Your Online Guide to Playing Better Jazz Guitar
Jazz Guitar Chords
As guitarists, we all deal with the dual nature of our instrument. On the one hand, we can play single lines like a saxophone, and on the other we can play chords like a piano, giving us twice as much to learn as our horn and bass-playing friends! While many of us love to solo, spending most of our time practicing lines, scales and arpeggios, the reality is that most of the time we’re on stage, we’re comping chords behind another soloist.
Because of this, many of us learn our Drop 2 and Drop 3 chords, the two most popular voicings in jazz guitar, but seldom venture beyond these standard shapes. So, I’ve decided to write a series of articles where I lay out cool, great sounding chords that are not only easy to play and internalize, but that will vastly increase your harmonic vocabulary in no time, allowing you to get back to transcribing your favorite Wes Montgomery or Kurt Rosenwinkel solos.
Below are a series of articles that I’ve written that explain and present my approach to studying and learning Jazz Guitar Chords. This is not by any means a complete approach, but there is enough material here to keep anyone busy for years on end. Also, as with any student of jazz, I’m learning more about the genre and how to study and teach it every week, so check back for new articles and lessons being posted on my site, and linked to from this page for easy bookmarking.
If you have any questions regarding these articles, or suggestions for further lessons on the subject, feel free to comment on this page, or if you’d rather, you can send me a note via my contact page. Enjoy!
Jazz Guitar Chords Series
Articles
- 3 to 7 Triads
- Minor ii-V Voice Leading Video Lesson
- Major ii-V Voice Leading Video Lesson
- Minor 7 Chord Pairing
- Chord Scales
- Wes Montgomery Chord Scales
- Lenny Breau Two-Note Voicings
- Diminished Extensions
- Jim Hall Diminished Extensions
- Jim Hall Inspired Altered Chord Scale
- 5 Ways to Learn Drop 2 Chords for Jazz Guitar
- 5 Ways to Practice Drop 3 Chords for Jazz Guitar
- Maximize Your Comping with 2 Note Jazz Guitar Chords
- What are 4th Voicings and How Can They Change Your Jazz Guitar Playing
- Increase Your Chord Vocabulary 300% with Ted Greene Chord Synonyms
- 5 Joe Pass Chord Licks Every Jazz Guitarist Should Know
- How to Play 4th Chords Like Lenny Breau
- Jazz Blues Chord Substitutions and Harmonic Alterations
Resources
2 Responses to "Jazz Guitar Chords"
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Hi Matt, Britt Reed, Brwnhrnt59, highly recommended this site. I have been a rock and blues player for about 20 years, but have flown mostly by the seat of my pants. I need to start somewhere in jazz, and Britt suggested I learn m7b5, m7th, dim and aug chords. He also suggested learning the Diatonic scale first, and the major scales. Could you direct me to a place with those chord structures, as my books at home do not have them. I have books for the major scales.
Also, alas, I do not know how to build triads, or chords, so I have an awfully long way to go, but I’ve always wanted to play jazz, I think I haven’t tried because none of my peers locally enjoy it. Thanks, Matt, for taking the time to read this, Sincerely, James Powers
Hey James,
Thanks for checking out the site, glad Britt sent you here!
For chords, try starting with Drop 2 chords, maj7, 7, m7 and m7b5, you can find them here as well as some suggestions on how to practice them.
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/guitar-resources/chords/drop-2
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/drop-2-chords-for-jazz-guitar
For scales, here is an article I wrote on building every single mode out of one fingering, very easy way to learn and apply the modes to the guitar.
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/the-complete-guide-to-scales-and-modes-for-jazz-guitar
And some ways to practice scales for guitarists
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/modes-of-the-major-scale-review
There are also a number of articles on this page that will help you get started with practicing jazz guitar, check them out as well.
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/practicing-jazz-guitar
And lastly, I’m running a series this month, Play Better Jazz Guitar in 30 Days, check that out as well.
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/play-better-jazz-guitar-in-30-days
Oh, and you can also sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get a free ebook and each monday I send out an exclusive lesson to subscribers, it’s absolutely free.
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/get-a-free-copy-of-10-essential-ii-v-i-licks-for-jazz-guitar-with-newsletter-subscription
Also, if you are interested we could set up a skype lesson or two, just to get you started in the right direction, I can better answer your questions and help explain some of these things, always easier to do in person. If you’re interested let me know, thanks!