Great video on a VERY GOOD question. I’ve started to listen to jazz at 20 y.o. (J.P. “Live in Montreaux” was my first L.P.) Now I’m 60 and I have a HUGE collection of jazz albums and instructional books (about 200 volumes….). I’ve also about 20 years experience in teaching guitar. In the end I came to the conclusion that is NOT VERY important WHAT to study. The real important thing is: don’t stop to play! Pick up your instrument almost every day….play what you like….play songs…..do technical stuff….read music……play with other Musicians……do anything you want to do and remember, there is only one BIG MISTAKE: to leave your guitar in the case. Bye!
Thanks for the lesson. I used to play guitar by ear. It was very painful and calloused my ear lobe. Watching this video has taught me to use a plectrum instead and NEVER, NEVER the ear! Thank you.
i'm working on bewitched now, ella is singing in f major. i personally practice to play both alone and to comp for singers as they need comping people hahhaah
Honestly I truly believe it's a matter of being okay with not knowing everything, as Jens pointed out regarding not learning new scales you wont likely use right off the bat. Sit with what you know you need to practice and don't be chasing tricks since we know there's no shortcuts to Jazz.
If you are not very creative, yes, exactly. However, there is something to be said about developing your own licks and riffs from knowledge. Most of the biggest names you know didn't sit there learning other peoples songs. They learned theory, and applied it how it felt good to them. And by doing that, they ended up with fairly unique sounds. This is what makes them stand out. . There's already thousands of musicians out there recycling old riffs.
Some thoughts from one of your older fans. I started trying to play in 1965, and I'm still learning. I can't help but think that my path would have been MUCH easier and more useful if I had had a teacher like you available at that time. I've had a lot of teachers over the years, and one thing stands out to me: jazz musicians are not often good teachers. I spent 30 years teaching engineering at a very large university, and it often occurred to me that the best teachers are generally folks who have had to struggle with a subject, hence they know where the pitfalls lie. Often "born" musicians don't have to struggle, and thus don't know where the difficulties lie. One suggestion: you have soooo much material, it would be helpful if you could sort out the videos that you think are the most useful for beginners. Maybe even sort them into three levels. I have my own (large) files of your lessons, but I struggle with how to fit them into a logical sequence. Just a thought. Your lessons are priceless.
Thanks Blaine! I don't think it is really about struggling as much as it is about learning Jazz later so that I have an easier time understanding how adults come to Jazz guitar. This is also from my experience teaching at a young talent department, which is pretty different from that, though they have struggles as well.. I don't think you should try find a logical sequence for the YT videos. It doesn't work if I try to do that, and when they work as independent lessons then they don't form a complete path to learning Jazz. That is what the course was for and it does just that.
@@JensLarsen I think this gentleman had a very good point but it seems you have decided to disagree with him. I think you are very knowledgeable, and I often send my students to you channel. I teach 60 people a week and I am free advertisement for you. I think you should create a playlist that is a "start here and do this" scenario. Regardless of the "everyone learns differently"... The biggest problem with all this information being so readily available... is that beginners have no directions on where to start or what is important amongst all the NOISE.
@@RyanJamesOfficial Thank you! Well, maybe make a playlist of my lessons that you consider to be an order for someone to start learning Jazz by themselves? I would certainly be curious as to what you would put in there, and I imagine Blaine would too. As I said in my first reply, I do indeed feel that the lessons do not form a complete course, at least not one that I consider good enough as a method for learning guitar. They need to work on their own to be good RU-vid videos, and that stops them from forming a complete course that builds things up in steps. How many 50+ lesson courses have you followed on RU-vid? To be honest, I also think that is why you can use them as a supplement for your students where you fill in the gaps or point them to the lesson that is right for them at that point in time. That is also why my course is 5000x better, it is really step by step and not depending on people finding the right lesson on YT at the right time. I suspect you get that as a teacher? I do actually have a list for beginners on my channel, but nobody checks to see if there is one, which is also a bit ironic.
@@RyanJamesOfficial As the man says, make the playlist yourself. Jens wants money for his courses, and rightfully so. I’d be curious what would go on there along with jens. Lots of great resources on this site
This has been a very specific hurdle for me these days. What to watch...information overload...how to make the best use of my practice time. After putting the guitar down 20 years ago, I'm teaching myself theory and jazz. Jens you are a great teacher, this has been a very very helpful video!!! Thanks!
