1) Chords


The first thing that almost all guitar players learn is chords. A chord is played by holding down multiple notes simultaneously on the fingering hand. The opposite hand makes a chord sound by strumming it or finger picking it. There is nothing more fundamental than playing basic chords. 

The first 14 chords are E, A, D, G ,C, Em, Am, Dm, E7, A7, D7, G7, B7. C7. Typically, barre chords are learned next. Barres have an advantage because they can be moved to different keys. Their disadvantage is that they’re harder to play, at least initially.

The ability to play chords and switch them smoothly is the first requirement for playing alone or with a group. It immediately qualifies you for a band in the role of rhythm guitar. This job is an accompaniment job and does not have the attention given to the Lead guitar player but it is your quickest route to playing in a band!



Resources:

http://chordfind.com/  

http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_db.html




2) Technique


Technique is the ability to control your hands individually and in combination. It is primarily a physical skill not a musical skill. The training and development of your hands is a prerequisite and necessary to develop musical skills.

Sports offers a good parallel. Football has physical skills and football skills. Passing, receiving, blocking, running and tackling are football skills. Running through tires, road work, weight lifting, wind sprints and stretching are physical skills. You need both to be successful.

There are many exercises designed to get your hands in shape. Finger independence drills, barres and stretches are just three good ways to develop your hands.



Resources:

http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa121301a.htm

http://www.guitarprinciples.com/Guitar_Technique/GuitarTechnique.htm

http://www.guitarplayerworld.com/Guitar_Techniques.html




3) Notes on the Neck


It’s unbelievable how weak guitar players are on knowing the notes on their own instrument!
No other instrument suffers from this same fate. Imagine a piano player not knowing the note names of the keys…or a trumpet player not knowing what notes come out if they push specific valve combinations. Yet, an amazingly high percentage of guitar players don’t know the notes on the neck.
This problem has certainly been created by the guitar world’s penchant for tablature and chord picture diagrams. Despite this, there is no excuse for the failure on the part of guitar players to learn what is absolutely rudimentary on any other instrument.
The notes on the neck must be not only learned but mastered!


Resources:

http://www.totalguitar.net/guitar-resources/notes-on-guitar-neck/

http://guitarroom144.wordpress.com/learn-the-notes-on-the-neck/

http://www.chuckandersonjazzguitar.com/products-page/



4) Strums


This skill is part of the rhythm guitar role. All songs, besides having chords, have a strum that is responsible for the “feel” of the song. If you play the wrong strum with a song, something will sound off.

The strum helps keep the tempo steady and propels the music forward.

Strumming captures the most primitive element of music – rhythm. That tendency to tap our feet when we hear music can often be traced to the strumming pattern of the guitar.



Resources:

http://guitar.about.com/od/guitarlessons/ss/strumming101.htm

http://www.squidoo.com/guitar-strumming-patterns

http://www.chuckandersonjazzguitar.com/products-page/




5) Finger Picking


Finger picking is an alternative to strumming. Like strumming, finger picking uses the non-fingering hand and produces sound from chords. Fingerpicking was most common in Folk music but it has certainly made its way into main stream contemporary music through singer – songwriters and country artists. James Taylor is an outstanding finger pick artist who has fused Folk, Country, Rock and Pop music into a seamless original form. His influence has been significant ever since the beginning of the Folk – Rock movement.



Resources:

http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerstyle_guitar

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/




6) Scales


Scales are organized streams of notes that can be used to generate melody or improvisation. There are many kinds of scales to learn depending on the musical style you choose. The two most common contemporary scales are the Blues Scale and the Pentatonic Scale. The Blues Scale is used in the darker forms of Blues and in heavier Rock Music. The Pentatonic Scale is used in all things Southern: Southern Rock, brighter Blues, Country music and even Motown.

Beyond these scales, there are many more to learn if the music you play needs them. Santana used the Dorian Scale to great effect while Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits made a living from the Aeolian Scale.

