What is Jazz ? How to begin..?

[RockNote]

When jazz is explained theoretically, it always comes out in a way that makes you wonder if this is a preliminary to rocket science or if it's the other way around. Consider that much of the best jazz was done by heroin addicts and alcoholics... Something doesn't add up.

[Virgman]

so is blues. so by your definition, Jazz=Blues

Some jazz is blues but not all blues is jazz.

[seadoogsx1996]

Hi all,
1/ Is anyone have a link for sample song it convert from pop song into jazz song ? and have all chord layout. I think from that way I can find out what is difference when jazz chord write from the original pop song. Any song is appreciated

2/ I pay attention that jazz guitar sound is warmer than other style of music, correct me if I'm wrong. So what kind guitar is for Jazz guitarist ? any recommend, the price is not to high from $600.00 under,but still have good sound for jazz. Any picture of jazz guitar is very high recommended. you can post your JAZZ guitar picture in here, please only for Jazz guitar:thu:

Thanks

[David Turner]

Speaking of jazz, I have a question on a different note. I play an Epiphone Emperor Regent and am looking to replace the mini-humbucker to find a sweeter jazzier, clean tone. Any suggestion on high-end, after market mini-humbuckers, because I don't!

Cheers

David

[Nuno_F]

2/ I pay attention that jazz guitar sound is warmer than other style of music, correct me if I'm wrong. So what kind guitar is for Jazz guitarist ? any recommend, the price is not to high from $600.00 under,but still have good sound for jazz. Any picture of jazz guitar is very high recommended. you can post your JAZZ guitar picture in here, please only for Jazz guitar:thu: Thanks

 

 

I don't have one yet but have a look at a epiphone emperor regent. Straight to the point jazz box. I'm getting one soon.

[dcindc]

Speaking of jazz, I have a question on a different note. I play an Epiphone Emperor Regent and am looking to replace the mini-humbucker to find a sweeter jazzier, clean tone. Any suggestion on high-end, after market mini-humbuckers, because I don't! Cheers David

 

 

I'd recommend replacing the pots first. Epi uses JUNK pots, but the pups can be a pleasant surprise.

[emidora]

I'm sure you've heard many pop/rock versions of "Everlasting Love" before (U2's version is pretty good).

 

Now go find another version by Jamie Cullum. It's very jazzy.

[Nuno_F]

Speaking of jazz, I have a question on a different note. I play an Epiphone Emperor Regent and am looking to replace the mini-humbucker to find a sweeter jazzier, clean tone. Any suggestion on high-end, after market mini-humbuckers, because I don't! Cheers David

 

 

People usually say good things about bartolini pickups. I never tried them but it appears it's a common replacement choice for that guitar.

[nautaki]

2/ I pay attention that jazz guitar sound is warmer than other style of music, correct me if I'm wrong. So what kind guitar is for Jazz guitarist ? any recommend, the price is not to high from $600.00 under,but still have good sound for jazz. Any picture of jazz guitar is very high recommended. you can post your JAZZ guitar picture in here, please only for Jazz guitar:thu: Thanks

 

 

Ted Greene used to play with a Fender Telecaster ( of course he had many many guitars besides teles ). Gibson Les Paul is ugh, well, Les Paul's guitar. I mean, there are so many things to worry about that the guitar is the last thing imho. Just find a decent guitar and that should be fine.

[orzklegbok]

2/ I pay attention that jazz guitar sound is warmer than other style of music, correct me if I'm wrong. So what kind guitar is for Jazz guitarist ? any recommend, the price is not to high from $600.00 under,but still have good sound for jazz. Any picture of jazz guitar is very high recommended. you can post your JAZZ guitar picture in here, please only for Jazz guitar:thu:

the "stereotypical" Jazz guitar is a big, hollowbody with a floating humbucker - like this (an Ibanez AF105F in NT finish):



but, as stated, people have used just about ANY guitar to play Jazz.

[curseoftruth]

Hi alls, I like listen to smooth jazz radio station 94.1 at Tampa, FL. I like it. I play pop music as average level. I read here and there and more confuse. So what is Jazz ? and How, Where begin to learn ? Any book or DVD to get ? I like lead guitar or Keyboard. Thanks

To me, smooth jazz is not jazz. I know, people disagree with that statement, but Kenny G is not jazz. He is instrumental boring ass sappy pop. That's what most smooth jazz is to me.

