Easy Jazz Guitar Chords Your stress free guide to learning jazz guitar chords.
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Table of Contents Get Your Audio Files Glossary of Terms Introduction to Shell Chords Essential Jazz Chord Rhythms m7 Shell Chords th
7 Shell Chords maj7 Shell Chords Dim7 Shell Chords ii V I Shell Chords Major ii V I Shell Chords Minor Easy Jazz Guitar Chord Studies Further Studies About the Author
Get Your Audio Files Welcome to Easy Jazz Guitar Chords, great to have you here! The audio examples and backing tracks for this book are available to download from http://mattwarnockguitar.com/chords-audio. I recommend that you download the mp3 files to your computer first, and then drag them to your phone, tablet, or other device from there. If you don’t have a computer, no worries, just email me at my contact page and I’ll be glad to sort out the audio files for you. As well, feel free to send me an email on my contact page if you have any questions about the material in this book. I’m glad to help you out any way I can with your journey to learning jazz guitar chords. Have fun with this book. Now, on to learning easy jazz guitar chords!
Cheers, Matt
Glossary of Terms Jazz has a language all its own. To help you understand the material in this book, here are common jazz terms and definitions.
Changes – Jazz term for chords. Comping – Short for accompanying, to play rhythm guitar in a jazz context. Guide Tones – The two most essential notes in a chord, most often the 3 rd and 7th . Rootless – A chord that contains all the essential notes minus the root. Shapes – Jazz term for chords. Syncopation – A rhythm that uses up beats, the &’s of each beat, as opposed to downbeats, the 12-3-4 of each bar. The Pocket – Jazz term for groove, to play in the pocket means to be playing with great time and feel. Tonic – The main chord of a key, for example in C the tonic chord is Cmaj7. Tunes – Jazz term for songs. Voice Leading – To change from one chord to the next with as little movement on the fretboard as possible. Voicing – Jazz term for chord. Woodshed – Jazz term for a practice room.
How to Use This Book Before you get started, let’s talk about how to use this book in a practical and effective way. Now, I bet the first question you’re asking yourself is:
“Jazz sounds difficult, how could any jazz chord be easy?”
Well, I’m happy to say that yes, jazz sounds hard to play, but there are shapes that make playing any jazz chord easy. These chords aren’t much more difficult than playing open chords, and they’re definitely easier than barre chords. These easy jazz guitar chords are called “shell chords,” three-note shapes that are easy to play and sound jazzy. In this book, you’ll study shell chord theory, two positions for each chord, and play them through rhythms, progressions, and full jazz songs. This gives you everything you need to play every song in the Real Book. Yes, you can dig into more advanced chords such as 7#9, maj7#5, m9b5, and other extended chords in your studies. But, and this is a big BUT, you don’t have to know complex chords to start playing and sounding like jazz today. This is key, getting started with easy shapes rather than waiting for months or years before you attempt to play your first jazz tune. By working shell chords in two positions, and practicing them in all keys with different rhythms, you set yourself up for future success. This allows you to learn easy jazz chords, play your favorite tunes, and build a foundation for more complex shapes down the road. So, yes there are such things as easy jazz chords. No they’re not the end of your chord studies. But, they get you playing jazz guitar today.
Sounds like a good plan to me. Start by reading the first few chapters, play through each example, and then move on to the chord types from there. As you progress through the book, you’ll learn maj7, m7, 7, m7b5, dim7, and 7alt shell chords. You’ll also study essential jazz rhythms, chord progressions, and jazz standards, such as jazz blues, Solar, Blue Bossa, and more. By the end of this book, you’ll know enough jazz chords to go to your first jam session and be successful from a rhythm guitar standpoint. Learning jazz chords can seem impossible at first, but with the right shapes, and a good practice plan, the impossible becomes possible. So, grab your guitar, crank up your favorite amp, and let’s get started on your journey to learning easy jazz guitar chords.
