The internet can be super helpful for learning jazz guitar – it’s easy to find great lessons and advice for beginners if you know where to look. Some of my favorite teachers have courses available through Truefire or My Music Masterclass. (I don’t have any monetary interest in either of these sites… I just think … Read more
So you’re getting better at jazz guitar. You’ve mastered easy jazz guitar chords, and even gotten comfortable with drop 3 voicings. Drop 2 chords just might be the next step for you. After all, you need a better jazz guitar chord vocabulary – there are sounds you’re just not getting out of your guitar. Plus … Read more
Minor 7b5 arpeggios are an important pattern for jazz guitar. There’s just no way around it. And they’re also the pattern a lot of my students love to hate. These patterns are a little awkward at first, and don’t flow as easily as the minor 7 arpeggios did. And to rub some salt in the … Read more
If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we’re all looking for ways to get better at jazz guitar. It’s natural – everyone wants to find an edge, or that one thing that will take us to the next level. And sometimes it really is that simple. You luck out. You learn … Read more
I got told not to play jazz guitar voicings with the root above the 7th of the chord, because it sounds ugly. Is this true? Or is it something I can do sometimes? – Jeff H. It really depends. On the musical situation, who you are playing with, and what you’re trying to do. There … Read more
What is the best way to play triplets with a pick? There are 2 options listed in the Berklee “Modern Guitar” method. Is there one that you prefer? Or is there a different approach that’s better? – Tim As far as practicing triplets with a pick goes, it really depends on what you want to … Read more
I never thought too much about how to learn jazz guitar. It just kind of happened. One day, I found out there was a band in my middle school where I could play guitar before school. The class was called “jazz band.” I didn’t know what jazz was and I didn’t care. I just wanted … Read more
Minor 7 Arpeggios for Jazz Guitar Making the changes is an important part of learning to play better solos in jazz guitar. And your minor 7 arpeggios are an essential piece of “making the changes.” I remember spending a lot of time learning these jazz guitar arpeggio patterns early on in college. Especially as I … Read more
Minor Pentatonic Scale for Jazz Guitar As I went through college, I didn’t give enough credit to the minor pentatonic scale. Don’t get me wrong – I spent a lot of my time and energy on developing my soloing skills. I worked hard on learning to play the changes and develop my jazz vocabulary. But … Read more
The Morning Coffee Jazz Guitar Practice Routine When I was in college, practicing jazz guitar was always a chore. Don’t get me wrong, I love jazz guitar. But practicing was something that just had to be done every day. I did it, because I liked getting better. But I also did it because I felt … Read more