Practicing scales and arpeggios consistently might be the single biggest factor in whether or not you improve on jazz guitar. And they should probably be a major part of your guitar practice routines. I’ve written about this before, but the truth is simple: you don’t need to practice for hours. Even 5–10 minutes a day … Read more
Sometimes it’s hard to know how to get into jazz guitar. Especially if you’re already pretty good at a different style, like rock or blues. I’ve heard from some of my older students that they always wanted to get into jazz – but it just seemed too intimidating. That there’s too much to learn. They … Read more
Distracted practice can be a great thing for your jazz guitar playing. It’s not a common position for a jazz guitar teacher to take, I know. Most people out there will tell you how to avoid or get rid of distractions so you can “get the most out of your practice time.” In all honesty, … 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
My Top 5 Jazz Guitar Practice Tips We all know we’re supposed to practice if we want to get better at playing jazz guitar. That part is obvious. On the surface it’s pretty simple: If you want to get good at jazz guitar, you need to spend time… practicing jazz guitar. But sometimes we run … Read more
If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s that we’re all looking for ways to get better at jazz guitar. It’s natural – everyone wants to find an edge, or that one thing that will take us to the next level. And sometimes it really is that simple. You luck out. You learn … Read more
What is the best way to play triplets with a pick? There are 2 options listed in the Berklee “Modern Guitar” method. Is there one that you prefer? Or is there a different approach that’s better? – Tim As far as practicing triplets with a pick goes, it really depends on what you want to … Read more
The Morning Coffee Jazz Guitar Practice Routine When I was in college, practicing jazz guitar was always a chore. Don’t get me wrong, I love jazz guitar. But practicing was something that just had to be done every day. I did it, because I liked getting better. But I also did it because I felt … Read more
Newer students of mine are always asking for some jazz guitar practice tips that might give them an edge. “What kind of routine should I be following?” “How long should I be practicing for?” “How do I get everything done? There are so many skills and songs to keep up with.” So, there’s no one … Read more