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Essential Jazz Chord Vocabulary (Patreon)

Published:
2024-03-15 18:21:06
Edited:
2024-03-16 12:45:05
Imported:
2024-03

Downloads

Content

Hi everyone,

Today I have a beginner's guide to jazz chords. If you're interested in jazz guitar but find it all a little intimidating I'm hoping this will provide a good and approachable way into the style. I show you 10 or so shapes I consider to be essential, then talk about how to use them in common jazz chord progressions and tunes.            

I don't do much that much jazz on my channel, but can certainly do a bit more if there's interest. If any of you would like to see more beginner-friendly jazz videos (or perhaps some more advanced stuff?) then do let me know. 

It's all tabbed out below. And I've also written out some chord diagrams which include fingering and interval information. Hope you find it helpful.

Also, thanks so much to those of you who have signed-up for the new soloing course. There's been a lot of interest and the initial feedback I've received has been very positive. For those of you who haven't seen it, I put out a little course promo video last weekend with a bit more information about the curriculum, which can be seen here - https://youtu.be/9l37AwiWSRU

That's all for now. Have a great weekend and speak next Friday!

- Adrian 

(Issue with the tab now fixed after I inadvertently uploaded the diagrams PDF twice!)

Files

10 essential jazz chords - learn these and play (nearly) any tune

Tab and chord diagrams can be found on Patreon (pay what you like): https://www.patreon.com/anyonecanplayguitar My NEW soloing course: https://courses.anyonecanplayguitar.co.uk My latest album: https://zodiactoys.bandcamp.com/releases Please subscribe here for many more YouTube lessons: https://www.youtube.com/c/anyonecanplayguitarcouk 00:00 Hi 00:40 Keep it simple 01:57 Basic chord types 02:33 Essential 6th string root shapes 10:15 Essential 5th string root shapes 13:57 II V I options 17:53 Adding some diminished chords 19:14 Applying the chords to tunes 25:40 Bye Check out my website: https://www.anyonecanplayguitar.co.uk Social blah: Instagram (occasionally I post here): https://www.instagram.com/acpgtr/ Twitter: given up on it Facebook: a page exists, I never look at it

Comments

Neal Pike

Haha like last week's soul video I've been considering a way into jazz but not sure how so yes to more jazz

CC

Nice

Graham Owen

Funky jazz would be good...

William Laven

Thanks for this post. Ditto others for more jazz lessons and use of jazz chords/arpeggios for blues, too.

Elmer

More beginner jazz will definitely be welcome.

Peter Lloyd

I started learning to play the guitar 4 years ago. I’ve learned and forgotten quite a few songs and riffs and was getting bored with doing that. However your Chitlins Con Carne vid got me interested in jazz and the theory behind it. At long last I see the benefit of learning the neck and some basic music theory. So yes more jazz please

Liam Gallacher

Mmm, Jazz. Gonna put on a roll neck with a medallion over the top to play these. Superb lesson as always...Thanks

Six

Thank you Adrian! i love Johnny Marr too but would be very interested in another beginner/intermediate jazz lesson whenever you're in the mood. Sometimes i like to "jazzify" a few bars of pop tunes that are commonly taught on Youtube. For instance, took a fingerstyle version of "Here Comes the Sun" and substituted some jazz chords in one part. (inspired by Nina Simone perhaps) I don't know if I dare try that with a Smith's tune, some might consider it sacrilege. haha.

Peter Healy

Hi Adrian this one is for future reference. At this point it has clarified the Major 7 and Minor 7 that I really like. Just a off topic question, any updates on the release dates for the Intermediate Lead Course? Thanks again Pete

stevie walters

great lesson thank-you Adrian! Is anybody else having an issue seeing the tabs?

NB

Definitely more jazz please Adrian!!! p.s. really enjoying the new course!

