Jazz Guitar Course recommendations

[Campos]

Hello everybody.
I've been playing guitar for many years, since I was 14, now I'm 59. I've always studied in a completely disorderly way. I have several books, courses on the internet and etc... Now I'm thinking of trying to organize my thoughts about jazz guitar.
One way to achieve this would be to take an organized course.
Can anyone recommend an online platform that offers a step-by-step jazz guitar course? I know about Berklee OnLine, but it's completely out of my budget!
Thank you very much!

[AllanAllen]

Did you work through the free stuff on this website yet? That’s as good a place as any to start.

A horrible place to start is YouTube or following random advice here.

[tbeltrans]

Here are a couple of ideas possibly worth exploring:

Steve Crowell's SDM series:

Steven Crowell Tab Books - Guitar Solos, Instruction DVDs + Video Lessons

Robert Conti - everything:

Product Categories • RobertConti.com

Barry Greene - Jazz Guitar 101, Stepping Stones:

Browse - Barry Greene Video Lessons

Tony

[rob taft]

This website for starters but I would also recommend joining Frank Vignola's Jazz Studio on the Truefire website. Link below.


Frank Vignola's Jazz Studio - Channels - TrueFire

[KingKong]

OMG! Original poster this thread is the best way to screw up your progress before you've even started!

Enough people are going to respond with all sorts of conflicting advice and send your head in a right old spin!

My starting point ( eventually after all kinds of false starts ) was this website. This pdf:
https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/jazz-...for-beginners/

I think it takes u literally the quickest route to comping and improvising standards.

Some people on here will say it cuts corners and you need to learn to sight read, play in all 12 keys or whatever.

Some people also say that the earth is flat.

[mheton]

Tim Miller helped me a lot
Guitarist Tim Miller's premier site for modern improvising musicians.

[ChazFromCali]

I have to 2nd Frank Vignola.

[fleaaaaaa]

Robert Conti - everything:

Product Categories • RobertConti.com


Tony

I learnt a ton from Robert Conti and recorded videos of most of it

[stylo]

Some thoughts...

I've looked a bit at the following: "The Guitarist's Introduction to Jazz" by Randy Vincent - has a lot of nice quotes about it from Julian Lage etc.
The Guitarist's Introduction to Jazz - Consumer/Jazz | Hal Leonard Online
Lastly
I'm part of Matt Warnock's online course, for me the most valuable part is the "MWG Studio" and being able to ask questions directly to Matt and get a response back. E.g. I laid out what I was planning to practice this month and he gave some really helpful thoughts on the regimen. It gives a little more of a community feeling, people post their goals, videos, progress reports, etc. MWG Courses | Matt Warnock Guitar

Lastly I've learned a lot from the Open Studio folks / You'll Hear It podcast, mostly on mentality and grounding my thinking about my own practice.

[Cunamara]

I agree that this is a question fraught with peril. At best you'll get advice about what is worked for anyone individual, but it may not necessarily work for you.


There are two pieces to learning to play jazz on the guitar: the first is the mechanics of learning to play the guitar, which you probably already have a lot of; the other is learning music, which is independent of any instrument. in order to self teach, the latter, being able to read sheet music is really a plus. I can't, I've been trying for more than 40 years and I just don't seem to be able to make it work, and as a result most books on learning to play jazz are useless to me. Had I been able to learn to read sheet music, they would be a lot more valuable. It takes me weeks to get through a single page even in the most basic books about jazz.

My advice would be to find a local teacher who can help in so many ways that books and websites can't.

[tbeltrans]

There is a question for the OP that I have brought up in other similar threads. What exactly do you want to do with "jazz guitar"? Are you intended to play alone (solo) or with others in a jam and/or band?

The reason I ask is that unless you intend to play with others, is their a point to learning that whole "which scale do I play over these chords" and other improvisation studies if you intend to just play by yourself.

If you intend to just play by yourself, solo guitar can certainly be a satisfying pursuit for a lifetime.

Knowing your intentions can greatly help you focus on what sort of study you wish to pursue.

Tony

[Maroonblazer]

...being able to read sheet music is really a plus. I can't, I've been trying for more than 40 years and I just don't seem to be able to make it work, and as a result most books on learning to play jazz are useless to me. Had I been able to learn to read sheet music, they would be a lot more valuable. It takes me weeks to get through a single page even in the most basic books about jazz....

This caught my eye. Learning to read music is infinitely simpler than learning to play guitar itself, so I can't help but wonder about the approach(es) you've tried. It's really not that difficult, just requires regular practice, like anything worthwhile.

[AaronMColeman]

I took the same route as you likely did getting into Jazz. We are good players until we start playing Jazz

I tried so many things and I know bits and pieces of everything. I just started 1 on 1 lessons and that is the way to go. A good instructor beats everything else.