Did it get easier to learn Jazz Guitar or is something worse now? Comment why! 🙂 5 Jazz Guitar Myths that stop you from learning: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MXz5RW55rjE.html
Hi Jens, I stumbled upon your channel last month. I have been playing the guitar for 15 years and despite being very inspired by Miles and 'Trane, jazz guitar has always been just out of reach for me. Your videos have really helped me begin making sense of the form and how I can actually make music and play jazz changes. I'm so pleased you mention Grant Green, who is my favourite jazz guitarist.
Again, another GREAT summation of how to approach playing jazz guitar. It absolutely is easier to learn jazz guitar now, than it was 40 years ago...even 5 years ago, particularly because of generous teachers like you Jens. I studied jazz at College about 35 years ago but just got overwhelmed by the "immensity" of it all (evidently I wasn't alone because the music program I was taking had about a 70% dropout rate!). No one teaching there really broke down the learning into its essential elements. It wasn't until I discovered your RU-vid channel about 4 years ago, that I was inspired to want to begin practising and studying jazz again. It doesn't make things particularly easier as far as getting good at it, but it certainly breaks things down into smaller, more manageable pieces and, for that, I thank you Jens. It's no wonder you're approaching 500K subscribers. You're a very skilled, generous teacher!😁👌
Thanks for the insights, Jens. I believe the information highway has inverted the problem of “not enough resources” to “too many resources.” And the deceptively alluring promises of “shortcuts to success” are dead-end traps. You, and, okay, a “couple” of others, are the north stars for focusing on what’s important and how to sequence learning jazz. Thank you, again!!
Wes Montgomery’s Six on Four was my gateway drug. I’ve actually been trying to learn it by ear. Your video helped reinforce what I’d already thought was a practical approach to learning Jazz. I’m kind of a “BRAND” guy so I’m excited to stick with your channel for more lessons. Playing Blues is awesome but learning how to fly into a moody Jazz solo that may or may not resolve is a dream of mine.
Thank you Jens! Trumpet was my first instrument, which I played in my HS jazz band. But I picked up my first guitar in 1962, and had a mentor in the late 60s until he passed away in 1971. Pretty much during my working and parenting years I'd been playing cowboy chords on my acoustic, but I'd always retained my interest in jazz and blues. Now that I'm fully retired I can pursue that goal. I'll be 80 in July. For years I'd been woodshedding by myself, which has not necessarily been the best way to go, since I wasn't getting feedback from other musicians. But here's the good news: a year ago I joined a local big band, where I'm playing rhythm! It's forcing some discipline on me to learn the charts and explore alternate fingerings (drop chords, leading chords, etc) for comping. I practice an hour or more each day, reviewing the current charts the band is working on, or playing the exercises I find on the internet (many of them yours, thank you again), or playing my own arrangements, augmenting them with things I've learned. I'm having a ball!
Thank you. I am not a jazz player, but I am a songwriter. Just delving in to the very old (by now) Mickey Baker guitar book 1, I changed an awful lot about the way I played and the way I wrote songs, and it has helped me immeasurably. I’ve been lucky enough to play with, and be in the studio with guys who could play jazz, and there’s no one that I appreciate more than someone whose goal is to be true to the song, and simply make it sound its best-to lift it, rather than demonstrate his or her knowledge/chops. Especially if that person understands and respects the song. Of course, not all songs deserve it, and sometimes you don’t have the choice of saying no if it’s a gig. Otherwise, why would you play it at all? Anyway, I’m a big fan of your advice and while I’m not a jazz player, nor is that my primary focus, I do learn from your videos, and I remain a fan. Thank you again.
I would say that it is easier to learn jazz today because there are so many resources available online now. Such abundance does complicate things though because if we decide to be self taught choosing which resources to use isn't straight forward. I believe that what is most important is listening as much as possible and as Jens says, listening to music you enjoy. It is also a form of ear training. Real book versus learning by ear? Learning by ear is a very important skill to develop but then so is being able to read music.
Nice video. One thing that helps me, I listen to a lot of jazz and this is required for this to work, but what I like to do is play the cords and just sing out loud what sounds like a good jazz Melody to me and then go back and figure out what I had just song and play that. And before you know it you won't have to sing the melody you'll just be able to think it and play it instantly. Obviously this stuff takes a lot of work and a lot of practice.
