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Gabriel Felix

Hello, my name is Gabriel Felix (California College of Music), and today I want to talk about my new Jazz Course.

Currently, I have more than 2.5 million views on YouTube; more than 40 thousand students in different online platforms using my classes; and more than 276 on-site students learning with my classes in courses in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil.

In this course, i will teach you how to play JAZZ. All the step by step for beginners.

1. Harmony and Theory for jazz.

2. 11 Guitar Practice Tips for Speedy Improvement.

3. Chords, scales, and arpeggios.

Read more

Hello, my name is Gabriel Felix (California College of Music), and today I want to talk about my new Jazz Course.

Currently, I have more than 2.5 million views on YouTube; more than 40 thousand students in different online platforms using my classes; and more than 276 on-site students learning with my classes in courses in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil.

In this course, i will teach you how to play JAZZ. All the step by step for beginners.

1. Harmony and Theory for jazz.

2. 11 Guitar Practice Tips for Speedy Improvement.

3. Chords, scales, and arpeggios.

4. How to improvise in diatonic and modal chord progressions.

5. Real book with more than 400 songs.

6. Improve Your Sense of Rhythm Cheat-Sheet.

7. Walking bass technique.

8. How to turn an easy pop chords progression in jazz.

You can EASILY play even the fanciest, prettiest jazz songs (those that seemed completely out of your league not long ago) - and people will just be blown away by how special are the sounds that are coming out of YOUR guitar.

- You will never again find yourself looking at a professional player playing a fancy, beautiful-sounding chord, and not having a clue what kind of chord it is and how to play it yourself.

- You can take your favorite rock & pop songs, that are originally only played with simple chords, and start mixing fresh, fancy-sounding chords into them (9 chords, 13 chords, 6/9, and plenty more), to create Versions that no one has heard before - and you made up on the spot.

- If you are writing songs, you now have an insanely colorful "palette" to write your own songs with - using these gorgeous chords.

- You finally

Very Important Note: Jazz it's not an easy style, from this it is necessary to learn harmony, theory, and all the basic jazz chords before begin to play Jazz. I know you just want to play jazz on the guitar, but be patient and follow all the step by step. It´s much better to spend fell days learning about harmony than give up after 1 week just because you don't know how to play a Cmaj7(9) chord.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Foundations of jazz guitar.
  • Chords, scales and arpeggios.
  • Harmony and theory to jazz music.
  • How to improvise solos.
  • Licks and phrases.
  • Walking bass technique.

Syllabus

Introduction
Things you should know before begin.
IMPORTANT video before begin.
Jazzy guitar sound
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides a step-by-step approach to learning jazz guitar, making it accessible for beginners with little to no prior experience in jazz music theory or guitar playing
Covers essential jazz harmony and theory concepts, which are foundational for understanding and playing jazz music effectively on the guitar
Includes practical exercises and techniques to develop speed, accuracy, and improvisation skills, which are crucial for playing jazz guitar
Requires patience and dedication to learn harmony and theory before diving into playing, which may be a challenge for some beginners eager to start playing immediately
Explores seventh, ninth, and thirteenth chords, which are essential for creating the rich and complex harmonies characteristic of jazz music
Teaches walking bass technique, which is a fundamental skill for jazz guitarists to create a solid rhythmic foundation and harmonic movement

