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Beginner Jazz Guitar Chords

Learn to Comp Like Your Favourite Jazz Guitarists

Written by: Jamie Holroyd

Edited by: Hayley Lawrence

Cover design: Bill Mauro

Copyright 2019 Jamie Holroyd Guitar www.jamieholroydguitar.com 2

Table of Contents

Introduction

How to Use This eBook

Chapter 1 - Root on 6th & 5th String Chords

Chapter 2 - Extended Chords

Chapter 3 - Drop 2 Chords

Chapter 4 - Comping Rhythms

Chapter 5 - Transcribing Jazz Chords

Chapter 6 - Diminished 7th Chords

Chapter 7 - Dominant 7b9 Chords

Chapter 8 - Dominant 7#9 Chords

Chapter 9 - 9th and 13th Chords

Chapter 10 - Triads

Chapter 11 - 6th Chords

Chapter 12 - Inner Chord Voicings

Epilogue

Blank Music Paper

Blank TAB Paper

Transcription Answers

About The Author

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Introduction

Welcome to Beginner Jazz Guitar Chords!

Glad to have you here.

You're in the right place if you're new to jazz guitar and want to learn how to play jazz guitar chords.

Two of the biggest challenges you face as a jazz guitarist is learning chords in a systematic way and making them sound like jazz.

This eBook gives you the skills to thoroughly learn jazz chords and make them sound like your favourite players.

To begin with, you will start by learning the fundamental jazz chords.

Then you will move progressively while building on what you learn in each chapter.

By the end of the eBook you will be able to comp through any chord sheet using a variety of harmonic colours and rhythmic imagination.

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How to Use This eBook

The following tips in this section will help you keep focused and avoid getting overwhelmed.

So, read through them slowly and revisit this section when you need to.

Stay on each chapter until you feel comfortable! The book progressively builds on what you learn in each section.

Therefore, you must feel confident with one technique before moving to the next section.

For example, once you feel confident with extended chords in chapter two, add them to the etudes in chapter one.

This eBook gives you the road map to go from complete beginner to a competent accompanist.

By working with this eBook, you can go from not knowing a single jazz chord to having complete choice in how you comp.

That's a big journey and a lot of effort.

So, be prepared that fully learning everything in this eBook can take anywhere from a few months to even a year or two.

Jazz guitar chords are a technique and should be practiced with at least one other item such as learning tunes or transcribing for example.

Mixing up practicing chords with other assignments will keep your practice balanced and help the material in this book stay fresh over time.

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Extended Chords

Now that you are comfortable playing the four main chord types, let's look at extending your knowledge.

Have you ever come across a chord with #11’s, b9’s, or a combination of both and felt confused?

This section will help you understand, locate and use any extended chord that you need.

By working through these exercises you will be able to:

➢ Voice lead jazz progressions by only changing one or two notes ➢ Use extensions and alterations for the main jazz chord types ➢ Play any type of alteration on major, minor and dominant 7th chord types ➢ Impose extended chords over basic chord progressions

What is an extended chord?

An extended chord is a chord that contains notes besides the essential notes of the chord.

Hence, the word extension.

For example, the root, third, fifth, and seventh are typically found in a jazz voicing.

But besides these, you can also add intervals beyond the octave such as the 9th, 11th, 13th, etc.

Extended notes can also be within the octave such as raised and lowered fifths for example.

Extended chords are usually not essential to the harmony, but they can add a new dimension to your playing.

Think of extended chords as like getting a house extension on a house.

The extension is not essential, but usually a luxury.

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You will learn extended chords by studying each of the main jazz chord types in two positions on the fretboard.

The two positions are based on the chords with the root on the 6&5 string to correspond with the previous chapter.

There are ultimately more ways in which you can find extended chords over the neck, but these will get you started.

When you can smoothly play these extended chords, we will them apply them to three common chord progressions.

Each of the examples below contains a root note on the 6th or 5th string in the second diagram.

Though it is not always essential to play this, the root can provide a solid reference point when working with extended chords.

There are two types of extended chords we are going to look at.

The first is alterations to the fifth of the chord, e.g. raise fifth, lowered fifth.

The second is alterations to the third, e.g. raised nine, flat nine.

A combination of both alterations is possible, e.g. G#9b13.

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Major 7th Extended Chords

The first chord type that we are going to learn the extensions for is the major 7th chord.

Commonly used extensions on major 7th chords include the #11, #5, 9th and the 6th or 13th.

You may have noticed that the 11th is not included.

The 11th is only a semi-tone above the major 3rd, which creates an unwanted semi-tone interval when played together.

However, the #11 is a tone above the root, resulting in a less dissonant sound used frequently by jazz musicians.

Be careful when using extended major 7th chords with non diatonic extensions such as the #11 and #5.

Unless they are being used in a modal tune reprehensive of the chord, they need to be used in the correct way because they are not diatonic.

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Dominant 7th Extended Chords

Unlike the major and minor 7th chord, the dominant 7th can take almost any alteration possible.

This is because dominant 7th’s are typically used to resolve to a I chord.

So, any alteration you put on the chord, no matter how dissonant it sounds, will generally resolve.

This type of extended chord is called an altered dominant.

Any extended note within the scale such as the 9th, 13th, etc is fine to use on any type of dominant 7th chord.