Resources:

http://www.chordbook.com/guitarscales.php

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Guitar/Scales

http://www.guitarists.net/scales/



7) Lead Guitar Techniques 

The lead guitar embellishments are physical moves that impact the sound of the guitar in a very significant way. Bends, slides, glisses, vibrato and harmonics are just some of the techniques employed. These are “guitaristic” effects, not external effects such as reverb, chorus and distortion. As in all cases, the style of music dictates which embellishments are applicable. Traditional Jazz guitar uses few bends while Blues music lives on bends as well as the other embellishments.

Resources:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiVcOLV6QDM

http://www.cyberfret.com/techniques/index.php





8) Rhythm


Rhythm is one of the three primary components of music, It encompasses several aspects. On the one hand, rhythm is the duration of a note or a chord. It also includes tempo ie beats per second as measured by a metronome  and the stability of the beat. Rhythm, as in tempo, can vary during a song. Some songs maintain a steady tempo from beginning to end. Other songs vary the tempo. Slowing down is called Ritardando and speeding up is called Acclerando. These are intentional musical effects and not the result of a guitar player not being able to keep steady time or rhythm. The ability to “keep time” is one of the most important skills a guitar player can develop.



Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_guitar

http://www.chuckandersonjazzguitar.com/products-page/




9) Ear


The development of the ear brings your musical insides – out. Music is the only hearing art. As such, the ear acts as the intermediary between your musical ideas and the execution of these ideas. Solfeggio, the Italian art of sight singing has been used for centuries to develop musicianship. Ear training contributes to the ability to play what you hear. There are virtually unlimited applications of ear training from working songs out by ear to improvising to writing. The European tradition of ear training has been far more stringent than that of the United States.



Resources:

http://www.good-ear.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_training

http://www.good-ear.com/servlet/EarTrainer




10) Songs



This area is your song list, your repertoire, what you can play from beginning to end. Without a repertoire, you have nothing to play. An audience is certainly not interested in listening to scales, arpeggios or exercises of any kind. They respond to songs no matter what style of music you play. It could original or cover but one way or another, you need to learn songs. 

What does it mean to learn a song? The singer songwriter’s version of learning a song would be to memorize the chords, the strum or finger pick, the melody, the form, the chords and the lyrics. The jazz guitarist version is to learn the single note melody, the chord changes, the form, the melody and chord version (combining single note melody and chords) and the improvisational structure. Unless you use the lyrics as inspiration for the mood and feel of a song, lyrics are not part of the instrumental process.



Resources:

http://www.top100guitarsites.com/

http://www.top100tabsites.com/

http://www.guitartabs.net/



Conclusion
Now that you have a sense of what there is to learn, you can focus on how you’re going to learn it. Whether it’s formal lessons with a good teacher, self teaching, books, DVDs or on line resources, get started! The rewards will far outweigh the effort.





For me, instrumental music has always had more appeal. Why? I’ve wondered that myself for many years. What is it about non vocal music that I find more interesting? My musical career path has certainly gone in the direction of instrumental performance and composition. My greatest musical influences growing up were instrumentalists. I was far more attracted to composers, writers of instrumental music and film composers than I was to the popular song writers. What was the common denominator? There are no words in instrumental music!

Recently, I went to a local museum with my wife, Coreen. I tried to make notes on which paintings I did and did not like. I’m certainly not an art critic nor can I say that I even have an adequate knowledge of the art and science behind painting. But I do know what I enjoy – what resonates with me.

I noticed something interesting that gave me a clue about this instrumental issue. I disliked every painting that depicted a person or a common object like a fruit bowl. I loved paintings of nature and I loved abstracts.

Then it hit me. Paintings that depicted people were like words in a song. They were too literal – not enough room for interpretation. On the other hand, nature and abstract art allowed me to “see my own story” – to see my own imagery and most importantly to connect to it or through it on my own terms.

When lyric is involved, I’m being told the story – literally. I’m far more interested in my feeling from the music as I was more interested in my feeling from the paintings. There is something more universal about the experience. The story will appear on its own. I don’t need to be told nor do I need to know that this is bowl of fruit.

Aldous Huxley was quoted as saying “That which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music”. I could not agree more.

This is why I believe in instrumental music. I believe in its power to mesmerize, to inspire and to excite the imagination. Add to that my love of spontaneous creativity and rhythm and it becomes obvious why I am a Jazz Guitarist!

