Can Jazz Chord Progressions Be Used in Standard Guitar Chord Progressions?
Yes, guitarists can indeed incorporate learn jazz chord progressions into their standard chord progressions. By understanding the unique voicings and structures of jazz chords, they can add depth and complexity to their playing. This can help create more interesting and dynamic guitar compositions across various genres.
Guitar Chord Progressions & How You Can Play Them Up The Neck
Playing guitar chord progressions in different ways up the neck can be challenging. That’s why this lesson which is part of a thirteen part series of lesson was created. You’ll learn exactly how to view and create chords that work across the fretboard which are good for a range of musical styles. Make sure you watch the video below in full and download the free resources so that you can get the most from this lesson.
INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOOK? CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
Lesson Six – How To Learn Guitar Chord Progressions
This is a partial transcription of the text found within the video above. Welcome to video six of the Drop Two Voicings Uncovered companion videos. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a book that GMI have brought out and each of these videos accompany chapters within that book. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the book by the way, because in every single video there are free resources offered for you to take and get something from whether that’s a backing track, a PDF or both.
I want to talk about in this lesson about bringing a whole bunch of things together. We’ve looked at I – VI – II – V – I progressions, we’ve looked at II – V – I progressions, we’ve looked at playing chords up the neck regardless of what type of chord we are playing and we’ve looked at synonyms; using chords for other chords. What we are going to do in this lesson is look at a I – VI – II – V progression, but we are not going to stay in one position. We are going to play the same progression all the way up the neck which is important regarding the understanding of guitar chord progressions. It’s all fairly self explanatory so I don’t really need to talk much about it. If, however, you don’t know what a I – VI – II – V is then probably the next video will be a great help in understanding exactly what this all means.
We have actually covered this before, but we did not cover it in as much detail so as I say, check out the next video for information on that subject. This is part of the narration from the video above. Watch the whole video to learn more and guitar chord progressions.
A b7 chord is a musical harmony consisting of four notes: B, D#, F#, and A. To master how to play b7 chord, guitarists often engage their index, middle, and ring fingers across specific frets, creating a distinct, resonant sound integral to various genres.
Understanding How To Manipulate A Chord Definition
Many people only know a chord by one name and the ability to change a chord definition so it can be used in many creative ways is vital knowledge when considering drop two voicings. In this lesson, Ged Brockie goes over the ideas presented in his book for GMI “Drop Two Voicings Uncovered” and shows how we can use synonyms to create a force multiplier for our chords. Make sure to watch the full video on this lesson as well as downloading the free resources which are available right below this text.
INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOOK? CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
Lesson Five – Using Synonyms To Change A Chord Definition
This is a partial transcription of the text found within the video above. This lesson is about synonyms, or at least, partly about that. We are going to be looking at how we can use chordal synonyms to expand upon the chord choices we have for a given measure. So we can create more movement in the chord progressions that this course has been looking at, so far anyway. This is the drop two voicings course which accompanies the book “Drop Two Voicings Uncovered”. Now, if you’re just watching this and you don’t have the book that’s okay because there is free material for you to enjoy in each of the lessons over all thirteen videos. If you do have the book, then obviously you are going to get a whole lot more out of it and I would encourage you to go through each and every one of the video lessons along with the “Drop Two Voicings Uncovered” book.
So, what is a synonym? Well, fundamentally it’s a way of expressing a range of notes in different ways and as such alters the chord definition that a chord has. In this actual lesson we are looking at the progression of a II – V – I and we are extending the use of the I chord at the end of the progression. In the previous lesson we had a II – V – I which ended in a major seventh. We are going to add a major sixth. Now that doesn’t mean that you have got to go away and learn a whole new range of major sixth chords.
How does the Diatonic Scale relate to the B7 chord in music theory?
In music theory, the diatonic scale refers to a series of seven notes within an octave that follow a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Understanding what is diatonic scale is crucial when analyzing chords. In the case of the B7 chord, it is built using the notes of the diatonic scale in the key of B major. This knowledge helps musicians identify the chord tones and create harmonies based on the scale’s structure.