Introduction to Shell Chords As this book teaches easy jazz chords, you’ll learn the smallest, easiest shapes that still sound any chord change. The easiest shapes you can play on guitar that accomplish these goals are called shell chords. Shell chords are built like their name suggest, they’re the “shell” of a larger chord shape. To build a shell chord, you start with the full shape, 1-3-5-7, and you remove the 5 th to leave the “shell” of the chord, 1-3-7. When doing so, you keep enough information to sound the chord, while making it easier on your hands compared to larger shapes. There are myriad ways to play shell chords on guitar, but you’ll focus on two main shapes in this book. These shapes are the easiest to play, give you two positions for every chord type, and allow you to play the chords to any jazz standard. These two shapes use the following intervals, there’s one on the 6 th and one on the 5 th string to give you options on the fretboard.
6th -String Root (R-7-3) 5th -String Root (R-3-7)
Now that you know what shell chords are, you can play them on guitar. The first example features a standard Amaj7 chord followed by the shell version of that same chord. Notice that you play three of the same notes, as the 5 th is absent in the shell voicing vs. the standard shape. When doing so, you maintain the overall sound of the chord, but the shell version is easier to play than the standard voicing. Play through both back-to-back to hear how they sound similar, yet the shell shape is easier to
grab than the standard shape.
Audio Example 1
Here’s an example of an E7 standard shape next to its shell version. Notice that you drop the upper note, the root, from the first shape to create the E7 shell chord. Play both chords back-to-back to hear how they sound similar, but have their own unique characteristics.
Audio Example 2
Here’s an example of standard and shell chords over a ii V I progression. Notice that both chord shapes sound good, but the shell voicings are easier to play as they use fewer notes. As well, though they use fewer notes, shell chords don’t sound like they’re missing anything. This is the power of shell chords, they’re easy to play and sound the chords accurately over any progression.
Audio Example 3
Essential Jazz Chord Rhythms Before you begin your study of easy jazz chords, take some time to learn these essential jazz rhythms. These rhythms will be used throughout this book, so having a basic understanding of them prepares you for future studies. Because you’ll work these rhythms over various sections of the book, you can return to this chapter as a reference when needed. Rhythm is the most important aspect of jazz comping. Cool chords with boring rhythms aren’t interesting. But, even the simplest chords sound hip if played with interesting rhythms. Don’t overlook this aspect of comping in your studies, as many guitarists do, in favor of adding new chord shapes to your repertoire. Instead, focus on getting basic chord shapes down, and then run them through each rhythm to take them further in your comping.
Quarter Notes – Freddy Green Comping The first essential rhythm is one of the most famous in jazz the Freddie Green pattern. This pattern, made up entirely of quarter notes, is the rhythm that propelled Green’s playing with the Count Basie Orchestra. Though it’s simple on paper, keeping this pattern over a whole song can be tiring, both mentally and physically. Work this rhythm with a metronome, and later backing tracks, for 3-4 minutes at a time to build endurance. To get the proper sound with this rhythm, place accents on the 2 nd and 4th chords in each bar. This means that beats 1 and 3 are quiet and beats 2 and 4 are loud. Doing so gives you the strong groove and rhythmic drive that made Freddie one of the greatest azz compers of all time.
Audio Example 4
Charleston Rhythm and Variations You now bring syncopation into your comping with the Charleston. Syncopation is when you play chords on the up beats, the &’s of the beat, within a rhythmic pattern. In the case of the Charleston, you play the first chord on the downbeat of each bar, then you play the second chord on the & of 2. This creates a syncopated rhythm that’s one of the most important in jazz comping. To get this rhythm smooth, count each bar 1-2-3-4 as you play the Charleston. Counting helps you learn any rhythm quickly, and keeps the rhythm locked into the groove of the progression.
Audio Example 5
After you’ve worked the Charleston rhythm on the downbeat of each bar, you can start it on other 8th notes. Here’s an example of the Charleston rhythm starting on the & of 1, with the second chord on beat 3 of each bar. After you’ve worked out this variation, put on a metronome and play the Charleston on other beats of the bar. You keep the same formula, dotted quarter note plus and 8 th note, but play that grouping anywhere within the bar. Give it a try, if it’s too challenging at this point, move on to the next rhythm in your studies.
Then, when you’re more comfortable with rhythms, come back and see if you can explore the Charleston rhythms further in your playing.
Audio Example 6
& of 1 and 3 You’ll next learn a rhythm that only plays up beats, here on the & of 1 and 3, to create a syncopated comping pattern. The key to this rhythm, and any syncopated rhythm, is that you don’t rush the chords. Rhythms such as this have a tendency to speed up. So, use a metronome and count to make sure you’re right in the pocket when comping this coolsounding jazz rhythm.
