Learn Jazz Guitar

Understand the fretboard and demystify the process

To learn Jazz guitar means taking on a huge project. Not only do you have to have an understanding of the fretboard that will allow you play extremely complex music. You need to be able to do so right off the bat, without having to stop and think about it. Such is the nature of improv-centric Jazz...

So the natural question to ask is: "How do I develop the skills that will allow me to improvise fluidly, on the guitar fretboard?"

The million dollar question. Recently, we had the opportunity to interview living Jazz legend John Scofield. This is what he had to say about it:

So the first thing is not to be scared. Just go for it!!! Things will start coming to you. Your understanding of the fretboard will grow with time: it's a relationship you need to nurture and work on, steadily.

"Theory, or music?"

This does not mean to forget all about theory when trying to learn Jazz guitar. It means: when you're on stage, or recording, or whatever, then forget all about theory, and let your feelings guide your fingers, and the music. But when you're studying, focus on integrating the theory into your playing in such a way that you really make it yours. Integrate it into your system. So that when you're actually playing, you can let go.

Otherwise, you will be stuck playing the same old thing over and over. Unless you have a system that will enable you to brake through your current habits, no matter how great the music in your head, or wonderful the feelings, you will carry on playing the same old thing.

Unless you have a system that integrates true musical thinking into your creative process, in a way that it doesn't interfere with feeling the music, your playing will be cold and boring...

The answer is: music theory as a tool to make awesome Jazz!!!

Find out more on how to use music theory as a practical tool to learn the fretboard and unlock your creativity: purchase Fretboard Essentials, today!

"Is there any way to speed up the process and learn Jazz guitar faster?"

Aha, I was pretty sure you'd ask that ;-)

The best way to learn Jazz guitar quickly is to avoid shortcuts. No kidding here. Forget about all the "tricks", as tricks limit your playing to fixed fingering patterns. Once they become ingrained habits, it's really hard getting out of "the same old thing", and playing interesting stuff.

Learn Jazz guitar by dividing your study time into three "chunks" of time:

These three points are all equally important. If you just focus on the tunes, and have no technique or theory, your playing will be crappy and you won't know how to develop your solos or play interesting comping.
If you focus on technique, you'll end up playing fast but little more.
And if you focus on the theory only, you'll understand everything, yet won't be able to play!!

Ideally, these three points should overlap more and more with time. Up until the point at which all the basic music theory and ear training you need becomes a part of you. Up until the time when you know where on the fretboard that amazing sound in your head is.

Discover a proven method to internalize the fretboard: purchase Fretboard Essentials, today!

Fretboard Essentials helps you integrate music theory and ear training into your study of the fretboard, so that you have to think less and less, and can do more and more.

It shows you how the different elements of music are all really parts of the same tone matrix...

What this means to you, in a practical way is having to learn less fingering patterns, and focusing more on what matters: your music!

Fretboard Essentials helps you master the fretboard so that you can learn Jazz guitar with ease.

Purchase "Fretboard Essentials"