Jazz guitar gets kind of a bad rap for being too complicated to learn. And when it comes to playing jazz guitar solos, I actually kind of get it – especially the way that it’s usually taught. Most of the time, the advice you get about playing solos in jazz is overly technical. There’s a … Read more
The melodic minor scale is one of my favorites. Maybe even the favorite. I didn’t learn it until I was in college, but once I learned how to use it, I was hooked. It’s got some interesting options for soloing in minor keys. Kind of a unique sound you don’t get from your other minor … Read more
The CAGED system is a common topic among guitar players – whether you’re into jazz guitar or something else. Some people love it, some people hate it. But just about everybody uses it. Let’s take a look at why the CAGED system is important for jazz guitar players. The CAGED system is a way of … Read more
A lot of people wonder how to practice jazz guitar efficiently. In fact, getting the most out of your practice time is usually one of the first things my new students ask me. And it makes a lot of sense. There’s a lot to learn in jazz guitar – and most of us have a … Read more
Overthinking is a big problem with jazz guitar students. And it’s totally understandable. Jazz is a complicated style, and there’s lots to learn, right? Maybe. Maybe not. Sure, there are things you need to learn. There are terms, chord shapes, scale patterns, and all kinds of theoretical stuff. But most of the time what you … Read more
Being in a jazz band as a guitar player is a unique challenge. It’s a completely different animal from playing by yourself, or even in other kinds of groups. And if you’re used to playing rock or other pop music styles, there can be a steep learning curve. Just about everything seems new, even though … Read more
Jazz guitar chord shapes can be overwhelming to learn – especially after you get past the easy stuff. There’s so many options out there. There are tons of resources for learning jazz guitar chords. And it can be hard to know what to focus on for your next steps. Should you be focusing on shell … Read more
The Circle of 5ths is an important tool for understanding music theory. So at some point, you’re going to want to know how it works. You see it everywhere – In the beginning of guitar books, music posters, and on chord progression charts you might pick up from Amazon or your local music store. In … Read more
Lots of students feel like they need to learn more music theory if they want to play better jazz guitar. In fact, it’s one of the most common things new students ask me. Especially if they’ve been playing for a while and they feel stuck. But most of the time, they don’t really need to … Read more
The harmonic minor scale is a great tool for improvising and playing melodies in minor keys. It’s a similar finger pattern to the natural minor scale you probably already know. But it’s just a little bit more colorful. One of the great things about the harmonic minor is that it’s the easiest way to play … Read more