Five Jazz Guitar Mastery Secrets

Bonus Articles from JazzGuitarLessons.Net

Hello, My name is Marc (often nickname ! Gilles "# an $%m &o'in( to of )azz (uitar.

&el' (ui e you on your musical )ourney in t&e *orl

+&ere *ill ,e many c&allen(es alon( t&e *ay ,ut *it& t&e ri(&t min set an resources you-ll &ave fun an (ro* stea ily. $ ,elieve *e are all eternal stu ents. +&e learnin( 'rocess *ill never en . +&e core conce'ts foun foun ational conce'ts. Marc.A ! Gilles " Se(uin JazzGuitarLessons.Net in t&e follo*in( articles are a''lica,le re(ar less of your level or interests. $ am constantly returnin( to t&ese

Secret /0 1 2&an(e t&e 3ay 4ou Hear Secret /5 1 Learn from t&e Masters Secret /6 1 Stu y 7e'ertoire Secret /8 1 Learn from 9t&ers Secret /: 1 Fin 4our 3ay

Secret /0 1 2&an(e t&e 3ay 4ou Hear

Music is an aural art form. +&erefore $ ,elieve t&at visual, intellectual (t&eory# an tactile fee ,ack is only secon ary in t&e to un erstan at first ,ut t&ere%s still ifferently. learnin( 'rocess. $t may ,e &ar

only one *ay to 'lay ,etter music 1 &ear more an

$t is ;uite c&allen(in(, in t&e *orl *e live in, not to t&ink of t&e (uitar fret,oar in terms of '&ysical (visual# 'lacement. Most of our society is ,uilt aroun reference 'oints t&at are visual in nature 1 television, roa s, cell'&ones, com'uters, etc. Music is an e<ce'tion. Most 'eo'le learn to 'lay t&e (uitar (or ot&er instruments# *it& t&eir eyes. Ho*ever, suc& an a''roac& can only (o so far = Listeners are still )ust hearing t&e music> +o im'rove our aural a,ilities *e &ave to re efine t&e *ay t&e *&ole music is &ear . +ra itional ?ear trainin(@, alt&ou(& a very im'ortant ste', *on-t accom'lis& t&is s&ift. $t is not a,out interval an reco(nition or melo ic ifferently. Example : Alay any full c&or . Select t*o notes from t&is c&or . Make t&em stan out. No* 'lay t&e t*o notes ,y t&emselves. +&is is one ?an(le@ from *&ic& you can 'erceive t&e interval. c&or ictations. 2&an(in( t&e *ay you &ear is a,out

listenin( from anot&er an(le. $t-s 'erceivin( t&e same musical i ea

Ne<t, c&ose a different ,ass note ('refera,ly on t&e si<t& strin(#. Alay your t*o selecte notes a(ainst t&is ne* ,ass. 4ou no* &ave a you-ll fin more ifferent 'ers'ective on t&e interval. Bee' (oin( an an more ?'ersonalities@ in t&e t*o selecte notes. Another example: Alay any scale in time an t&en 'lay t&e same scale ,ut start on a 'lay t&e first note on ifferent ,eat. 2ount yourself in (0.5.6.8# an *it& t&e scale startin( on (oo ol ,eat 0. As you can no* see (an &ear# t&e musical material &asn-t c&an(e at

,eat 8. +&e scale *ill ,e re,orn. 4our ears are most likely very familiar

all ,ut your perception of it is no* ,roa er. Bee' in min , t&ese are only ,asic startin( 'oints from *&ic& you can create countless e<ercises. +&is ne* *ay of t&inkin( *ill lea an melo ic free om. This is changing the way you hear. Bee' your ears wide open at all times. +&e tactile, emotional an visual as'ects of 'layin( (an learnin(# )azz on t&e (uitar s&oul ,e secon ary most of t&e time. Prioritize the aural perception. Finally, reconsi er your o*n 'ractice material *it& t&e ears in min listen more an 1 you to (reater r&yt&mic

?noo le@ less. 7elyin( 'urely on tec&ni;ue can ,e a

*aste of time (?... $-ll learn C amount of scales so t&at t&ey come out *&en $ im'rovise...@# Learn t&e fin(erin(s (in ee ># ,ut do not let your fingers guide the music. +&ose t*o flo''y t&in(s on t&e si e of your &ea are t&e musician-s ,est frien s>

