Jazz Guitar 1B

About this course

The course uses jazz standards in styles including swing, Latin, blues, modal, funk and ballads to examine melody, harmony, chords and rhythmic ideas. Participants study scales, arpeggios and improvisation techniques, then apply them through playing, comping and technical, rhythmic and chordal exercises. Teaching combines practical classwork with listening to jazz recordings and guided study of important repertoire and guitarists. Learners also explore practice and transcription methods while preparing tunes between sessions.

What you'll learn

• Play jazz standards in contrasting styles, including their melodies and harmonies
• Use basic scales and arpeggios when improvising over chord changes
• Apply jazz chord shapes and manipulate chord progressions used in standards
• Perform in an ensemble using appropriate rhythmic, melodic and harmonic ideas
• Use practice and transcription methods to develop jazz guitar material

Is this course right for you?

This course is intended for guitarists with substantial playing experience in other styles and little or no previous jazz knowledge. The intermediate label indicates study beyond fundamental guitar skills. Participants are expected to play together in class, practise weekly and prepare assigned tunes between sessions.

• At least three years of guitar playing in other styles is specified
• Knowledge of the major scale and major and minor pentatonic scales in the E-shape position is expected as a minimum
• Familiarity with basic chord symbols, including triads and sevenths, is specified
• Reading notation is advantageous, but melodies can be studied through TAB and recordings

Before you go

• Participants need to bring a guitar and lead.
• Amps are provided when needed.
• Bring manuscript paper, a notebook and writing materials.
• Weekly practice assignments and preparation of tunes are required.