A Jazz Method Guitar - Lenny Breau - Jazz-Blues Comping
1
FOR THE MAJORITY of blues styles—including those combining ele- ments of rock and folk music—the 12-bar struc- ture has remained rela- tively simple: the I-IV-V progression, with melodies constructed from the five-note blues scale. However, in jazz, the blues is embellished with an almost limitless combination of melodic and harmonic devices. The most common 12-bar blues pro- gression is four bars of I, two bars of IV, two bars of I, one bar of V, one bar of IV, and two bars of I. However, jazz players employ a harmonic framework similar to that of Ex. 1. Note the use of the VI chord (A7) in bar 8, and how from there the harmony back-cycles home to the I in bar 10. Bars 11 and 12—the turnaround measures— use a common I-VI-II-V progression, while the F# dim7 in bar 6 is a substitute that con- nects IV to I. Ex. 1 is just a skeleton; you can freely add substitute chords that in- clude alterations and extensions, as long as you exercise good taste. One of the best places to start learning jazz rhythm guitar is with four-to-the-bar comping. Ex. 2 is a blues progression based on the chords in Ex. 1, only using a few substitutes. These voicings work es- pecially well for straight rhythm, and they sound very full, even though they have only three notes. For this rhythm style, you’ll get a better feel if you strum with a pick or your thumb (I use a thumbpick). Strum using downstrokes, and avoid sounding the strings not played. (They can be damped by strategic placement of your fretting hand; experiment until you’re suc- cessful.) Once you’ve memorized Ex. 1 and can embellish it with some chords, trans- pose it to all keys. Originally published in the June ’84 GP. g “I always found the notion of solos comical, just ego-wanking.” — Daniel Ash, Nov. ’94, GP guitarplayer.com APRIL 2002 GUITAR PLAYER 145 C H O P S B U I L D E R ➧ ➧ Jazz-Blues Comping BY LENNY BREAU 4 4 C7 F7 C7 F7 F dim7 1 Ex. 1 C7 A7 Dm7 G7 C7 A7 D7 G7 7 4 4 C6 VII X X C7 VIII X X F VII X X F dim7 X X X C X X X G7 IX X X Gm7 VIII X X C7 VIII X X X X X X X X X X 2 1 4 2 3 4 2 1 4 3 2 4 3 1 4 3 2 4 3 1 4 2 3 4 1 F7 VII X X F dim7 X X X C6 VII X X F7 VII X X Em7 V X X A7 V X X X X X X X X 3 2 4 2 4 2 1 4 3 2 4 3 1 4 2 3 4 3 5 D7 IV X X G7 X X C7 X X A7 V X X D7 IV X X G7 X X X X X X X X Dm7 III X X X 4 3 2 4 2 3 4 3 2 4 2 3 4 3 2 4 1 3 4 2 9 3 Ex. 2 C L A S S I C C O L U M N “The master of this style of rhythm guitar was Freddie Green,” said Breau. “He played in Count Basie’s band for over 40 years.”
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Transcript of A Jazz Method Guitar - Lenny Breau - Jazz-Blues Comping
FOR THE MAJORITY ofblues styles—includingthose combining ele-ments of rock and folkmusic—the 12-bar struc-ture has remained rela-tively simple: the I-IV-V
progression, with melodies constructedfrom the five-note blues scale. However,in jazz, the blues is embellished with analmost limitless combination of melodicand harmonic devices.
The most common 12-bar blues pro-gression is four bars of I, two bars of IV, twobars of I, one bar of V, one bar of IV, andtwo bars of I. However, jazz players employa harmonic framework similar to that of
EExx.. 11. Note the use of the VI chord (A7) inbar 8, and how from there the harmonyback-cycles home to the I in bar 10. Bars11 and 12—the turnaround measures—use a common I-VI-II-V progression, whilethe F#dim7 in bar 6 is a substitute that con-nects IV to I. Ex. 1 is just a skeleton; youcan freely add substitute chords that in-clude alterations and extensions, as longas you exercise good taste.
One of the best places to start learningjazz rhythm guitar is with four-to-the-barcomping. EExx.. 22 is a blues progressionbased on the chords in Ex. 1, only usinga few substitutes. These voicings work es-pecially well for straight rhythm, and theysound very full, even though they have
only three notes. For this rhythm style,you’ll get a better feel if you strum witha pick or your thumb (I use a thumbpick).Strum using downstrokes, and avoidsounding the strings not played. (They canbe damped by strategic placement of yourfretting hand; experiment until you’re suc-cessful.) Once you’ve memorized Ex. 1 andcan embellish it with some chords, trans-pose it to all keys.
Originally published in the June ’84 GP. g
“I always found the notion of solos comical, just ego-wanking.” — Daniel Ash, Nov. ’94, GP guitarplayer.com APRIL 2002 GUITAR PLAYER 145
CHOPS
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1
Ex. 1
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9
3
Ex. 2
C L A S S I C C O L U M N
“The master of this style of rhythm guitar was FreddieGreen,” said Breau. “He played in Count Basie’sband for over 40 years.”
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