Audio Example 7
& of 2 and 4 The next rhythm is a variation of the previous one, except you place the chords on the & of 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3. When doing so, you anticipate the next chord in each bar, meaning you play the chord in bar two on the & of 4 in bar one. This is what makes this rhythm sound hip, but also makes it hard to play. Work this rhythm slowly, counting each bar, and then bring a metronome into play when you’re ready. It’s a tough, but essential, rhythm, so taking the time to work it into your playing pays dividends for years to come.
Audio Example 8
Baião – 3+3+2 The final rhythm is the toughest out of the bunch, as it involves breaking up the bar into an uneven group of 8th notes. Normally there are eight 8th -notes in a bar, hence their name, that you count 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. These 8th notes are usually broken up into 4 notes (half notes) or 2 notes (quarter notes). But, if you want to create a syncopated rhythm, where you play 8th notes but hide make them less obvious, you can use the baião rhythm. The term baião comes from Brazil, but the rhythm is used in every musical style around the world. With baião, you play 8 th notes, but you break them up into three different groupings, 3+3+2, rather than groups of 2 and 4. When doing so, you play a dotted quarter note (three 8 th -notes), an 8th tied to a quarter note (three 8th -notes), and a quarter note (two 8ths). This rhythm fools the listener into thinking you’re playing a complex time signature, but you’re still in 4/4. Because of this, it can be hard to count the baião, so take your time, work slowly, count 1-2-3, 12-3, 1-2 if needed, and go from there. If you can’t get this rhythm down right now, no worries. Start by working the other rhythms in your playing and come back to the baião at a later date.
Audio Example 9
m7 Shell Chords One of the most important chords in jazz, m7 voicings are used to outline both iim7 and Im7 changes, among others. Because of this, you use m7 chords in both major and minor ii V I’s, making them essential learning for any jazz guitarist. Before you take these chords to the fretboard, here’s how you build m7 chords from an intervallic standpoint. As well, though it’s not essential, it’s helpful to know that m7 chords are related to the Dorian scale. To build a m7 chord, you use the following intervals.
Root b3 (minor 3rd) 5 (perfect 5th ) b7 (minor 7th )
As you’re studying shell chords, you don’t play the 5th with m7 chords. This means that you play the following intervals for each m7 chord.
Root b3 b7
Now that you know how to build m7 chords, you’re ready to play them on guitar.
m7 Voicings With the knowledge of how to build m7 chords under your belt, you’ll take these essential chords to the fretboard. Here are two different m7 shell chords that you can learn and run through various keys in your studies. There’s one m7 chord with a root on the 5 th string and one with a root on the 6 th string. When you have these shapes down, pluck the notes and sing each one as you create an ear training exercise from these shapes.
Audio Example 10
m7 Shell Chords Exercises With these m7 shell chords under your fingers, you’re ready to bring them to all 12 keys in your practice routine. Here’s a 12-key progression that starts with Dm7 on the 5 th string, and then moves to the other 11 keys from there. Go slow with this exercise, bringing in a metronome when you feel ready. If you can jam these chords to a metronome with confidence, add rhymes from the start of this book to take things further.
Audio Example 11
In the next exercise, you run all 12 keys starting with Dm7 on the 5 th string, moving to the closest next chords from that point. Once you have this progression under your fingers, bring a metronome into your practice and vary the rhythms. When ready, play the first and second versions of this m7 exercise back-to-back to compare them on the guitar.
Audio Example 12
Taking m7 Shell Chords Further If you can play m7 chords in all 12 keys, you can challenge yourself by raising the root note to the top of the chord. These shapes come in handy when playing with bass players, or a second guitar, as they stay out of the range of a bassline. They also focus on the highest note of the chord, which is a nice change from shell chords if you’re comping for a long time on one song. Here are two Dm7 chords with the root note raised to the upper strings. Learn these shapes, and then when ready, take them to other keys and in your studies.
