PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

[MetheniacXX89]

Hey, I'm new to the forum. I started out on drums at 18 months. Then picked up trumpet shortly after i could blow in then thing. Then I took lessons when I was seven. Then at 11 I started piano lessons. This is the time I was seriously getting into jazz. Three Christmas's ago, my sister wanted guitar lessons, so she got a guitar for Christmas. After two weeks, she quit. I started borrowing her Fender Squire so much, I just kindof inherited it, because she didn't ask me for it any more. I was listening to Montgomery, Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Grant Green, etc. I was pretty bad. Until I finally learning how to play a little bit. I would solo along to Grant Green and Joe Pass records; nothing really brilliant, just basic improvising. I wasn't playing in any key or anything, I kind of just played by ear and found out what frets had the right notes in any particular tune. As the year went on I got better. Then I bought this beautiful hallow body guitar. An Ibanez Artcore. I bought a chord book and I been learning some chords. I know all the basic major chords, and I have learned some scales and I'm learning how to read music on the guitar. (I can already read music) I kind of got a good ear. I taught myself Oleo, Doxy, St Thomas, Impressions, Milestones, Blue Bossa, Mr P.C, Tenor Madness, Blue Train, and a couple other tunes. I play a lot and depend on my ear. I want guitar lessons, to help me with playing some harder chords and learning more heads, and soloing, etc.. Any suggestions on how to practice by myself before I get lessons, so the time I spend playing guitar is put to good use, so that I'll be good enough to get into college after high school?
_________________
Top five favorite guitarists:
1. Pat Metheny
2. Charlie Hunter
3. John Scofield
4. Wes Montgomery
5. Grant Green

[jokron]

Sounds like you are far ahead of my level, but, for what it's worth:

I was recomended to buy two books:

Mickey Baker's Jazz Guitar and Ted Greene's "Chord Chemistry"

...and I have started with Baker's book and find it very good, you may have a look at that one. When I've finished it, maybe in the autumn I will go further on with Greene's book.

/Jan Olof

[philip]

You probably said the wisest thing yet on the forum. you've been playing along with the records. and you probably know enough chords already as long as you're playing in time - that's better than knowing many with bad time. If you have a good ear, why books? copy lines/licks and play them with records or play alongs. If you really want books, yes, the Ted Greene book is great and would be good to have. The new Andrew Green book "jazz guitar comping" looks very good too (which is really devoted to jazz as opposed to Greene's which is a general chord book (the best by far).

[MetheniacXX89]

[MetheniacXX89]

[philip]

In response to Metheniac's third post (which was in response to my post) - did you mean that you found it hard to put your hand in the "right place" to play the changes? if so, try using a lead sheet and play the changes off of that along with the recording. As you play your changes, it may sound as though it fits and sounds good. But, as your ear is good already, the chords you play may in time sound good without referring to a lead sheet. If, as you say, you're playing along with recordings, you're closer than you think.

[Quinn Brown]

[ed norton]

After years of playing along with cd's and records, I finally realized that I learn much more accurately by sounding out the part without the recording playing. In other words listen first ,then sit there and sound out the melody, then maybe the solo. For the chords it depends on the tune, for a pop or blues it falls together pretty easy, but for jazz tunes it can be hard, especially when there is no Guitar. Anyway sounds like You have a great ear, and You are on a path to be a super hero. I think recordings can get in the way of what we really hear, cause it makes us follow a sound instead of internalizing a sound. It is still fun to jam with them once You are confident with the parts, though. I hear The New School in Manhattan is real good, all those places put a big emphasis on Transcribing, Best wishes to You.

[C. OSullivan]

Yes it sounds to me like you've got a good way of learning the guitar. Melodically speaking, this is ideal for learning improvisation and getting a basic concept.

If you need a book, I'd recommend getting one for comping, yeah. You can also download the files in the "Fakebook" thread which have very many tunes. You might also get the downloadable version of "Band in a Box" which allows you to program a chord progression for a band to play.

For comping, do you know your basic M7, -7, 7, -7b5, dim7 voicings?
In other phrasings, maj7, m7, dom7, m7b5, dim7.

You should learn basic chord formation, then your voicings, and inversions, etc. on all string sets. Then you can get into extended chords (m6, 6/9, sus, 13) altered chords (chords which have any combination of #5, b5, #9, b9, #11 [#11 = b5]). Chord formation is good to have theoretical knowledge of.

[Fredrik]

If you have not done so already try to transcribe the songs that you play by ear. This is a great exercise and will teach you to train your ear and test your music theory abilities. I remember when I first started transcribing after playing by ear for a long time. It was really hard at first because I often got the rythm notation wrong, but after a while It finally became alot easier.

[MetheniacXX89]

Thanks. I think I'll study with this guitarist I know, to learn chords. About learning how to read on the guitar, I can already read music, so I just have to get more familiar with the neck, so I can put the notes on a chart together with the notes on the guitar.
_________________
Top five favorite guitarists:
1. Pat Metheny
2. Charlie Hunter
3. John Scofield
4. Wes Montgomery
5. Grant Green