Why Study This Course?
Want to take your guitar playing to the next level and explore the world of jazz? If you’re already comfortable with guitar in other styles or have just started your jazz journey, this course is for you. You’ll gain the essential technical skills and musical knowledge to confidently play jazz guitar. This course is perfect for guitarists with some experience who want to delve into jazz.
You will:
Develop your jazz guitar skills with hands-on practice.
Expand your knowledge of chords, scales, and melodic patterns.
Learn to play jazz tunes and improvise.
Receive expert guidance from professional jazz musicians.
Have the opportunity to participate in the Richmond Jazz School jam sessions.
This course covers:
Basic chords for jazz guitar: Major; minor; dom.7; major 7; minor 7; half-diminished; dim.7; chord embellishment: maj 6; maj 7th; maj 9; 6/9
Chord voicings for common progressions: 11,V7,1; 111,V1,11,V7; etc.
Basic music theory for the jazz musician: Intervals; Cycle of 5ths; Harmonising the major scale; chord/scale relationships.
To identify and play common rhythms.
Basic scales - Major, minor, pentatonic in several positions and fingerings; Scale variations e.g. scale in 3rds; scale in broken 7th chords.
Major, minor and 7th chord arpeggios over 1 octave and 2 octaves with inversions.
4-in-the-bar rhythm guitar style: using 3-note and 4-note chord voicings.
To play chords, melodies, chord melodies, accompaniments and to improvise on several jazz standards.
You will:
Develop your jazz guitar skills with hands-on practice.
Expand your knowledge of chords, scales, and melodic patterns.
Learn to play jazz tunes and improvise.
Receive expert guidance from professional jazz musicians.
Have the opportunity to participate in the Richmond Jazz School jam sessions.
You will have played guitar for at least two years.
You will have a good basic working knowledge of guitar, including chords and scales.
You will be able to accompany songs and pick out melodies.
This course is not for complete beginners.
Level 1 literacy is an advantage.
There's no formal assessment, but you'll track your progress and set personal goals. Your tutor will assess your learning through practical exercises in class. After this course, you might want to explore other practical jazz courses at RHACC. Check our website for more information.
There may be opportunities to perform at Student Concerts on the final evening of each half-term.