Turning The b7 Chord Into A Dominant Ninth
Looking to spice up your dominant chords? The dominant ninth is a must go to chord, but in this lesson you’ll learn how to play the chord four ways, not just one right up the guitar fretboard. To get the most from this lesson, watch the video (which can be expanded to full screen) and download the free materials below.
INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOOK? CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
Lesson Four – Changing a b7 To A Dominant Ninth
This is a partial transcription of the text found within the video above. Welcome back, I really do hope that you’ve been enjoying the videos in the series and I really do hope that you gone through all the videos and that you’ve watched and learned from them. If you have done that, then that’s fantastic. If you’re just dipping in and looking at things I’d encourage you to go back and look at the other videos. There are plenty of great ideas within them and everything in this course of videos builds from something else. So, you really will learn a lot and this lesson will mean a whole lot more if you’ve looked at those previous lessons. So whether you have or you haven’t, this video is all about dominant ninths and how to create them from a b7 chord.
So, everyone likes playing ninth chords. You may know a ninth chord, you may know this one here. Everyone knows this, it’s used in blues, it’s used in jazz, it’s used in pop music and sometimes even rock music. Certainly used in funk as well, parts of it. I just want to talk about these chords in relation to this course; this thirteen video course which is all about drop two voicings. I’m not going to go into what drop two voicings are, if your scratching your head about that then please go back and look at earlier videos. Specifically lesson one which goes into depth as to what a drop two voicing are and why we use them.
What is a dominant ninth and why do we even want them. I mean, what is wrong with a plain old dominant seventh chord? Now we have been playing in the previous lessons, we’ve been looking how to play that chord in progression. For more on the b7 chord please watch the video shown above for the full narration.
Cool chord progressions are what give a song its unique character and appeal. They can evoke different emotions and create a strong sense of melody. Whether it’s a catchy pop tune or a soulful ballad, the right cool chord progressions can make all the difference in creating a memorable and moving musical experience.
Chord Progressions Every Guitarist Should Know
For many guitar players, chord progressions are a bit of a dark art. If you have wondered how some guitar players just seem to know what is coming next in a song then this is a lesson you need to watch and learn from. The video below is backed up by free resources for you download underneath this text.
INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOOK? CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
Lesson Three – Playing Through The II – V – I Chord Progressions
This is a partial transcription of the text found within the video above. Hello and welcome to this lesson, the third in a series of thirteen lessons which cover drop two voicings. If you are just dropping by and you have not seen the other lessons I would encourage you to have a look at them. This whole course goes along side or is aligned to the book “Drop Two Voicings Uncovered” which has been released by GMI and for the people who have the book, this is a way of seeing deep into the workings of the chords that are given. For other people, it’s a great way to get your hands on some free resources and why not.
This lesson is about the II – V – I progression and there is a large part of the book devoted to this progression. If the question is why? Well, in the musical literature, not just of jazz, but pop music, rock music, even classical music and many other genres, the II – V – I progression is a cornerstone progression used time and time again.
Now what we are going to learn here, is how to connect the chords we have learned in previous lessons in an effective manner and this is called voice leading. You will see on the screen now some chords and all I wanted to do was to demonstrate that with good voice leading, you can have really effective resolutions. The II – V – I is a very powerful progression because of the way the actual root movement moves; up a fourth or down a fifth. Within the twentieth century, this has been as popular a progression as any of the other chord progressions used.
How Can I Incorporate Upper Voicings Into Basic Guitar Chords?
To learn upper voicings guitar, start by adding the 5th or octave to basic chords. For example, play a G major chord with the B note on the 5th fret of the high E string. Experiment with different voicings to enhance your chord progressions and add depth to your playing.
Guitar Chords Across The Neck
Are you looking to learn how to play guitar chords in multiple positions all over the neck? No matter if the guitar chord you are looking for is major seven, dominant seventh or minor seventh? If you are, then watch the video and download the free resources below.
