Jazz Guitar Chords - Tutorial

Posted by tony hogan on Aug 01 2008 | acoustic guitar, chord playing, improvisation, jazz guitar

This guitar tutorial  is for players that can already play to a good basic standard.

Jazz Guitar Chord Tutorial

I’ve written a guitar TAB and music notation chart that uses triads (three note chords) and have also added a simple bass part.  I’ve used a common chord pattern, it consistts of. 

Cmaj7 A7 D7 G7

Cmaj7 A7 D7 G7

E7 A7 D7 G7

C Eb7 D7 Db7

The last line is a series of chord substitutions for the Cmaj7 A7 D7 G7

If you study this chord chart very closely you’ll see there’s a lot to work with. There are so many variations that could be used. Often you need to call on different styles to add to your musical skillset, else all your music might end up sounding the same.  This sort of playing is great if you have to accompany a singer in a jazz ballad.  Once you get it inone key and see how it works, with a little thought you’ll be apply to take the basic principles I’ve used here and run with it. 

To download the printable version click on the link:  Jazz Guitar Chord Tutorial

4 comments for now

4 Responses to “Jazz Guitar Chords - Tutorial”

  1. How about this ;)
    Don’t want to make it too easy for the soloist… lets throw in a few modulations:

    ||: Cmaj7 Am7 D9 G13-G7#5
    C6/9 A7#5 D9 C#7#5
    Gm11 C9 Fmaj13 Bb7b5
    Em9 A7#5 D9 G13-G7#5 :||

    me and my buddy threw tht together from what little jazz theory we know… like the chromatic passing tone bass line here? D9 C#7#5 Gm11

    05 Aug 2008 at 3:05 am

  2. Greg

    Alex,
    nice stuff, suggest for the Emi9, you could have just simple
    Emi7 Emi6 ..this to emphasise first bar of the turn-around, and it works better harmonically
    Cheers, ..Sid.

    07 Aug 2008 at 7:10 am

  3. plantrubba

    Alex

    I’ve played with this and wll write a transcription in tab and dots when I get a moment

    I’ve worked it to have a nice line on top constantly, this works for me~

    Because I didn’t know your voicings I substuted some chords, the substitution Ab I used was the only way my ear could resolve the Bb to the Em which I also substituted

    My ways of getting around the chords that I could get my ear to accept I moved the top line to allow it to work

    I’ve put the chord top notes in to show how I’m thinking, the string numbers are listed as 1 and 2. When there’s 2 for each chord, it’s 1 and

    Alex JAZZ tune

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Cmaj7 (G on top) 1
    A7#5 +9 (C top) 1
    Dm7 (A on top) 1
    G13 (G top) G7#5 (D# top) 1 to 2

    C69 (G top) 1
    A7#5b9 (Bb top) 1
    D9 (A top) 1
    Db9 (Ab to Bb top) 1 and 1

    Gm9 (A to G top) 1and 1
    C13 (D top) 1
    F69 (C to G top) 1 to 2
    Abm6+5 (E to F on top) 2 and 2

    Bb13 (2x G on top) 2
    A7 (G to A on top) 2 and 1
    D9 (E to A on top) 2 and 1
    G7#5 (D# on top) 2

    I like it a lot now

    I might record the pattern at some point and throw it online for you to access

    Very cool

    Tony

    07 Aug 2008 at 1:05 pm

  4. plantrubba

    If you want to make it hard for the soloist, give them this

    C

    yep that’s it

    07 Aug 2008 at 1:12 pm

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