By Craig Bassett

Learning to play jazz guitar can be a frustrating experience if you don’t understand jazz guitar scales. Learning and understanding scales is like learning the alphabet of a new language. It is an absolutely necessary step in learning the “language” of jazz guitar. Without mastery and internalization of jazz scales, fluent and creative jazz guitar soloing becomes virtually impossible!

In this article we take a look at THE most essential scale to learn for jazz guitar. All other scales can be derived from it. If you totally understand this scale you will be able to understand every other scale there is! You hopefully already know this scale, but just in case you don’t let’s take a look at it…

Jazz Guitar Scales #3: The Major Scale

The Major Scale: Some Basic Theory…

The major scale is a very bright and happy sounding scale. It is used extensively in jazz music. For that reason, it is really important that you master it in as many keys as possible.

You may have read in a book that the major scale has the following formula…

W W H W W W H

[W= whole step = 2 fret distance]

[H = half step = 1 fret distance]

So what does this formula mean?

This formula tells you the distance in pitch between each note of the major scale. (Some geeky people call this the intervallic structure of the major scale). As an example, let’s take a look at the notes of the C major scale. Notice that I have numbered each note of the scale. (These numbers are called scale degrees)…

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

C D E F G A B C

Before I explain this, please find these notes on your guitar. Make sure that you stick to ONE string only. (The B-string would be a really good choice). After you’re done, please read on…

Here are a few observations:

• The distance between notes 1 and 2 is two frets (W).
• The distance between notes 2 and 3 is two frets (W).
• The distance between notes 3 and 4 is one fret (H).
• The distance between notes 4 and 5 is two frets (W).
• The distance between notes 5 and 6 is two frets (W).
• The distance between notes 6 and 7 is two frets (W).
• The distance between the notes 7 and 1 is one fret (H).

All clear? Great! Let’s now put the major scale into practice…

The Major Scale: Where To Use It…

The major scale sounds great over major 7th chords. This means that we would use the C major scale over C major 7th chords. The formula for a major 7th chord is 1 3 5 7. Notice how these numbers lie within the formula of the major scale. (This is the reason why you can use the major scale over major 7th chords).

Let’s now take a look at a chord progression for you to improvise over. To extract the most value from it, I recommend recording it. That way you can improvise over the progression…

// C maj7 / C major7 / Eb maj7 / Eb maj7 //

Use the C major scale to solo over the first two bars, and use the Eb major scale to solo over the last two bars. Have fun!

———————————————————————————–
To speed up the process of  learning jazz guitar, it is a good idea to have a step-by-step plan to master guitar scales. To learn more about the one I use, please go to:

www.GuitarScaleMastery.com

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<< BACK TO PART 2

By Craig Bassett

Playing jazz guitar fluently is definitely a challenge. It is a lifelong study. People new to jazz often underestimate the sheer volume of information that needs to be absorbed. Especially in the area of jazz guitar scales!

In this article we continue looking at the most common scales used in jazz guitar. Mastering these common scales will help you build a valuable foundation of guitar scale knowledge and technique. This foundation will eventually enable you to learn more complex jazz guitar scales.

Jazz Guitar Scales #2: The Mixolydian Mode.

The Mixolydian Mode: Some Basic Theory…

This is a great sounding scale! To my ears it has a warm, rounded and bluesy sound. It is absolutely essential that you master it. No excuses.

The mixolydian mode has the following formula…

1 2 3 4 5 6 b7

So what does this formula tell us? It tells us that the mixolydian mode is the same as the major scale (Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7), except it has a flattened 7th. Let’s work out the notes of the G mixolydian mode to make this clear…

Step 1:

Write down the notes of the G major scale. This gives us these notes…

G A B C D E F#

Step 2:

Flatten the seventh note of the G major scale. We have to do this because the formula of the mixolydian mode has a b7. So if we flattened the seventh, it gives us these notes…

G A B C D E F

These are the notes of the G mixolydian mode.

The Mixolydian Mode: Where To Use It…

The mixolydian mode works really well over dominant 7th chords. This means that in the example above we would use the G mixolydian mode over G dominant 7th chords. The mixolydian mode works over dominant 7th chords because the formula for dominant 7th chords is 1 3 5 b7. These chord tones are also found within the formula of the mixolydian mode.

To finish off this article, here is a chord progression for you to improvise over. To gain maximum benefit, you will need to record it so that you can solo over it. Another option would be to get a friend to play the chords for you…

// G dom7 / G dom7 / Bb dom7 / Bb dom7 //

To solo over this, use G mixolydian for the first two bars and Bb mixolydian for the last two bars. Be patient with yourself if you find this challenging. It just takes time and practice. It WILL get easier.

If you’re more advanced, you could make the chord progression harder by adding some extra chords. Here’s an example of what you could do…

// G dom7 / F dom7 / Bb dom7 / D dom7 //

Or here’s another variation…

// G dom7 / B dom7 / Bb dom7 / Ab dom7 //

Have fun with this stuff!