Short of that I can't help because I was in the same pit as you.

[AaronMColeman]

This caught my eye. Learning to read music is infinitely simpler than learning to play guitar itself, so I can't help but wonder about the approach(es) you've tried. It's really not that difficult, just requires regular practice, like anything worthwhile.

I have focused on really learning to read over the next year. I've stopped looking at tabs completely and force myself to read the notes. Every night I spend 15-30 minutes just reading. I got that Berklee guitar vol. 1 and am working through it. After about 6 weeks of this schedule I finally feel like I'm over a hump and reading simple stuff is simple now. I wasn't starting from zero, I've been able to read to some extent since I was 5 years old...but it was never a priority like now. So short story long...reading is simply a matter of doing it consistently and systematically.

[Zephyr690]

I can’t speak highly enough about Jordan Klemons NYC guitar masterclass, My playing has improved very quickly.
Check him out, I think he offers a money back guarantee to try his method.

[KingKong]

Perhaps the best piece of advice for the op and anyone else ought to be to stick with whatever path you pick, be it an online course ,book or teacher.

It's so easy to turn on you tube, see some video and get diverted, particularly as a lot of them like to conflict with each other....

Your jazz guitar book: 'its a good idea to learn your arepggios ....'

You tube video: '10 reasons why arpeggios are bad for jazz guitar.'

[Christian Miller]

I think it’s more important to pick one thing and stick with it that to search for ‘the right thing’. Most if not all of the courses above are from people I would trust. So the decision is what course best reflects your specific playing interests.

[KingKong]

I think it’s more important to pick one thing and stick with it that to search for ‘the right thing’. Most if not all of the courses above are from people I would trust. So the decision is what course best reflects your specific playing interests.

I would also say, if you can't read music, get a book with tab to get moving.

I am slowly coming round to the idea of reading music despite being comically against it, however you can comp and solo standards without it.

If down the line you end up needing to read music because u form a duo with a sax player or something, learn it then. I got a tutorial app on my phone which is pretty good, managed some piano sight reading over Xmas no less .

[fleaaaaaa]

Yes definitely pick a path and just devour whatever book/dvd you get. Know all the concepts by heart.

I love the practical application of the Robert Conti books + DVD's

I reckon if you had the comping expo, a ticket to improv (four solos in one volume) and the jazz lines then you would have what you need to sit in jam nights with a little work.

I'll leave the chord melodies to one side unless that's your current aim.

[himself]

Hi, I'm new here. My story is very similar to the original post. I'm looking for something with given content and time frame. I strongly prefer video lessons (because of eye and ear self control) over books.
I like for example Tim Lerch's lessons but I would need to plan them somehow. To have clear starting and ending point and see the progress.
Any (even already mentioned above) advices and recommended sources are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Jaroslav

[pdawg]

I've been working with Jens Larsen's website. He also has a youtube channel. Loads of good stuff on there. He has a pay-for-it course, but for now I've been plugging away on his free stuff.

[Jazzjourney4Eva]

Hi, I'm new here. My story is very similar to the original post. I'm looking for something with given content and time frame. I strongly prefer video lessons (because of eye and ear self control) over books.
I like for example Tim Lerch's lessons but I would need to plan them somehow. To have clear starting and ending point and see the progress.
Any (even already mentioned above) advices and recommended sources are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Jaroslav

This site and Barry Greene.

[Liarspoker]

Hi, I'm new here. My story is very similar to the original post. I'm looking for something with given content and time frame. I strongly prefer video lessons (because of eye and ear self control) over books.
I like for example Tim Lerch's lessons but I would need to plan them somehow. To have clear starting and ending point and see the progress.
Any (even already mentioned above) advices and recommended sources are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Jaroslav

Join Tim's Truefire channel, even just for a month, download his 10 easy pieces and work through them.

[AllanAllen]

Hi, I'm new here. My story is very similar to the original post. I'm looking for something with given content and time frame. I strongly prefer video lessons (because of eye and ear self control) over books.
I like for example Tim Lerch's lessons but I would need to plan them somehow. To have clear starting and ending point and see the progress.
Any (even already mentioned above) advices and recommended sources are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Jaroslav

Here’s six months worth of work, if not more.

[charlieparker]

Another option is Richie Zellon's Bebop Jazz Guitar course. I'd say it's pretty good. It focuses on jazz blues, his fingering system and certain typical embellishments. For each lesson he has a practice plan including what scale fingerings to learn, what exercises to master, rhythm exercises, ear training, etc. He also has you write etudes.

All in all, it's a very thorough course in that it will prescribe exactly what you should be practicing each week.

The biggest downside is that it only explores the jazz blues up to Bird Blues in his first volume so if you are already an intermediate level player you might want more variety of tunes which he addresses in the second volume.