I’ve been learning jazz for about two years now, and the first year was spent lost in a wilderness of confusion. I didn’t know where to go, how to progress, and I was spinning my wheels. Last June I bought the Jazz Guitar Roadmap and put everything else aside to focus on that one thing. For me at least, it was difficult and frustrating at the beginning but I stuck with it. I’m on chapter 7 now and my playing has improved by leaps and bounds. I’m finally confident enough to start learning my first melody by ear (Chet Baker’s arrangement of My Funny Valentine) and I’m having more fun and am more satisfied than I ever have before. I take my time, work diligently on the things that are difficult and stick with it until it’s good enough to move on. I can’t recommend the advice in this video enough! The only suggestion I have is, if you can, buy the physical media, listen to the whole recording, not just the track on streaming. I feel like you get more out of it if you immerse yourself completely.
Learning tunes is so valuable (I need to do more of it). My professor pointed out the other day that Bebop heads define what Bebop is supposed to sound like. So many of us struggle to make what we play, "sound like bebop". If you learn lots of heads you are learning what defines the language. Learning solos is great, but learning heads can more accessible to most people. Transcribing a Pat Martino solo can be some intimidating, but learning the head to one of his tunes might not be as daunting. Still gives you an insight into his phrasing and note choices.
I agree totally with you. No matter the genre of music learning songs is essential because it helps you understand what makes that genre what it is. I can't tell you how many guitar players boldly say "oh blues is easy it's just minor pentatonic licks and 3 chords". However the genre has it's own rhythms, types of chords, progressions and it's own vocabulary, skills and techniques that make the genre what it is. For example dynamics, bending, vibrato,how to play with and compliment horns,piano, Hammond organ, note phrasing,12/8 time signatures, 8 bar blues, minor blues, double stops, slide, hybrid picking it goes on and on.
Singing root notes (and memorizing them) from chord sequences can be a great way to start out to work on hearing changes. Same goes with the melody of course.
Jazz is a huge challenge for me personally #1 I have to like the standard and feel it.. #2 I have to listen to the tune over and over again and variations of the same tune helps me, #3 like you said learn the melody and play it in different positions. Also the more you play the songs the different chord inversions you add to it later and you will start to take the tune in a different direction almost making it your own... Listening to jazz as you said... You are a practical teacher one of my favorite RU-vid teachers! You should be one of the teachers at this Jazz camp I attend every summer in upstate N.Y. it's called the AGS Guitar Summit.
I first tried to play along with favourite jazz albums before the Internet opened up a new world of music, nowadays the best way to learn is to follow the sounds in one's soul, the music will appear with practice.
Thanks to folks like you and the internet in general, there's no gatekeeping anymore and access to lessons, songs, chord shapes etc has never been easier.
Hi Jens, I think the advice you give here is excellent. I'm an older player, very advanced at rock and blues playing but I've never really been able to advance into jazz in the past because of the approach that i took. I've been educated in theory for decades and u have all of the arpeggios, chords and scales. However, every time I've approached jazz in the past, ive always focused mainly on coming at it and trying to dive into it without actually having the jazz standards, the vocabulary of the music, learning the songs and melodies. After watching one of your videos this morning i chose some standards and I found a number of versions and listened to them, vocal versions too. I then came back to your video and by the end of today i had a complete song learned. It's a start.... thanks again! Will
This is great advice even for somebody like me, a double bassist. During the pandemic I sort of figured out that as a guitarist and pianist, I was a much better bassist. But I do suffer a bit from goal-overload and information-overload, and I am kind of trying to be my own teacher right now. Your videos, along with Barry Harris's great teachings, help me focus. Thanks, Jens!
I have been playing guitar since 2006 - a self taught, and mostly focused on Folk fingerpicking and Blues. With the years though, I began to find it boring, repetitive and limiting. I'm trying Jazz now, and I find it very hard! Even when I am not a beginner. What worries me most, is that I don't really like most of the famous players, nor am I interested in lead improvisations. For now, the only person who really inspires me is Chris Whiteman, who plays wonderful chord melodies, but I don't know if that'll be enough to hold me in this genre, for I am way more emotionally invested in the music I used to listen since my childhood.