Playing jazz guitar is nearly impossible if you don’t totally master scales. If you would like a step-by-step plan for doing this, then go to:

www.GuitarScaleMastery.com

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<< BACK TO PART 1 | READ PART 3 >>

By Craig Bassett

Learning jazz guitar scales can be a very daunting project. For the jazz newbie there seems to be an endless number of jazz scales that have to be learnt. It can be very overwhelming, and it can often be hard to even know where to start!

In this series of articles we’ll take a look at some of the most important jazz guitar scales that you need to know. Mastering these scales will help you become more fluent and confident with your jazz guitar improvisation. So without any more delay, let’s take a look at the first jazz guitar scale…

Jazz Guitar Scale #1: The Dorian Mode.

The Dorian Mode: Some Basic Theory…

Mastering this scale is vital for improvising in a jazz style. Unless you master it, you WILL struggle playing jazz. Yep…it’s THAT important. It is hard for me to imagine a jazz song where I wouldn’t need to use it!

The dorian mode has the following formula…

1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7

This formula tells us what we need to do to the major scale in order to create the dorian mode. Let’s work out the notes of the D dorian mode to make things clearer…

Step 1:

Write down the notes of the D major scale. Doing this gives us these notes…

D E F# G A B C#

Step 2:

Flatten the third and seventh notes of the D major scale. We have to do this because the formula of the dorian more has a b3 and a b7. Flattening these notes gives us this…

D E F G A B C

These are the notes of the D dorian mode.

The Dorian Mode: Where To Use It…

The dorian mode works really well over minor 7th chords. So in our example above, we would use the D dorian mode over D minor 7th chords. The reason why the dorian mode works so well over minor 7th chords is because the formula for minor 7th chords is 1 b3 5 b7. Notice how these chord tones are also in the formula for the dorian mode?

To help you learn the dorian mode, here is a cool sounding four bar chord progression. I highly recommend recording it onto a tape or your computer. Your goal is to master soloing over it…

// Dmin7 / Dmin7 / Fmin7 / Fmin7 //

To improvise over this chord progression use D dorian for the first two bars, and F dorian for the last two bars. It can be quite challenging to switch between the two scales fluently. Especially if you recorded the chord progression at a really fast tempo. But that’s what makes jazz fun!

Soloing fluently in a jazz guitar style is almost impossible if you don’t completely master jazz guitar scales. If you would like to learn a step-by-step blueprint for doing this, then check out:

http://www.guitarscalemastery.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Bassett

http://EzineArticles.com/?Jazz-Guitar-Scales—Common-Scales-Used-In-Jazz-Guitar-(Part-1)&id=557009

READ PART 2 >>

By Richie Zellon

The following series on the evolution of jazz guitar briefly describes each era in the development of this genre, however it omits the names of several important non- guitar musicians and likewise does not go into detail regarding several important contributions they made. Its main objective is to educate the reader as to the role the guitar played during each stage of the music’s history as well as introduce us to its most influential players.

Before we begin I would like to point out that the guitar played a minor role in jazz prior to the1930′s. It wasn’t until after this period in time that the guitar began developing its own sophisticated voice and was first featured in jazz improvisation at par with the piano, brass and woodwind soloists. In lieu of this fact, I have chosen to begin this series with the Swing Era.

The Swing Era’s most prominent contribution to jazz is believed to be by many, the introduction of the “big band” orchestra format. In addition to a combination of brass, woodwinds, and a rhythm section, until the 1930′s most dance orchestras also included a string section. The string instruments were dropped from the format and the new orchestras were streamlined for the new daring swing arrangements which featured not only highly orchestrated music influenced by European traditions, but also a soloist who after taking center stage, would improvise over the framework of the entire piece. It was not unusual for other soloists to join in sometimes and engage in collective improvisation, a practice already common when performing Blues and Dixieland.

Throughout the first part of the 20th century, jazz was not considered a respectable form of music among mainstream white audiences due to the fact that it was synonymous with the music of brothels and black culture. However, in 1930 George Gershwin was responsible for completing the assimilation of jazz into white American society by writing I Got Rhythm for a successful Broadway musical. One of the musicians who played in the pit orchestra of that show was a young clarinetist named Benny Goodman who went on to become one of the most influential band leaders of the swing era. Until this point most bandleaders associated with jazz, were black. Not only has Benny Goodman been credited for being one of the first white bandleaders in the world of jazz (along with Glen Miller and the Dorsey brothers) but also for introducing us to Charlie Christian, one of the first electric guitarists in the history of jazz improvisation.

