Corey Christiansen

Jazz Guitar Essentials

Corey Christiansen: Jazz Guitar Essentials combines nine of the author's previous editions into a comprehensive book that explains the key concepts of jazz Guitar in an accessible approach. Each chapter includes melodic/harmonic examples with fretboard diagrams, standard notation and tablature. Part 1 includes lessons on jazz lines with chapters on digital patterns, guide tones and targeting. Part 2 presents the basics of chord construction and voicing techniques. Triads, seventh chords and chords with tensions/embellishments are covered, including their inversions, drop and quartal voicings. Part 3 presents comprehensive warm-up and technical exercises. Studies begin at the most basic level and progress in difficulty. This chapter provides guitarists with tools for constructing their own technical exercises. Part 4 presents accompaniment patterns for a wide variety of pop styles such as folk, rock/blues, country/bluegrass, jazz and some Latin styles including bossa nova and samba. Basic fingerstyle accompaniment patterns are taught with rhythmic notation and string numbers. Part 5 presents alternate changes and substitutions for the blues that can be easily transposed. (Chapters 3, 4 and 5 also are presented in Rock Guitar Essentials: Gig Savers Complete Edition). Part 6 includes lessons on common jazz chord substitutions. Topics include chord embellishment, alteration, degree substitution (iii for I, vi for I, ii for V), tritone substitution and many other tricks for spicing up chord progressions. Part 7 covers jazz Guitar comping, an essential role in accompaniment. A number of chord shapes and rhythms are taught in the style of Freddie Green, bebop and more modern styles. Blues progressions and an etude are included for practicing your comping. Part 8 presents a wealth of information about playing over the last two measures of jazz tunes. The method breaks down the harmonic structures frequently found at the end of tunes and provides melodic and harmonic ideas to help improvisers sound like seasoned professionals. The final part of this edition includes lessons on improvising over major and minor ii-V-I progressions.