Pickup Music Jazz Guitar Chords TUTORIAL
Looking for a quick start in the wonderful world of jazz guitar? You’ve come to the right place.
Jazz Guitar Chords
In this introductory Master Class, Sam Blakelock gives you a crash course in jazz chords on guitar.
What you’ll learn
In this class, we’ll examine jazz chords through the lens of four common chord progressions:
the major II V I
the turnaround
the major chord vamp
the minor II V I
With each chord progression, you’ll learn how to play the individual chords involved as well as how they all fit together. Upon completion of the course, we’ll challenge you to play along with Sam, at-tempo, through all four progressions.
Bonus Content
Your course includes a bonus discussion on Joe Pass – one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century. You’ll gain valuable insight into Pass’s chordal approach to jazz as well as why he’s considered one of the greats.
Who is this class for?
This class is best suited for beginner & intermediate guitarists looking for a crash course in jazz. If you’re a complete beginner, you may find that learning one or two chord shapes per day gives you plenty to work on. If you’re an intermediate player who’s new to jazz, you may find this class more useful as a reference to add new shapes to your existing chordal vocabulary.
Tips for learning
To get the best results from this class, take your sweet time with each chord progression! We only introduce four of them for a reason. We recommend that you resist the temptation to learn too much at once. If you find yourself feeling frustrated because new certain shapes are difficult to fret or link together, that’s okay! Remember, your brain needs time to commit new chord shapes to muscle memory.
Meet your instructor
Sam Blakelock is a Los Angeles-based guitarist and educator. He’s also the founder of Pickup Music.
Originally from New Zealand, Sam earned his Master’s degree in jazz performance from The City University of New York. As a guitarist, Sam has performed all around the world – in off-broadway productions, as a music director on cruise ships, on American Idol, and at iconic venues like the Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC, Smalls Jazz Club, Hotel Cafe, and Carnegie Hall.
Ready to jazz?
We’re excited to help you get started with jazz guitar. Ready to learn some colorful chords? Let’s dive in!