Jazz Festivals » Guitar Players

Jazz Guitar Players – Immortalized By Their Musical Style

admin2 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:28:13 +0000

Jazz guitar players are distinguished by their ability to improvise and each one has a unique style of their own. While there is no specific rule for improvisation, there are some great jazz guitar players who develop a pattern and technique, which sets them apart and makes them immortal in the world of music.

Different Styles Jazz Guitar Players Use

Some famous jazz guitar players develop the style of focusing on a few specific ideas when they play a solo. They tend to modify these with various techniques and rhythms – and this performance gives their audience the sense that they are experiencing something amazing. What’s more, it is possible for the audience to join in and sing with the song, making it a totally enjoyable experience. Every fan of Wes Montgomery will testify to this, as practically all his solos are wonderful to sing along with.

There are jazz guitar players like Holdsworth, Pat Metheny, etc. who follow a particular pattern where they focus on an intricate harmony, underplaying the rhythm part. You will find that it is not as easy to join in vocally with these kinds of solo players; nevertheless, these players are masters in terms of technique and hold their audiences enthralled with their music.

Another type is the kind of player with whom you can sometimes sing along, and sometimes not, depending on what he or she is playing. These players put in some work before their performance and time them with accuracy. When they play, they sound extremely practiced since it is like a preplanned performance flowing through a familiar chord progression. If you listen to Robert Conti, Pat Martino, etc. you will recognize the style.

Here is an inspiring look at ten of the most well-known and well-loved jazz guitar players who have inspired millions of aspiring guitarists through their most famous works:

Pat Metheny, best known for American Garage in 1999 has a very unique style with a blend of the Midwestern blues. He puts a lot of attitude and freedom into his jazz guitar playing, making him stand out. Jim Hall has the distinction of being a composer and a jazz guitar player who saw no limits. His “Concierto”, in 1997 was a masterpiece of his tonal abilities. Joe Pass’s work “Virtuoso” put him among the world’s best. He has a sense of melody and improvisation that is unmatched – so much so, he can play alone and yet sound like a band. Kenny Burrell, a Detroit player, has been a source of influence for players through the generations with his outstanding lyrics and blues-style. Wes Montgomery hailed from Indianapolis. But jazz music fans all over the world know him for his “Incredible Jazz Guitar”. He was so creative that he set a whole new trend to jazz guitar music with his techniques. Tal Farlow was an expert with his solos incorporating hard bop into them. Johnny Smith’s Moonlight in Vermont will be fresh in any jazz music fan’s memory forever. He was a master of chord arrangement with his jazz guitar playing, blending it with superb technique and artistry. Charlie Christian was a member of the Benny Goodman Sextet. He has the distinction of being among the first to use amplifiers and his modern jazz playing influences every jazz guitar player in some way or the other. Eddie Lang of the ‘Yazoo” fame is the incredible jazz guitar player who performed the solo recording “Feeling My Way”. He was the first Jazz guitar Virtuoso. Django Reinhardt, a European is famous for his gypsy jazz music, giving the jazz guitar fresh new sounds. His deformed left hand did not stop him from carving a unique place for himself in jazz music history with his fantastic control over techniques.

What the above proves is that each jazz guitar player is distinctive, no matter what ’style’ they are typecast into.

By: Brian Trainer

Fender Electric Guitars

admin2 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:22:35 +0000

If you want to talk about the best guitar in the whole world there is nothing better than a fender electric guitar. These guitars have been tested by time and proven by their users. Whether these users are legendary are guitar players, and all of them have been satisfied with the way a fender sounds. So if you happen to be looking for a guitar that would suit your preference, the best option is a fender. And if you’re looking for information about it, look no further because right now, we will give you some necessary information about fender guitars. More specifically, we will give you the best option from fender.

Fender Electric Guitars are one of the most sought after tones in the guitar world. And when you want to talk about vintage tone, fender is the king. Also, their guitar models are also the most popular guitar models in the whole world. So if you’re going to buy a fender, here are the three best options of electric guitars that you could have.

