# Some jazz fusion to learn for a beginner?



## bklixuz

hi guys!
Iv always been wanting to learn to play jazz but Im having a hard time trying to learn some songs that gave me a reason to give up to learn jazz.
until I saw alex hutchings... I really like his styles and the way he plays but his tuning is making me lazy to learn.
can you guys recommend me on some songs to learn for a beginner? same style of beat like alex's songs and in standard tuning if possible


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## Overtone

Have you been on Guitar Jam Tracks And Guitar Backing Jam Tracks To Download - JamTrackCentral and looked at the free stuff? There are 2 or 3 Alex Hutchings ones where the BT, the video, the tab, and an extended BT are available for download without an account. Start off by memorizing the chord progressions from those songs and learning the rhythm guitar. You can be in standard tuning. If you don't know how to play the chords based off of the names (for example D7, Emin9 etc) you should start by looking them up in a chord book and trying to memorize all of them so that you can bust them out on the spot. Once you can get through the track playing the rhythm guitar without looking at the tab to remember what the chords are, you can start trying to improvise lead over the backing track, based off of what chords your are playing. For example try arpeggiating the rhythm chords, or creating a run so that the last note comes in on the next chord change, and you hold that note, that kind of thing... basically adapting your improvisation to what is happening in the song. You can be in standard tuning for all of this. I am pretty sure there are also transcriptions in standard tuning for those who don't want to tune to EADGCF

Fusion and jazz are not easy. You need to spend a lot of time working things out, memorizing, creating your lines and ideas, and so on. The Creative Fusion video by Kiko Louriero is worth the 25 bucks if you use it to create a practice routine. He does a great job explaining how to take one chord and turn it into a million possibilities... all you have to do is sit down for a few hours a week for several months and work on things the same way he shows you to and the ideas will really start to open up. It sounds like a long time, but that's what it takes...

Think about it like cooking. Playing jazz is like being a master chef... you can give him any ingredients and he will immediately know what all the different possibilities and combinations are, and will be able to create anything possible out of those ingredients. Someone with less experience just won't be able to come up with anything interesting, but because the chef knows what works and what doesn't, he can create something that is intricate AND tasty.


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## Xiphos68

Overtone said:


> Have you been on Guitar Jam Tracks And Guitar Backing Jam Tracks To Download - JamTrackCentral and looked at the free stuff? There are 2 or 3 Alex Hutchings ones where the BT, the video, the tab, and an extended BT are available for download without an account. Start off by memorizing the chord progressions from those songs and learning the rhythm guitar. You can be in standard tuning. If you don't know how to play the chords based off of the names (for example D7, Emin9 etc) you should start by looking them up in a chord book and trying to memorize all of them so that you can bust them out on the spot. Once you can get through the track playing the rhythm guitar without looking at the tab to remember what the chords are, you can start trying to improvise lead over the backing track, based off of what chords your are playing. For example try arpeggiating the rhythm chords, or creating a run so that the last note comes in on the next chord change, and you hold that note, that kind of thing... basically adapting your improvisation to what is happening in the song. You can be in standard tuning for all of this. I am pretty sure there are also transcriptions in standard tuning for those who don't want to tune to EADGCF
> 
> Fusion and jazz are not easy. You need to spend a lot of time working things out, memorizing, creating your lines and ideas, and so on. The Creative Fusion video by Kiko Louriero is worth the 25 bucks if you use it to create a practice routine. He does a great job explaining how to take one chord and turn it into a million possibilities... all you have to do is sit down for a few hours a week for several months and work on things the same way he shows you to and the ideas will really start to open up. It sounds like a long time, but that's what it takes...
> 
> Think about it like cooking. Playing jazz is like being a master chef... you can give him any ingredients and he will immediately know what all the different possibilities and combinations are, and will be able to create anything possible out of those ingredients. Someone with less experience just won't be able to come up with anything interesting, but because the chef knows what works and what doesn't, he can create something that is intricate AND tasty.



Wise words my friend.


