PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

[t_mkelly]

Hello To All Board Memebers,

I am new to this board and Jazz guitar site. I am also new to Jazz guitar. All I can do right now is play rhythm major, minor, 7th cords.

I really enjoy listening to Jazz and would like to learn to play it. From what I have read so far one must learn scales and chord progressions. Where would be the best place to start to learn this style?

I also would like to know guitar and settings. I have a Washburn HB-30 semi-hollow and a Peavey solid-state amp. Everything I play through these sounds like rock and roll. Any suggestion?

I will probably be asking future questions and hope I do not offend any other board memebres.

We have a new smooth jazz station in the St. Augustine, Florida area and it has had a major impact on my listening preference of music.

Thanks for any help you can provide to help me get started on playing Jazz guitar.

[Triumph]

If you're just starting out I recommend Jody Fisher's books Beginning and Intermediate jazz guitar available at jodyfisher.com or probably any music store, guitar center or samash for example. They have std notation and tab and focus on chordal and melodic aspects of playing. The intermediate one is a compendium of everything my guitar teacher showed me over my first few lessons. As far as your tone, you should probably start by turning off your distortion (unless your going for a fusion kind of sound) and practice playing with a clean tone. After you've exposed yourself to the major players' sounds you can start dialing back in various effects to your liking. There is no "One" jazz guitar sound...As for a couple of players mentioned in topics on this board Pat Metheny and George Benson can be distinguished from one another as easily as Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Hope this helps clear things up!

[Guest]

Hi!
I believe that there's two things you should do:

First I think it sounds like you should find a good teacher that can help to really start up.

And the second thing is to listen. Listen to all guitar players you can find buy the records or download fron internet. Just listen an find out wich one you like the most. The try to find the feeling when you are playing that you get when you listen to your favorite player.

Some ideas of players that is good to start with: Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, George Benson, Pat Metheny, John Scofield and Kurt Rosenwinkle.

[Noob to Jazz]

hi, i'm also very new to jazz .. in fact, i have obtained a copy of beginning jazz guitar by jody fisher and i would say that its really a good book for beginners in jazz!

Apart from getting the intermediate jazz guitar book, how else can i improve ???

I am currently listening to Pat Methany, George Benson, some Wes Montgomery, a little Charlie Christian and a little Miles Davis. I took some lessons, but i realised that my basics are not firm yet. In terms of money, the lessons have not been very cost effective.

Is it advisable to buy the Fake Book of Jazz ... i think the title goes along that way by Hal Leonard ... it contains the scores of the standards and perhaps i should practise some of them ?? another problem is in the reading of standard notation .. can't seem to get the triplets and catch the melody of the song ...

thanks !

[Wes Powell]

[Guest]

Try here: https://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~adams/realbook/

These are the real books. Grab them before they're yanked off the net.

[marcoturco]

i have a lot of books and I saw some of my students/other players have a lot more books than me and still..sound terrible.
My humble point of view so is that listening will be the best thing to do, and even if guitar is what we like ,i suggest the listening of Charlie Parker,Coltrane,Sonny Stitt,LockjawDavis,Red Garland(...) as essential at any level.That's jazz,that's the language,that's the school and the dialect metheny and Benson come from.If you don't like these guys,if they are not fun to you,switch to something else...then,full of this "idioms"I raccomend you a book above all:"mel's bay complete jazz guitar phrases"by sid jacobs,29bucks. Have a good time and best regards,MarcoTurco

[Jazz]

I agree with Marco, the name of the book is "The Complete of Jazz Guitar Lines and Phrases", by Sid Jacobs. Charlie Parker is essential too.
But don´t forget Joe Pass transcriptions, there are so many and they´re so easy to get. Virtuoso III, transcripted by Alan de Mause is one my favorites.
Daniel

[John Hall]

Hi!

For me there is one book it is called Tha Advancing guitarist no idea who wrote it. But its very good!

When it comes to lines & phraces i believe that you should use your ear instead of your eye. Find out wich guys you like and then listen to what they do.

For me big inspiration has been Jim Hall, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, John Scofield, Pat Metheny and of course a lot more.

John Hall

[Jazz]

Hi,
you´re right, you must to use your ear instead of your eye. That´s the other good thing about Sid Jacobs Book, beside the bunch of great phrases, theoretical concepts (featured in a really practical and simple way) including bop and modern jazz ideas, it has the companion Cd, to listen to every examples. And the phrases are already taken off of the records of the greats...............(remember the begining of this topic is "New To Jazz".....). I think this book introduces to the Jazz Language in the same way you should study a foreign language................... listening, and learning short musical ideas................, then you become able to make them longer, and etc, etc. (the opening section on II-V, V-I, I Major, and the logical conclusion in II-V-I is great)....... everything displayed in a such a logical, a pedagogical way. Sid Jacobs is a great teacher.
I love "The Advancing Guitarist" too! By Mick Goodrick, amazing guitarist and great teacher.
Anyway, everybody has his own experience, and it is nice to share it. When you´re new to jazz, probably your ear is new to it too, and your eye could help. Of course you have to try to get to that point in which your right side brain is in charge, your emotions and ear take control of the situation when you´re soloing.................. but it can take some time, right?
Take care,
Daniel

[John Hall]

Hi!

Yeah your right it takes time to get "control" over your ear. I learned by transcribing pretty simple things sometimes dont even solos could be a short piece of a melody or something. And everybody how is born with the music hears tones not sounds an can find the tone by just searching for it. Its takes time but its very usefull.

The first solo i transcribed took me two and half an hour to transcribe four bars.

John Hall

[Guest]

hi
I am very new to jazz but not new to guitar.
I am sixteen years old and i have been playing guitar for nine years. I am a heavy metal guitarist and am influenced by people such as kirk hammet and zakk wylde.
Bext term at school, in music we are doing jazz and i am doing a performance except i have no idea on jazz at all.
Could you please recommend good songs by well known people who are easy to get tabs and music for please?
don't worry too much about degree of difficulty because i am fairly experienced.
Also if its just a decent song its all right, just as long as i also learn the key its in and scales that go well over it.
thanks

[John Hall]

Hi!

There is a lot of standars that people often play like: Autumn Leaves, There will never be another you, All the things you are, How high the moon and a lot more. Dont know where you can find them on tab. Its easier to find them on notes.

Learn the melody and the chord changes by ear if you cant find them.

John Hall

[marcoturco]

unfortunately for my 16y.o. friend that loves metal , jazz is a little bit more than playing scales against chord changes, so start thinking about jazz only if you like it first, not just because you must. (*?!?)
After that when i was your age and loved my mum's Sinatra albums, I started with my teacher to play the chord changes of the standards and make solos just using the "chordtones". Forget about scales! If you're new to jazz is simply going to be a big mess!And if you think you're experienced enough I suggest you try some of my lines on the website:
www.marcoturco.com