Downloadable Beginner's Jazz Course - Part 1
This course is for you if you're sure you want to learn Jazz Guitar and don't mind the challenge of tackling the subject head on!
The course in detail...
Expert step-by-step guidance provided. All you have to do is follow the instructions on each video, and we'll show you, step by step, how to:
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Play simple jazz chords using a finger style approach or plectrum.
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Play simple, but useful scale patterns to help you learn melodies quicker and as a basis for improvising.
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Understand the basic swing rhythm that immediately gives your playing a 'jazzy' feel
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Learn to hear how each note you play fits against the chords you are playing over and use this skill to create improvised lines that work.
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Learn the chord sequence, comping pattern and melody for Mack the Knife and Take the A Train
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Learn some simple approaches to improvising real jazz solos of your own over both of these tunes.
Prerequisites and expected outcome...
This course is the first part of a two-part course on how to play Jazz Guitar for Beginners. This is for you if you're sure you want to learn Jazz Guitar and don't mind the challenge of tackling the subject head on!
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This course assumes a bare minimum of guitar playing experience. Ideally though, you will have completed either our Complete Beginners Acoustic or Electric course first. So you will know a couple of chords and can strum your way through a simple chord sequence.
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Learn Jazz from the bottom up! We'll throw you straight into playing jazz. After a brief primer on the Basics of Jazz Rhythm (Comping), Melody Playing and Improvising we get right into learning Jazz Standards.
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A thorough approach… There are three lessons on each tune. One takes you through the chords and comping pattern, the second lesson tackles the melody and the third shows you how to improvise over a whole chorus of each tune.
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A fun approach… We have deliberately selected tunes that are relatively easy, but also fun to play. Long-winded explanations of music theory are excluded from this course - the emphasis is on getting you playing jazz right from the start. There’s plenty of time to learn the how and why it all works, later!
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Get a great introduction to a broad range of styles The tunes we have chosen are Jazz Standards, but over both parts of this course, we have made sure that you will cover a range of styles with examples of Swing, Smooth, Latin and Gypsy styles.
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The video content is supported by printouts of rhythm charts, tab for melodies and diagrams explaining exercises and improvising ideas. These are yours to keep. Audio files are also included with specially made sample, backing and fronting tracks, specially recorded to go with the course. In the case of Take the A Train, being a faster tune, these are also recorded in special slow versions to help provide a gradual approach to mastering the tune.
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Prompt, friendly support available if required. We do all we can in the design of these lessons to anticipate every question or problem that each individual student may have, but of course we know this is impossible. So please, if you have any difficulties at all following this course, or any questions that the materials don't seem to answer, email us for support - we are always pleased to hear from you!
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Course comprises: 9 Video lessons 7 Backing tracks 13 Printouts