So, for example, if you are playing a blues, use diatonic extended chords on the I and IV chord.

For the resolving dominant chord, e.g. bars 4 and 9 of a blues, use altered dominant 7th chords.

Because of this, there are more chords to learn for dominant 7th extended chords than the other chord types.

I’m sure that some of you will have noticed that some voicings have more extensions than the chord symbol suggests.

For example, the C9 in the fourth bar also has the 13th.

This is because the 9th is the highest note in the voicing, the chord is classed as a 9th.

The chord could be played with the fifth instead of the 13th to avoid any confusion.

But jazz guitarists frequently add the 13th underneath.

I think you’ll agree that adding this makes the chord sound better, but you can remove if you prefer the sound of the 5th.

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Minor 7th Chords

Minor 7th chords complete our introduction of extended chords.

Commonly used extensions on minor chords come from the parent scale and are diatonic.

Examples of extended minor chords are the 9th, 11th, b6 and 6.

Some of you may notice that the shapes are similar to those you already know.

For example, the second to last chord is a drop 2 chord which is looked at in the next chapter.

This is to show you the connection between drop 2 chords and extensions.

By changing one note, the root is in this example, the chord has become a minor 9th chord.

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Now that you can smoothly play each of the voicings, you need to be able to play each one of the chords in all 12 keys.

The last thing that you want is to be holding up the band while you’re looking for a particular voicing.

You ultimately need to be able to find any chord voicing on the spot.

One effective way to practice extended chords is through the cycle of fourths as shown in the previous chapter.

You can take one chord type, e.g. a 13th and practice throughout the cycle.

Do this with every extended chord in all 12 keys.

After you can do this, we have three etudes to get stuck into which will help you string all these extended chords together in musical situations.

Each of the three etudes teach you how extended chords are used in different situations such as chord soloing, bossa nova comping, and blues melodies.

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Satin Doll

The first progression you are going to apply extended chords to is the first A section of Satin Doll.

Multiple ii-V’s and a dominant 7th chord turnaround make Satin Doll a great workout for using extended chords.

The chord progression is typically written out without any alterations.

So, the first chord would be written out as Dm7, as opposed to Dm9 in this study.

You can impose extended chords over diatonic chords for greater harmonic potential.

Because the extended chords in this etude are diatonic, they do not interfere with the melody.

Note how by using extended chords, you can keep common tones between chords for smoother voice leading.

For example, “G” is the highest note in bar 7 and the first beat of bar 8.

So, three different voicings have the same melody note on top.

This technique is often used in turnarounds as shown in this example.

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Audio examples 14 and 15

Jazz Blues

The next etude you are going to learn is over a jazz/blues progression.

A useful technique in this etude is approaching a chord from a semi-tone above.

The first eight bars of the tune contain a simple and punchy big band style riff.

The last four bars demonstrate how extended chords can be used to generate smooth voice leading in turnarounds.

Note how the only altered dominant chord, F7b13 in bar 10, resolves in the next bar to the I chord.

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Audio examples 16 and 17

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Wave

The final etude that you are going to learn is over the A section of the classic Jobim bossa “Wave”.

Wave’s A sections are essentially are a reharmonization of the jazz blues form.

The lush and full harmony make Wave a great vehicle for using extended chords.

Root on 6th and 5th strings from the previous chapter are integrated in this etude.

Though it useful to see a voicing in multiple ways, good comping fundamentally comes down to good groove and voice leading.

The dominant 9th chord is frequently used in this example. Note how well the voice leading works from the iim7 chord in bar 3 to the 9th chord in bar 4.

Besides the bass note, only one note from the ii chord changes, the b7 drops to the major 3rd of the dominant 7 chord.

The same technique is used in bar 8.

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Audio example 18

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Now that you can play and use three etudes, try using extended chords over some tunes which you already know.

A good way to do this is to take a small concept you like from one of these etudes and apply it to a tune that you know.

For example, you may have liked the ii-V voice leading in the blues progression.

So, you can apply that same technique when you are comping through Autumn Leaves.

You can also go back to the previous chord progressions in this book such as Tune Up and Ladybird and apply extended chords.

Can you locate any of the following chords under a few seconds?

✓ D major, root on the 5th string - Root on 6&5th String ✓ G7b13 - Extended Chords ✓ Abmaj7, root on the 6th string - Root on 6&5th String ✓ Gbmaj7, root on the 5th string - Root on 6&5th String ✓ E7b9 - Extended Chords ✓ Ab7b13 - Extended Chords ✓ Cmaj9 - Extended Chords ✓ Dbm7, root on the 5th string - Root on 6&5th String

If you failed to locate any of these within a few seconds, go back to the chapter and revise them.

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About the Author

Jamie Holroyd is a guitarist, educator, and author based in the North of England.

As a performer, Jamie has performed across the UK and USA at jazz festivals, clubs, and radio stations with musicians such as Adrian Ingram, Jim Mullen, and Pat McCarthy.

Jamie holds a BA and National Diploma in Jazz Studies from the Leeds College of Music.

As a teacher, Jamie has a 100% pass rate in preparing international students for jazz guitar diplomas.

Jamie's students range from complete beginners to world class professionals.

Guitar Player, Guitar Tutor, and Just Jazz Guitar Magazine have featured Jamie's teaching and playing.

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