Chuck Anderson at Chaplin's

Here are the links to four radio broadcasts that recently aired from England. They are about my music and my career. The files are broadcast quality and large. They will take a while to load and play but they do not have to be fully loaded to start playing.
www.howtolearnjazzguitar.com/audio/england_shows/Part1.mp3
www.howtolearnjazzguitar.com/audio/england_shows/Part2.mp3
www.howtolearnjazzguitar.com/audio/england_shows/Part3.mp3
www.howtolearnjazzguitar.com/audio/england_shows/Part4.mp3

I hope you enjoy them. If you do, drop the host of the show, Jan S Johansen a quick E mail and let him know that you liked the show. His E mail is jan.s.johansen@gmail.com

 Saturday, April 7th at 8:00 PM

Ticket Link

http://www.chaplinsmusiccafe.com/040712chuckanderson.htm

66 N Main Street
Spring City, PA 19475
610 792 4110

http://www.chaplinsmusiccafe.com/

Ticket Link
http://www.chaplinsmusiccafe.com/040712chuckanderson.htm

The internet has given all of us the opportunity to spread what we do across the world. This opportunity has also created frustration – frustration in making our work stand out from the thousands or millions who aspire to the same goals. Branding is the new term with fan building right behind it.

There is always a temptation to compromise our work – to find a quick and proven path to recognition and income. It’s easy to adapt our music in a way that may prove successful on one level but ultimately damaging if not destructive on another level.

My career has moved in and out of many professional directions. I began in commercial music and moved quickly into jazz. From there, I went the session and show playing route, developed the neo classical guitar style, spent many years as a professional writer and producer and always had an extreme fascination for the calling of researching and teaching.

At this point in my life, I have simplified my work considerably. Now, I am a jazz guitarist. I write only for my own group. I give concerts. I write books and I teach extensively.

I have come to accept that what I do is an art form. I focus on developing that art and don’t worry about the money or the acclaim. This is not to say that I’m uninterested in bringing what I do to a wider audience. I am interested but not at the expense of resorting to music that would achieve success without fulfillment.

Bill Evans once said in an interview – In the long run. we must consider what we do as art. We must develop that art and then find the audience that will share this art with us. He said – don’t chase players, styles or trends . Don’t even chase audiences.

Focus on what you do. Make it creative and personal and then take it to the world!

These are the fundamental topics taught in the jazz guitar:
• Mechanical Technique
• Ear Training
• Chord Formations
• Chord Progressions
• Theory
• Improvisation
• Melody
• Chord Technique
• Repertoire
• Style
• Phrasing
• Feel
• Pulse
• Stability of Tempo
• Harmonic, Melodic and Rhythmic Analysis
• Musical Devices such as Scales, Arpeggios, Interval Development and Sequences, Scale and Chord Inversion, Voice Leading, Bass Lines, Accompaniment …

As you can see, it’s quite a list. Don’t despair! Like the proverbial journey of a 1000 miles, it can get done one step at a time. The biggest problem is organizing those steps. Of all guitar based forms, jazz is the most difficult to go it alone. That’s one reason that there are more jazz guitar majors in college now than at any other time in history.

My own personal belief supports the private teacher model. There is a great need for customized, dedicated personal teaching. The old European model of master and apprentice works well in this field. It, of course, needs some modern updating. But by and large, this model is more effective than the collegiate model.

In my teaching, I’ve always found that a good chord progression leads to melody more easily than a good melody leads to a chord progression. Since this process is a personal art form, everyone responds individually to the order of the elements. A purely melodic instrument such as a sax or trumpet often finds first inspiration in melody. On the other hand, a chord instrument such as guitar or piano, may choose the chord route to get started.

Regardless of this, the first issue is form. Form is the structure of a composition in regards to the length of the themes, the time signature, the number of themes and the order of themes. Most songs traditionally are based on 8 bar themes or if blues oriented, on 12 bar themes.

We’ll focus initially on 8 bar themes. The majority of songs are binary which is to say that they have 2 themes. Let’s call the first theme A and the second theme B. The most common orders of these themes are AABA, AAB or AABB.

Our first job is to choose a major key or a minor key. Major keys will generally produce a brighter piece. Minor keys produce a darker piece. We”ll arbitrarily pick the chord progression approach first.

