Jazz Exercises
Jazz Guitar Improvisation Exercises and Examples
This is a full package of 25 exercises/examples of jazz guitar improvisation, from very elementary scale and phrasing exercises to advanced soloing examples, including
- full and extensive notation and TABS
- an e-book with explanations, tips and practicing advice for each example
- introduction videos to the exercises
- full guitar sound tracks
- custom backing tracks in various tempos for practicing
- fretboard visualization videos
As of February 2024, this package has been converted into an extended online course; additional material has been added, and all of the lessons have been updated. Three lessons on guitar technique have been added, as well as a full 14-page transciption of the tune Moondance as posted on Youtube.
This package provides the basics to get started with jazz guitar improvisation. And, if you like the melodic jazz guitar style of Matt Otten, you'll find out what his approach is based on, and how you can learn to play like that. The material aims at guitar players who can already play at an intermediate level, but want to understand how jazz improvisation works, and how to get into it.
If you're looking for a course in jazz theory, this isn't it; this is to teach you to PLAY; that is why it is called EXERCISES! The amount of theory is just enough to get you playing, and understanding principles of jazz improvisation. If you're looking for a 'play-like-a-pro-in-three-weeks' kind of course, this isn't it either. It is not set up to teach you a few easy jazz licks so that you can fake your way into jazz. These are real EXERCISES that you have to work on, in order to develop real improvisation skills. It is not difficult to understand, but it does take effort to do the exercises! The new on-line version is called the Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout.
What it is not:
- a course in theory or jazz chords: there is a bit of necessary theory of course, but it is more practical than theoretical
- full video lessons: there are introductory videos, however, explaining each of the exercises, the e-book, and there are fretboard videos. If you want video only, see Blues Forms, Talking Jazz Guitar, or Private Sessions instead.
- a beginner's guitar course: if you just started playing guitar, this will be too advanced for you. Start with a basic guitar book, and preferably a good teacher.
How to get it:
It is now an extended online course that you can find here.
The original package is still available as a download below, but will be removed in a little while.
Buy the download now for $29
Related products
There is also the Smooth Jazz Refill:
5 complete contemporary jazz pieces, with smooth backing tracks, 12 extended solos with audio tracks, midi files, TABS and standard notation. For the intermediate and advanced student. A great follow-up to the Jazz Exercises (Jazz Workout), but also very valuable by itself. In this package, the emphasis is not on teaching with step-by-step exercises, but on real full-fledged guitar solos, with solo analysis, to sink your teeth into!
And, there is the All Jazz Refill:
5 complete original mainstream jazz pieces, with backing tracks, 10 extended solos with audio tracks, midi files, TABS and standard notation. For the intermediate and advanced student. Another great addition to the Jazz Exercises, but also very valuable by itself. In this package also, the emphasis is on real guitar solos, with a lot of explanatory comments.
The general idea behind the Refills is described here.