Tritone Chord Substitution For Jazz Guitar. When learning how to play jazz guitar, one of the concepts that comes up time and time again is the tritone substitution.
Tritone substitution is a common chord substitution for dominant chords and occurs often in jazz standards. The tritone concept is also very useful for comping and improvised solos. In this lesson, you’ll be looking at a simple way to think about the tritone substitution, as well as explore a few examples of how you can apply this cool concept to your jazz guitar comping and solos. What is a Tritone Interval? One of the first theory terms you hear, and one that comes up time and again when studying jazz guitar, is the tritone.
In classical music, the tritone is known as diabolus in musica (the Devil in music) or the devil’s interval. There are different applications of the tritone, including guide tones and tritone subs, but before you dive into those concepts, you need to know exactly what a tritone is. How to Read Jazz Chords and Lead Sheets. One of the most common issues that beginning jazz guitarists run into is how to read from a fake book and properly interpret jazz chord symbols.
In this lesson, you will learn how lead sheet changes are written. You will add chord colors and tensions to basic chord changes, and learn a sample comping study to help you take these ideas into your playing. When first reading chord changes for popular jazz standards in lead sheet form, we are confronted with what looks like very plain chords, such as Dm7, G7, and Cmaj7. But, when you hear great players comp over these tunes they aren’t sticking to these written chords. 5 Essential ii V I Jazz Guitar Licks. In this lesson we’ll be looking at 5 classic ii V I jazz guitar licks, in both major and minor keys, that you can use to bring a sense of jazz vocabulary into your lines and solos. ii V I Lick 1 The first lick that we’ll look at is a Pat Martino style phrase that uses the C Dominant Bebop Scale over the first two bars, the Gm7 and C7 chords, before resolving to the Fmaj7 chord in bar three of the lick.
Sometimes we think about the Dominant Bebop Scale as only being used over the V7 chord in a ii V I progression. But, since the iim7 and V7 chord are so closely related, you can often play one or the other over both chords, so focusing on Gm7 over Gm7-C7, or as in this case, playing C7 over both Gm7 and C7. ii V I Lick 2. Four on Six Theme & Improvisation (Wes Montgomery) In this lesson you will learn how to play Four on Six, a standard written by Wes Montgomery.
In 1960, Wes Montgomery’s album “The Incredible Jazz Guitar” was released with on it two of his most famous compositions, “West Coast Blues” and “Four on Six”. Four on Six is a great song to play and your audience will love it! Here’s how the complete them sounds like: Audio Player. The Minor Chord Family - Theory, Shapes And Application Over So What. One of the most common obstacles when learning rhythm guitar is knowing which variations to play over written progressions.
Do you play the written chord? Or do you play a variation? Or do you move between both? These decisions put the brakes on your playing fast, and cause undue confusion in players of all experience levels. In this lesson, you’ll alleviate that confusion as you look into different minor chords, how they fit into the minor family, and how they can be used in your playing.
By knowing minor chord shapes of various harmonic colors, you’re able to comp of minor tunes with confidence. What is the Minor Chords Family? The Many Sides of John Mayer. Chops: IntermediateTheory: BeginnerLesson Overview: • Investigate old-school soul rhythms pioneered by the likes of Curtis Mayfield. • Learn how to craft melodic phrases on a single string. • Understand how to effectively choose notes that outline the changes.
Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation. John Mayer has earned the music world’s respect as a modern master of blues, rock, and pop guitar. An adroit musician who can combine these worlds in a distinctively original style, he also unapologetically displays a variety of strong influences from the greats. In this lesson, we’ll learn key aspects of Mayer’s rhythm and lead playing approach. We’ll develop a solid foundation in his soulful rhythm guitar style, and also investigate several of the ways he’d approach soloing over some basic chord progressions. Gypsy Jazz Guitar - Introduction To Arpeggios And Picking. One of the things that attracts me to the Gypsy swing style is that it has a systematic technical method.
