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Stock Jazz Riffs


jazzbo

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When you listen to jazz guitar players, there are specific riffs in the jazz idiom that you hear repeated a lot, just like there are blues cliches, rock cliches, etc. Where can one learn these licks?

 

I have known my scales and modes for years, and I have experimented a lot with chromaticism, arpeggiating, etc., but I still never quite feel like I am playing idiomatically over jazz. I can do a fair swing/blues, but I would like to get to that next level of Barney Kessell or Pat Martino type riffs etc...

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You learn them by picking them out of recordings!

 

You can either approach this by transcribing the solo by ear or by purchasing a published book of solo transcriptions. The important next step is the same for any style of music: extract licks from those solos and find ways to play them in songs you're working on.

 

One of the most widely used jazz solo trasncription books is the Charlie Parker Omnibook which is available from Jamey Aebersold at www.jazzbooks.com.

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Originally posted by jazzbo

I still never quite feel like I am playing idiomatically over jazz.

 

Can I just say...Good!

 

You have a unique style - don't lose that by becoming cliche.

 

You have so much freedom with jazz and future jazz musicians might appreciate you bringing your own new styles to the table. ;)

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I think in jazz things lean more towards chord progressions, and key, tonal centers, or sequences, more so than 'licks' persay.

 

Whether it Swing, Be-bop (which I think you are alluding too), Jazzy Blues, Dixieland, etc...You need to recognise keys, and when the keys change in songs.

 

This is a lot of the basis for Martino, Mclaughlin, Miles, and Coltrane. Many jazz tunes...specially be-bop, fusion, and new age stuff change keys many times in a song...sometimes even though phrases or afew measures.

 

These two sites can help you:

 

http://www.guitaraxis.com/LearningCenter.asp

 

Scroll down to the ii-V-I Progessions and the ii-V-I Lines lessons. You'll have to signup. This is a great site.

 

http://www.jazzguitar.be/jazzguitar_licks.html

 

Scroll down and see many many licks, ideas, and phrases from just about every great jazz guitarist.

 

These two site will put a LOT in prespective. And, you'll see start to see some standard stuff forming.

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Another place to look for stock phrases, while at the same time building your repertoire, is to learn a lot of bebop tunes. Learn them in all keys and pick the phrases apart and apply them to similar chord progressions in other songs (and in other keys).

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