April 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Bebop Melody Lesson 1: Billies Bounce (BML1)

JGL Bebop Melody Lesson 1 – Billies Bounce (Blurb) Here we examine a 12 bar blues melody by Charlie Parker. I wanted to study his melodies because ofthe melodic and rhythmic interest he generates in his linear structure, often using extensions as target notes (in both higher and lower registers), displacement (as evidenced in the first four bars of this melody and in many other Parker heads), enclosure (where the target note is ‘enclosed by a higher and lower note), chromaticism (target note is approached by a semitone) and many other ‘jazz-isms’ that have become staple concepts in … [Read more...]


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March 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Godin 5th Avenue Jazz Guitar Review (Feat Isn’t She Lovely)

Late last year, Matt Walsham (a talented guitarist based in Auckland who manages imports for New Zealand’s largest music goods retail chain, ‘The Rockshop’) called me and said ‘man, have I got a guitar for you to try out’. Knowing how much I loved playing jazz and how important tone, control of sound, build quality and appearance were to me, (aren’t all guitarists vain...?!) – Matt lined up a ‘Godin 5th Avenue Jazz’ for me to put through its paces. LOOK I immediately loved it, after playing it for only a few moments in the shop. I’d been given the natural flame finish … [Read more...]


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February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Core Lesson 47 Jazz Lines over Standards Series: Chord Tone Soloing – ‘Green Dolphin Street’

In this lesson we take a different tack and work on building related ideas that carry similar themes, either harmonically, rhythmically or melodically. Again it is advisable that you: 1. Print off the attached PDF of the chords to ‘On Green Dolphin Street’ provided in the concert key of C major; you may wish to make multiple copies. 2. Have a pencil ready for altering or adding music or notes to the chart. 3. To get a more solid understanding of the chord changes, adopt a similar process as we did in the earlier videos of this series: write the chord tones (3rd, 5th and 7th) … [Read more...]


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February 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Core Lesson 46 Jazz Lines over Standards Series: Chord Tone Soloing – ‘Just Friends’

  In this lesson we build on the ideas developed in the first 3 related videos in this series. Our focus is on playing melodically using lines constructed mainly of chord tones (arpeggio). Again it is advisable that you: 1. Print off the attached PDF of the chords to ‘Just Friends’ provided in the concert key of G major; you may wish to make multiple copies. 2. Have a pencil ready for altering or adding music or notes to the chart. 3. Map out the 3rd, 5th and 7th of each valid chord in notation (or note name) on the staff near each written chord, then find this on your … [Read more...]


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February 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Core Lesson 45 Jazz Lines over Standards Series: Chord Tones: Resolving towards the 3rd – ‘Summertime’

In this lesson we focus on building lines that resolve towards the 7th of each chord. Again, as in the two prior related videos, I advise you to do the following steps: 1. Print off the attached PDF of the chords to ‘Summertime’ provided in the concert key of Dmi, you may wish to make multiple copies. 2. Have a pencil ready for altering or adding music or notes to the chart. 3. Map out the 7th of each valid chord in notation (or note name) on the staff near each written chord, then find this on your guitar (try it in one place only at first). 4. Try singing the notes you have … [Read more...]


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January 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Core Lesson 44: Jazz Lines over Standards Series: Chord Tones: Resolving towards the 5th – ‘Blue Bossa’ [CL 44]

In this lesson we focus on building lines that resolve towards the 5th of each chord. So again, as in the first video, I advise you to do the following steps: 1. Print off the attached PDF of the chords to ‘Blue Bossa’ provided in the concert key of Cmi, you may wish to make multiple copies. 2. Have a pencil ready for altering or adding music or notes to the chart. 3. Map out the 5th of each valid chord in notation (or note name) on the staff near each written chord, then find this on your guitar (try it in one place only at first). 4. Try singing the notes you have just … [Read more...]


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January 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Core Lesson 43: Jazz Lines over Standards Series. Chord Tones: Resolving towards the 3rd – ‘All of Me’ [CL 43]

In this lesson we focus on building lines that resolve towards the 3rd of each chord. To make this as easy to follow as is possible, I advise you to do the following steps: 1. Print off the attached PDF of the chords to ‘All of Me’ provided in the concert key of C, you may wish to make multiple copies. 2. Have a pencil ready for altering or adding music or notes to the chart. 3. Map out the 3rd of each valid chord in notation (or note name) on the staff near each written chord, then find this on your guitar (try it in one place only at first). 4. Try singing the notes you have … [Read more...]


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November 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The ‘Concept’ Practice Method for Improvisation

1. CONCEPT ► 2. METHOD ► 3. PRACTICE ► 4. INTEGRATION + CONSOLIDATION ► 5. EXPRESSION I often find when considering the ways in which we learn how to play jazz, that the notes we choose are not always the most important element of our playing, nor the phrasing or rhythms used. In fact upon discussing the jazz-learning-pathway with some of the great musicians who have inspired me, I’ve found that the biggest catalysts in their own musical development were often moments of ‘conceptual’ enlightenment; at a gig or clinic, during a lesson or even in a non-performing environment, … [Read more...]