Before I started to play Django style, none of my teachers talked to me about technique or how to improve my sound. I noticed that every guitarist has a different way of playing and I remember myself changing the way I played every few months. Things are different when you learn to play the Gypsy jazz style. Django Reinhardt and all the other gypsy jazz guitarists use the same method of picking, a method called rest stroke picking (other jazz guitarists like Joe Pass use this method as well). For me, this method and the resulting sound is the heart of the gypsy jazz style and is as important as phrasing, articulation, time, feel and the notes I choose to play. Wes Montgomery Chord Solo - Jazz Blues. Listening to Wes Montgomery play jazz can be both a liberating and intimidating experience.
For a guitarist still learning the ropes of chord soloing, trying to play like Wes is daunting from the get go. As far as chord soloing goes, Wes is known for his incredible speed, rhythm, and musical sensibility. Using familiar shapes, most commonly drop 2 chords, Wes formed some of the greatest chord soloing lines in jazz history.
Even though Wes restricted much of his chordal vocabulary to drop 2 style chords, Ted Green, the chord chemist himself, said, “Wes Montgomery said more with the chords he played than anyone else I’ve ever heard.” Just Friends Chords - Jazz Guitar Chord Study. A classic jazz standard, Just Friends is a tune that is often called at jazz jam sessions and pick-up gigs.
Because of this, having a strong understanding of the Just Friends chords will come in handy when jamming on this tune in a jazz combo setting. The chord study in this lesson will help you build your confidence with this jazz standard, as well as expand your jazz chord vocabulary. Both will better prepare yourself the next time someone calls this tune on a jam or gig. Before you get started, you should know that Just Friends gets called in a few different keys, mostly F and G. The chord study in this lesson is in the key of F, which is the key Pat Martino played this tune in on his legendary “El Hombre” record. How to Play The Diminished Scale. How to Play The Diminished Scale [Dim7 and 7b9] One of the most popular symmetrical scales on guitar, the diminished scale is an 8-note scale that is built by alternating whole and half steps from any root note.
There are two versions of the diminished scale that are commonly used in modern music, the fully diminished and dominant diminished scales. Though they share a name, each diminished scale is used to outline different chords in your solos. The dominant diminished scale is used to solo over 7th chords, and the fully diminished scale is used to solo over dim7 chords. As well, each diminished scale uses a different combination of whole and half steps in it’s construction. The fully diminished scale is built by alternating whole and half steps, while the dominant diminished scale alternates half and whole steps. 5 Ed Bickert Licks for Jazz Guitar. Known for his silky smooth chords, laid-back “cool” single notes, and for being one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever, Ed Bickert may not have the name of a Wes or Pass, but his playing deserves just as much recognition as these great players.
Growing up in a small town in Manitoba, Bickert soon made a name for himself as one of the top jazz guitarists on the Toronto scene. His big break came when jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond invited him to do a recording, exposing his personalized jazz guitar style to a broader, global audience. The licks in this lesson represent different concepts that Bickert used in both his single-note and chord soloing lines and phrases. As well, there’s a Bickert-style solo over “Song for My Father” that’ll help you take his concepts to a larger, jazz-standard form. By studying these five licks and sample solo, you’ll be able to get inside the mind of a legendary jazz guitarist, and expand your soloing chops at the same time.
Ed Bickert Lick 1. Essential Jazz Chord Exercises. If you’re a jazz guitarist, you’ve spent time working out chord shapes on the guitar but have hit a roadblock or two along the way. You’ve learned dozens of cool-sounding grips, but when it comes time to apply these shapes to a tune, things fall apart. Learning how to play chords and how to comp over your favorite jazz standard require different skills and a different approach to practicing in the woodshed. To help you expand your playing from memorizing shapes to comping with confidence over jazz tunes, here are 5 essential jazz chord exercises for guitar. Each of these exercises will take your chord playing to the next level, expanding your confidence and chord vocabulary at the same time. How to Use the Melodic Minor Scale. Outside of the major scale system, the melodic minor scale is the most important modal system in jazz. When first exploring melodic minor concepts in your studies, tackling the first mode, the melodic minor scale itself, is the best place to begin.
