In the first lesson in the Jazz Guitar Lessons, you will learn jazz chords, rhythms, single-line melodies, and a couple of songs. As you move through the class you will learn more jazz chords and classic jazz progressions such as Killer Joe. One of the songs you will learn to play is “When The Saints Go Marching In.”
Jazz Guitar Lesson - What You Will Learn and How It Works
The following information is also contained in your Jazz Course:
- 3 Essential Jazz Rhythms
- Versatile Jazz Chords
- Lead Fundamentals
- Walking Bass Line
- How to play a ii V I Progression
- Pentatonic scale
- Beginning Improvisation
As with the other lessons, the instructors will demonstrate all of the key examples on practice jam tracks. You will also get tablature and notations for the examples, plus references and study purposes. Included in the jazz course you will get the Guitar Pro Files which enable you to slow the jam tape down or loop any section as you work through the lesson.
TrueFire encourages you to take as much time as needed to get through each lesson before moving on to the next. They also have lots of supplemental material if you want to dig deeper into any topic covered in the course. You will find more examples, techniques, and insights for each course in the Learning Path Section.
A Taste of Jazz
You many think that Improvisation is only for the Jazz Guitar, but it’s actually found in many types of playing. You could be playing lead in a rock band, a jazz guitarist or a songwriter who uses improvisation in your music. Improvising on a song helps create new melodies and arrangements. Learning to improvise in your guitar lessons should be an important focus.
An important technique in learning to improvise is playing the pentatonic scale. In your lessons with TrueFire you will learn scales and how to use them in improvisation.
You will also learn how to read and use tabs which will help you with improvisation.
Jazz Samples From TrueFire
Tips For Playing Jazz Guitar
One of the best ways to enter the jazz world is through the blues. The classic swing and bebop tunes are nothing more than twelve-bar blues with a swing rhythm and fancy chord changes. Most people start with the minor pentatonic scale when they are learning how to play jazz and improv. Charlie Parker is a great example of using swing blues.
The next step is often learning the play the jazz standards. These require some memorizing key changes and how to play through them. If you focus on playing well on jazz standards (tunes), you will be quickly on your way to playing jazz guitar.
Focusing on jazz standards means playing the melody with some accompanying chords, improve with some single-note solos, and add a touch of chord melody from time to time.
If you are new to playing jazz the above statement may go right over your head, but don’t worry. As you follow your lessons and practice with the practice jam tracks, your TrueFire teachers will have you playing the jazz standards, and everything else mentioned above before you know it. It’s a step-by-step process. You Can Do It!!!!
Student's Rave Review
“At 50 I finally decided to learn to play guitar. With my hectic schedule, I needed something that was ready and available when I had time. Learning Guitar 1 was a fantastic introduction to guitar basics. I love that it started with elementary, straightforward concepts and chords that I could grasp and learn. It even talks about HOW to practice. Then the course built on those simple things by adding other simple chords, strumming, and then working up to simple songs. I’m on my way!” – Daniel Rode, TrueFire Student
Supplementary Jazz Courses & Jazz Instructors