I would indeed think about whether it makes sense to try to play a music that you don't like to listen to. Of course, you can listen to Chris, who is really great, but he learned a lot listening to stuff that was not solo guitar, and that may get very tricky for you.
Hi Jens I just wanted to thank you for your free resources, I've watched a ton of your videos and you're one of the best guitar teachers on youtube in my opinion.
Thanks Jens for reaussuring me about my intuitive insistence to figure it out as much as possible by myself plus focus on learning songs.I still kinda suck but am progressing independently & faster now! The most painful part is over, the awkward helpless phase!! 🎉🎉🎉
Hats off to you for such a huge amount of material delivered in an honest and humble way. I studied music nearly 20 years ago and think it is much easier to navigate resources with speed and efficiency these days, as long as you don't overload yourself. I've just spent 3 weeks on Days of Wine and Roses going deeper than I ever had before and with your resources added in it has helped me more than any other tune I'd ever learnt. I still think it is using your ears that is of the utmost importance over educational material, but we need both and I don;t want to go back to tape players and slowing down LP's by hand to work out riffs like I did as a child. You're spot on with constructive criticism from a teacher, something I miss today. Shame you don;t live in Australia, I'd sure get some lessons and analysis from you. Well done again. Thanks, Mick
Another great video. I love that he doesn’t shout at you and act like a jackass. To the question, I started in 1974 and the one thing that Jens didn’t hit on was playing with other people. Every Holiday Inn had a band 6 nights a week, most clubs had bands 4-6 nights a week and there were so many opportunities to play, you just couldn’t imagine! You need to do your prep, but playing with other people, especially GOOD players, will kick your progress into overdrive. The three pillars of becoming great - practice (by yourself), rehearse (with others) and perform (in front of an audience). You need all three and the more, the better.
Hi Jens, can you please do more beginner-intermediate videos which simply go: chord, lick, chord, lick, chord, lick... In each chord's 'box' surrounding its arpeggio? I've seen many of your videos. They're great but often go over my head. I just want to start to jazzify my barre chords in a key with 7ths etc and learn to solo by going beyond each pentatonic box. I know this is sort of a goal of the channel but I struggle to find the exact level of videos needed. Thanks anyway!
Thanks! I won't do videos like that because that is not how you learn Jazz, it is too superficial. It is difficult to give too specific advice because everybody is different and at different levels, but maybe check out this post: jenslarsen.nl/how-to-learn-jazz-guitar-suggestions-to-begin-studying/
I don’t understand any of all the theory in your videos. But, by watching your videos, I still got the desire to play some jazz guitar 😍 Maybe because you’re Danish, and I love the sound of your guitar and playing. 😬
I think so.. thanks Jens. For all, if you like rock then listen to more rock melodies, if you like blues then listen to that music more, and so does jazz. So you can recognize or play phrase and styles of music that you like.
Jazz is a never ending journey for me and I'm not a master by any means. The thing I've learned over the years is to try to connect every scale, arpeggio, lick, chords, etc. to actual jazz standards. I spent too much time in the beginning playing these things in isolation and not in context. I do think information overload is a big issue now, so you to find one thing that works for you and narrow your focus. Thanks for the interesting topic, Jens!
I love jazz, I've always had. And used to play a bit more some years ago then focused on another genres which I love, but I always gravitate back to jazz. This year I decided to go back to it and work on my weak Links. I want to play real jazz. My technical skill are great but my theory and needs to be worked on. So, here I go!
Hi, Jens! I think i`ll stick to your videos when it comes to learning to play jazz! I like the way you sound and you have a really clear way of teaching. Your editing skills of lately, also makes it very entertaining. Thanks for all your hard work! 😀🎸👍
Getting into Jazz more these days, these uploads are an artform in themselves Jens , great content on here. I have been picking at the bones for many years now and i have found that getting together with other players is a great help but only after understanding the form. You are an inspiration.
I reckon this bloke is one of the finest guitar teachers ever, doesn't matter what style, he cuts through the bullshit and keeps it simple. That's the key to all guitar playing, simple chord voicings and find the melody on top.
The Real Book is great tool. Since there are some errors, I get to think more and find the harmony to make the chords and melody work. Everyone should have this book!! I have a friend that learned every song on three instruments. He has the best ear of any musician I know.
