ChopsFactory-Jazz Guitar Chords

Jazz Chord of the Week
Major Chords
Minor Chords
Dominant Chords
Minor7b5 Chords

Major Scales
Minor Scales
Dominant Scales
Minor 7b5 Scales

Start Here
Left Hand
Right Hand

Basics
Chord Concepts

Basics
Construction

Sight Reading
Reading Rhythm

Left Hand
Right Hand

Introduction
Voice Leading
Multi-Use Voicings
Passing Chords
Rhythm

Introduction
Basic Exercises
Cross-String Studies
2 and 3 Bar Phrases
Phrasing
Chords
Etude
JGT Theory explained

Introduction
Minor 7 Arpeggios
Major Triad +2
Minor Tetrachord
Etude

Lesson of the Month
Lesson Archive

Question and Answer

MP3s

Lesson One • Respelling Chords/Scales

PREVIEW

One way to keep the amount of material that has to be memorized manageable is to learn to use the same thing in different ways. Consider the following chord voicing:

This voicing is one of the most versatile sounds in modern jazz. If you're not familiar with it, listen to the compositions of Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, and Chick Corea, for example. They all use this sound extensively.
This voicing sounds best on the middle four strings or the top four (in other keys). In addition to its use as a Major7+4, this voicing can be used as any of the following chords: F#mi7b5; Ami6/9; D13; Bmi (phrygian).
Since most playing situations involve a bass player, you don't have to (and frankly, shouldn't) play the roots of these chords.Let the bass player take care of that function.
All of these chords use the same scale: G Ionian (Major Scale, it just sounds erudite to use the Greek name). Right about now, you could easily be thinking: "If I can use the same voicing for all of these different chord types, when I improvise I could use my C Lydian ideas over F#mi7b5! Or maybe Ami6/9 ideas. Or even..."

Until next time,
AG

Next Lesson: Respelling Chords/Scales, cont...

Ask a question about this lesson

Lesson Archive