| Jazz guitar is quite an awesome, endless, and ever | | | | 4. Notation |
| rewarding style of music. It doesn't matter what | | | | If you are serious about this, then it is very |
| your style of preference is, because I think that all | | | | important to learn to read music as it was intended |
| guitarists should familiarize themselves with a little | | | | to be read. Jazz musicians are very good at reading |
| Jazz work here and there. | | | | notation and they can read it fast! It takes time to |
| There are two things that I found very rewarding | | | | reach this level of mastery, but its worth it if you |
| about studying Jazz guitar. The knowledge of chords | | | | want to keep up. |
| that comes with learning the genre, and the concepts | | | | 5. Improvising |
| that revolve around soloing. | | | | Jazz is a very improvised style of music, but as I |
| I think that the wisdom of the Jazz guitar solo, and | | | | have said before, learning scales and modes does not |
| the understanding of how to solo in this style of | | | | unlock the door to extraordinary improvisational |
| music, is the biggest benefit. | | | | abilities. |
| Since Jazz music is just as complex as other styles | | | | This is also why I have explained to people for years |
| of music, this article will simply lay out some key | | | | that they need to take the time to just jam to the |
| things to get started studying. You could think of this | | | | CDs that are in their library. I believe that there is |
| as a preparatory article. | | | | really no tried and true method to learning how to |
| 1. Chords | | | | improvise on the guitar, other than simply training the |
| A great way to get started in Jazz guitar is to spend | | | | ear from your own experiences with jamming. The |
| some time focusing on chords. In fact, whenever you | | | | more you do it, the more proficient you will become. |
| come across any chord that is common in Jazz music | | | | 6. Scales and modes |
| (and there are many), take the time to learn how to | | | | Its really difficult to sit here and tell you to use this |
| play that chord in different areas of the fretboard. If | | | | mode with this chord structure, because it depends |
| you can learn at least two different ways to play | | | | on the situation and the chord changes. However, a |
| any one single chord on the guitar, then you're really | | | | great way to get started with your soloing efforts, is |
| on to something. | | | | to become a master of the major scale. |
| There are plenty of fairly simple Jazz songs that are | | | | If you can take it upon yourself to learn the major |
| out their that you can get started with now. In fact | | | | scale all over the fretboard, then you will be ready to |
| this is an excellent way to pick up a lot of your Jazz | | | | go. Even if you don't know any modes yet, that's ok! |
| chords. When you come upon any new Jazz song, | | | | Its important to pay close attention to when a note |
| make sure to pay special attention to the chords. | | | | needs to be flatted and when a note needs to be |
| There's a good chance that you will spot a chord | | | | sharped. |
| that you already know, but it just might be a | | | | All of the modes are built from the major scale, and |
| variation of that chord. This unlocks a lot of | | | | many times a Jazz piece will require a musician to |
| knowledge. | | | | play through several modes. These modes are |
| 2. Theory | | | | connected by way of simple half steps or whole |
| Its hard not to study theory when you are pursuing | | | | steps. |
| Jazz music, and studying theory with play Jazz guitar | | | | In fact, no matter what style you are improvising out |
| in mind, is quite the undertaking. Still yet, a good place | | | | of, if you hit a funky note, you are never more than |
| to start would be with the little things like intervals, | | | | a half step away from the more proper sounding |
| tonality and modulation. It also really helps to study | | | | note. That was the best thing that I ever learned |
| the makings of a chord in general. | | | | from a professor of music. |
| 3. Listening | | | | 7. Phrasing |
| I think the most important thing about studying any | | | | I think of soloing in a Jazz setting as being fair game. |
| style of music is simply to be still and listen, and I | | | | Its a very free feeling and there really are no rules, |
| know that this is certainly true of Jazz music. You | | | | but you can still learn a lot from listening to some of |
| should take the time to familiarize yourself with the | | | | the more famous Jazz guitarists play. |
| previous movements in Jazz. Some of these include | | | | Just like you, they all have their own style and |
| Bop, Bebop, Hard Bop, Cool Jazz, Modal Jazz, Swing | | | | approach to playing guitar. The key difference is that |
| Jazz, Acid Jazz, and so much more. | | | | they took the style of music and made it their own. |
| After a while, your ears will be able to distinguish and | | | | You should do this as well, and harvest your own |
| categorize certain key similarities in Jazz music, while | | | | soloing style, but keep an open mind, because soloing |
| at the same time setting aside the differences in the | | | | in the Jazz world requires you to not think of things |
| past movements in Jazz music. | | | | as being set in stone. |