# Looking for a good jazz chord resource



## Zalbu (Apr 30, 2016)

I'm currently trying to brush up on my chord and modes knowledge but I'm having a hard time with finding a collection of all the basic jazz chords in an easy to read format. I'm currently using this PDF to learn modes and I love the layout but it's only got a small selection of chords that only start on the E string.

Does anybody know of a good PDF or something similar that shows all the basic jazz chords, 7, 9 m7, m9, maj7, maj9, m7b5, 11, 13 and so on, from both the E and A string, or do I have to look them up separately on http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/?


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## JSanta (Apr 30, 2016)

Here you go. Obviously the shapes are dependent on the root, but a GM7 on the 10th fret 5th string shape is the same as CM7 on the 3rd fret, 5th string. 

Easy Jazz Chords - The Jazz Guitar Blog


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## Winspear (Apr 30, 2016)

I'd also recommend learning chord construction if you don't know it already, so that you can create and understand your own fingerings without relying on learning diagrams  
Chord Construction Formulas


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## Zalbu (May 1, 2016)

I know, I'll get around to it eventually, I just need to memorize all the stuff I should know already after studying guitar at high school for 3 years


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## JSanta (May 1, 2016)

Zalbu said:


> I know, I'll get around to it eventually, I just need to memorize all the stuff I should know already after studying guitar at high school for 3 years



I think it helps to know for instance what a GM7 looks like on the fretboard, and then you are better able to visualize the intervals between each note to understand its construction. I am by no means an expert, as I struggled with charts and chords, but it's not too difficult once you get into it. Then you have the fun of learning to play over changes, the arpeggios and scales associated with each interval of the song. Lots of fun.


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## extendedsolo (May 1, 2016)

Buy the Jody Fisher book, everything you need is in there. Or yeah you'll be grabbing bits of information here and there. Your question would be similar to someone saying "what are the best words to learn in this new language". Yes it's important the chords themselves, but I feel like I think in terms of progressions now with jazz chords instead of the chord itself if that makes any sense.


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## Hammertone (Mar 21, 2017)

"Chord Chemistry" by Ted Greene - and old book but a classic.
He was a great player and the book is a great resource.


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## prlgmnr (Mar 22, 2017)

The Aebersold "Rhythm Section Workout" has about 10 pages of good voicings, 3 or 4 strings rather than great chonking bar chords that sound like ass.


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## Drew (Mar 22, 2017)

I also liked Joe Pass's Guitar Chords - Satch swore by it, which is why I picked it up, and it's an interesting practical approach - he doesn't really go into the theory much, just presents a whole BUNCH of different G7 and C voicings without really putting much time into explaining what they are - anyone with a little bit of background in rudimentary chord construction can figure that out - but rather "play these, don't worry about the notes so much as how they sound, and trust your ear when combining them." 

It's no substitute for understanding the construction, and again it's a good idea to subsequently spend some time on that, but I like the idea of approaching it as a whole bunch of chord voicings that sound good, presented without comment.


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## endmysuffering (Mar 22, 2017)

The smartchord app, learning to build chords from the knowledge of your fretboard is pretty handy but if you're lazy when reading sheet music I highly reccommend the smartchord app.


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## Zalbu (Mar 22, 2017)

Yikes, what a necrobump 

I actually did find what I was looking for just a few weeks ago with this. All the different chords, even down to stuff like 7#5 chords, starting from the E and A string with all the fingerings that I learned back in school but have forgotten since then, in a simple, easy to read PDF format that I can just put on my Dropbox and look at any time.


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## Drew (Mar 23, 2017)

I didn't realize this was a year old and had been recently bumped.  Sorry man - glad you found something that worked for you!


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## JustMac (May 5, 2017)

While this is in a necro phases, I would also like to vouch for the Ted Greene Chord Chemistry, that thing is a godsend for fools like me who never bothered to read music (what a chump). Usually with more technical, jazz-orientated books they adopt the "learn to read or bugger off" approach, but the (at least newer editions) of the Ted Greene one has tab.


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## tedtan (May 5, 2017)

Since this has been bumped, I'll add on as well. In addition to learning intervals and chord construction, I can suggest the below books.

Ted Greene: Chord Chemistry

Don Latarski: Ultimate Guitar Chords


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## Rachmaninoff (May 5, 2017)

Winspear said:


> I'd also recommend learning chord construction if you don't know it already, so that you can create and understand your own fingerings without relying on learning diagrams



I entered this thread to write exactly this!


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## Semi-pro (Aug 25, 2017)

Yes, very important to know how to construct chords. But another piece of advice I'd give related to that is to look for drop 2 voicings. That'll show you a way out of the barre box and helps to get started.


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