Jens i have just discovered your channel. Have to say just a fantastic teacher/player. I dont necessarily agree 100% with everything you say or even your "taste" BUT your approach is so entertaining, engageing and well thought out. So many players from all genres can take something away from your lessons. I know for instance Don Rich from Buck Owens band was really a jazz player...you wouldn't know from the records but the poly rythyms give a hint. Jazz offers something to all genres in my opinion. Just such great lessons though Jens . Boss stuff right here.
If you want to learn Jazz Guitar in 2023 then use modern music learning tools. The music theory tool chain (DAW) in 2023 is well known to many interested in music at the University level and include: A Midi Keyboard controller (just a keyboard interface), an app like Cubase running on a computer, and a USB 3.0 Audio Interface for your Guitar (no need for an amp, just plug directly into the audio interface) and Microphone. For notation and other specific help (piano (music) notation to tablature) there are many different plug ins for the app. I think the learning approach is much like a music composition class for a Bachelors in music at University in 2023 for a freshman, where everyone starts learning music theory on the keyboard (piano keyboard) first (you don't really have to be good at playing the keyboard, you can just place notes and chords and align them in time and key with the software, time align to tempo and play). In the beginning it is easier to visualize notes and chords on a piano keyboard than a guitar fingerboard, or any other non keyboard instrument. The advantage when using the music software is you can learn to read music notation as you learn theory, and you can move between music notation and guitar tablature (called TABs). You can then transpose what you learn on the keyboard to the guitar and vice versa. Pat Matheny, for example, composes on keyboard first and he was doing this well before the more advanced computer music apps. You can play (loop) chord phrasings on the computer app using the keyboard and then play your to different chord changes and lead on the guitar to understand tone, voicings, harmony, chord structure while at the same time learning to read music, understand tempo and the time signature (click track) is always available to keep time. From this point you can move on to learning how to play the chord progressions on guitar, and accurately place the changes in time. Essentially, you are building your own musical foundation in what you do. You will learn music theory, chord progression, harmony, tempo, reading music notation, relating it to TAB and learning your guitar. What I am talking about is nothing new. Even before the modern tools many musicians would put together a simple DAW to help with learning their instrument and even understand recording production. This has evolved to a modern starting point when learning music theory. Once you get proficient with the modern tool chain, you can take a custom guitar arrangement perfected using the app and then printout the final music notation. No need to write it by hand. You can also output all of the different instruments in your composition to prepare for a studio recording session. Then when you start to record you will have "charts" but also the electronic midi files for each one of the players as a starting reference.
Okay, I know that this video has been up for a year now, but I'd like to share a little part of my journey. I bought my first guitar in 1993, a nylon-stringed classical style guitar. Back then, there was no internet, and I was still a student, so I had no money for lessons. I bought a book of chord diagrams ("700 Griffe für die Schlaggitarre" by Friedrich Stoppa) and a book of campfire songs and started to teach myself. Rhythm was not a problem, as I had been a percussionist in the school band, and I knew basic music theory from my time in the school band and choir. I learned how to accompany songs, and even taught myself some fingerpicking and started playing in a church band. But then I got stuck in a rut for 30 years, never advancing past the open chords and the E- and A-shaped barrè chords, confined to the first 5 frets of the neck. Sometime around the end of 2022, I decided that it was time to expand my horizons by learning to play the blues. Via that route, I found my way to jazz, which I had always thought was far too difficult for me to learn. Thanks to some excellent teachers sharing their knowledge here on youtube (including you, Jens!), I have made a start, though I did start lessons with a local instructor in January (I need the pressure of someone asking me to be accountable to my goals). In a nutshell, yes, I do think it is easier to learn jazz guitar nowadays compared to 30 years ago.
Yeah, I've learned to not get overwhelmed with all the lessons. I follow a method book and it says the same thing. At the same time, I only watch your videos that are in the same lesson I'm taking now. If it's too much, I skip it. I also believe in what Tomo Fujita says, which is to play with the skills that I have now, some form of limitation. That means I work and create something with the devices I haves now, it may be basic, it is basic but if I can't use these then I can't use advance tools. Right now I'm working on a song called Could It Be You - Cole Porter. I looked at the chord progression and it's simple enough for my level, it's also slow enough. I'm trying to make a chord melody arrangement using the theory I have.