COME FROM YOUTUBE? DOWNLOAD THE RESOURCES FOR THIS VIDEO BY CLICKING “GMI GUITAR SHOP”
INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOOK? CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
Lesson Two – Playing Chords All Over The Neck
This is a partial transcription of the text found within the video above. Welcome to this second lesson of drop two voicings series of lessons. We are going to be looking at how to play, as the question was posed, are you scratching your head when you have a one chord for a prolonged period of time? What do you do? Well, if you watched the last lesson you will know that we have taken these chords up the neck. What I really wanted to achieve in this lesson was giving you the ability to learn these chord shapes in many different keys. So, how do we do that? Well, for those that have the book Drop Two Voicings Uncovered. Hopefully you do have the book and if you don’t have the book you’ll consider buying it, because within it there is a whole bunch of backing tracks. There is about twenty one backing tracks and we are going to use one of these backing tracks in this lesson on guitar chords across the neck.
We are only going to study the minor seventh in this lesson, but obviously, the backing tracks and the book covers both major sevenths and dominant sevenths as well, so there is quite a bit of work in there. Now we are going to use something called symmetrical harmony. You may have heard this talked about if you know about chords, specifically diminished chords. On the screen right now you can see the cycle of fifths. That’s all the notes that there are in the musical world and you’ll see that it’s now showing you the four points that we are going to be looking at. We are going to be playing G, then B flat, C sharp then E. So these intervals are all what we call a minor third apart. So what we are going to do is use these four root notes and play minor seventh chords from them. This short extract is taken from the video on guitar chords. Make sure to watch the video and download the resources to get the most from this lesson.
Can Funk Chords Within A Minor Blues Be Incorporated Into Jazz Chord Progressions?
Yes, funk chords in minor blues can definitely be incorporated into jazz chord progressions. Their rhythmic and harmonic qualities add a dynamic and exciting element to jazz compositions. By blending these funk chords with traditional jazz voicings, musicians can create a unique and engaging sound.
Drop Two Voicings – So Much More Than Jazz chords
The Drop Two Voicings Uncovered book is sometimes thought of as a chord book just for jazz chords & jazz guitarist. Nothing could be further from the truth. The chords found throughout the book can be used in a huge range of musical genres and are common place in many styles. Watch the video and download the free resources below.
INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOOK? CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE
Lesson One – Introduction to drop two voicings for guitar
This is a partial transcription of the text found within the video above. Hi there and welcome to the first video in the series about drop two voicings. In this series, your going to learn about drop two voicings for all kinds of chords all over the neck. We’re going to see how usable they are and how we can use them in a multitude of different positions and musical scenarios. Drop two voicings are not just jazz chords, but can be used in many ways
So, first of all, it might be a good idea to see drop two voicings on the manuscript and you can see that now on the screen. Now, those are not drop two voicings that you can see on the screen, those are normal closed voicings that we would see if we were just writing down the chord. I want you to look at the second one in those four chords shown. If we take the second note from the top of the chord and drop it down an octave, what does that mean? It means that we can easily play this chord, it looks, plays and sounds like this. Now that chord is G minor seven and we are going to use it as our basis to generate chords all over the neck and for guitarists we use it as it’s actually an easy way to play lots of different chords. Close voicings, like this example, you can see it’s quite a stretch. With drop two voicings it’s much easier. Playing multiple close voicings all over the neck would be very difficult.
So, you can see that shape and the actual music and what we’re going to do is generate this chord right up the neck. How do we do that? It’s a very, very simple process. We take the lowest note of the chord which is an F, then Bb, D and a G. I’m going to move up the string and stop when I find a note that is held or found within the original chord.
From the above text and the remainder of what is said in the video, you will realise that drop two voicings are not just jazz chords but chords that can be used in a myriad of musical genres.
