Thanks for visiting the Q and A post. I have set up this post especially for you!
Here’s the deal. I want to know your questions. The topics and subjects and the struggles you are facing on the Jazz Guitar journey. Think of it as your ultimate question and answer post!
Here some focusing questions if you need help…
What are you struggling with right now as a Jazz Guitarist?
What are the topics or lessons you need clarification on?
If you could ask me anything what would it be?
Please leave your thoughts, comments and questions below…
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Hey Dixon,
Really enjoying the site so far, Great job. I’ve got a pretty vague question about some soloing ideas over a blues. I’ve been exploring some ideas like incorporating the IV7(b9) followed by a II-V and so on. But I’ve noticed some musicians briefly soloing to a what sounds like a passing chord that isn’t there. This includes Augmented, diminished and altered ideas and it really makes the solo sound dynamic. So here’s the question finally. Could you please shed some light on some of these ghost chords (and/or substitutions) and what can be done melodically across them? I would really like to continue exploring the blues as a gateway into jazz.
Cheers,
Aabir
Hey Aabir – great you asked! I have just answered a similar question and I hope some upcoming content will fill in some blanks for you.
The next video we are shooting (after Stella by Starlight this weekend) is a 12 bar blues, with special attention on chords; standardised chord forms, advanced chord forms and how chord substitutions or superimpositions can inform our soloing. Voice leading ideas, chord melody ideas, solo passages mixed with chords, voicing in lead lines and playing chord tones within known shapes separatley to create harmonic outlines for lead improvising.
So this is a lot to do with substitution and superimposition; that is how I see pathways through the harmony of the tune: The first step is to really know the BASIC chord forms, what is the written progression, how can I get some voicings happening in a few different places, how can I LINK those voicings together – then look at common form substitutions and study these. Work out why the harmony ‘works’ or sound good – is it leading? Is it parallel movement? Tritone sub? Diminished dominant? V7(b9)dom moving up a 4th to resolve? Chromatic passing downwards via lydian-dominant chord type? These are some common questions.
Then you can experiment with harmony that is further away from the obvious or common place chord subs and supers.
We will get into that juicy stuff in the vid (it is the first MASTERCLASS level video, where I’ll be playing pretty much exactly how I’d play on a gig / recording).
Hope you can wait around a couple weeks for that!
Cheers
Dix
Would love to see much more theory on chord movement, most sites online focus to much on impro/soloing and most jazz players in real life do alot more comping and Chord melody then ripping it up non-stop. I was taking lessons from a private teacher and he teached Chord Movement…e.g 3rds to 6ths meaning Cmaj7 to Em7 to G7 ect. This way you can embellish jazz tunes with chord movement and subs. Would really like to see a huge area devoted to this because i think it’s lacking on all jazz sites online.
Thanks
Ken
Hey Ken – great suggestion. The next tune we are working on after Stella By Starlight is a 12 bar blues and the focus is entirely on chords; standardised chord forms, advanced chord forms, stylistic approaches to comping chords (freddy green style comps / guide tone comping or Wes Style etc), and how chord substitutions or superimpositions can inform our soloing. So lots of voice leading ideas, chord melody, solo passages mixed with chords, voicing in lead lines and playing chord tones within known shapes separatley to create harmonic outlines for lead improvising.
But the main focus is on chord work.
Hope you can wait a few weeks!
Thanks! Can’t wait. I’ll make sure i brush up and practice so i get the most out of it. Love Stella too. Bill Evans does a fantastic version on the album Conversations with Myself.
I dig your videos but you need to make your voice volume louder
We are constantly working on getting things right and have upgraded our setup for recording video and audio so hopefully this has made a difference to the new content!
What about my other question above?
Thx
Ken
The chords or the blues one?
Chord Theory, chord movement. I was hoping for it’s own section on chord work,subs,embellishemnt,movement.
Don’t get me wrong so far i dig thesite, you have alot of good stuff. But in my opinion chord work gets neglected to often. Iwant to improv as much as anyone, but also want to be able to creat beautiful chord melody solo’s
Thanks
Ken
great site bro, looking forward to the master classes!
I would like to hear your advice to other young guitarist when it comes to accompanying a pianist.. ie a duo or trio setting.
I’ve played with many guitarists over the years, and only a handful know how to accompany, and what to play with a keys player. Everyone else over comps, or freak out because they don’t know how to play a walking bass line, or how to interact during a piano solo over a few choruses. If you are making music together, then that’s what it should be, music! NOT a competition. lol
As a pianist, if I played a gig with a guitarist for the first time, I would use a lot of communication, and listen to how s/he plays. I would be taking in many mental notes as I interact each time (each chorus) giving a little more to see where the “comfortable” give and take level of music is happening. Always taking note of how they react to the types of chords/ interaction I am able to assist them with. Generally I can figure this out before the end of the first tune. And now we have established a musical relationship with something we can build on, the rest of the gig, hopefully is an awesome experience! I hope my little insight might help lol
Anyways I know ALL guitarists would greatly benefit from your advice.
