Classic jazz guitar
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- Start Date: 15 Sep 2025End Date: 01 Dec 2025Mon (Evening): 18:00 - 19:30In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 11 sessions (over 12 weeks)Course Code: ME718Tutors: Martin WheatleyFull fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00
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What is the course about?
Learn how to play classic jazz and blues guitar. no class on 3rd November.
What will we cover?
Chord playing of various types and styles employing different chord forms and voice-leading chord
sequence construction. Playing melodies accurately and how to embellish a line. Improvisation! Chord-melody playing.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Play jazz chord progressions
- Improvise over classic jazz and blues sequences
- Play lead and rhythm guitar with a sense of ‘swing’.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
- You should be able to play barre chords; be able to name notes on the fretboard to at least the
seventh fret; be able to play a major and pentatonic scales.
- Entry standard for this course is equivalent to folk & pop guitar 4.
- The ability to read music will be an advantage but tablature will also be provided.
- It is recommended that jazz instrumental study is supported by harmony study and ear training.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught through group playing sessions, with some solo playing usually by turn. The tutor will show you by example and there will be worksheets covering everything we do. You will be encouraged to pick things up by ear as the course progresses Daily guitar practice and completion of homework tasks are essential to your progress and the smooth running of the course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All music teaching materials will be supplied for class and available in the google classroom. Please bring your own acoustic guitar and tuner.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Jazz guitar study will appear again in our programme.
Martin Wheatley has enjoyed a varied career playing and teaching all sorts of fretted instruments: guitar, banjos of all sorts, mandolin and ukulele. His interest in the ukulele started long before the current wave of popularity through a love of vintage Hawaiian music. You can watch him performing on the ukulele on Youtube but he is as interested in the value and joy of the instrument for complete novices as he is in pushing technical boundaries. His performing career has been spent playing old-style jazz (pre-WW2) with occasional forays into the worlds of rock (Bryan Ferry) and classical music (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic). He has a B.A. from Colchester, an M.A. from University College London and a houseful of ukuleles.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