Audio Example 13
The last exercise removes the root note from each m7 shell voicing, leaving you with a rootless chord for each shape. Rootless chords, in this case, contain the 3 rd and 7th of the original chord. The 3rd tells you if the chord is major or minor, and the 7 th tells you whether it’s maj7, 7, m7, dim7, etc. from there. This is why the 3 rd and 7th are the most important notes in any chord. They also have their own name, guide tones, which you’ll see a lot if you read lessons about jazz comping and soloing. Even though you’re not playing the root note, visualize the root as a guide to find the 3 rd and 7th . Here are two Dm7 rootless chords to get you started with these shapes in your studies.
If this material is beyond you right now, no worries. Go to the next chapter and when ready, return for another go at these shapes.
Audio Example 14
7th Shell Chords Used in every musical genre, and in forms such as blues, jazz blues, and major ii V I progressions, 7th chords are must-know shapes. They’re used as the V7 chord in major keys, creating the tension that builds before releasing to the tonic chord in a ii V I progression. Before you take these chords to the fretboard, here’s how you build 7th chords from an intervallic standpoint. As well, though it’s not essential, it’s helpful to know that 7th chords are related to the Mixolydian scale. To build a 7th chord, use the following intervals.
Root 3 (major 3rd) 5 (perfect 5th ) b7 (minor 7th )
As you’re studying shell chords, you don’t play the 5th with 7th chords. This means that you only play the following for each 7th shell chord.
Root 3 b7
Now that you know how to build 7th chords, you’ll play them on guitar.
Dominant 7th Voicings Now that you know how to build 7 th chords, take them to the guitar, starting with these two shell voicings. Play through each one and memorize each shape before working them in different keys. As well, pluck each note and sing along as you train your ears, as well as your fingers, with these shapes.
Audio Example 15
7th Shell Chords Exercises Now you can take 7th shell voicings to all 12 keys. In this first exercise, you start with D7 on the 5 th string and move to every key from there. When you can play this exercise on your own, put on a metronome and bring tempo and rhythm into the equation.
Audio Example 16
The next exercise covers the same progression, but with D7 on the 6 th string and moving to the closest chords from there. When you have this exercise down, change the rhythms before playing it back to back with the first exercise as a comparison.
Audio Example 17
Taking 7th Shell Chords Further Once you have the 7th -chord shell voicings down, take it a step further by raising the root notes to the upper strings. Doing so gives you two new 7th -chord shapes without having to learn anything new. It also teaches you to recognize the root on top of any chord, which is essential as you progress to the intermediate stage of jazz comping. Here are two G7 shapes to explore and take to other keys, and later progressions and tunes, in your studies.
Audio Example 18
You’ll now remove the root from any 7 th chord, in this case G7, to take things a step further. This is a more advanced technique than the previous example; so only attempt it if you’re up for a challenge. You can always try these rootless 7 th -chords, and if they’re too difficult move on and return to them down the road. There’s no harm in trying and moving on, just don’t bang your head against the woodshed wall for too long before you do.
Audio Example 19
maj7 Shell Chords Used as the tonic chord in a major key, maj7 voicings are essential learning for any jazz guitarist. They’re also used for the IVmaj7, meaning you use them twice in a ii V I IV progression, such as bars 1-4 of Autumn Leaves. Here’s how you build maj7 chords from an intervallic standpoint. As well, though it’s not essential, it’s helpful to know that maj7 chords are related to the major scale. To build a maj7 chord, you use the following intervals.
Root 3 (major 3rd) 5 (perfect 5th ) 7 (major 7th )
As you’re studying shell chords, you don’t play the 5th with maj7 chords. This means that you only play the following for each maj7 shell chord.
Root 3 7
Now that you know how to build maj7 chords, you’re ready to play them in one, then all 12 keys.
maj7 Voicings Here are two different maj7 shell chords to learn in the given key, and later in all 12 keys, in your studies. To get these shapes into your ears, sing each note as you pluck them on the guitar. As a further challenge, strum the chord and sing each note as you use these shapes to increase your jazz ear training.
Audio Example 20
maj6 Variation You’re now going to learn your first chord variation, where you play one chord in place of another. In jazz, if you see a maj7 chord, you can play a 6 chord in its place. The only time this won’t work is if the 6 chord conflicts with the melody. Think of maj7 and 6 as two shades of the same color, like blue. If you want to paint a sky, you have myriad shades of blue to choose from, not just sky blue, and they all create a sky. Same thing with maj7 and 6, they’re two shades of blue that paint a sky, in this case a tonic or IV major chord. To get started, here are two C6 shapes to play, memorize, and take into other keys. Then, when you see a maj7 chord in a lead sheet, and you want a different sound, play a 6 chord from the same root.