I go back to the 60s and 70s, and to me, the difference between then and now is that music is becoming more like science than art. And we know that great art wasn't made via a curriculum, great art is inspirational. One of the reasons a lot of 'great' players are self taught. Now, I don't think it is bad to learn your instrument, but like John McLaughlin once said, "learn everything, then forget it".
Good breakdown of information and tactics for learning jazz in "modern" times, Jens. I would humbly recommend finding hard-to-find online snippets of jazz greats - like Dexter Gordon, Joe Pass, Wes, Bill Evans, Kurt Rosenwinkel -- practicing before concerts -- where some of their jazz phrases are stated in a more relaxed atmosphere. Helps (me) to understand the construction and timing of jazz language.
oh yes it is ! lol ! ok work on " fly me to the moon " in Am ! very easy ! just have to think about , harmonies , arpeggios , renversements , altered scale , ternaire rythm , medium tempo, you have to have somethin to say with all of this ! and if you are not gifted good luck lol ! ( sorry im french my english is awful ) !
I love the video and have made about all these mistakes along the way. I have been studying the roadmap course and I can tell you it is a great study and there is allot of music in there. I'm pretty slow moving from lesson to lesson because I develop every skill till it becomes natural music and the can take some time. I like playing with a metronome and I always like the click because i can center my groove around it. I only play exercises long enough in mourning to get my brain working or to program a new skill. Then I improvise almost everything thru singing and instinct....I agree listening to jazz is good. I'm a beginner with playing standards but after I learn and can sing the melody it makes playing the song more effective at lines that highlight the chords and the melody. There is so much music in those seventh Chord shapes and breaking them into bits and pieces of Meledy its incredible. When i was in college I was into kick boxing and like music there is a time for practicing techniques but when you get in the ring you just do it and let your training allow you to become free to flow as in playing improvised music.
I think in a lot of ways it is easier but we have to remember guys like Bird and Wes when they were coming up this was the pop music of the day. They didn't have all the distractions that we have with cell phones or trying to learn other styles and they were forced to used their ears and put in serious time wood shedding also if this was how you feed your family you will find a way to make it happen! And even with these guys the hardcore theory aspects came later. Bird was taught to read music I heard in an interview but at first he was a slow reader like anyone else. It didn't come easy for him he had to drill it!
I spent 20 years not learning guitar. So i gave it up and got a violin teacher, and now im learning more on how to play guitar than ever, and its just bleed over from violin stuff lol
You are making my jazz journey a much better oine by giving me direction! Your course that I am taking Jazz Guitar Road Map is helping me a lot ! Thank you!
I guess it is yeasier today to learn by yourself.... as for learning jazz by itself, I guess it's as easy or as difficult as it's ever been. The problem for me is that I learn the instrument by the same time... I have some basic knowledge of guitar and trying to get my playing style a bit more creative by learning some jazz.
Jens, what would it take to play a gig with you? What would you be looking for? Do you run an open mic night somewhere in Europe? What tunes would you want someone to handle or what concepts mastered to share the stage with you?
I restarted after a 37year break and think I'm progressing faster now thanks to Internet but also watching but not practicing for more hours than I should.
I've been playing for many years. Had a couple of major "breaks" thrown in during the last 4 or 5 decades. One thing that i've thought has always held me back is an inability to learn tunes. I've tried numerous tune learning methods, all to no avail. That coupled with panic attacks when playing for just about anyone these days, makes it more than a bit frustrating. Sorry for the vent Jens. But your channel is one of the very few reasons i still keep going. I think its the most organised material on the web. Just thought i'd give you a thumbs up about it. 👍👍👍👋
I'm not a jazz player - not remotely. I'm an acoustic guitar college teacher: blues, folk, celtic , contemporary, and I find that Jens whole approach is a fabulous resource,
Dear Jens, I really appreciate your videos for beginners! but it would be wonderful if you could make a video for intermediate players who kind of stuck - in my case for example: I aim to know how to make melodic fast phrases, which are longer than one or two bars.
Thank you Clara! When you talk about making longer phrases is that then one long stream of notes or is it linking together shorter statements to form a longer story?
