# How to play jazz



## telecaster90 (Jul 28, 2005)

Alright guys. I've been thinking of trying out for the jazz band once school starts, and I wanna use my 7 along with my Tele for it. I think that playing jazz will improve my chops alot.

So, could someone explain the basics of playing jazz and how to incorporate it into using a seven?

Thanks.


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## Leon (Jul 29, 2005)

what kind of jazz do you want to play?
what kinds of jazz do you listen to?
you have to try-out to get in??

i played tenor sax in my high school's jazz band, and really that was it's own teacher. i doubt they would turn someone away who wanted to play jazz just because they can't play it. i mean, jazz band is not for people who can play jazz, it's for people who want to learn how to play jazz.


btw, playing jazz will improve more than your chops


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## WayneCustom7 (Jul 29, 2005)

Leon said:


> i mean, jazz band is not for people who can play jazz, it's for people who want to learn how to play jazz.





If this is the case where can I sign up


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## BCrowell (Jul 29, 2005)

A good starting point to get into jazz, from a rythym guitar perspective, you should (if not already) obtain a hefty knowledge of 7ths, 7b5, 6th, & 9th chords all around the neck. Follow up with allot of jazz turnaround progressions, etc. For soloing, as long as you resolve a lick on a note in the played chord, all notes are acceptable notes  ! There are no wrong notes in JAZZ!!  

I love playing with this turnaround :

Em7 - A7 - DMaj7 - GMaj7 - C#m7b5 - F#7 - Bm7 - B7

Usually in turnarounds, it's the moving 7th that creates it.


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## Leon (Jul 29, 2005)

WayneCustom7 said:


> If this is the case where can I sign up


at your local high school jazz band


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## BCrowell (Jul 29, 2005)

I was the guitarist in my high school jazz band.... funny thing was i didn't no SQUAT back then about jazz...so looks like Leon's theory holds true!!

I remember being in the parade, and while everything was between songs, I ripped out some Nirvana and the crowd loved it  Ahhh good times...


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## WayneCustom7 (Jul 29, 2005)

Fuck this shit, I'm getting into Jazz...I mean I fiddle and play in a Jazz mood, but always fearful that I would be looked down upon if I ever said " Hey I'm playing Jazz" Here's a suggestion that I believe a few of us will benefit from. Possibly a new section called Jazz. Those with knowledge can share, with chords, as BCrowell has graciously done, and other topics like artists, guitars PUPS, all of course centered around the seven string universe (not the Ibanez one  )

I've been listening to jazz lately and one feller, Jimmy Bruno, who plays/played a 7 string also provides lessons. On his website he describes his approach to jazz in a unique way.
Here is a pdf link:

Tonal Circle 

















and his site
Jimmy Bruno


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## telecaster90 (Jul 29, 2005)

Leon said:


> what kind of jazz do you want to play?
> what kinds of jazz do you listen to?
> you have to try-out to get in??
> 
> ...



No idea. Whatever a high school jazz band plays.

I listen to Miles Davis, pretty much  

My guess is yes. I assume they don't want a kid who's been playing for a month play sloppy power chords.


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## Drew (Jul 30, 2005)

I learned jazz playing in high school jazz band, too, and learned a bit more jamming with people in college. What I can tell you - 

1.) rather than learning every "jazz" voicing you can find, learn a ton of 7th voicings, major and minor. Then, learn your chord theory, and learn which notes you have to add to a given voicing to alter it into whatever a given head calls for. I used to know, and still remember a bunch of, root-3rd-7th chord shapes that provided the majority of my material for comping. Not only can these quickly be modded into 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths, it's also in your best interest to play as "small" voicings as possible if you're playing with a large band, especially if there's another instrument comping, such as a piano. space is good - listen to "Kind of Blue" with this in mind. 

Actually, I just woke up, that's all I have in me at the moment, but that'll get you started. Oh, and buy yourself a good fake book - "The Real Book," a very ghetto-looking collated thing stacked in a corner hidden under a section of glossy reputable-looking fake books of disney songs is the industry standard. Every jazz musician I've ever met with with even a passing interest has volume 1 somewhere, and even if you don't actually need it in high school, if you ever meet any jazz guys in college and want to jam, almost without exception you'll find yourself reading heads out of the Real Book Volume 1.


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## dpm (Jul 30, 2005)

"I'll play it and tell you what it is later." - Miles


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## Digital Black (Aug 1, 2005)

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/jazz_chords.html

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/scales.html


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## Jerich (Aug 2, 2005)

for anyone impired to play 7 string Jazz guitar One of the greats ((still alive))) and one of my Mentors....


Jimmy Bruno


wwwjimmybruno.com

and A few guys I totally dig for acoustic Jazz...Fred Fried,Matt Raines,John Pizzarelli...


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## telecaster90 (Aug 2, 2005)

Sephiroth000 said:


> http://www.apassion4jazz.net/jazz_chords.html
> 
> http://www.apassion4jazz.net/scales.html



The links don't work.

edit:They didn't work last night. They work now.


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## keyplyr (Sep 9, 2005)

telecaster90 said:


> The links don't work.
> 
> edit:They didn't work last night. They work now.


My server hasn't been offline since last year. Better check with your ISP.

Thanks for the interest!


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## Jerich (Sep 9, 2005)

www.jimmybruno.com



My Teacher..he is a great Jazz guitar Player..although he has been playing 6 strings more lately...check out his Art of Picking..........


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## WayneCustom7 (Sep 9, 2005)

Jerich said:


> www.jimmybruno.com
> 
> 
> 
> My Teacher..he is a great Jazz guitar Player..although he has been playing 6 strings more lately...check out his Art of Picking..........


I second that, nice guy, in fact I downloaded a bunch of his stuff, right off his website...now I was never a huge fan but after listenning to Jimi, man I became one...dude's smooth as silk...


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## Drew (Sep 9, 2005)

Posted that one three posts previously, Jerich.  

Also check out Paul Asbell - www.paulasbell.com. I believe most of the stuff on his site is from his debut album, an acoustic/americana disc that isn't _too_ jazzy, but that dude can tear it up when he lets go. I studied under him for a while at Midd, and it was just a great experience - I learned a tremendous amount from the guy. 

-D


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## Metal Ken (Sep 23, 2005)

the only word you need:
JoePass


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## dpm (Sep 24, 2005)

JimmyTheSaint said:


> Tune in fourths.



Absofreakinlutely +1

Been tuning all fourths for a while now and it's really opened up the instrument.


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## XIEmperorIX (Sep 27, 2005)

I played in my highschool jazz band through my Junior and Senior years..had to teach myself how to read a chart and for the longest time did a lot of major and minor chords along with some powerchords my first year.

My second year I learned to stay off my low end and focus on the high end and let the bass do the work.

Anyway, what i'm trying to say is in a high school jazz setting (i'm assuming it's a big band setting not a little 4 person combo btw) you won't really be using your lower end on your guitar that much..try to stay on the the top 4 strings and let the bass handle the bass lines..thats how my band instructor had us do it..not sure how your instructor is but just letting you know my side 

Anyway the most important thing is have fun! I had a blast and it was probably the most rewarding musical experience i've had (for to many reasons for me to list) Even if the teach was a dick sometimes


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