Secret /5 1 Learn from t&e Masters

Are you familiar *it& t&e conce't of ?'rivate lessons@D Anot&er musician teac&es you for an &our or so in e<c&an(e of money. +&e teac&er ra*s from &is experience and skills to (ui e you in t&e learnin( 'rocess. Ho* a,out free lessons *it& 'ast an 'resent )azz (uitar le(en sD How to Learn from the $f 3es Mont(omery *alke &e *oul asters into my &ouse to (ive me a lesson to ay,

still use &is experience and skills to teac& me ... t&e same

t*o t&in(s &e use in t&e stu io to recor &is ,est al,ums. $ say *e cut out t&e mi leman an *e use &is recor in(s as a &e 'laye

learnin( tool> Even if $ actually had a lesson *it& 3es, an

in front of me, &e *oul still soun exactly like &is recor in(s. +&e main a vanta(e of stu yin( recor e re'eate )azzmen is learnin( from

real masters at your o*n 'ace. +&e 'assa(es on an al,um can ,e in efinitely *it&out a 'ro,lem. $t (ives time to notate t&e in music on 'a'er if nee e . +&is a''roac& is also cost effective 1 a ten ollar al,um can contain &un re s of ?mini.lessons@ *&en e<'lore e't&. (Who showed you that? Well, Jim Hall did.)

!hat to Learn from the

asters imitate your favorite

S'ecifically, $ stron(ly su((est you learn an recor e

solos. Alease refer to t&is transcri'tion article for a 'ractical

(ui e. 9t&er as'ects of )azz recor in(s can ,e stu ie suc& as 1 "epertoire (melo y, c&or s an form of tunes# #ong $nterpretation (how t&e melo y is 'laye # %omping (listen to 'ianists an (uitarists# Arranging (intro, en in(, overall ?,i( 'icture@ structure# &rchestration (*&at instrument 'lays *&at# "hythms (sin(in( F cla''in( )ust t&e r&yt&ms#

+o summarize, t&e *ealt& of information availa,le on )azz recor in(s is yours to e<'lore an learn from. $t is also a very 'ersonal ;uest 1 ifferent t*o similar musicians *ill, more often t&an not, e<'lore really is yours to iscover> +remen ous (ro*t& comes from t&e *&ole transcri'tion 'rocess. Sc&e ule ?'rivate lessons@ *it& your (uitar &eroes to ay = for free> $f you a mire t&ose (uys, *&y not learn from t&em irectly>D

as'ects of t&e very same track. +&e ,eauty of t&e 'rocess is t&at it

Secret /6 1 Stu y 7e'ertoire

Listen to )azz ***
+&is is t&e most precious piece of ad'ice any stu ent of )azz can ,e (iven. Listen to (oo )azz every ay> Borro*in( recor s from t&e li,rary an s&o''in( at use recor stores are t&e c&ea'est o'tions. +&at ,ein( sai , listen to your favorite tunes &un re s of times an learn t&em $ fin an irectly from t&e recor in(. 4ou can never listen too muc&. it is ,est to learn a tune from a recor in( t&an from a s&eet of &o* to solo. Make a lea s&eet from t&e recor e track if nee e .

'a'er. An al,um *ill (ive you i eas as to &o* to inter'ret t&e melo y Avoi fake(ooks an use your ears. = $ kno*, $ kno*... 4ou &ave t&ree sets to 'lay toni(&t an kno* on-t remem,er t&e melo y an t&e ot&ers... $ un erstan crutc& t&at you s&oul you only you

a''ro<imately fifteen tunes. Five of t&em are ,lues an (,een t&ere

c&or s 'erfectly to t&ree or four of one t&at># 7ely on t&e t&at fake,ooks are a of. 4ou-ll ,e muc& more

fake,ook if you must. But you must un erstan eventually (et ri involve in t&e music if you-re not ,usy rea in(.

