If a man wanted to learn some basic Jazz?

nickp

I have just started on this journey.  I initially would like to look at a chart and not be phased.  Guitar teacher gave me a few minutes to look at Autumn Leaves chart.  Then asked me to play the chords.  Fail.  So step 1 was quite a bit of learning.  Learn to harmonise the major scale - using caged chord shapes up the neck roots on 6th 5th and 4th string.  Then learn the caged shapes of Major, Minor, Min 7, Maj7, Dom 7, m7b5 (half dim) - mostly all 5 shapes but with the funnier ones then concentrate on having chords with roots on 6th, 5th and 4th strings.  Work that routine up (quite a lot of stuff) and then start playing them along to a metronome to ensure that the shapes and moves are embedded.  Now just about getting back to the chord charts and Autumn Leaves is a lot less difficult .  Will move on to a bunch of standards (starting with Justin's list probably).  have to work on some stock rhythms next.  then I might be ready to approach a chord chart as a begginer comper.  scary stuff but good