The D7#9 chord is one of the most recognizable sounds in jazz, blues, and funk — gritty, colorful, and packed with tension. But if you’ve only played it from a chord chart, you might be missing how much power it has in your comping and soloing. In this post, we’ll break down: What Is a D7#9 Chord? … Read more
The Dm7 chord (short for D minor 7) is one of the most useful voicings in jazz guitar. In this lesson, we’ll cover a versatile Dm7 guitar shape that works on the top four strings — perfect for comping or solo guitar. You’ll also learn how to voice-lead it into a full ii–V–I progression, how … Read more
There are many tools available for learning to play scales on guitar, and most of them are rooted in traditional music education. Some focus on reading notation, while others rely on tablature (TAB), which is essentially a simplified version of notation for guitar. However, in my experience, the best tool for any guitar player is … Read more
When you’re learning how to play jazz, you spend a lot of time learning guitar scale shapes. They’re an important part of learning your instrument, and being able to play melodies or improvise. But one problem a lot of jazz guitar players run into is playing just one or two scale shapes in a solo. … Read more
The mixolydian scale is an important part of your jazz guitar toolbox. It’s an essential part of being able to play lines over the blues, and other essential jazz guitar chord progressions. This scale pops up just about everywhere in jazz – it’s hard to find a song where you don’t need it. Dominant 7th … Read more
Learning how to do modes is high up on most jazz guitar players to-do lists. And it seems like a good idea, too. Lots of good players talk about learning jazz guitar scales and modes – so it’s probably a good idea to learn about them. And modes are an important part of playing jazz. … Read more
Pentatonic scales are a guitar player’s best friend. And for some good reasons: Guitar players from all different styles love to play pentatonic scales. But most of them don’t really have the full picture. Even intermediate players usually only know how to play one, maybe 2 of the scale shapes. And they’re missing out. There … Read more
When I started learning about different types of scales for jazz guitar, the dorian mode was one of the first things that popped up. No matter where I looked, people were saying this was one of the most important modes to learn. And there were also mixed messages about how to play it – or … Read more
If you’re looking for the best way to start playing better solos, jazz guitar scales for beginners are your best bet. And for one simple reason. In music, scales are the building blocks of every melody you’ve ever heard. And ideally, jazz guitar solos are melodies that you improvise. Made up as you go, using … Read more
Sooner or later in jazz guitar, you’re going to need to learn the modes of the major scale. They are an important part of improving your skills – and they aren’t as complicated as you might think. As you improve, you’re going to want to have more control over the sounds you’re creating as you … Read more