basic jazz stuff

[~The Wise One~]

Hi,
I'm just started to get interested in jazz guitar, and I'm pretty much clueless to it. What are some scales/chords that could get me started off? All i really know about jazz is 7th chords are used a lot, and the rhythms/syncopation used. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Will

[Pete Down I Go]

Get your hand on as many records as you can and get listening!

Try to get hold of 'Kind of Blue' by Miles Davis and get to learning the trumpet solo on the tune 'So What'.

The whole thing is based around two sections which use the D dorian (D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D) and Eb dorian (Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb) scales. It's a good place to start learning to hear melody in an improvised framework cause Miles sticks pretty firmly within the scales.

Once you have the notes down, try to concentrate and replicate as closely as possible the way Miles phrases and approaches each section.

This solo is seriously gold. You'll come back to it again and again...

[~The Wise One~]

My dad has quite a few jazz records, both 45s and even 78s, as well as CD's so listening shouldn't be too hard. Thanks a lot.

[Babble]

is So What the same changes as Impressions?

[myron]

It certainly is

[thickasabrick]

Learn as many different chord voicings as possible.

It would be best to start with triads and then move on from there. But you might want to start with dominant seventh chords. Learn a bunch of voicings with the root on the sixth string, then third on the sixth string, then fifth and seventh on the sixth string, then move to the fifth string and do it again.

Then do the same with minor seventh chords, flat five chords, ninths, and other altered/extended chords.

And listen to jazz as much as possible, you'll start to hear the same licks played over and over again and you'll realize it's no different than rock/blues in that there are always stock licks that everyone seems to work with.

[RyMac59]

is So What the same changes as Impressions?

Technically Impressions has the same changs as so what, not the other way around. Impressions of so what should be the song title.

[Babble]

oh ok thanks man

[~The Wise One~]

ok thanks everyone that responded

[Rams]

The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine is a book that might be a worthy investment if you are honest about an interest in jazz. It's not an easy introduction, I have yet to find something that is for jazz, but most people I have talked to agree it is near-essential for jazz studies.

[Daniel?]

Mark Sabatellas Jazz Improv. Primer is great! Teoria... Musictheory.net

Google it... Definitely worth it!
Also it's free...

[Meatplow]

I might give that a try Daniel looks great.

[BurningSky]

Also get yourself a Realbook and start working your way through it...