FENDER PLAYERS CLUB EASY JAZZ RIFFS

From the book:

Easy Jazz Riffs for Guitar

Bebop Licks • Jazz Blues Riffs • Full-

Length Solos • Licks in the Styles of the
Masters • Tablature • Includes CD.

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Major Key Riff

Minor Key Riff

Diatonic Ending Figure

Major Key Riff AUDIO CLIP

Over the years, jazz players have increased melodic excitement by adding “new” notes to the basic progressions.
It may be only one note that adds this flavor. Here, a Dı is used as a chromatic passing tone in the first bar. The
function of this note is to embellish an otherwise diatonic line in a colorful and slightly dissonant way. The
progression this riff is played over, the ii-V-I, is one of the most common in jazz.

Straight eighths
Am7 D7 Gmaj7
# œ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
3

& œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙.

5 3 2 3
5 4 5 4 2
2 5 5 4 2 0 2 4
Minor Key Riff AUDIO CLIP
This riff, in C minor, introduces an essential left-hand technique for the jazz guitarist: the pull-off. To execute
a pull-off, place fingers on both of the notes that are to be sounded. Strike the first (higher) note, then sound
the lower note by pulling the finger off the higher note while keeping the lower note fretted. This technique
adds feeling and expression, much like a horn player’s legato slurs.

Cm6 Dm7ı5 G7ı9 Cm(maj7)

bb ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ
P P

& b œ œ œ œ nœ œ. ˙
P P
3
3 4 6 4 3 6 4 3
5 5 4 4
6 5 3 5 5

Diatonic Ending Figure AUDIO CLIP

Here is a purely diatonic riff in C—no accidentals whatsoever. This riff begins with hammer-ons, which are like
the reverse of pull-offs. A hammer-on is accomplished by striking the first (lower) note, then sounding the
second note with another finger by fretting it without picking.

Cmaj9

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
P

& œ œ œ œ œ ˙. Œ œ Œ Ó
H
H

H P
3 3
3 5 3 5 3
4 5 5 5 5 4 2 4 5
2 5