Audio Example 21
Maj7 Shell Chords Exercises Now that you know how to play maj7 and 6 chords, take them around the fretboard as you work them through 12-keys. Here are all 12 keys of maj7 chords, starting with Dmaj7 on the 5 th string and moving through the closest chords from that shape. After you can play these chords from memory, throw on a metronome as you bring tempo and rhythm into this exercise.
Audio Example 22
Moving on, you now start with a Dmaj7 chord on the 5 th string. If you’re comfortable with this exercise, mix in different rhythms as you expand this progression in the woodshed.
Audio Example 23
You now repeat the previous two exercises with 6 chords. Here are 6 chords in 12 keys starting from D6 on the 5 th string. Once you have this exercise down, play it back to back with the first maj7 exercise to compare the two.
Audio Example 24
You now work 6 chords in all keys starting from D6 on the 6th string. Again, once this is comfortable, mix in rhythms from earlier in this book to take this exercise
further.
Audio Example 25
Taking Maj7 Shell Chords Further For a challenge, raise the root note of any maj7 chord to create new shapes. Here are those shapes for Cmaj7, before moving to other keys. Not only does this give you two new voicings without learning anything new, but it teaches you about notes on the top-2 strings. Finding roots on the B and E strings means you have to know the notes on those strings. These chords teach you those notes as you expand your fretboard knowledge with these shapes.
Audio Example 26
To take this a step further, remove the root from each chord to produce maj7 guide tones. Here are those rootless shapes to explore over Cmaj7, and later in all keys, in your practicing. Though you don’t play the root, use it as a guidepost when finding the rootless notes for these positions.
Audio Example 27
As was the case with maj7 chords, you raise the root for each 6 chord as you take it further. Here’s how that would look with a C6 chord in two positions. Play these shapes in the given key, and then when ready, move them to other keys around the fretboard. When that’s comfortable, play Cmaj7 and C6 shapes back-to-back as you compare these new voicings on guitar.
Audio Example 28
The next step is to remove the root to produce rootless 6 voicings; here are examples of that chord in action. Though you don’t play the root, visualize it to help you find the two rootless notes in the chords below.
Audio Example 29
Dim7 Shell Chords Though not as popular as the other chords in this book, dim7 chords come in handy when playing minor ii V I progressions. They also help you when you see a dim7 chord on a lead sheet. Before you take these chords to the fretboard, here’s how to build dim7 chords from an intervallic standpoint. As well, though it’s not essential, it’s helpful to know that dim7 chords are related to the wholehalf diminished scale. To build a dim7 chord, you use the following intervals.
Root b3 (minor 3rd) b5 (diminished 5th ) bb7 (diminished 7th )
As you’re studying shell chords, you don’t play the 5th with dim7 chords. This means that you only play the following intervals.
Root b3 bb7
Now that you know how to build dim7 chords, you’re ready to learn how to play them.
Dim7 Voicings Here are two dim7 shell chords written in solid and broken form. To help get these shapes into your ears, pluck each note separately and sing along. This teaches your ears to recognize dim7 chords, as well as teaches your hands to play these essential jazz guitar shapes.
Audio Example 30
Dim7 Shell Chords Exercises With dim7 shell chords under your fingers, you’re ready to take them to all 12 keys. Here’s an example of how to work these shapes around the fretboard from a 5 th -string Ddim7 chord. When this exercise is comfortable, add rhythms from the beginning of this book to take it further.
Audio Example 31
You now take dim7 chords through 12 keys starting from the 6 th -string. Work this exercise alone, then with a metronome, and finally with rhythms from the start of this book. When ready, play the previous dim7 exercise and this one back-to-back.
Audio Example 32
Taking Dim7 Shell Chords Further To expand your dim7 chords, here are two intermediate level exercises. First, raise the root note of any dim7 chord from a low to high string. Doing so gives you a new sound from the same notes, and allows you to play 4 dim7 shapes from two shell chords. Here’s how those chords look. Play each one in C#, then take it to other keys are you get used to these shapes on the guitar.