WANT TO GET INTO JAZZ GUITAR? LEARN THIS JAZZ GUITAR SOLO!
If you are interested in jazz guitar then why not try out this solo performed by guitarist Ged Brockie live in concert with the Alex Yellowlees band. The song being improvised over is the timeless classic “Chicago. You can purchase the full notated solo in both music and TAB below. As well as this, you’ll also get three mp3 files which has the music played at fifty percent, seventy five percent and at full tempo so you can work up to the full tempo. This would be a great entry point for jazz, so learn this jazz guitar solo and we’d love to hear you playing it and comments!
To purchase the complete transcription along with three audio files at 50, 75 and 100 % speed see below.
If you are looking to learn how to incorporate playing guitar bends & slides in a solo then this lesson is for you! Guitarist Ross Campbell shows you how in the video below. As well as detailing all of the riffs played and how they are played, you can also download the solo and the backing tracks. Listen to this wonderful up and coming guitarist who creates this solo over his own song.
This book is a revelation! I am an experienced classical guitarist who wanted to find out about other styles. Drop Two Voicings Uncovered is quite mind blowing. Its like a Pandora’s box. Not only does is set out chords, their inversions across 4 adjacent strings, it presents them in the most useful chord progressions. Each lesson has YouTube videos and many supporting downloads. Highly recommended
I’ve been playing guitar for many years and about 2 years ago started to learn jazz. I am focusing on chord melody and have heard a lot about these elusive “drop 2” chords. Several times I tried to venture into the drop 2 world only to get confused and discard it. Then I came across this book. First, the book format is great! I love the large chord diagrams, and the progressive nature the material proceeds in. The YouTube videos and supplemental material make it a great deal and a tereffic learning resource. It is amazing how quickly you will start to get this stuff under your fingers and improve your skills. It has become part of my daily practice routine. If it came spiral bound, I would give it 6 stars!!
This is a book that I’ll use for many years to come. The information is presented beautifully with great clarity and the online supporting material is first class, overall a carefully considered concept bringing together traditional learning methods with newer IT based modes. A great buy, would highly recommend.
Very well designed book, which covers all of the areas of ii V I progressions and drop two voicing
I can highly recomend it to any guitarist who is seeking to learn more in depth about the most common in jazz progressions
Ged Brockie is a very experienced professional musician, composer and tutor. This book (together with its associated online links) presents a tremendous amount of information in a well structured way. The material is easily accessible and, most important for me, usable. Imho, a very worthwhile purchase!
Amazing video where I finally understood the concept!!!! Little correction at 16:18 on the chord grids for Fmaj7, for the one on the left, it shows the pinky landing on fret 4 of the 2nd string, and it should stretch all the way to the fret 5, to reach that 7th note: E (as shown correctly on the video).
The best course on youtube to assimilate the drop 2, the speed of the course and explanations are perfect. Nevertheless on the tablature examples, I would rather encode the pitches of note: 1; 3 (b); 5: 7 (b) than the fingerings, for even more understanding. Another thing, the teacher is sober and friendly. thanks again
This is a really practical, correct approach which gives a proper, solid grounding in the concept of drop 2 chords. It’s an approach which is sadly lacking in most youtube videos and I suspect that Ged wouldn’t even think of doing it any other way. Very enlightening and thank you
Ged has been performing, composing and teaching for over thirty years and Drop Two Voicings Uncovered is for guitarists who are beyond the beginner stage of learning. Many of the examples and ideas presented in this book were used by university music students over a two year period. This helped trial the examples that were included in this release which is volume one of the series.
DROP TWO VOICINGS UNCOVERED FURTHER DETAILS
A full colour publication in physical print form, 120 pages long.
An easy to understand system that enables you to generate the same chord over the entire neck and across all string sets.
Drop Two Voicings Uncovered details how guitarists can extend their chordal knowledge and is for any guitarist who aspires to play jazz, extend their chord knowledge in usable forms for blues, funk, pop and a wide range of other musical genres and scenarios.
