Guitar Lesson #3

Aloha!

                   Welcome to Beginning Jazz Guitar Lesson #3. As you have seen in Lesson #1 and #2, the left hand has been holding steady on the Fmajor7 (Fmaj7) chord. In this lesson we activate the little finger (pinky) of the left hand. By FRETTING the 3rd fret(D note) of the 2nd string (B string) with the little finger (pinky) of the left hand, we add a D note to our our Fmaj7 chord. This new chord also has another name: D minor with an added E note (with the "open" first string ringing). If you don't play the open E string (and on the video I'm not), you have simply a D minor(Dm) chord. Just by adding the left-hand little finger  pinky), you have added a new chord (Dm) to your repertoire! 

Watch and listen to the video.    

       As usual, I'm playing the guitar with my 5-finger right-hand style. As you listen, notice the light jazzy sound of the Fmaj7 chord for 4 beats (with the high open E note ringing). The next 4 beats, I place my pinky on the 3rd fret of the 2nd string (I don't strike the E string during these 4 beats), and play the new Dm chord with 4 fingers of my right hand. Notice on the video the dark TEXTURE of the Dm chord. This repeats back to 4 beats of light-textured Fmaj7 chord then  then back to 4 beats of dark-textured Dm chord in a cycle. 

       As guitarists, we want to change chords as seamlessly and painlessly as possible. Arriving at a new chord by simply altering one guitar note allows us to more easily play our SONG.

       By the way, did you hear Roswell singing on the video? If... you look closely, you can see the little guy.                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                   Enjoy!   

Guitar Lesson #2

Aloha!     This is a continuation of last month's beginning jazz lesson. If you have questions about the left hand chord form, please read Lesson #1 BLOG. For those of you who already know guitar chord names you can see this is a Fmajor7 (Fmaj7) chord. In this lesson we'll hold the Fmaj7 and look at a  5-finger right hand style. Later we will talk about why I feel this Fmaj7

form is one of the most important chord forms on the guitar. 

  

              Listen and watch the video below. You will hear 2 beats of "chord rhythm" and 2 beats of pattern picking, then the cycle repeats. The left hand Fmaj7 chord gives us the "jazzy" sound and the smooth right hand gives us a tap-your-foot clap-your hand feel. In other words, the right hand gives us the RHYTHM. Some theorists claim that without steady rhythm, nobody will listen to you....for very long anyway. So rhythm is the key(no pun intended) to holding your audience. 

        

               What exactly is "CHORD RHYTHM?"  Well a chord is 2 or more notes played at the same time. Rhythm is the pulse you feel. So 2 or more notes played at the same time to a pulse is a CHORD RHYTHM. The pattern picking on my right hand is thumb(A note)-pinky(E note)-index finger(F note)- ring finger(C note). 

                Just a reminder: This Fmaj7 chord form on the guitar  is.....Low E open

                                                                                                 Low A open 

                                                                                   F note 3rd fret on the D string

                                                        A note 2nd fret on the G string

                                   C note 1st fret on the B string

       High E open string 

Have fun and....see you soon!

               

Guitar Lesson #1

Do you have a guitar in your closet

 and a song in your heart? 

Have you gone so far and

 need a new place to start?

Grab your guitar, electronic tuner 

 this guitar method will get you there sooner  

  

Theory:

• The lowest string rings free: That's "E open"
  
• The second lowest string rings free: That's "A open."
  
• The 3rd lowest string is "fretted" on the 3rd fret: That's an F note.
  
• The 4th lowest string is "fretted" on the 2nd fret: That's an A note.
  
• The 2nd highest string is "fretted" on the 1st fret: That's a C note.
  
• The highest string rings free. That's an E note.
  

Sound:

• Strum all six strings and you hear a jazzy F chord:    Fmaj7