Thanks bro!
Elia
Hey Elia, great to hear from you again!
James Muller, a fantastic guitarist based in Sydney, Australia, says of pianists and guitarists comping in the same group: let the pianist do the comping (as in ‘if you’re the guitarist, just shut up’) – and I guess his reason was that in general, if the pianist can really play, they will have a lot more harmonic facility than your average guitarist. I do think he has a point when it comes to a quartet for example, or a Pn/Bs/Gt trio etc but in saying that I’ve played lots over the years with pianists and just learned that if you stay out of each others way, or comp at different times (share the comp) or choose a pitch region different from the other accompanist, and above all, LISTEN – all these things help in the process of making good decisions about what and where and how to comp.
In addition, I believe someone wanting to know how to comp well in a general sense should listen to great accompanists – guitarist learn Freddy Green, Wes, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Pat Metheny etc – get some tricks in your comping bag!
And volume is a big thing – try blending or deliberately sitting UNDER the volume of the soloist so that he can hear him/herself play and so that you’re sound is more ‘around the edges’ of what they’re doing. There’s recordings of Jim Hall where you hear him soloing clear and strong in his usual muted tone, then he switches to comping mode and suddenly the guitar volume is cut by 3/4′s and you can hear his pick on the strings strumming brightly – as if he’s turned down completely and the recording mic is only picking up the acoustic sound of the guitar! Brilliant!
Also, learn how to do things like walk a bassline properly – listen to and transcribe great bassists – I have a soft spot for Ray Brown and his walk / time feel etc so I learned a few things he’d do and try and use those ideas when walking in a solo / duo situation.
My belief is that every instrument has strengths and weaknesses, in terms of how music is realised on them and due to instrument specific technical or musical limitations. The guitar has weaknesses in that close voiced chords are often difficult (or impossible) to play particularly fluently. It is hard to voice chords and move them fluently as there is no natural sustain (like a piano ‘pedal’) to create a moment of relief while your neck fingers change chords. Transposition is easy; sight reading is hard – etc etc.
But in terms of accompaniment, I believe the electric jazz guitar has much to offer: texture, dynamic, harmonics, vibrato and then the addition of multi effects in the signal chain etc. All these things may be utilised as devices for improving how you comp. I seriously consider all these aspects when approaching my role as a rhythm player.
In a duo setting with piano, I often do a similar thing to what you have described: a lot of listening to the musician I’m playing with and getting a strong sense of their abilities, time feel, harmonic identities (do they substitute, super impose, use language etc) and their weaknesses. I believe that in the interests of music, it is important to encourage the best music out of the moment between two individuals playing together, regardless of technical skill level or abilities. So that means, I will find where a player needs support and give it to them:
1. Rhythmically – do they need me to play solid? Is their tendency to rush? Should I pick them up a bit and push because they are dragging?
2. Harmonically – choose supportive or contrasting notes as appropriate, ‘voice’ in their super impositions and allow them to explore further, etc
3. Musically – what is the best thing I can play in this moment to support the other player and the music; rather than just; what can I play here, just because I can.
I believe more so in jazz and creative musics than anywhere else, there is definitely a choice to be made each time you pick up your instrument to perform with someone else; a chocie to compliment, contrast, to support, to add interest, to propel and give momentum or just to hold it down where necessary.
With practice and gigging experience, the choices of ‘how to make great music together’ become more obvious!
Hope that helps anyone out there and thanks for your ideas again Elia!
damn man … yea that helps heaps .. I’m pretty much a doodle-master bedroom guitar player with only maybe a couple dozen performances under my belt … so this kinda help is very much welcomed too … i look forward to my next jam session ..
bro thats A M A Z I N G, flippin write a BOOK on that answer alone!!!!!!
Just reading this has given my ears a wake up call, and i’m hitting the cds again to LISTEN to what you’ve just described.
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Dixon,
Is there some reason for the order of the core lessons. I currently use the cage system or 5 patterns that cover neck for improv. Are you suggesting something different?
thx ken
Hey Ken; I think you should learn ALL ways; by doing this you are more free to choose melodic moments you hear and less inclined to play from position, pattern or learned licks only.
The Bb jazz blues video you made….. is FANTASTIC.
I wanted to comment there, but comments are “closed” lol.
VERY VERY HELPFUL, thanks Dixon