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Reviews summary

Foundational jazz guitar for beginners

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation in jazz guitar, particularly for beginners. Many appreciate the clear explanations of jazz theory, harmony, chords, and scales, considering it essential background before diving into playing. The instructor is often described as knowledgeable and the pace is generally found to be manageable for newcomers. Some students note the course helps build technical skills through exercises and lays the groundwork for improvisation. However, a few reviewers suggest the course might become challenging in later sections or could benefit from more practical application and song examples beyond theory.
Instructor provides clear and helpful guidance.
"Gabriel is a great teacher, explains things really well."
"Instructor knows his stuff and makes complex ideas understandable."
"His approach is encouraging and easy to follow."
"The guidance from the instructor was a key factor for my learning."
Appropriate pace and content for newcomers.
"Perfect course if you're starting out in jazz guitar."
"The step-by-step approach is excellent for beginners."
"The pace is just right for someone new to jazz concepts."
"Highly recommended for musicians wanting to dip their toes into jazz."
Course excels in jazz theory and harmony.
"This course gives a solid theory foundation for jazz guitar."
"The explanations of harmony and theory are very clear and easy to follow."
"I found the theory sections incredibly helpful for understanding how jazz works."
"Provides essential background in harmony, chords, and scales before playing."
Pace might become difficult in advanced topics.
"While the start is beginner-friendly, some later sections speed up."
"Found some of the later concepts quite challenging after the basics."
"Requires significant personal practice to keep up as topics advance."
"Might need supplemental material for the more complex areas."
Could use more song examples and practical exercises.
"Needs more real-world application to make it stick."
"Wish there were more examples of applying the theory to songs."
"More practical exercises and less focus just on theory would be better."
"It gives you the tools but doesn't show you how to build a house with them."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Jazz Guitar For Beginners Musicians with these activities:
Review Basic Music Theory
Reinforce your understanding of fundamental music theory concepts, which are essential for grasping jazz harmony and improvisation techniques covered in the course.
Browse courses on Music Theory
Show steps
  • Review scales, chords, and key signatures.
  • Practice identifying intervals and chord qualities.
  • Complete online quizzes on music theory fundamentals.
Read 'The Jazz Theory Book'
Deepen your understanding of jazz harmony and theory, providing a solid foundation for improvisation and chord progression analysis.
View The Jazz Theory Book on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read chapters on chord voicings and substitutions.
  • Analyze chord progressions from jazz standards.
  • Practice applying theoretical concepts to your playing.
Practice Jazz Chord Voicings
Develop muscle memory and familiarity with essential jazz chord voicings, enabling smoother transitions and richer harmonic textures in your playing.
Show steps
  • Learn common jazz chord voicings (e.g., drop 2, drop 3).
  • Practice transitioning between different voicings.
  • Incorporate voicings into simple chord progressions.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Explore 'Ted Greene's Chord Chemistry'
Expand your knowledge of chord voicings and harmonic possibilities, enhancing your ability to create interesting and unique jazz arrangements.
Show steps
  • Study different chord voicings and inversions.
  • Experiment with applying these voicings to jazz standards.
  • Incorporate new voicings into your own playing.
Transcribe a Jazz Solo
Improve your ear training and understanding of jazz phrasing by transcribing a solo from a renowned jazz guitarist.
Show steps
  • Choose a jazz solo to transcribe.
  • Listen to the solo repeatedly and notate the melody and chords.
  • Analyze the solo's structure and harmonic content.
  • Practice playing the transcribed solo.
Jam with Other Musicians
Develop your improvisation skills and learn from other musicians by participating in jam sessions.
Show steps
  • Find local jazz jam sessions or online communities.
  • Prepare a few jazz standards to play.
  • Listen to and interact with other musicians.
  • Record your jam sessions and review your performance.
Compose a Jazz Chord Melody Arrangement
Apply your knowledge of jazz harmony and chord voicings to create a solo guitar arrangement of a jazz standard.
Show steps
  • Select a jazz standard to arrange.
  • Create a chord melody arrangement using jazz voicings.
  • Incorporate improvisation and embellishments.
  • Practice and refine your arrangement.