Used by every major jazz guitarist in their solos to color minor-family chords, the melodic minor scale is an essential sound to have under your fingers as you continue to the next stage in your development. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use the melodic minor scale, how to finger this scale on the fretboard, and study a sample solo over the Miles Davis standard “Solar.” Altered Scale Primer [With Blue Bossa Solo Study] Altered Scale Primer [With Blue Bossa Solo Study] One of the most popular Jazz scales that guitarists explore when learning how to play Jazz guitar is the Altered scale.
The 7th mode of the melodic minor scale system, the Altered scale is used to solo over 7alt chords, as well as over 7th chords when you want to create tension in your lines. What Are Guitar Positions? Everything You Need To Know... Throughout your guitar journey you may have seen the term ‘guitar positions’ crop up here and there. Confused about it’s meaning? You aren’t alone – it’s one of those guitar terms that causes a lot of misunderstanding for guitar students. And it’s often not explained correctly either. Diatonic Enclosures For Jazz Guitar - Application Guide. While there are many jazz soloing techniques that use chromatic notes and other outside sounds, not every important concept steps outside the key center.
The most popular example of this is the diatonic enclosure, which is built by playing two diatonic notes surrounding a diatonic target note in your lines. Take Five Paul Desmond Licks For Guitar. Take Five is a classic jazz standard that many guitarists learn at one time or another in their development. But, while it can seem like a straight-forward progression that only uses two chords, creating a memorable solo over this tune is tougher than it seems. Extended Chords for Guitar [9th, 11th, and 13th Chords] Extended Chords for Guitar [9th, 11th, and 13th Chords] Joe Pass Chords - Essential Lines And Concepts. Joe Pass is often considered as the greatest jazz guitarist who ever lived. 10 Essential Bebop Licks For Jazz Guitar. Though it lasted less than a decade, the bebop era has had a lasting influence on subsequent generations of jazz improvisers.players such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Bud Powell, and others brought fresh levels of excitement to their extended solos, ushering in a new era of jazz improvisation.
While many guitarists fall in love with the bebop sound, learning how to play in the bebop style can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Minor Blues Chords for Guitar [12 Chord Studies] Easy Satin Doll Chord Melody For Guitar. Learning how to play chord melody arrangements is one of the most sought after skills by beginning and intermediate jazz guitarists, but it can seem out of reach for many players. 5 Finger Friendly Major Jazz Guitar Licks. Turnaround Chord Solo Lines for Jazz Guitar. Drop 3 Chords & Inversions. How to Play Take 5 Chords on Guitar.
Minor ii V I Arpeggio Patterns for Jazz Guitar. How To Play Over Dominant Chords For Guitar. How to Practice and Apply Back Cycling. The Gypsy Minor Scale. How to Play Over Dim7 Chords for Guitar. Chords for Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon : 163. How to Play Dim7 Chords for Guitar. The Girl From Ipanema Chords. Misty Arpeggio Study - The Jazz Guitar Blog. Easy Jazz Arpeggios – ii V I VI Chords - The Jazz Guitar Blog. How to Play Maj7 Arpeggios - The Jazz Guitar Blog.
Wes Montgomery Blues Solo (Video + Tabs) Wes Montgomery Mini Licks - The Jazz Guitar Blog. Wes Montgomery Chord Study. The Whole Tone Scale For Jazz Guitar. What Are Diatonic Chords? - The Jazz Guitar Blog. How To Solo Over Maj7#5 Chords - The Jazz Guitar Blog. The Diminished Scale. Giant Steps For Guitar: Simplifying The Coltrane Matrix. Easy Jazz Chords - The Jazz Guitar Blog. The Altered Scale For Jazz Guitar. Jazz Guitar Chord Progressions.
Jazz Blues Chord Progressions and Chord Studies. Tritone Chord Substitution For Jazz Guitar. Jazz Guitar Chord Turnarounds.