Jazz guitar: styles and techniques
Time: 19:45 - 21:15
Location: Keeley Street
- Course Code: ME717
- Dates: 19/09/24 - 28/11/24
- Time: 19:45 - 21:15
- Taught: Thu, Evening
- Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: David Harrison
Course Code: ME717
Duration: 11 sessions (over 11 weeks)
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What is the course about?
You will be introduced to the essentials of playing in jazz and Latin styles. We'll work with chords, scales and rhythms explored within the context of jazz and blues standards.
What will we cover?
Tunes for study are chosen in order to highlight a particular aspect of jazz guitar technique:
- Scales/modes
- Chords and chord shapes
- Improvisation
- Playing melodic lines
- Playing in different time feels
- Creating a bassline.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Demonstrate a grasp of important jazz scales and use them to improvise over chord progressions
- Demonstrate the ability to play some jazz repertoire
- Play in time with a good sense of jazz style.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
You should be conversant with bar chords; know the names of all notes on the fingerboard to at least the seventh fret, be able to play a major scale pattern, and pentatonic scales, and have a working knowledge of chord progressions. Entry standard for this course is equivalent to folk & pop guitar 4, and music reading will be of advantage. 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 by tutor demonstration, class discussion, synchronised playing with opportunity for individual attention and guidance. Regular targetted practice outside of class is an essential supplement to this short course. Reading music notation is not essential but will be helpful.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Music materials are provided by the tutor and available in the google classroom. Use your own acoustic guitar. A guitar tuner is essential, pencil and manuscript paper.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
A future edition of this study will be scheduled.
David Harrison studied at Oxford Brookes university before taking a post-graduate diploma in saxophone performance at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. David has been teaching at City Lit since 1994. In 2004 he wrote a guitar player’s guide for Collins and joined Music Sales in 2005 to update the famous A Tune A Day tutor series, eventually producing over 40 titles as series editor of the relaunched A New Tune A Day books, which has since become the biggest-selling music tutor series worldwide. Since 2010, David has worked freelance writing, editing and producing mainly educational titles, including Abracadabra Beginning Theory (Collins Music); The Complete Ukulele Player (Music Sales) and most recently the Bob Dylan Complete (Hal Leonard), the authorised collection of every Dylan song, together with an extensive introduction covering Dylan’s acoustic guitar technique, his song-writing and Dylan’s place in the American folk music revival. Aside from his guitar and saxophone classes, David runs a course in song writing. a series of talks on the music of The Beatles, and a series on the songs of Bob Dylan’s 1960s albums.
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.