Fender Stratocaster- the Stratocaster is probably the most flexible electric guitar in the whole world. It is very much flexible in terms of the genres that you could perfectly play with it. Rather it is blues or jazz or even rock and metal. Its flexibility is simply unmatched. Especially for beginners, what does it know yet what kind of music you would want to play, this is perfect for them. Their versions of this a guitar that is very cheap and perfect for starters looking at the same tone and quality of a high end fender. if you’re into the vintage tone of a fender, you could go into fender American Standard and fender American deluxe. These specific models of fenders have singled coils which is the foundation of the vintage tone of a fender guitar. Fender telecaster-this were actually the first Fender Electric Guitars that was made commercially. It started out with the name broadcaster what was later forced to change its name because of a lawsuit from Gretsch saying that the imitated the name of a certain drums from their company. Three months after, he came up with the name telecaster. And it became the name of a legendary guitar. The first telecasters has only one single coil pickups and was later on replaced with a double single coil pickups. Fender jaguar- its fender electric guitar was released in 1962 and was intended for surf music. But it is more like an attempt by fender to penetrate the jazz scene by creating a jazz guitar. They were more popularly known to be used in grunge rock music. This guitar was based off the jazz master.

Whichever Fender Electric Guitars you choose, it doesn’t matter because all of them are of good quality and will not disappoint you. However, choose their rate model that will suit your preference. This may be could be sure that you are playing something that you really want.

By: Michael Corleone

Overdrive and Distortion Pedals in Jazz

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 21:05:06 +0000

Jazz guitar is an instrument with a tone usually thought of as clean and warm. Traditionally, most jazz guitar players go with little effects and stick to basic guitar set ups. Although there is a charm to tradition and standards, this trend is now changing, and this is probably a good thing.

Jazz as a whole is not an incredibly popular genre of music. It has moved from the underground into the music conservatories and universities but it still remains a style supported by a relatively small group of die hard supporters. For this reason, any development that can add to the popularity of jazz should be seen as a good thing. More players and listeners will mean more support for the artists and more artists. Overdrive and distortion pedals in jazz guitar are a small step in the right direction for this exiting and special line of music.

What the use of overdrive and distortion pedals do for jazz is open it up to the huge amount of rock guitar players and lovers that live all around the world. If they hear a jazz guitarist playing a solo with overdrive they will be much more inclined to listen, it will give them an obvious point of familiarity. Along with this, the use of overdrive pedals usually make the guitarist play with more energy and in more of a rock style. All of this could help influence more rock minded listeners to give jazz a chance; All of their favorite guitarists use distortion pedals to play their lead lines, and the simple addition of overdrive distortion to jazz can make the two genres sound surprisingly similar.

The use of overdrive pedals in jazz is not a new idea; Grant Green played with a lot of guitar overdrive in the early days, but it has become more pronounced and widespread in the modern age of jazz guitar. Kurt Rosenwinkel is a player who has employed small amounts of guitar distortion and overdrive in his sound to give his lead lines just a little more power and edge, but he has also played with an all out distortion sound on several records and live appearances. Not only that, but other types of guitar effects are also being used. Delay and reverb have long had a place in jazz, but now you can hear some tremolo and other effects finding their way into jazz recordings.

In general, the more jazz becomes infused with other styles, the more exposure it will get by others, and this is better for everyone who likes jazz. What has started with the use of simple guitar effects such as overdrive pedals and distortion pedals will continue to grow into an expansion of jazz that should help everyone trying to make a living off of it or just enjoy it whenever.

By: Randal Stevens

Jazz Guitar Tips and Tricks – Learning Jazz Guitar Playing

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:22:09 +0000

Jazz is more complicated than any other music genres as far as playing guitar is concerned. But there are a lot of jazz guitar tips and tricks that you can use to make it easier for you and to help you become a better jazz player and a well-rounded guitarist.

At the top of the list of the important jazz guitar tips is knowing your scales and modes. Internalizing jazz guitar scales is considered to be one of the most challenging part of learning to play jazz because of the many scales to be learned and mastered. These scales provide the basis for the improvisational sound of jazz music.