There are nearly 1100 individual chord boxes used within the book with no music reading skills needed to get the most from this volume.
Learn not only how to play new chord ideas, but how to generate new chord forms and crucially how to use them within some of the most widely used progressions in music.
A comprehensive thirteen part video course (nearly two hours of video) complements and develops each lesson within the guitar book. These videos are view-able on both the GMI Youtube channel and within the GMI website blog area.
Purchasers of the guitar book can download additional learning materials that extend your use of Drop Two Voicings Uncovered. Further chordal ideas in a downloadable pdf book and 21 mp3 backing tracks to practice along with will be offered.
Periodical free updates sheets will be offered to book owners.
THE YOUTUBE VIDEO PLAYLIST FOR ALL THIRTEEN VIDEOS THAT ACCOMPANY THE “DROP TWO VOICINGS UNCOVERED” BOOK
What Are Some Guitarists Known for Their Unique Chord Progressions and Techniques?
Some guitarists known for their unique chord progressions and techniques include Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, and John Frusciante. Aspiring musicians can learn guitar chords by studying these artists’ distinctive styles and incorporating their techniques into their own playing.
Ten Guitarists You Should Know And Learn From
So, why are we blogging about ten guitarists you should know and learn from when we are a guitar site pushing our own agenda? Read on to find out why.
The Internet is absolutely bursting with guitar players who offer learning courses and materials. Some have become incredibly famous and are now the “go too” for learning. Also, most guitarists don’t like to offer up other players for consideration. In effect, protecting their hard won fame in the world of the Internet.
At GMI, however, we don’t want to be insular and give our visitors the best chance to find great materials from different sources. Many players have a lot to offer so here is our list of ten guitarists you should know and learn from. Some of these players are perhaps not as well known as some of the usual subjects, but deserve to be promoted.
So here is our list which is in alphabetical order so nobody can complain that they are being put down. Please visit them and enjoy their great content!
If you know of a guitarist you feel deserves to be featured then please leave a comment below and when we come round to this again we’ll consider your suggestion.
ONE – Anouck Andre – Jazz
Anouck Andre
Anouck Andre is a French guitarist who offers excellent lessons and resources primarily around the jazz idiom. She provides free lesson material through her Youtube channel as well as from her own website. Her Youtube channel has over one million views with nearly 7.5k subscribers. Find out more about Anouck Andre by clicking her name which will take you to her website which includes all her social media links Anouck Andre
TWO – Thomas Berglund – Jazz
Thomas Berglund
Thomas is based in Sweden and is active across a wide range of social media sites including Youtube, Instagram, Google+ as well as from his own website. Like many of the guitarists highlighted in this list of ten guitarists you should know and learn from, Thomas is very much a jazz player. Thomas’s Youtube channel, however, does feature backing tracks and covers other musical genres. His delivery style is friendly and helpful which makes learning much easier. Thomas’s website is perhaps a little old fashioned looking, but again it’s full of useful resources which any guitar player would find of use. Find out more about Thomas Berglund’s Youtube channel with associated links by clicking his name Thomas Berglund.
THREE – Marco Cirillo – Acoustic and Rock
Marco Cirillo
Based in London England, Marco who is originally from Italy has carved out an impressive and wide range of lessons from beginners to advanced players. His website is incredibly detailed and although he is still a young player, shows the breadth of his experience. His Youtube channel is well worth a look as well. Equally at home performing and playing acoustic as well as electric guitar, Marco has also released a new book titled Acoustic Steps. Do yourself a favor and check out this hard working and talented guitarist by clicking his name Marco Cirillo.
FOUR – Morten Faerestrand – Jazz
Morten Faerestrand
Yet another guitarist from Scandinavia, this time Norway. Morten has built up an impressive amount of followers on Youtube and has actually created his own studio for recording and filming material in his garage. His own website includes multi-angle video productions, interactive music and backing tracks. Again, very much in the jazz genre, Morten does offer material for guitarists under the “Basics” and “Intermediate” banners. His website offers both free and monthly membership options. Find out more by clicking his name which takes you to Morten’s website Morten Faerestrand.