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## bklixuz

w0w! thank you for that sir...
yes I have been to jamtracks and have downloaded their free stuffs.
but its very hard to learn alex's songs if I wont go with his tuning but working on it.
will download kiko louriero's lessons. if you grow a bit mature on music you start to stop listening to those metal/distorted type of music genres and starts to listen to some jazz. its my first step on learning jazz and don mock's guitar chops dvd is great for beginners like me. everytime I hear those jazz licks my ear tickles and my neck bends hahaha. thanks again for your input its a great help!



Overtone said:


> Think about it like cooking. Playing jazz is like being a master chef...


I very much hope I will reach this stage


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## Overtone

Good luck! Seems like you have the right approach...

I have those Alex Hutchins freebies myself and use the BT's just for my own improvisations and stuff, but if you have any questions about the chord changes or Alex's solo feel free to PM me.

That guy is some kind of guitar monster for sure... I really hope we see a recording from him in the near future.


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## distressed_romeo

If you want a song to learn, 'Protocol' by John Scofield of 'Chromazone' by Mike Stern would both be good.


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## Overtone

Bump! Volvic asked me about some listening recommendations for this thread and after putting the reply together I thought "Why not post it there too." There are some pretty key bands I've left out, I'm sure, but it's still a pretty good run through of some of the stuff I like listening to. 



> There's a few different tracks of jazz fusion, varying the amounts of jazz, rock, funk, etc..
> 
> *Some are more about the "fusion", which really started with Miles Davis experimenting freeform song structures and use of electronic instrumentation. These tend to be funkier and heavy on the keys. From that era:
> *
> Weather Report - a classic. These guys really created a cool format, mixing extended jams with fairly composed melody ideas. The melodies are often overdubbed or polyphonic to make things more interesting. Jaco Pastorius was a member for a while. Their albums vary quite a bit and I don't know their material as well as I should, but my favorite album is Mysterious Traveler. Birdland is their big hit.
> 
> This is just a tribute. The actual band has no guitar, but a great sax player!
> 
> 
> Return to Forever - Another classic, centered around keyboard legend Chick Corea.
> Jeff Beck - His albums like Blow by Blow and Wired are fusion staples. I don't think they live up to a lot of other fusion material in terms of production quality, good songs, etc. but it's Jeff Beck, and they are still pretty influential records.
> 
> *Then there's stuff that's more rock focused...*
> 
> Howe/Wooten/Chambers - Extraction
> This is a collaboration by 3 greats, Greg Howe, Victor Wooten (very well known fusion bassist), and Dennis Chambers. Howe has a very fluid way of playing endless and complex melody lines on the fly. Overall this is more modern, hi energy, and guitar driver.
> 
> 
> Cosmosquad is a hard rocking band that's almost pure rock sometimes, but still has a lot of jazzy influence.
> 
> *and jazz focused...*
> 
> 
> Allan Holdsworth - Allan has a dark and "difficult" sound, but I've never seen anyone move around the fretboard as effortlessly as him. His drummer is Ace too! Definitely worth checking out to see his technique as well as how he uses dissonance to craft songs.
> 
> 
> Hiromi - a more recent and modern sounding group. Hiromi plays piano and keys, with a somewhat classically inspired feel, while Berklee instructor Dave Fiuczynski provides both funk and exotic melodies on the guitar.
> 
> 
> Soulive - you won't believe it, but this group is 3 people.. drums, guitar, and organ... there's no bassist, all the bass notes are played on the organ pedals!
> 
> 
> John Scofield - another legend. He takes jazz and adds to it weird rhythms, distorted guitars, guitar FX, ambient sounds, etc.
> 
> 
> Larry Carlton - this guitarist was in Steeley Dan, but still known for his solo work. Very influential and looked up to guy.
> I bet you've heard this tune...
> 
> 
> *Finally there's the more ethnic stuff incorporating exotic instruments and ideas, mostly from India.
> 
> *Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, John McLaughlin, Jonas Hellborg (including w/ Shawn Lane) are the bands to check out here!


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