Guitar Lessons: How to Be a Better Jazz Guitar Player
If jazz guitar is your thing, then by all means, go for it! It is generally believed that jazz guitarists have a tougher time learning than others because jazz is all about improvisation, though technique and theory help a lot as well. The idea is that jazz guitarists must be able to develop their music with an instinctive feel for rhythm. But this is not impossible to achieve. If you have a strong interest in this genre of music and are sufficiently dedicated, then you can become a good jazz guitarist. Here are a few tips to get you started. For knowing more about your options for taking jazz guitar lessons, please refer to: http://guitarlessonssingapore.com/options-for-jazz-guitar-learning-lessons/.
Train your ear
The first thing to do is to learn how to train your ear to get a feel of the music and pick up ideas. For this, there is only one thing you can do and that is to listen to plenty of jazz music. Listen to jazz, try to remember the tunes and then hum along. Over time, you will be able to grasp the concept. It only happens very gradually. Practice without the help of play-along music. It is also helpful to try and tune your guitar by ear. Once you are able to understand the music and know how it flows, you will be better able to make certain decisions for yourself when it comes to choosing the notes.
Learn jazz tunes
Dedicate some of your practice time to learning jazz tunes. It is important to start building up a repertoire even if your goal is ultimately to write your own music. The music already created will work as a stepping stone to success. The positive aspect of this is that once you are able to play a good number of jazz tunes, you will be motivated to continue working on your music and practice more and more. Just knowing bits and pieces and learning difficult techniques will contribute to this feeling of having actually learned something that is pleasing.
Work on your rhythm
Jazz is all about one thing, and that is rhythm. If you understand rhythm, you are ready to play jazz. There are several ways in which you can develop your understanding of rhythm. One is to use a metronome while you are playing, so you realize when you are going off time. Using this technique regularly will lead to a better understanding of timing. When blowing and composing, always include rhythm in your calculations. Play with other musicians in a jazz band, so you get into the habit of keeping time.
Practice a lot
Absolutely nothing can be achieved without practicing a lot, at every available opportunity. It is ideal to work on your music for a couple of hours every day. Even if this is not always possible, try to make sure that you are practicing as often as possible. The only thing you have to watch out for is that you are not developing bad habits while practicing. This can be avoided if you have a good guitarist to teach guitar lessons. You could also record yourself and then play it back so you know where you are going wrong. Over time, you are guaranteed to improve.
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