Let’s start in one key and let’s make it C major. The chords that you need to use to keep your piece in C major are the following. In three part harmony, they are C, Dm, Em. F, G, Am and Bdim. In four part, they would be Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7, and B half dim 7. Identify these chords as the I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII chords. This becomes a convenient approach when we begin to change keys.

The I, III and VI chords are considered passive chords which is to say that they are at rest. The remaining chords V, IV, II and VII are active chords which is to say that they are restless. The very important term resolution is the effect generated by any active chord moving to any passive chord.

Chord progressions need to move in and out of these states of active and passive to create and to maintain interest.

The first exercise is to experiment with and listen to the effects of active and passive chords. Play a I, then a V and then return to the I. You’ll notice how satisfying the movement of V is back to I. Clearly, the I chord is the center of the key and the most passive or grounded. The V is its opposite – the most active and restless chord in the key.

Try one active chord to one passive chord, Then try two active chords to one passive chord. Continue trying combinations as you increase your awareness and sensitivity to the effects of resolution.

A Day in My Life

Music is an intensely entrepreneurial business. It takes discipline and a certain type of self starting attitude. After all, you have no boss to tell you what to do and when to do it. It’s all on you. This can be good or bad. On the negative side, you could respond to this by doing nothing, by being lazy. This approach will guarantee your failure. Or, you could be organized, energized and enthusiastic. If you’re disciplined and focused on your direction and your goals, you maximize the opportunity to succeed.

Throughout my career, different musical directions have changed what any given day looked like. Early in my career, music store teaching and playing small pickup jobs were my life. Later, I owned my own music school and played larger, more prestigious dates. Then, staff jobs at theaters and recording studios took up more and more time. There was a period where I owned a music production company that focused on media music. Jingles, documentary scores, TV themes and tracks for singers took up time in this phase. Then, my career turned in the direction of what was called the “Neo Classical” guitar. This involved transcriptions, original composition and improvisations on a theme. This work led me into concerts and three CDs.

As you can imagine, my day looked very different in each of these directions. I thought I would concentrate for the purpose of today’s blog on my current direction.

I made the decision within the last year or two to concentrate exclusively on two and only two musical directions. One is the concert jazz guitar and the other is music education.

So here’s what a day looks these days.

In my performance work, I have to continue to develop new repertoire for my concerts. This material can be original or not but it has to function at a high concert level. I no longer write for major companies – I write exclusively for my own performance and recordings.

After material is written, it has to be arranged and notated. From there, it goes to the band for rehearsal and then is scheduled for performance or recording. A new CD of mine called “Freefall” has twelve original tracks conceived either for my trio or for solo guitar.

I usually begin new pieces with a title and then write that mood into the song. Current titles are “Tribute to Wes”,”Synergy” and “Dragonfly”. “Tribute to Wes” is complete and waiting for the arrangement. Synergy is started and “Dragonfly” has four bars written. Each day will produce a little more of each piece until they’re all complete and ready to move into the next phase.

In the meantime, there is a shocking amount of time spent on the business of this business. Booking, press, internet exposure, social networking, promotion – the list goes on and on.

I work in the private music teaching side of the business. I work exclusively out of my own private studio, maintaining a large and demanding private practice. In response to demand and changing technology, I now Skype all over the world. I have also recently signed with a company called Truefire.com. This company is an on line video guitar education company. My program with them will launch at the end of January. There is a huge amount of preparation for this new endeavor. I’m slowly getting up to speed with all the technology changes.

Another phase of my education work is research, writing books and giving master classes. I’ve just finished a new book called “Jazz Guitar Chords – Without Memorizing a 1000 Shapes”. Books require time in the organization, the writing, the editing and the promotion.

Now, let’s take a day. Of course, days differ according to the needs and demands of that day. This variety of day to day activity keeps everything fresh and avoids the boredom that plagues many people with “straight” jobs.

