How to Play a Major 7th Arpeggio Over a Dominant 7 Chord
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-10-21
- In Jazz Guitar Lessons
- 0 comments
When a jazz beginner starts to improvise over a II-V-I progression, he generally plays arpeggios corresponding to the chords of the sequence.

In other words, he learns to play minor arpeggios over the minor chord (II), dominant 7th arpeggio over the 7th chord (V) and major arpeggio over the major 7 chord (I). This way the harmony is highlighted without taking risks.

In the long-run there is nothing exciting. That's why there is a nice trick used by number of jazz players to add smoothness to a dominant line. This is a little tip that makes all the difference which consists of playing a major 7th arpeggio over the V7 rooted on its b7 degree.

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Barry Galbraith jazz guitar study - Like someone - Guitar comping video with bass lines
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-10-10
- In Jazz Guitar Lessons
- 4 comments
A new video has been uploaded on the YouTube channel. It is a Barry Galbraith comping study named "Like someone". This is the last study from the Barry Galbraith book "Jazz guitar comping series, vol #3" published by Jamey Aebersold.

Most of the accompaniments studies (comps) in this book are designed to accompany a melody or an improvised solo with bass lines like a pianist would do. It is a very great book to practice jazz guitar comping.

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Is Amp Simulation the Cure for GAS ?
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-10-03
- In Guest Posts
- 0 comments
As a guitarist, it’s tempting to spend a lot of time and money on gear. All of us suffer from G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome) to some degree. The never-ending search for the ‘perfect’ tone will plague us all. At some point, though, this obsession with gear can distract you from what matters.

For most guitarists, their tone starts with their hands. Guitar choice, amp choice, pedals and everything else comes second to technique. So, I propose an alternative - rather than focusing on GEAR, focus on SKILL. That doesn’t mean tone isn’t important, though. It shouldn’t be disregarded entirely. There is an efficient, cost-effective way to find the right tone in seconds - without ever visiting your local Guitar Center...

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8 Ways to Play The Minor Pentatonic Scale Over a Dominant Chord
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-09-22
- 1 comments
The minor pentatonic scale is by far the most used scale in the world all styles taken together (jazz, blues, rock, reggae, pop, country).

One of the explanation is given by the structure. Indeed, there are no semi-tones in it. It is easy to play on the guitar and it can be used in a whole lot of very different contexts.

This lesson will show you eight ways to use the minor pentatonic scale over a dominant seventh chord. The principle is easy to understand, this consists in playing the minor pentatonic scale starting on each tone of the Mixolydian scale (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7).

This method helps to highlight certain notes and brings interesting colors to your jazz guitar lines depending on you want to play outside or inside.

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Kenny Burrell - In a Mellow Tone - Jazz Guitar Transcription
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-09-21
- 0 comments
A new video has been uploaded on the youtube channel. It is a jazz guitar transcription of the jazz standard "In a mellow tone" composed by Duke Ellington and performed by Kenny Burrell in 1990.

Here is the Kenny Burrell version on which the transcription is based and the link to the album dedicated to Duke Ellington.

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List Of Jazz Standards And Keys
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-08-31
- 3 comments
A“standard” or “jazz standard” is referring to a popular music piece and/or jazz music composition that is held in continuing esteem and is frequently used in musical repertoire.

Many of these “jazz standards” were not necessarily originally jazz compositions. Music publishers include the term “jazz standards” in a description or a title they nearly always are referring to compositions used as the basis for improvisation or jazz arrangements.

You will find in this post a non-exhaustive list of jazz standards and their original keys to practice at home or in jam sessions.

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Triad Arpeggios - Guitar Lesson For Beginners
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-08-25
- 2 comments
Arpeggios are surely the most important tools to master when you want to start improvising. They create a more harmonized sound when played with their corresponding chord. They are very helpful to easily outline the chord changes in solos and improvisations. This guitar lesson focuses on the most basic forms of arpeggios made out of three notes called "triad arpeggios".

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Jazz guitar chord voicings - II-V-I progression - 5 Exercises
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-06-26
- 0 comments
You will find in this page 5 exercises to learn to play different jazz guitar chord voicings over the most used chord progression in jazz, the famous II-V-I sequence.