CHARLIE CHRISTIAN

Christian was born in Bonham, Texas, on July 29th, 1919, and raised in Oklahoma City. It was here that Christian learned to play guitar as a kid. As a result of his surroundings he was influenced not only by jazz and blues but also by country music. This hybrid amalgam of influences is evident when listening to several of his recordings such as “Seven Come Eleven,” with the Benny Goodman Sextet. Christian admitted to wanting to sound like a tenor saxophone and thus his fluent horn-like solos were influenced by saxophonists such as Lester Young. While working in Oklahoma as a young musician, Christian was able to jam with several big name musicians who came through town such as Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. It was pianist Mary Lou Williams who first gave word to record producer John Hammond about the talented young guitarist. After auditioning Christian, Hammond arranged a meeting with Benny Goodman. Being the first white bandleader to feature black musicians, in 1939 Goodman hired Charlie Christian to play in his newly formed sextet also featuring Lionel Hampton on vibraphone and Teddy Wilson on piano. Shortly thereafter, Christian’s innovative style on guitar was captured in the studio for the first time. Unfortunately, his recording career lasted less than two years, as he died of tuberculosis on March 2, 1942, in New York.

FREDDIE GREEN

In his autobiography, talent scout and producer John Hammond describes how he first discovered Freddy Green playing at a mob owned joint in New York City called “The Black Cat”. He states that what most impressed him was how Green with his “unusually long fingers, a steady stroke, unobtrusively held the whole rhythm section together.” It was 1937 and bandleader Count Basie was debuting with his orchestra in town when Hammond took him to the Black Cat to hear Green. Shortly after this meeting, Basie hired Green who went on to record with his big band for the first time on March 26, 1937 and thereafter remained a member for almost half a decade. This gave birth, along with Basie on piano, Jo Jones on drums, and Walter Page on bass, to the legendary “All American Rhythm Section”. When asked why he dwelled on the high register of the keyboard during his solos, Count Basie’s reply was…”After all, I do have the world’s best rhythm section.”

Born in Charleston, South Carolina on the 31st of March 1911, Freddy Green pioneered the way a guitar should function both rhythmically and harmonically within the big band. During one of his interviews he stated that “you should never hear the guitar by itself. It should be part of the drums so it sounds like the drummer is playing chords-like the snare is in A or the hi-hat in D minor.” Green who used to hold the guitar almost flat on his lap, favored an unamplified guitar and rarely soloed. He was a minimalist when selecting his chord voicings which often consisted of the 3 most essential notes that comprise each chord (root, 3rd and 7th). The unsounded strings were muted by his left hand. This technique resulted in a percussive effect that not only locked in tightly with the drums but also helped avoid any interference with the rich collective harmony being played by the overall band.

Freddie Green passed away on March 1, 1987 at the age of seventy-five.

DJANGO REINHARDT AND GYPSY SWING

During the 1930′s in Europe another important movement known as “Gypsy Swing “surfaced among jazz aficionados. It was inspired by Belgium born guitarist, Jean “Django” Reinhardt. Also known as “manouche jazz”, its orchestration consisted of guitar (usually 2), violin, accordion, clarinet and upright bass. The percussive nature of the drums was replaced by a rhythm guitar technique known as “la pompe”. Another peculiar characteristic of this style is the use of mainly 2and 3 finger chord structures instead of standard barre chords on guitar. This is to emulate the unique style Django Reinhardt developed in order to play chords as a result of a hand injury. At the age of 18, Reinhard’s caravan caught on fire and two of his left hands fingers were badly burned. Although he was able to relearn how to execute his single string solos at blazing tempos with only 2 fingers, his remaining digits were reserved for a limited physical role in the formation of chords. As a result Django’s chords consisted of only the essential notes. What a coincidence that around this same period in time, thousands of miles away, guitarist Freddie Green developed a very similar harmonic concept except for different reasons!

In 1934, Reinhardt and Parisian violinist Stéphane Grappelli formed the “Quintette du Hot Club de France”. The guitars used by Django and the Hot Club of France, the Selmer Maccaferri, are the first commercially available guitars with a cutaway. This was the first time a steel reinforced neck was employed. Many luthiers consider them to be among the finest guitars ever made.

Django Reinhardt died on May 16, 1953 in Fountainbleu, France of a brain hemorrhage. Contemporary Gypsy jazz is kept alive today thanks to many guitarists such as Bireli Lagrene, Boulou and Elios Ferre, Babik Reinhardt, Angelo DeBarre, Jimmy Rosenberg, and John Jorgensen among others.

For discographies and videos of the profiled jazz guitarists please visit http://www.miamijazzguitar.com

Richie Zellon (guitarist, composer, arranger and educator) has held teaching positions as professor of jazz guitar at Florida International University (Miami) and the University of South Florida (Tampa).
He has offered clinics on jazz and Latin American music at various prestigious schools such as the New England Conservatory, Berklee College of Music, Jacksonville University and the University of South Florida. An ongoing columnist for Jazz Improv magazine, Zellon is currently director of Miami Jazz Guitar. For more info please visit http://www.miamijazzguitar.com

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Evolution-of-Jazz-Guitar-Part-1&id=2254982

Block Chords Wes Montgomery lesson 1

Block Chords Wes Montgomery style drop2 voicings

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhKfCn738U8

Block Chords Wes Montgomery lesson 2

Block Chords Wes Montgomery lesson 2

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aFLtCtk_P8

Block Chords Wes Montgomery lesson 3

Block Chords Wes Montgomery lesson 3

www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3TnOhSIZAc

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