When it comes to modes, it becomes confusing because many guitar players call modes as scales. Technically, a mode is a scale but modes are used by many musicians to open doors to new sounds. Jazz players rely on the major and minor modes in setting the tone of their music. They use these to get the great flavors of music out of the scales aside from just using the full neck of their jazz guitars.

Other important jazz guitar tips include eliminating the feedback produced by the guitar, using a software to practice improvisation, and using a metronome in your practice to achieve good timing.

In learning to play jazz guitar, you should also learn and memorize the lyrics to help you recall the music better. Recording yourself will also give you a clear picture of how does your guitar playing sound.

And of course, you cannot play jazz guitar better if your guitar itself is not in a good condition. Before starting to play, check first if it needs some tweaking. You will know if it needs a tune-up when it begins to feel tiring to play.

The basic adjustments you need to do are in the truss rod, the bridge, height of the pickups and intonation. To ensure that the strings are on the proper height, you have to regulate the nut. Examine also the high and low frets and level them as needed.

In adjusting the intonation, do it in small increments and consider your ear’s accuracy in deciding the pitch between two notes. For more accurate results, use a highly accurate tuner with analog-style needle display.

Other helpful jazz guitar tips that will bring your performance to the highest level are ensuring the proper location of your guitar and your hands. The strap of your guitar should lift the instrument up to about midway on your chest. It will feel tighter but will give your left hand more mobility. Your right hand should not also exert much effort in picking out the notes.

To sum it up, you should be familiar with the important components of learning jazz guitar which include effective scale usage, harmonization, rhythm, melody and jazz chord improvisation.

Also, learning jazz guitar requires an astonishing skill that you can’t develop by just relying on your music sheets or music teachers alone, so keep in mind to practice and persevere.

By: Carolyn Anderson

Jazz Improvisation is a Study in Theory

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:35:24 +0000

Jazz has long been considered to be one of the most demanding forms of contemporary music to master. So much so, that many would be Jazz musicians will spend years learning music theory, alongside developing advanced playing techniques, simply to get a start in this fascinating musical genre.

The major difference between Jazz and most other forms of music is in the fact that improvisation is not only encouraged, it forms the very backbone of the style. Although there are many Jazz classics, no two musicians or bands will play these songs the same. They will follow the basic progression, but will be given a new inflection through personal and group improvisation.

The ability to play improvisations relies heavily upon two things; first the musicians creativity, and secondly upon the musicians knowledge of musical theory. Of course, there are many fine Jazz players out there who will tell you that they do not know any music theory. The simple truth of the matter is that they do, they just do not know it. They have spent years learning to play by ear, and although they cannot name the correct musical terms for what they do when they are playing, they are clearly demonstrating a deep knowledge of music theory at a base level.

For those wishing to take up playing Jazz, then a firm grounding in music theory is entirely recommended. Even the rhythm section of a Jazz band is encouraged to improvise and embellish the piece being played. Rhythm guitar players will be called upon to construct complex chord patterns, including augmented, diminished, 5th, 9th and 13th chords. They will also be expected to follow the soloist, should they decide to shift tempo, key or mode.

As a soloist, playing Jazz is all about creativity, backup up by an understanding of what they are doing musically. Many Jazz musicians, when questioned about scales, will smile and reply, “What is a scale? I don’t know any!” This is something of an insider’s Jazz joke, as most Jazz soloists play what they feel, not what they know works mathematically. Of course, this is far from the truth, but a Jazz player will have transcended standard scales in many ways. Instead, using their ear, they will be able to find step off points, into new scales and modes, shifting the music as they go. This of course, requires an immense amount of theoretical knowledge, either learned conventionally, or learned over years of playing by ear.

Playing Jazz can be one of the most rewarding experiences any guitar player is likely to experience. A good Jazz performance will see the musician develop ideas, and musical concepts on the fly, breathing fresh life into Jazz classics, while enthralling the audience like a true virtuoso. Although a thorough understanding of music theory is not a prerequisite for becoming a competent Jazz player, it can be seen as an effective short cut, removing the requirement to play Jazz for decades before becoming entirely competent in its application.

