But a couple of things I've heard or noted along the way...

Hum or scat the melody you want to play on guitar when you solo. Most of us have great solos in our heads, it's just putting them to the guitar fretboard that's the challenge. When you play enough and are intuitively familiar with the fretboard, you can start to play what you're thinking.

Working out songs through chord-melody is a great way to learn the song and see the positions as a basis for comping and soloing even if you're not playing solo.

Listen to the masters, especially the guys who play the fairly straightforward but extremely tasteful stuff--Kenny, Wes, Barney, Grant. (I know they can burn as well but there's a lot to learn from the less flashy stuff.) If all you listen to is the technical giants, IMO, you may easily get frustrated, because you're not going to play like Metheny and Rosenwinkel and Monder without the equivalent of a PhD from Berklee...

[jazzy anime enthusiast]

okay guys here's a question

what would you tell someone who didn't know how to read chords,how to distinguish a chord progression in a song? besides the obvious answers of showing them the chords on the guitar

(and i swear to G## don't answer with the f###ing "know your theory" answer!)

[lammie200]

okay guys here's a question

what would you tell someone who didn't know how to read chords,how to distinguish a chord progression in a song? besides the obvious answers of showing them the chords on the guitar

(and i swear to G## don't answer with the f###ing "know your theory" answer!)

Listen for the dominants and picture the changes.

[pkirk]

okay guys here's a question

what would you tell someone who didn't know how to read chords,how to distinguish a chord progression in a song? besides the obvious answers of showing them the chords on the guitar

(and i swear to G## don't answer with the f###ing "know your theory" answer!)

what does it mean to "distinguish a chord progression"?

Are you asking these questions about yourself? Maybe a better question is "what is the least I need to know to be able to play jazz?"

[matt.guitarteacher]

what would you tell someone who didn't know how to read chords,how to distinguish a chord progression in a song? besides the obvious answers of showing them the chords on the guitar

Yeah, I don't understand the question either really. The best way to know what you're hearing is to be able to play a little of it. Do you know some basic jazz chords? Where are you coming from?

[jazzy anime enthusiast]

oh no im fine,i know my theory and chords.....im just saying how would you explain to someone how to hear a chord progression in a song? say if you wanted to jam with a very great guitarist who doesn't know his theory or chord formulas a tune such as autumn leaves.....how would you explain to him the chord progression so he could improvise

[jazzy anime enthusiast]

well he/she/it is most likely good from reading tabs and stuff,so thats where if she was asked to play a song with no tabs,how would they figure it out,any jazz idioms or sayings? i figure just to listen to what everyone else is doing and just improvise from there,after all harmony is really just counterpoint

[Thumpalumpacus]

okay guys here's a question

what would you tell someone who didn't know how to read chords,how to distinguish a chord progression in a song? besides the obvious answers of showing them the chords on the guitar

(and i swear to G## don't answer with the f###ing "know your theory" answer!)

Two words: ears.

Yes, that's two words. You've got one on each side of your head.

I sometimes look up progressions online. I may not be able to hear the alterations/extensions clearly, or I might want to fetch ideas for fingerings -- but at the end of the day I must be able to hear the solution.