20/12/2024
My friend, Matt Warnock, is an exceptional jazz performer and great guy....his guitar teaching website is superb - Rick
🎸 Rethinking Jazz Guitar: It's Not About the Notes 🎶
Here’s something to chew on: Jazz guitar isn’t about playing "the right notes." Shocking, right?
We spend so much time obsessing over scales, modes, and arpeggios—making sure every line fits the changes perfectly.
But think about your favorite solos. Wes Montgomery’s octaves. Jim Hall’s lyrical simplicity. Grant Green’s groove.
They weren’t just “playing the changes.” They were telling stories.
Jazz is about emotion, not perfection. It's about tension, release, and creating moments that stick with your audience.
Sure, theory is important—it’s the foundation. But here’s the truth: great solos come from how you feel, not from what you know.
So, here’s a challenge: next time you solo, ditch the scale patterns for a moment.
Play a single note, then let your ear decide where the next one should go. Focus on phrasing, space, and dynamics.
Try thinking less and feeling more.
Because at the end of the day, no one ever walked out of a gig saying, “Wow, those scale patterns were incredible!”
What’s a misconception you’ve had about jazz guitar that changed your playing when you let it go?
Let’s hear it below 👇.
