| Jazz is one of the most well loved musical genres in | | | | compose a really mean jazz solo. Jazz guitar players |
| history. It offers a sound that gets you to let your | | | | often incorporate their phrasing with the idea of |
| hair down and lay back in. The guitar is one of the | | | | natural breathing and legato phrasing. This creates a |
| favorite jazz instruments. And it plays a big role in | | | | natural time feel which in turn helps you get a little |
| the jazz industry as well. It is either used in ensemble | | | | swing and groove in to the music. |
| playing or as a solo instrument. | | | | Improvisation is another thing in jazz. The time feel, |
| The first guitars used in the genre were acoustic. | | | | like getting ahead or behind the beat, along with |
| Today, acoustic guitars are still used by jazz artists | | | | some modes, scales and arpeggios associated with |
| but the jazz guitar has been preferred since the | | | | the chord progression of the song will help get a new |
| 1940s. This guitar allows you to play it as an amplified | | | | feel on the song. Rather than rework the melody, |
| electric guitar. The guitar is also known as the | | | | jazz guitar players would rather improvise. |
| archtop guitar. It resembles a violin, only in a bigger | | | | As mentioned earlier, jazz can be played as an |
| version with the trademark f-holes. It also has a | | | | ensemble or in a solo. Most of the time, jazz guitar is |
| floating bridge and a magnet pick up. | | | | incorporated with other musical instruments to form |
| You will also be able to notice that there are a | | | | a small ensemble. You might also get into mind |
| variety of jazz techniques incorporated with the | | | | something like a big band which was pretty popular |
| playing like comping and blowing. | | | | during the 30s and 40s. |
| Comping means playing the chords underneath the | | | | Most of the time, you will find jazz guitar players |
| melody of the song or an improvisation of another | | | | comping, short for accompanying, with other musical |
| musician's solo. Jazz guitar players may use scales, | | | | instruments in order to create a really smooth and |
| arpeggios, modes and other techniques associated | | | | groovy tune that can be quite easy to dance to. |
| with the chord progression of the song. | | | | You may also find some chord-melody and |
| Harmony is one of the most important elements of | | | | unaccompanied soloing being done by jazz guitar |
| the music. Jazz guitar players allow their knowledge | | | | players. The guitar player zeroes in on playing the |
| of harmony to be used in order to create jazz chord | | | | entire song - melody, harmony and bass - on his own |
| voicings. These are commonly rootless and | | | | much like a pianist or a classical guitar player. This is |
| emphasize the use of the 3rd and 7th notes of a | | | | one of the most loved playing styles in jazz guitar. |
| chord. It may make use of the 9th, 11th and even | | | | Mentioned earlier was blowing. This is also known as |
| the 13th of the chords even. | | | | single note soloing. This is a playing style that is best |
| Melody is another important element in jazz music. | | | | identified with cool jazz and bebop. They are now |
| The knowledge of this helps the guitarist incorporate | | | | incorporated with other musical genres like rock that |
| some scales and arpeggios in the music to create a | | | | allows you to make use of electronic effects. |
| more balanced melodic and rhythmic phrase to | | | | |