Aut many &ours of *ork into masterin( your re'ertoire. +&at means to memorize an 'olis& t&e statement of t&e melo y. $t also means takin( t&e time to 'ractice accom'anyin( a soloist. Guitarists ?com'@ lots> 2reate a c&or melo y if you *is& to (o ee'er &armonically.

+o stu y a tune also means to im'rovise ;uite a lot, ,ot& 'layin( *it& t&e melo y an ,lo*in( over t&e c&or c&an(es. Em,ellis& t&e melo y creatively. $m'rovise on t&e c&or s an attem't to outline t&e c&an(es effectively *&ile creatin( meanin(ful musical statements. +o conclu e, 'layin( )azz is 'layin( t&e tunes> Every as'irin( )azz musician s&oul ,uil a ecent list of memorize tunes an stu y tunes re'ertoire on a re(ular ,asis. Aracticin( tec&ni;ue (scales, c&or s, ar'e((ios, etc.# is useless ,y itselfG *e nee at least a fe* (oo to 'lay an im'rovise on. 3rite o*n your re'ertoire list ri(&t no*>

Secret /8 1 Learn from 9t&ers

Listenin( to, 'racticin( an stu yin( )azz are not all it takes to ,ecome a (reat 'layer. +&is music is social, it-s alive. Famous )azz musicians i not stay at &ome an 'ractice all ni(&t = t&ey *ent out, t&ey met live music. +&ey *ere immerse in t&e *it& ot&er cats an lan(ua(e of )azz. $t-s enric&in( to atten )azz concerts an local )azz events. $t-s even t&ey &ear

more im'ortant to ,ecome 'art of a )azz community an increase your a*areness of *&at-s (oin( on in t&e )azz *orl . +&is un erstan in( allo*s for a more mature a''roac& to 'layin( an learnin( t&e music. Alayin( *it& t&e same fe* 'eo'le on a re(ular ,asis *as t&e key for me as far as a,sor,in( t&e lan(ua(e. $ learne 'racticin( countless &ours in musicians. All t&e uo *it& t&e same ,elieve t&at it is im'ortant to meet an so muc& from rummer> $ also ifferent levels *ill

'lay *it& a lot of

ifferent 'ersonalities, a''roac&es an

c&allen(e you an contri,ute to your aily im'rovement. +o conclu e, (et involve +ry to 'lay *it& a vance early on an your (ro*t& *ill ,e very fast.

musicians ri(&t from t&e start even if you

feel intimi ate . Everyone learns ,y osmosis. +&e ,etter your ,an mates, t&e ;uicker your 'ro(ress>

Secret /: 1 Fin 4our 3ay

$f $ coul *rite )ust one sentence &ere it *oul ,e 1 +,on-t listen to me. you know (etter than $ do*/ Even if someone asks me &o* to (et ,etter at im'rovisin( on a sim'le ,lues $ can merely make suggestions. Harious outcomes *ill arise from t&e same su((estions ( e'en s on t&e 'layer, instrument, level, conte<t, style, tem'o, num,er of ,eers consume , etc.# Some 'eo'le claim t&at t&ey &ave foun an the ri(&t *ay to 'ractice )azz

*rite ,ooks a,out it. +&ese *orks can ,e of (reat value ,ut only

you &ol t&e key to unlockin( your musical voice. Al*ays remem,er t&at no one really kno*s *&at you nee $t all ,oils o*n to you, your c&oices an your life. $t-s (oo lots of information ,ut ,e strate(ic an selective. Haryin( your a''roac&es is also of utmost im'ortance *&en learnin( )azz. Get ins'iration from any*&ere an disco'er your own ways of ealin( *it& musical situations. $t-s very satisfyin( to overcome musical o,stacles *it& your o*n solutions. Aersonally, $ ,enefit from rastic c&an(es in my a''roac& once in a my 'layin( feels very messy for a o*n. $ learn a (reat al*ays settles to o ne<t.

to take in

*&ile. $ (et into a ne* conce't an ay or t*o. 3it& time, my soun eal t&rou(& t&is 'rocess.

$n summary, no a''roac& is (oo your ?entry 'oints@ *&en

for everyt&in( an

everyone. Hary situations.

ealin( *it& musical material an

Iiscover t&e a''roac&es t&at *ork for you.