Jazz is Miles, Thelonious, Brubeck, and the likes.

[Virgman]

Jazz: music originating in New Orleans around the beginning of the 20th century and subsequently developing through various increasingly complex styles, generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, improvisatory, virtuosic solos, melodic freedom, and a harmonic idiom ranging from simple diatonicism through chromaticism to atonality.

[Virgman]

Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by information. Keep it simple at first.

 

To learn jazz you must know the major scale well. You'll need to know it as a basic platform for your improvisations.

 

From there start learning jazz tunes. Learn the melody, chords, and start improvising over the progression. Once you start doing this questions will arise so then you can ask them.

 

Get a quality Real Book of Jazz.

 

Here's a list of all-time great jazz tunes. (Found it on the web). You could start with "All The Things You Are", or pick another.

 

The First 100 Jazz Tunes To Learn

 

* All The Things you Are

* Autumn Leaves

* Alone Together

* Bye Bye Blackbird

* Beautiful Love

* Body and Soul

* Black Orpheus

* Broadway

* But Not For Me

* Come Rain Or Come Shine

* Darn That Dream

* Days Of Wine and Roses

* Desifanado

* Dolphin Dance

* Donna Lee (Back Home In Indiana)

* Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me

* Doxy

* Easy To Love

* Embraceable You

* Emily

* Everything Happens To Me

* Falling In Love With Love

* Fly Me to the Moon

* Getting Sentimental Over You

* Green Dolphin Street

* Giant Steps

* Girl From Ipanema

* How Deep Is The Ocean

* Have You Met Miss Jones

* Here's That Rainy Day

* Honeysuckle Rose

* How High The Moon (Ornithology)

* I Got Rhythm (Oleo, Anthropology)

* I'm Old Fashioned

* In a Sentimental Mood

* It Had To Be You

* I Hear a Rhapsody

* I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart

* I Love You

* In a Mellow Tone

* Impressions (So What)

* I'll Remember April

* Invitation

* In A Sentimental Mood

* In Your Own Sweet Way

* I Remember You

* I've Never Been In Love Before

* I Remember Clifford

* It Might As Well Be Spring

* Just Friends

* Just You Just Me

* Just In time

* Like Someone In Love

* Love For Sale

* Lover Man

* Love Walked In

* Lover Come Back To Me

* Lullaby Of Birdland

* Maiden Voyage

* Moments Notice

* My Favorite Things

* My Foolish Heart

* My Funny Valentine

* My One and Only Love

* My Romance

* Nica's Dream

* Out of Nowhere

* Our Love Is Here To Stay

* Pennies From Heaven

* Prelude To A Kiss

* Perdido

* Polka Dots and Moonbeams

* Recordame

* Satin Doll

* Scrapple From the Apple

* Secret Love

* Skylark

* Someone To Watch Over Me

* Someday My Prince Will Come

* Softly As In a Morning Sunrise

* Speak Low

* Stella By Starlight

* Summertime

* Take the "A" Train

* Tangerine

* Tenderly

* There Is No Greater Love

* There Will Never Be Another You

* These Foolish Things

* The Song is You

* The Way You Look Tonight

* Triste

* The Touch Of Your Lips

* They Cant Take That Away From Me

* Watch What Happens

* Wave

* When I Fall In love

* What's New

* What Is This Thing Called Love (Hot House)

* Witchcraft

* Yesterdays

* You And The Night And The Music

* You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

[seadoogsx1996]

Thank you for put lot of informations.
So you mean most Jazz is use in Major ? I understand that any style can use Minor or Major.
Anyone can give the instructure DVD which show me from 1 famous pop song with chord, then modify same song into jazz with chord, and have chord layout so I can play along with. THat way I can find the difference.
Thanks

[Virgman]

 

Thank you for put lot of informations. So you mean most Jazz is use in Major ? I understand that any style can use Minor or Major. Anyone can give the instructure DVD which show me from 1 famous pop song with chord, then modify same song into jazz with chord, and have chord layout so I can play along with. THat way I can find the difference. Thanks

 

 

Most common scales used in jazz are major, pentatonic, blues, melodic minor, and harmonic minor, diminished.

