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Learning the Jazz Guitar Scales – Basic How-To’s

Posted by admin2 on August 22nd, 2010 Comments Off



When learning to play jazz guitar, you’ll have to master learning the scales. Most players are led to believe that all they need to do is learn how to finger the scale and that’s where their learning ends. When it comes time to play solos and improvs, they get frustrated because they find it hard to just play. The real problem is not that playing an improvisation is hard or beyond their skill. The real problem is that they haven’t learned to master the scales as they thought they had.

Basically, there are five skills that need to be mastered because they set the foundation for your improvisation and solo play. If you don’t master all five skills in your lessons, then you will have a difficult time doing the improvisation because you don’t truly know the scale and as a result won’t have a feel for the scale. The five skills are: ears, eyes, intellect, fingers and application. Let’s see how they can work for us.

How-to #1: Learn to hear the sound of the scale so that when you hear a tune, you know what notes they are. This is an amazing skill that most people don’t develop because they rely on music sheets, fakebooks and their teachers.

How-to #2: Learn to see the scale on the fretboard. Your eyes will help you develop technically correct hand and finger positioning technique when playing the scale.

How-to #3: Learn to play scales from any position on the fretboard. Know your gypsy jazz guitar inside and out. Once you learn the finger positions for a scale, practice playing the scale starting from the different notes.

How-to #4: Learn the music theory behind the scale. Know the notes, the tones and where the scale can be played in an improv.

How-to #5: Learn to use the scale in a musical way. Many players don’t know where a tune might fit into a short improvisation. Mastering this area definitely will take some work, finding out what works and what doesn’t.

People can play music, but there are many people who don’t know how to feel their way around a fretboard. They get lost without a music sheet and you and I both know that these players can’t perform a solo at all. Instead of focusing on which amp to buy, work on honing your craft and working more closely with mastering the scales. Once you’ve thoroughly learned this technique, you’ll be playing improvisations and solos like you’ve always dreamed of doing!

By: Logan B Young

Posted in Jazz Festivals

Buying a Good Jazz Guitar

Posted by admin2 on August 7th, 2010 Comments Off



If you are planning to learn how to play the guitar and really want to be good at it, I would suggest that you start out with learning Jazz. Jazz guitar playing does not have any actual base of music theory but instead, is a theory which is a collection of ideas which were passed on from musician to musician. Jazz players never really needed music theory to come up with their music, but instead, needed to thoroughly know the instruments enough to give a rhythm to accompany the other jazz musicians. Jazz playing changed over the years and now has become a base for many other genres of music.

It is said, if a guitarist knows how to play jazz, he is really good. This is because jazz playing has a vast background and includes a huge number of unique jazz scales and licks. Jazz playing will teach you how to create your own strumming patterns and chord progressions, making your music very unique. When learning jazz theory, you will learn to rely mostly on the seventh and third notes of a chord. Jazz may seem like fun, but requires a good amount of practice and dedication. However, learning jazz is what I would recommend for anyone who is planning to start out with guitar playing.

When going to buy a jazz guitar, it is best to go with someone who already knows how to play the guitar, and plays it well. A person who has good experience with guitars will be the best one to tell whether or not a guitar is good. If you are buying the guitar online then you should consider only buying a reliable make. Also, read testimonials of people who have bought a guitar from the site you are planning to purchase your guitar. The prices online will definitely be a lot cheaper than at a regular music store, and you can also find places that offer other things along with the guitar.

Not all guitars are meant for jazz. Back in the day, before solid bodied electrics were made, people used acoustic guitars. But now however, the hollow bodied electric guitar is the ideal choice for a jazz guitar. When buying an electric guitar, make sure that you do not buy one without doing a good amount of research. The ideal jazz guitar is a hollow bodied electric guitar. Makes like Gibson and Epiphone are commonly used in jazz guitar playing and are known to be some of the best jazz guitars. Do not go in for a solid bodied guitar if you want to only focus on jazz since the tone of those guitars won’t suit the genres.

If you plan to play other genres of music also, then you should probably think of going in for a Gibson or a Fender. Guitar makes like Ibanez and Kramer are really good but mostly meant for heavy metal. The tone of the guitar mainly depends on it’s pickups as well as the design of the body. Archtop guitars are typical jazz guitars and you can find them in many makes. Make sure that the guitar you buy has a floating bridge to allow adjustments so as to increase or decrease the action. Once you get a good jazz guitar you will not have a problem with spending time learning.

By: Shoked Mohol

Posted in Jazz Festivals

Jazz Improvisation is a Study in Theory

Posted by admin on October 29th, 2009 No Comments

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

Posted in Jazz Festivals

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