Audio Example 33
The final step is to take the root notes out entirely, leaving you with a rootless version of C#dim7. Here are those shapes in both positions. In order to play these chords, visualize, but don’t fret, the root note for each chord.
Audio Example 34
ii V I Shell Chords Major With the various shell chords and rhythms under your fingers, you’re ready to take those shapes to the next level. The next stage is to work shell chords over the most popular jazz chord progression, the major ii V I. Major ii V I chords are built by taking chords from the 2 nd, 5th , and 1st notes of the major scale. The major scale has 7 notes, and each of these notes has a related chord, which looks like this:
Imaj7 – iim7 – iiim7 – IVmaj7 – V7 – vim7 – viim7b5
If you take out the 2 nd, 5th , and 1st chords, and place them in that order, you get iim7-V7-Imaj7, the major ii V I progression. In the key of C major, these chords would be:
Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7b5
And the ii V I chords are Dm7-G7-Cmaj7, as you can see below. To help you study every chord from this book in a progression, you use the C6 chord in the last bar of the ii V I. As maj7 and 6 chords are interchangeable, this doesn’t change the progression; it just changes the color of the tonic chord in the last bar. Now that you know how to build a major ii V I, it’s time to play these chord changes.
ii V I Voicings Major To begin, here are ii V I chords in C major starting with Dm7 on the 5 th string and working to the closest chords from that point. Memorize these shapes, and take them to other keys so you’re prepared to use them over tunes. Once you can play these shapes from memory, and in a few keys, add the rhythms from the start of the book to this progression. As a reminder, here are those rhythms:
Quarter Notes Charleston Variations & of 1 and 3 & of 2 and 4 Baião (3+3+2)
Now you’re ready to begin learning to play the most important jazz progression on guitar, the major ii V I.
Backing Track 1
Audio Example 35
Here’s the second position of major ii V I chords, where you start on the 6 th -string root and move to the closest chords from there. Memorize these shapes, take them to other keys, and add in different rhythms as you progress with these shapes in the woodshed.
Backing Track 1
Audio Example 36
ii V I Shell Chords Major Exercises Now that you can play major ii V I chords, work them in different keys around the fretboard. This first progression starts in C and moves down by tones until you return to the top of the form. Use both positions of major ii V I chords over these changes to get the most out of this exercise. As well, play each chord on your own, then with a metronome, and finally with different rhythms in your studies.
To cover all 12 keys, here’s the same group of chords starting a half step lower, from the key of B. Doing so gives you the 6 keys you missed in the first exercise, combining to cover all 12 keys between the two progressions. Remember to work these shapes on your own, with a metronome, and with different rhythms to maximize your practice time.
Taking Major ii V I Chords Further To take these shapes to the next level, raise the root notes up an octave for each chord shape. Here’s how that looks with the first position major ii V I chords. After you can play these shapes in C, take them to other keys and use different rhythms to jam these chords. If you feel ready for a further challenge, remove the root from each shape as you practice rootless ii V I chords in this position.
Backing Track 1
Audio Example 37
The final example raises the root in the major ii V I second position. Again, work this example in a number of keys and with various rhythms from the start of this book. When ready, combine these shapes with the first position to cover more of the fretboard with these chords. Lastly, when ready, remove the root all together as you practice 3rds and 7ths over major ii V I chords in this position.
Backing Track 1
Audio Example 38
ii V I Shell Chords Minor Moving on to minor key ii V I chords; you address two very important concepts in this section. The first concept involves m7b5 chords. In a minor ii V I, the ii chord is a m7b5, compared to a iim7 in the major key ii V I. Now, you haven’t learned any m7b5 chords so far in this book. Or have you? Because shell voicings only contain the R, 3, and 7 th , m7b5 and m7 chords are the same shapes on guitar. Let’s take a look at these two chords back to back.
m7b5 – R b3 b5 b7 m7 – R b3 5 b7
When you remove the 5th from each chord, which isn’t in the shell voicing, you’re left with these intervals.
m7b5 – R b3 b7 m7 – R b3 b7
They’re the same shapes. Pretty cool right? Now, here’s where you learn about one of the most important aspects of jazz guitar, context. If you play Dm7b5 and Dm7 shell chords, they sound the same. But, if you play a Dm7b5 chord in a minor ii V I progression, then play a Dm7 chord in a major ii V I progression, your ears put them in context. This allows you to use the same shape in two musical situations.