Career center

Learners who complete Jazz Guitar For Beginners Musicians will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Jazz Guitarist
A jazz guitarist performs jazz music, either as a soloist or as part of an ensemble. This course is designed to teach the fundamentals of jazz guitar playing. With instruction in harmony and theory, chords, scales, arpeggios, and improvisation in diatonic and modal chord progressions, a student can obtain the skills necessary to perform jazz guitar. A person taking this course may find that the walking bass instruction and the real book with more than 400 songs are particularly helpful.
Guitar Teacher
A guitar teacher helps students develop their musical abilities on the guitar. This course in particular can help guitar teachers who want to instruct students in jazz guitar. The course covers harmony and theory for jazz, chords, scales, arpeggios, and improvisation techniques relevant to jazz. Aspiring guitar teachers can use this course to build a strong foundation in jazz guitar, allowing them to deliver effective jazz guitar lessons. The course's focus on jazz-specific techniques, such as walking bass and chord voicings, may be useful for teachers who want to specialize in jazz guitar instruction.
Session Musician
A session musician is a skilled instrumentalist hired to perform on recordings or live performances. Session musicians are often required to play a wide variety of musical styles. This course may be useful by providing a foundation in jazz guitar. The student taking this course will learn jazz harmony and theory, chords, scales, arpeggios, and improvisation, allowing them to become proficient in jazz guitar. The walking bass technique and the real book with more than 400 songs may be particularly helpful to a session musician.
Music Arranger
A music arranger adapts existing musical compositions for different instrumentations and styles. This course may be useful in that it introduces jazz harmony and theory. This course also gives instruction in how to turn an easy pop chord progression into jazz. Learners can use the knowledge gained from this course to create their own jazz arrangements. The course's focus on chord voicings and improvisation techniques will be useful in creating interesting and innovative arrangements.
Composer
A composer creates original musical works. This course may be useful by teaching the principles of jazz harmony and theory, as well as the use of chords, scales, and arpeggios. Learners can incorporate these elements into their compositions. The course teaches users how to improvise in diatonic and modal chord progressions, which may be used to inspire new musical ideas. The course's focus on chord voicings and improvisation techniques will be useful in creating interesting and innovative songs.
Bandleader
A bandleader is responsible for leading and managing a musical ensemble. If the musical ensemble plays jazz, then this course will be useful. A bandleader will need to have a solid grasp of harmony and theory for jazz, as well as chords, scales, and arpeggios. Having a strong grasp of the material in this course may help a bandleader lead the band with expertise.
Music Director
A music director oversees the musical aspects of a performance or production. This course may be useful in that it gives instruction in jazz harmony and theory, as well as chords, scales, and arpeggios. A music director needs expertise in these areas. Understanding the principles taught in this course can help a music director lead a jazz performance.
Music Journalist
A music journalist writes about music for newspapers, magazines, websites, or other media outlets. This course may be useful for a music journalist who wants to write about jazz music. This course gives instruction in jazz harmony and theory, chords, scales, and arpeggios, which will help a journalist understand jazz music. The course also provides a real book with more than 400 songs, which may be useful for research or reference.
Music Critic
A music critic evaluates and critiques musical performances and recordings. This course may be useful for a music critic who wants to critique jazz music. The course's lessons will give the critic a foundation in jazz guitar. A music critic can use this foundation to offer informed opinions about jazz music.
Talent Agent
A talent agent represents musicians and helps them find work. This course may be useful for a talent agent who represents jazz guitarists. This course gives the agent familiarity with jazz guitar techniques and concepts. This will help the agent to relate to the musician and understand their needs.
Choir Director
A choir director leads and conducts a choir. Although this course focuses on jazz guitar, it may be useful to a choir director who wishes to incorporate jazz elements into their choir's repertoire. The course covers harmony and theory, chords, scales, and arpeggios. With this knowledge, the choir direction may be able to incorporate jazz standards into the choir's music.
Musical Instrument Retailer
A musical instrument retailer sells musical instruments and accessories to customers. Taking this course may be useful in that it provides knowledge about jazz guitar. This allows the retailer to better serve customers who are interested in purchasing jazz guitars or related equipment. The course will improve a retailer's understanding of the needs of jazz guitarists.
Music Therapist
A music therapist uses music to help patients with their emotional, physical, and mental health. This course may be useful to a music therapist who wants to incorporate jazz guitar into their practice. The course covers harmony and theory, chords, scales, and arpeggios. These will help the therapist play jazz for their patients.
Disc Jockey
A disc jockey plays music for an audience, typically at a radio station, club, or event. While this course focuses on jazz guitar, it may be useful to a disc jockey who wants to play jazz music. The course covers jazz harmony and theory, chords, scales, and arpeggios. This will help the disc jockey select appropriate music to play for their audience.
Podcast Producer
A podcast producer creates and manages podcasts. This course may be useful for a podcast producer who wants to create a podcast about jazz music. While focused on playing jazz guitar, the course can give the producer expertise in jazz guitar. With this expertise, the producer can interview jazz guitarists.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Jazz Guitar For Beginners Musicians.
Comprehensive guide to jazz harmony and theory, covering everything from basic chord voicings to advanced improvisation techniques. It aligns perfectly with the course's focus on harmony, theory, chords, and improvisation. It's a valuable resource for understanding the underlying principles of jazz music and applying them to guitar playing. This book is commonly used as a textbook in jazz studies programs.
Comprehensive resource for guitarists interested in chord voicings and harmonic possibilities. While not strictly focused on jazz, it provides a wealth of information on chord construction and voice leading that can be applied to jazz guitar playing. It is more valuable as additional reading to expand your harmonic vocabulary. This book is commonly used by guitarists seeking to deepen their understanding of chord theory.

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