By: Bill Kernodle

Jazz Guitar Theory – What is It?

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:57:41 +0000

Jazz as we know it now grew from a form of music that was passed directly from musician to musician without too much theory being involved. Jazz guitar theory is a collection of ideas and traditions that has grown over the decades of jazz playing.

The original jazz players did not need theory. They needed to know their guitars well enough to be able to provide part of the rhythm for other instruments in the band or to play solos if they were needed. The nature of guitar playing in jazz bands varied over the years and depended on whether the guitarist was in a big band or a small group.

Jazz guitar theory is the product of the need for jazz players to communicate musical ideas to one another. To pass these ideas on a guitarist needed to be able to read standard musical notation and, as jazz playing became more sophisticated, he needed the technique to play the exotic barre chords that became the norm in jazz guitar music.

A part of jazz theory is what we could loosely call traditions of jazz – ways of approaching music that have become standard practice for jazz players. None of these traditions is set in concrete, but the use of the electric archtop guitar has become widespread over the years as is the use of barre chord voicings rather than open chords.

If you learn jazz guitar theory you will learn to rely on the seventh and third notes of a chord and how interest can be added by the use of the ninth, eleventh or thirteenth notes. These notes may be totally foreign to the original melody the guitarist is improvising over, but jazz players have the work of guitarists from previous generations to draw on when they make use of these unusual voicings.

A big part of jazz guitar theory is the types of techniques used to express musical feelings. Jazz guitar players have their own strumming patterns and chord progressions that may vary greatly from the ways of playing the original genre they might be interpreting. Also, although rock and blues guitar players of the past thirty or so years have left their mark on jazz, there is a tendency among jazz guitarists to use electronic effects rather sparingly.

To examine the basis of jazz guitar theory we need to be aware of the founders of modern jazz playing, like Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and Herb Ellis as well as the founders of guitar tradition like Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian. Jazz guitar theory has been shaped by modern players who have departed from tradition, such as John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Pat Metheny.

By: Ricky Sharples

Play Jazz Now

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:01:49 +0000

Getting that jazz sound can be a complex process. It is impossible to say who have the greatest jazz tone and sound as we are all different and are subjective in our listening. What I’m about to share with you acts as a general guide in the area of getting that jazz tone and should be improvise upon should you feel like it.

The Guitar

For an authentic jazz tone, you should have a semi-acoustic hollow body electric guitar. The Gibson ES-175 or the Gretch Tennessean can run into thousands of dollars but there are also excellent entry models such as Ibanez Artcore line of guitars. Guitars by Yamaha or Guild also make great entry level semi-acoustics. Epiphone, owned by Gibson are designed for the aspiring musician to own a Gibson but lack the budget to do so. What you get is a fantastic sounding guitar made by Gibson but at a much much lower price. Look for a guitar which provides a clean tone with plenty of sustain.

Jazz guitar players often plays with a rich mellow tone that is suitable for the style. Roll off the treble on your guitar’s controls to achieve that.

A Jazz Guitar Amplifier

The playing style and sound that you wish to attain will determine the amp you need. Very often, traditional jazz guitar players uses solid state amps that can produce a clean sound which compliment acoustic arch-top guitars. For others seeking a more distorted sound, a tube amp might be just what you are looking for. Many jazz guitarists use a Fender Pro or a Polytone. On board effects maybe another requirement you are looking for. This can range from a overdrive channel to a reverb channel.

Effect Pedals

A hint of reverb is all you need if you are one who does not want to meddle with effects. However, many modern jazz guitar players today includes an arsenal of effect pedals in their effects chain ranging from chorus, overdrive, distortion and even wah-wah pedal. A word of advice. When using effects, ensure they compliment your playing style and that you retain that “clarity” in your tone. Many guitar players often make the mistake of cluttering their guitar tone with too many effects which results in a poor quality muddy sound.

In summary, listen, listen, listen. Listen to recordings by all the jazz guitarists. Listen closely to their sounds and try to emulate them. When done enough, you’ll be able to find that unique tone in your guitar sound which you have crafted. Congratulations! You have found your very own signature sound!

By: Andy Ng