Last Friday, I gave private lessons from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM. At 4:30, I joined jazz guitarist Jimmy Bruno for a session about our upcoming CD and our next four concerts together. By 8:00 PM, I was working on the final revisions of a new book, putting finishing touches on the arrangement of “Tribute to Wes” and arranging a photo shoot for some promotion on the internet. By now, it was 10:00 PM. I reviewed some new video footage from a recent concert. My decision was to use the material just for promotion and Youtube or to turn it into a DVD product. By 11:00 PM, I was sending out invitations to an upcoming concert with my trio and sending files to a printer for the posters to be used to promote several upcoming concerts.

Since I write for the magazines “Just Jazz Guitar”, “Jazz Inside” and for the website “All About Jazz”, it was time to write my columns. This took a couple of hours up until 1:00 AM. The last 30 minutes were devoted to research and setting up the next days activities. I try to stop at 1:30. The next day starts again at 8:00 AM.

Every day is different but that’s the length of most of my days. Only the balance of activities change. Some days, I’ll devote up to sixteen hours to teaching and then fill in the rest of the day as needed.

This, as you can see, is a business that you must love. It is my choice to work at this pace but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Wes Montgomery

I had direct contact with Wes when I was sixteen. He had an outstanding feel for jazz and was able to successfully integrate blues into jazz without becoming a blues guitar player.

http://guitar.about.com/od/guitaristsktoo/a/wes_montgomery_profile.htm

Johnny Smith

Johhny Smith had a flawless technique and was one of the first to use the straight arm picking technique. In the long run, his technique may have become his downfall. He was almost too clean. He didn’t have the dark, blues vibe in his playing but he was a superb jazz guitarist. It’s amazing how little today’s jazz writers recognize Smith. He won 10 consecutive Downbeat Magazine Best Jazz Guitarist awards.

http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/artists/artists_page.jsp?artist=29

Joe Lano

Joe Lano is probably the greatest little known jazz guitarist. I knew Joe as a student of jazz teacher Dennis Sandole. He was very kind and inspirational to me. His leaving Philadelphia opened up the staff job at the Latin Casino which was pivotal in launching my career as a professional guitarist. Joe settled into the Las Vegas show scene and remains in Vegas to this day.

http://www.jazzinternet.com/vegasjazz/artists/joelano/index.html

Jimmy Bruno

Jimmy Bruno had developed a commercial recording and playing career in LA and Las Vegas. He reached a point where he decided to return to his native Philadelphia and pursue the jazz direction. Jimmy is a versatile, highly musical jazz guitarist. He always concentrated on the sound and the music he was making and didn’t get hung up on theory and technicalities.

http://www.jimmybruno.com/

Pat Martino

Pat Martino is a strikingly original jazz guitarist. Using a horn like blistering attack, Pat carved out a niche for himself that established him as a unique and important force in the jazz guitar world.

http://www.patmartino.com/

Jim Hall

Jim Hall was noted for his probing, introspective style. A master of the small chord and the lyrical melodic line, Hall proved that you didn’t have to be extremely fast to be successful.

http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/artists/artists_page.jsp?artist=16

Tal Farlow

Tak Farlow was a talented but somewhat reclusive player who never quite made the ultimate public commitment to his career as a jazz guitarist. The music was never in question but Tal didn’t particularly like the public identity that his ability warranted. Unusual chord voicings and a strong bebop influenced style carried Tal Farlow to the top of the jazz world before he settled into the quiet life of Seabright, New Jersey.

http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/artists/artists_page.jsp?artist=13

Kenny Burrell

Kenny Burrell was a Detroit based, blues influenced jazz guitarist who developed a significant reputation for taste and style as a jazz guitarist. His reputation as a gentleman and jazz guitar icon carried him to great popularity throughout his long and successful career.

http://www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu/people/burrell.htm

Joe Pass

Joe Pass was a legend in jazz guitar circles. Performing with jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and many other major jazz singers and artists, Joe was an outstanding supporting guitarist as well as a dynamic solo performer.

http://www.classicjazzguitar.com/artists/artists_page.jsp?artist=55

Dennis Sandole

Dennis Sandole was a jazz guitarist who focused his career on developing a teaching literature which he then passed on to many developing musicians. Noted as John Coltranes’ teacher, Dennis was clearly focused on jazz as an aesthetic art form. He actively discouraged the “commercial” pursuit of music and always encouraged each student to develop his or her own original voice.

http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=971426621