John Gubbins

Love your jazz videos. More please :) Discovered Kenny Burrell thanks to you … opened up a whole stream of great jazz guitarists. Did you mean to upload the chord progressions with different voicings? It seems to have loaded the chord diagrams twice. Cheers

C#ris

Keep the jazz lessons coming. This one's a gem that will be valuable to players for years. Though I've got these shapes dialed in now (to the extent anything is ever fully dialed) your jazz lessons were the approachable bridge I needed when I decided to take a more serious run at jazz several years ago. Without a doubt, your "basic rhythm course" series was how rootless voicings, Freddy Green/shells, basic chord tones for soloing, all started to click for me. Then all the 7th arpeggio lessons... Fantastic stuff. TY.

Jim Parker (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-07 18:00 Yes to jazz, as well. I must admit I gravitate towards the root on the fifth string shapes. I find them easier, particularly the M7B5 and Dim7 shapes. The sixth string root versions I often find I crowd myself out finger-wise. I had a jazz tutor many years ago who showed me three string versions of many jazz shapes. That was a bit of a cheat, but worked well.
2024-03-16 03:25

anyonecanplayguitar

Yes, there seems to be more interest in jazz here than I expected, so will definitely do a bit more in the not too distant future.

anyonecanplayguitar

Haha, I have to resist the temptation to say Nice! every time I make a jazz video.

anyonecanplayguitar

Yes, like that idea. Idk you have anything in particular in mind let me know. George Benson perhaps?

anyonecanplayguitar

Yes I think jazz is a great and fun way to stretch yourself a bit as a player. Lost of people seem interested in more jazz so I'll make it happen soon.

anyonecanplayguitar

I say do it! Those kind of jazz arrangements of pop tunes can be really effective and a good way of spicing up familiar tunes.

anyonecanplayguitar

Great - easy to get those 7th chord qualities confused. The new solos course came out last weekend - there's a video on my channel that contains a bit more info.

anyonecanplayguitar

Thanks Stevie. Tab issue now fixed- I inadvertantly uploaded 2 PDFs of the diagrams. The tab PDF is now up there.

anyonecanplayguitar

Thanks John. Yes I accidentally posted the diagrams twice. The tab PDF should now be there!

anyonecanplayguitar

I'll definitely do more jazz soon. Great to hear you're enjoying the course!

anyonecanplayguitar

Thanks Chris. Yes, sounds like you're a little bit further on with your jazz playing. I might well do more jazz chord lessons in the future with a more intermediate advanced emphasis.

anyonecanplayguitar

Yes those 6th string root shapes can a be little awkward particularly higher up the neck. Worth persevering with though since they're so useful. And yes, the 3 note shell voicings are great and really easy to apply. Also good is leaving out the root note of the shapes in the video and just playing the chords the DGB strings - something I do a lot, particularly in more of a band situation.

Graham Owen

A little less obvious...your forte

Michael

More John McGeoch please! ;P

CC

🤠

Peter Healy

Brilliant News Adrian. First time away from Home for a few days in 4 years and I missed the Ad lol. I'll sign up next Friday. Thanks again Pete

Brent Murphy

Yes to more jazz for me - thanks

Ed

LOVE THE JAZZ STUFF!! I'm down for more!!!

Thorsten

Yes, more jazz! What about some "Style Council" , for example Headstart for Happiness- Jazz & Soul :-)

hugh hales-tooke

A very useful lesson. you explain things very clearly. I wish you had been around when I first started learning. I really enjoyed the lesson on writing a surf tune. More on songwriting would bench., but what you choose to offer is always great.

Bill Clark

Great lesson. I loved that you broke this out by interval. How do you think of this with regard to CAGED chord Patterns?

Peter Brown

Hi Adrian, Enjoyed your explanation of these chords, and this fills out my basic understanding of Freddie Green 3 note voicings. However, my goal is not to jazz comp as such, but to fill out solo acoustic blues tunes with more variety of notes/chords. So, I'd love to see a follow-up lesson taking these jazzy chords in that direction. Keep up the good work.

Tim Gummer

Am quite taken with the idea that some degree of jazz confidence to players of an indie sensibilities might be approachable Berkley and shedding 24/7 for half a decade