Killing two birds with one stone is something every jazz guitarist uses in their chord work. Therefore, it’s worth starting on that concept with m7b5 chords. The second concept in this chapter involves dim7 chords. As you see in the examples below, rather than play a V7alt chord, such as B7alt in the key of Em, you play iidim7, so F#dim7 in its place. Doing so outlines the 3 rd, 5th , and b7 of the V7alt chord, a rootless shape. Here are those two chords on top of each other for comparison. The 5 th of B7alt is bracketed, as it’s not in the B7 shell voicing.
B7alt – B D# (F#) A F#dim7 – F# A D#
Playing iidim7 over V7alt outlines minor ii V I chords with minimal movement on the fretboard. This technique is called “voice leading,” and it’s something that becomes important as you continue your jazz chord studies. For now, know that voice leading is important because it minimizes movement between chords on the fretboard. This sounds the changes while making it easier on your hands. So, before you play these examples, memorize this theory guideline.
“When you have a minor iim7 V7alt Im7, play iim7b5 iidim7 Im7 instead. ”
With the theory down, it’s time to take these chords to the fretboard.
ii V I Voicings Minor Now that you know how to build these chords, you’re ready to learn minor ii V I shell chords on guitar, starting from the 5 th string. Notice that every root note is on the same string with these chords. This is because of the iim7b5-iidim7 sub you’re using, and it’s different than the major ii V I’s you learned earlier. Make sure to work these chords in 12 keys and run them through various rhythms. To add an ear-training component, sing the root note of each chord as you play it. This helps you recognize the root movement for each of these chords. Hearing roots is invaluable in jazz, as it helps you learn songs by ear.
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Audio Example 39
Here are those same chords starting with the root on the 6 th string. Again, every root note is on the same string with these chords. Once you have these minor ii V I shapes down, take them to 12 keys and then work them through various rhythms. You can then alternate them with the 5 th -string minor ii V I chords as you bring these positions together in your practicing.
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Audio Example 40
ii V I Shell Chords Minor Exerc E xercises ises Now that you know how to play minor ii V I shell chords you can take that knowledge to all 12 keys. This first chord progression gets your through the first 6 keys, starting on Cm and work down in tones from there. After you can play these chords on your own, add a metronome to bring tempo to the exercise. As well, when ready, run these chords through each of the rhythms at the start of this book, as well as a few basic rhythms. As a refresher, here are those rhythms.
Whole Notes (1 Chord in a Bar) Half Notes Notes (2 ( 2 Chords Chords in i n a Bar) Quarter Notes Charleston Charles ton Vari Variations ations & of 1 and 3 & of 2 and 4 Baião (3+3+2)
Go slow with this progression, and feel free to run 6 keys of major then minor ii V I’s back to back to take things further.
To cover all 12 keys with minor ii V I chords, you’ll repeat the previous exercise a half-step lower.
You run down these keys in tones, covering 6 keys along way. Again, work this progression slowly on your own before adding a metronome. Lastly, don’t forget to use the rhythm rhythmss at a t the the start s tart of this book b ook as you expand expand upon this this progressi pro gression on in your studies.
Taking Minor ii V I Chords Further Now that you can play minor ii V I’s, you’re ready for a new challenge. Here, you raise the root note on each chord, as you can see in this first example where the root is now on the 2 nd string. When doing so, visualize the root on an upper string, rather than lower string, which is the challenge when playing these shapes. Take this further by removing the root entirely to play 3rd and 7th chords over these changes.
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Audio Example 41
To take this material further, raise the root note to the top string on any minor ii V I. Here’s an example of this technique in action. Once you’ve learned it, take it to other keys and fretboard positions. As well, challenge yourself further by removing the root in this position to play guide tone minor ii V I chords.
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Audio Example 42
Easy Jazz Guitar Chord Studies You’ll now learn how to play major and minor blues progressions with shell chords. Each of these studies uses shapes you know, just in a different order from what you’ve seen so far. The rhythms in each study are kept plain to get you started with these progressions. Once you can play the studies as written, run them through the rhythms from the start of this book. As a reminder, here are the rhythms that you can use with any or all of these chord studies.