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New eBook available | 50 exercises for jazz guitar | II-V-I voicings
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-06-20
- 0 comments
A new eBook is available for download. It contains 50 exercises with guitar tabs and standard music notation that will show you how to use different types of voicings over a II-V-I progression. This PDF eBook will help you to understand how the main jazz guitar chords are built (minor 7, major 7, dominant 7, diminished 7, half-diminished, augmented, 7b5, drop 2, drop 3, inverted, altered, extended and rootless chords) and how to apply chord substitutions (diatonic sub, tritone sub and diminished substitutions).

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Minor Pentatonic Scales Over II-Valt-I Sequence - 5 Jazz Guitar Licks
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-05-17
- 0 comments
In this lesson we will see how to use the minor pentatonic scale over a II-Valt-I sequence. The principle is simple, it consists in playing three minor pentatonic scales spaced apart of 1 semitone one from the other. This way you will bring out interesting colors to your jazz lines.
- II chord: Play the minor pentatonic scale starting on the 5th degree of the II chord. This way you will highlight the fifth (5), the minor seventh (b7), the root (R), the ninth (9) and the eleventh (11) of the minor II chord. (Exemple for Cm7 play G- pentatonic).
- V chord : Play the minor pentatonic scale up a half step starting on the #9 of the V7alt chord (Ab-pentatonic over F7alt for example). Therefore, you will play the main altered tones of the V7alt namely #9, #11, b13, b7, b9.
- I chord : Play the minor pentatonic up a half step again starting on the 7th of the I maj7#11 (Example with A minor penta for Bbmaj7#11). Thus, giving the 7, 9, 3, #11 and the thirteenth of the I chord.
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Sookie sookie - Grant Green - Transcription
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-05-10
- In Licks & Transcriptions
- 0 comments
Here is a free transcription of the famous soul-jazz tune "Sookie sookie" by Grant Green.

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Jazz Up Basic Guitar Chords - Guitar Lesson for Beginners
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-04-27
- In Guitar Practice Tips
- 2 comments
Generally, when a beginner start to learn to play guitar, he tackles open chords (up the guitar neck), those found in many popular songs.

Then, come the bar chords (major, minor, dominant 7) a little hard to master. But all these chords do not have a very interesting sound and are not mostly used in jazz music.

That's why in this lesson for jazz beginners we will take the main basic guitar bar chords to transform and enrich them so that their sonority is richer, exciting and better suited to jazz concept.

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The Tritone Substitution - Guitar Lesson With Theory and Tabs
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-04-13
- 2 comments
The tritone substitution sometimes referred to as dominant chord substitution is one of the most popular harmonic technique found in jazz and other styles of music.

It involves replacing a dominant seventh chord with another dominant seventh chord located a tritone (or augmented fourth) away from the original chord's root.

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Stella by Starlight - Jazz guitar chord melody lesson
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-04-11
- 1 comments
A new video is online on the youtube channel. It is a quick jazz guitar chord melody arrangement with chord diagrams of the famous jazz standard "Stella by Starlight" (Victor Young).

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What's a Half-Diminished Chord (m7b5)
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-04-07
- 2 comments
This guitar lesson explains what is m7b5 chord, how to play it on guitar and how to apply it in common harmonic contexts as major and minor II-V-I progressions.

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List of Musical Intervals - Music Theory
- By jazz-guitar-licks
- On 2017-04-06
- In Music Theory
- 2 comments
What is an Interval ?

An interval is the distance between two notes, each one is represented by a number (1,2,3,4,5,6,7...) and a prefix related to its quality ("M" for major, m for minor, "P" for perfect, "d" for diminished and "A" for augmented). There are five different qualities.

An interval can be melodic, when the tones are successive (played one after the other) and harmonic, if the notes are stacked (played simultaneously). Knowing the name of each interval on guitar and on any other instrument is very important.

Intervals are essential elements of music theory. Intervals are very useful to understand how chords and scales are built. This article shows you how to make the difference between them.

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10 Minor 7 Arpeggio Patterns

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