@@JensLarsen more like a stream ( for example how matteo Mancuso plays) but I don't know how to use vocabulary etc that you get from transcribing the right way
@@clarastoll3101 Ok. I am not super familiar with his playing. This is about learning to write longer lines and getting things to fit together, so I would work on analyzing what you transcribe to understand the idea behind it, and what is used. Then start working on composing lines like that and practice playing those (in a medium tempo where they are playable)
Definitely easier in 2023 I majored in Jazz studies in the 1980’s on trombone where I had a full lengthy classical music background already and though I got to play with actual jazz greats as a pickup artist I never got past a certain level of playing over difficult changes Fast forward to 2022 I started taking bass guitar lessons with no background other than knowing theory and reading bass clef and in one year went from being unable to execute my major scales to playing walking bass lines over Giant Steps so for me, one year beat Decades of struggle on my horn to the point where even after sprucing up my horn chops in 2023, I’m still more prepared to play a jazz local jam on bass than on trombone where I have infinitely more time spent
I would say that learning Jazz is not "easier" now ... there is just much more information on it than "the old days" ... Jazz has never been easy ... commit to it or do something else!
Hej Jens, thanx for the input. I need all that! But, if possible, I'd like it less "overdosed". Some more dwelling on a single issue, some more breathing in between would do me good. Just to make sure that learning jazz guitar is not so much a toasted-brain thing than about heart and soul. I do apreciate your knowledge and experience!
@@JensLarsen I believe that! But I also believe that people can take in less, although it's full of content. Maybe you could give some overview in the beginning and set marks to where to skip? Anyway, I can press pause myself and work through it piece by piece. All the best!
Jens, as with all competitive technical fields, the better access to excellent tools, the more is expected as the outcome. In other words, years ago if you simply played simple chords, you could find a gig. These days you see players all knowing Donna Lee or Giant Steps and even being able to play them at 240-300 bpm. Many players study Barry Harris. So to be competitive you really are expected to be a far more competent player. The greater the accessibility to good information with better sounding instruments with optimal ergonomics, the more is expected of players who are going to be obtaining the gigs. Wouldn't you agree? Of course, being a decent human being who plays well with others counts for a great deal too!
I am not sure that the most technical players all have gigs, there are other skills involved in playing gigs as a sideman, and also really a lot of social skills both in personal interaction and while playing.
@@JensLarsen Jens, you misinterpret what I'm attempting to communicate. It's not the most technical, but that the availability of quality information raises the bar in terms of general competency of those individuals capable of competing for the best gigs. The AVERAGE breakout guitarist today would likely be more proficient than their predessesors within their genre. In fact, many individuals who do have other jobs and no interest in being the center of attention are capable of becoming quite competent in guitar performance. So while it is easier not to have to reinvent the wheel, many guitarist become proficient in several of the library of the latest techniques. Meanwhile, on top of that proficiency, there are some still that will push the envelop and create something new in terms of techniques or stylistic expression. We can all think of some of the most prominent instrumentalists today that have gone beyond the established technique. Still the center of the bell shaped curve reflecting the average technical proficiency moves towards the right along its abscissa.
My approach to listening to jazz and playing it is a bit unique. I listen to and learn from Trumpet, Sax, and Piano, jazz music. I don't really like listening to guitar jazz with a few exceptions like Lage Lund, and a few others. But, I prefer to play jazz on guitar.
I think it is actually harder due to information overload, everyone being an "expert" on YT, and fewer opportunities to play live with other human beings. The good news is we have tools that some of us only dreamed of back in the day. I wore out many a record album playing the same solo section over and over and over and over again trying to learn it by ear. Now you can slow it down, find a transcription, and you're set. That said, I think there is something to struggling with learning the material. If something is too easy, we don't really grow or value the accomplishment. The other factor that was hammered home during Covid - music is usually meant to be played live with other human beings in the same physical space. As someone who is primarily a bassist, it was stark - when your instrument is mostly for accompanying others, it can be hard to get motivated to practice with no gigs on the calendar. But when life closes a door, it opens a window - pick up a new instrument (dobro) or expand your horizons on an old friend (guitar). The material Jens creates is helping me do the latter, and the reality is that what I learn is applicable to every other instrument and gig I play. Because...music.
Thank you for the video. It's really difficult to learn jazz. In the last 20 years I've started from scratch multiple times, and am restarting right now. I've never had a teacher. Perhaps if you don't have a teacher, finding a person to learn with might also help, so you have feedback on your progress and can give feedback on the progress of the other person (which, I believe, might also be useful).
