Learning Chord Changes in Chunks
When I learn a new jazz standard, I like to practice the changes in chunks. I try to isolate anything I recognize from other tunes or concepts and then put the pieces together. It's a lot like learning to read; you learn the letters first, then recognize words without thinking about the letters, then recognize phrases without thinking about the words.
The primary building block is learning chord types. I regularly practice chords, arpeggios, scales, and improvisation over maj7, 7, m7, and m7b5 chords separately.
The next step is learning commonly occurring mini-progressions. I've been working on iim7-V7, V7-Imaj7, Imaj7-IVmaj7, I7-IV7, iim7b5-V7b9. After that, iim7-V7-Imaj7 follows easily. When I'm ready, I'll expand to larger progressions through the cycle of fourths, like iiim7b5-VI7b9-iim7-V7-Imaj7. Should be cake with a solid foundation.
The goal is to get faster at recognizing these common chunks, comping or soloing over them without thinking about every chord. I hear a lot of players talk about simplifying their thinking to accomplish the same thing, playing a single major scale over an entire iim7-V7-Imaj7-vim7 progression for example. I'd rather start with the basics, looking with more detail, and get so accustomed to outlining the subtleties of each chord that I can rely on the thinking I've done in the past to come through my fingers automatically.
tony hogan (13 Jan 2008 at 7:31pm)
What I find to be useful is to put them into guitar friendly keys and use a lot of open strings, this really changes the texture.
I also find it useful to listen to vocal versions of them to get a nice idea about the meaning of the song and what needs to be said.
Joe Pass and Ella Fitgerald did some marvellous duets of quite a number of tunes and the recordings are well worth a visit.
A lot of players are thinking science/maths and are missing the music. However there's one guy to listen to in that area that takes it past the mechanical side and that's Pat Martino. The other player that I think has the lot is Mick Goodrick.
If you can get hold of a copy of Joe Pass Jazz Lines it's worth it. His thinking and simlification of the process is brilliant. Also Jim Hall has a marvellous way of stating a melody.
Joe (13 Jan 2008 at 8:34pm)
Junk. Netflix seems to have about every Joe Pass DVD except Jazz Lines. I'll have to look elsewhere.
tony hogan (15 Jan 2008 at 3:59am)
Joe. I hope you like it. As I may have mentioned in a previous comment, I worked thru the Pass book for about 30 years or more, then when I saw the video, I almost cried because he made so simple and I rralized i'd been looking at his stuff from a complicated approach. Unfortunately I never saw him play, but I have at least a dozen Pass albums on vinyl. And i don't think that other players haven't surpassed his level, it's just he has a way of relaxing the whole thing. If you want a guitarist that hursts your head, check out Martin Taylor, he's better than a lot of people realize.
Joe (15 Jan 2008 at 11:20am)
What's vinyl?
Heard about Martin Taylor recently, maybe from you, maybe from a review of his album. And yes, he hurts my head.