FIVE – Rick Graham – Rock
Rick Graham
Although on his Youtube site, Rick Graham from England bizarrely features a body building program, but don’t let that fool you. For rock guitarists especially, Rick offers up a fantastic selection of learning which covers a wide range of techniques which is presented in a very professional manner. Also, Rick probably has one of the bigger Youtube channels with over 62K subscribers which is not to be sniffed at. From his own website you can book Skype guitar lessons, buy into the various packages of learning and gain access to the various social media channels which all make this a very impressive package of learning. Find out more by clicking Rick Graham now.
SIX – Jens Larsen – Jazz
Jens Larsen
Next up is jazz guitarist Jens Larsen from the Netherlands. Jens is a prolific creator of material and he provides this in a no nonsense learning environment across Youtube, Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit and more….gasp! Jan primarily focuses on jazz guitar and has been promoting on Youtube since 2006 and has amassed over one hundred and thirty videos and counting. His website offers a range of free and paid for resources and he is without doubt a highly ranked world class guitarist worth listening to and learning from. As usual, click Jen’s name to reach his website Jens Larsen.
SEVEN – Tim Lerch – Blues, Jazz
Tim Lerch
Next up is a USA guitarist called Timothy Lerch. Tim is one of those rare individuals who oozes a passion and love for the guitar and music but also engages the viewer. His warm personality and a sense that he really wants you to learn and do well hooks the student in quickly. Tim plays a variety of styles and is very much the virtuoso player who can also impart knowledge. From jazz to blues and lots in between, Tim’s style means that every note counts; a rare thing these days. He has had a broad and varied recording career with performers, many of whom are household names. Check out Tim’s Youtube channel by clicking on his name as follows Tim Lerch.
EIGHT – Rob MacKillop – Folk, Jazz, Classical
Rob MacKillop
From Scotland comes Rob MacKillop. Rob is a a hugely versatile musician who plays classical, to folk to jazz. He is also an author of note having numerous books published on a wide range of music related material. The best place to find out about Rob’s diverse activities is direct from his website as there is not enough space here to list it all. Rob also has a busy Youtube channel with two hundred and twenty plus videos covering guitar, banjo, lute, ukulele, classical and much more. Check out Rob’s channel by clicking his name with the arrow as follows Rob MacKillop.
NINE – Matt Otten – Jazz
Matt Otten
Here we have our second guitarist from the Netherlands, what a hotbed of guitar the Netherlands is! He is Matt Otten. Matt has over 18K worth of subscribers on his Youtube channel and a very large website which contains a massive amount of learning material which would keep anyone busy for a very long time. Matt’s Youtube channel consists of performance videos with his website detailing all the learning materials. He has used the term and has a “smooth jazz” sound which is really beautiful to listen to. Find out more about Matt in the usual manner Matt Otten.
TEN – Doug Seven – Country Rock
Doug Seven
Yes, we know. Why is Doug Seven in at ten, but that’s the way it is when guitarists are listed in alphabetical order. Doug is a incredibly talented country rock guitar player who really knows how to excite and enthuse the guitar viewing public. For example, his Youtube channel has relatively few videos at fifty six uploads, but his sub count is 14.5K…he obviously is doing something right! Doug’s website is focused in on selling and why not, when you can play this well then get it out there. If you love chicken pickin’ then give Doug a visit, you’ll not be dissapointed! Click Doug Seven to visit his Youtube website aptly titled “Sizzling Guitar Licks”!
Round Up Of Ten Guitarists You Should Know And Learn From
Well, that’s our round up of ten guitarists you should know and learn from. We think all these players deserve some attention. What do you think? If you have any ideas, comments or observations then please comment below.
Check out all our latest guitar articles as well as our online guitar store which has the very best in guitar tuition, books, vids for learning and taking your playing to the next level.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