Quarter Notes Charleston Variations & of 1 and 3 & of 2 and 4 Baião (3+3+2)
If you feel ready, break up the chords rather than plucking or strumming each shape. To do this, pick up and down each chord, or play the highest note then the lowest two, or viceversa. Whatever variations you come up with are great, try some out and challenge your picking hand with these four studies. Now that you know how to work these studies, take them to the fretboard.
Major Blues Chord Study 1 The first chord study is written over a jazz blues progression in Bb. Begin by learning the chords, both on your own and with a metronome. When that’s easy, jam over the backing track with the given rhythms. Then, play this study with the rhythms listed at the start of this chapter.
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Audio Example 43
Major Blues Chord Study 2 You now learn a blues study starting on the 5 th -string D7. Begin with the written rhythm on your own and with a metronome. Then, play over the backing track with the given rhythm. When that’s fine, add in rhythms from the list at the start of this chapter.
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Audio Example 44
Minor Blues Chord Study You now learn to play an Em blues progression. As was the case with the major blues studies, play each chord first to learn the shapes. Then, when ready, jam along to a metronome and the backing track. Don’t forget that your goal is to be able to play it with the rhythms listed at the start of this chapter.
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Audio Example 45
Minor Blues Chord Study 2 You now learn an Am blues chord progression. Again, it’s written with basic rhythms, so take this study through each essential rhythm. When ready, put on the backing track and jam using the chords and various rhythms from this book.
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Audio Example 46
Further Studies After working the exercises and comping studies in this book, you’re ready to look at a lead sheet progression and add your own chords. The following four charts simulate the experience you have when learning jazz standards on guitar. There’s a form with the chords written on top of the staff. Your job is to look at each chord symbol and play it using chord shapes from this book. To do so, it’s best to follow these steps.
Play each chord without any tempo or rhythm. Write out any shapes you’ve forgotten as a reference. Play the progression slowly with a metronome. Speed up the metronome. Add rhythms. Jam over the backing track with various rhythms.
If you can get through these items over the tunes below, you’re ready to comp behind a soloist in a azz jam situation. As a reminder, here are the rhythms to practice over each progression.
Whole Notes (1 Chord Per Bar) Half Notes (2 Chords Per Bar) Quarter Notes Charleston Variations & of 1 and 3 & of 2 and 4 Baião (3+3+2) Now that you know how to tackle these four chord progressions, it’s time to take them to the guitar.
Summertime Chords The first progression to practice on your own is based on the chords to the Gershwin tune Summertime. With major and minor ii V I’s, this song is perfect for testing your knowledge of shell chords. Play each chord without tempo before bringing your metronome into the equation. When ready, put on the backing track and use various rhythms as you comp over this jazz standard.
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Blue Bossa Chords One of the most popular jazz standards, Blue Bossa challenges you with major and minor progressions. Play each chord on your own using shapes from this book, before using your metronome to add tempo. From there, jam over the backing track and mix various rhythms into your comping.
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Tune Up Chords You now apply chords you’ve learned to a progression based on the chord changes to Tune Up. These chords look easy at first, there are 3 descending ii V I progressions in the first 12 bars, but then things get tricky. Take your time with the last four bars, as those chords can handcuff even experienced players. After working out the shapes without any tempo, turn on a metronome and play over these changes slowly, speeding up over time. When you’re ready, put on the backing track and comp over the tune using chords you’ve learned in this book.
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Solar Chords The last chord study is based on the changes to the jazz standard Solar. Here, there are slow moving chords, fast moving chords, and major and minor ii V I progressions. Because of this, Solar is an essential tune when working on these, or any, jazz guitar chords. Play each chord on your own, no tempo, before bringing your metronome into the equation. When ready, put on the backing track and comp using chord shapes from this book. If you find it too difficult to use the backing track, go back to the metronome until you’re ready to return to the track in your studies.
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Congrats! You’ve now learned to play jazz guitar chords, run them through progressions, and even comped your first lead sheets. From here you’re ready to move on to other songs, different tempos, and the soloing side of jazz guitar. Thanks for checking out this book, and cheers to sticking with it to the end. Keep on pickin’!