 

Learn the major scale backwards and forwards first.

 

If you want to learn jazz I already told you what to do.

 

Good luck & enjoy the ride.

[seadoogsx1996]

oh well, DO i have to do major scale forward and backward . it sound like I have to come back this thread after 12 months. Can I ask question while to do all of major scale as you mention ?
Thanks

[Virgman]

Troll.

[jerry_picker]

Thank you for put lot of informations. So you mean most Jazz is use in Major ? I understand that any style can use Minor or Major. Anyone can give the instructure DVD which show me from 1 famous pop song with chord, then modify same song into jazz with chord, and have chord layout so I can play along with. THat way I can find the difference. Thanks

 

 

If you can read chord charts for pop songs, the gget a jazz fake book and a good chord chart and ... *figure it out*.

[seadoogsx1996]

OK, I'm done with major scale now .Forward, backward, up, down, left, right. Even when I close my eyes, when I sleep I can dream about major scale too. But still don't know what is Jazz ? is any Jazz scale can you all give me.

Thanks

[Willeh]

In my opinion Jazz is everyone playing a different tune all at once. But ofc there is some good guitaring

I'm just not too keen on jazz really.

[32-20-Blues]

Jazz, fundamentally, is the musical branch of the modernist culutral movement which took hold after World War 1. In essence, the guiding principle of modernism was 'to make it new', on the basis that traditional forms of expression were no longer valid in a world that had been altered by mechanisation, technology and war.

As such, it owes its origins as much to Europe as it does to America.

However, given that the modernist movement privileged experimentation as the preeminent feature of art (and in musical terms this meant dissonance, atonality and rhythmic variation), it is perharps unsurprising that Jazz became indellibly associated with the African-American culture. Essentially, the potential for improvisation, non-classical harmonies and polyrhythmic variation was already inherent in the blues. Thus, the blues proved an ideal forum for modernist experimentation.

Ultimately, this experimentation led to the emergence of jazz.

[jerry_picker]

Jazz: music originating in New Orleans around the beginning of the 20th century and subsequently developing through various increasingly complex styles, generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, improvisatory, virtuosic solos, melodic freedom, and a harmonic idiom ranging from simple diatonicism through chromaticism to atonality.

That would definitely include blues and rock'n'roll.

[mikeSF]

ok, by now this thread has established there are many sub-types of "jazz" and perhaps even more approaches to understanding it and playing it.

For me, it is not possible to over emphasize the value of listening. That's right, just listening to jazz, lots of it and all day long. You do not need to have the guitar in your hands to learn the most important aspects of jazz. I spent years listening to jazz recordings i liked and concentrating on what i thought i was hearing. Later, i began transcribing little bits to try to apply them, but most of my learning truly comes with no guitar in hand. When I sit down with the instrument, the things i've previously heard and internalized can guide my playing, or i can translate what is in my head to the fingerboard. Try that.

For others, it may be all about textbook learning and scales and mastering the notes on the neck, exercises, drills, etc. Hey, whatever works.

I think the person who said learn the major scale was not trying to suggest that all jazz is played in major keys, but that a solid knowledge of the major scale will allow use of the 7 modes of the major scale, including major, minor, and dominant applications. Additionally, a single tweak to the major scale can give you the melodic minor ascending scale(Jazz Minor), which is a useful basis for 7 new modes, perhaps more colorful and useful as superimpositions in jazz. You can continue on and create modes of the harmonic minor scale, etc...and derive some really nice "automatic" sound groupings for use over a given chord or progression.
I only scratch the surface in my playing and pretty much stick to using my ear, but however you go, there are some wonderful things to learn.
good luck!

[seadoogsx1996]

HI all,
You can tell me about yourself.
1/ When you start play Jazz ?
2/ How do you start ?
3/ why you interested in Jazz ?
4/ Do you play any styles before you play jazz ?
5/ What brand and model of your jazz guitar ?

Thanks:thu:

[Big Muff]

Jazz is WAY too vast of a topic to be learned from an internet forum, get a GOOD teacher if you want to learn jazz, and before you do that, make sure your sight reading skills are spot on. This is a MUST for jazz, there is no alternative.