subject: Learn To Play Jazz Guitar [print this page] When it comes to music there are countless varieties and forms. Each musical artist puts their own spin on things and, thus, new varieties and genres are constantly being created all the time. Even types of instrumental music comes in a variety of styles. For example, piano music can be classical, modern, or have a blues feel to it along with many other possibilities. Guitar music is the same way - there are many variations of style and each style and each style must be learned separately. One style may call for a completely different style of picking than another or incorporate a different set of scales. Even the most experienced guitarist may find it difficult to master a new style. If you have already mastered the basics and want to learn how to play the guitar in a new style, be prepared for a tough road. While it may not be difficult to learn to play the guitar in terms of plucking strings and strumming chords, attuning your skills to a certain style of music can be difficult. The masters in each genre spent years perfecting their skills and if you hope to reach this level of achievement you may also have to put in this level of dedication.
The jazz guitar, for example, can be a tough style to learn because it has a very distinctive sound to it. Whereas rock guitar and other styles utilize reverb and distortion to alter the sound of the instrument, jazz guitar is known for its smooth sound - you must be able to hear the strings, not gain or distortion. Improvisation is another key element in jazz guitar and this can be a difficult skill to master for those who strive to learn to play the guitar. In order to be able to improvise well you must have a firm foundation in scales, chords, and keys so that you can react quickly if the band leader calls out a different key. You should also learn different types of chords and scales to expand your playing ability. Chords like sustained chords and augmented fifths are simply regular chords with a note or two added and practicing scales beyond the regular pentatonic and chromatic scales will help to increase your versatility. By expounding upon the basics of chords and scales and practicing improvisation, you can be on your way to success as a jazz guitarist.