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November 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Insights Into How To Comp Jazz Guitar

This is a transcript of an interview I did with Bazi Baker, who was completing his undergraduate degree in 2010 at the Christchurch Jazz School in New Zealand. Some insightful, pertinent questions on comping within a jazz context. 1. What are some things you feel that beginning compers are not aware of or forget to think about? Volume, dynamic, time keeping, listening to the musical environment, interaction with the band 2. Can you pin point some characteristics you like in a good comper? Someone who: feels good to play with, is sympathetic to the ideas that soloist / vocalist / … [Read more...]


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November 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Plurality

A plurality exists when a chord has more than one harmonic context or usage. This concept applies to all triad and most 7th chords that are commonly used in jazz repertoire. This is great for simplifying voicings of complex chords onto the fret-board of the guitar, being a notoriously hard instrument to ‘visualise’ chords on. If you spend some time studying these shapes and relationships you’ll be able to voice chords and lines along much simpler to ‘see’ and play chordal positions, by thinking of the primary triads or 7th chords at the top of the voicing; rather than trying to … [Read more...]


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October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 19: Chord Compendium, Major 7th Sharp 5 Chords [FL19]

Chord Compendium Video 8 Major 7th Sharp 5 Chord Shapes … [Read more...]


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October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 18: Chord Compendium 9, Minor Major 7th Chords [FL18]

Chord Compendium Video 7 Minor Major 7th Chord Shapes … [Read more...]


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October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 17: Chord Compendium 7, Diminished 7th Chords [FL17]

Chord Compendium Video 6 Diminished 7th Chord Shapes … [Read more...]


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October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 16: Chord Compendium 6, Minor 7th Flat 5 Chords [FL16]

Chord Compendium Video 5 Minor 7th Flat 5 Chord Shapes … [Read more...]


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October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 15: Chord Compendium 5, Dominant 7th Chords Altered [FL15]

Chord Compendium Video 4 Dominant 7th Altered Chord Shapes … [Read more...]


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October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 14: Chord Compendium 4, Dominant 7th Chords [FL14]

Chord Compendium Video 4 Dominant 7th Chord Shapes … [Read more...]


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September 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 13: JGL Chord Compendium 3 – Suspended Chord Voicings [FL13]

In this lesson, the third in our series of ‘Chord Compendiums’ we examine the Suspended Chord with common sus4, sus7, sus9, 11, 11(b9) and sus13(b9) voicing. FINGERING: In terms of fingering, I will occasionally use my neck-hand thumb to play lower notes (most often the root) in order to free up the neck-hand fingers to play more extensive chord tones, or to create a ‘platform’ (with the thumb and first finger), along which the other 3 remaining fingers can then embellish musical ideas. While I do not recommend this - as it is probably bad technique - I certainly don’t admonish … [Read more...]


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September 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 12: JGL Chord Compendium 2 – Minor Chord Voicings [FL12]

In this lesson, the second in our series of ‘Chord Compendiums’ we examine the Minor Chord with common minor triad, mi7, mi6, mi9, mi11, mi13, mi7(b6) and mi7(#5) voicings. FINGERING: In terms of fingering, I will occasionally use my neck-hand thumb to play lower notes (most often the root) in order to free up the neck-hand fingers to play more extensive chord tones, or to create a ‘platform’ (with the thumb and first finger), along which the other 3 remaining fingers can then embellish musical ideas. While I do not recommend this - as it is probably bad technique - I certainly … [Read more...]


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September 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Jazz Standard 9: Giant Steps [JS9]

This week we are releasing the 9th JGL Jazz Standard Video based around a tune that has proven to be my most popular tutorial on YouTube: John Coltrane’s ‘Giant Steps’. It’s over 25 minutes in length and focuses on two very important concepts that will help you on your quest to conquer this wonderful tune! As usual, we have a text blurb on the basic outline of the video content plus a downloadable PDF of the juicy bits on the video with all transcribed lines in guitar TAB and notation. In this video we examine the famous John Coltrane piece, ‘Giant Steps’. This tune is often … [Read more...]


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September 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lesson 11: JGL Chord Compendium 1 – Major Chord Voicings [FL11]

In this lesson, the first in our series of ‘Chord Compendiums’ we examine the Major Chord with common voicings for the major triad, ma7, ma6, ma9, ma13, ma7(#11) as well as a brief section on add 2 and add 9 voicings. As these are only beginner chord types, we will be introducing increasingly advanced chord types such as slash chords, clusters and split string structures, in future releases. In terms of fingering, I will occasionally use my neck-hand thumb to play lower notes (most often the root) in order to free up the neck-hand fingers to play more extensive chord tones, or to create … [Read more...]


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