10 Must Know Beginning Jazz Guitar Standards - MATT WARNOCK GUITAR

10 Must Know Beginning Jazz Guitar Standards | MATT WARNOC... http://mattwarnockguitar.com/10-must-know-tunes-for-the-beginning-...
A big part of learning how to play jazz guitar is learning how to play standards.
And playing jazz guitar standards means choosing repertoire from and studying the Great American Songbook.
As a jazz guitar teacher, I’m often asked which tunes beginning guitarists should learn when starting their exploration of jazz.
In this article, you’ll learn 10 must-know jazz guitar standards that every beginning guitarist should study.
These jazz standards cover a wide range of chord progressions and prepare you for your first, or next, jam session or gig.
If you aren’t sure how to learn these tunes, check out my “Learn Jazz Standards” lesson for instructions on the best way to learn any jazz tune on
guitar.
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1. Major Blues
2. Minor Blues
3. Summertime
4. Bye Bye Blackbird
5. Autumn Leaves
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7. Take the A Train
8. Milestones
9. Tune Up
How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8
Chord Studies]
Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Voicings
Major and Minor Blues Scales –

Guitar Tab and Essential Licks
Each of the jazz guitar standards in this list has a video of a famous recording so that you can hear how these tunes sound before learning them on
the fretboard.
There are also a few pointers under each standard on why this tune is important to add to your repertoire list.
These pointers help you study these jazz standards, as you’re able to focus on many of those important elements in your practice routine.
Lastly, there is a chord study for each tune to get these songs under your fingers and onto the fretboard.
There are two main reasons why these jazz standards are on this list:
1. They’re commonly called at jam sessions or gigs.
2. They offer an important learning tool such as an essential chord progression.
There are other tunes that could be on this list, but I wanted to stick to 10 tunes to keep things focused in your studies.
As well, I consider the following standards to be at an intermediate level, which is the ceiling I’ve used from a difficulty standpoint.
Rhythm Changes
Cherokee
All the Things You Are
Stella by Starlight
There is No Greater Love
Here are the 10 must-know beginning jazz guitar standards. Have fun learning these important melodies and jazz chord progressions in the woodshed.
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Chord Studies]

Voicings

Form is common to many musical genres
Guitarists with rock or blues backgrounds will be familiar with the basic form and chords
Usually the most common form called on a jam session or gig
Good introduction to the Dominant 7th chord, one of the most commonly used sounds in jazz
To help you learn how to play a major jazz blues tune, here’s a chord study that teaches you jazz blues chords on guitar.
Start by learning this chord study as written, then begin to experiment with the rhythms over the backing track.
Backing Track
Click to hear
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The progression is common in the blues, rock and soul genres
Can use the blues scale to solo over entire tune, a solid intro to jazz soloing
Introduces the iim7b5-V7alt or the bVI7-V7alt progression
Provides a look into a jazz blues variation beyond the major blues progression
In order to introduce your fingers to this tune, here’s a minor blues chord study that you can learn.
Work this study as written, then when you’re ready change the rhythms and begin to personalize these shapes over the backing track.
Backing Track
Click to hear
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Chord Studies]

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Memorable melody that many players have heard before beginning to study jazz
Introduction to minor key sounds, including the minor ii-V-I
Mixes tonic minor and relative major sounds during the second half of the tune
Can use the pentatonic scale or blues scale to improvise over entire form
Here’s a chord study to get the essential jazz standard under your fingers and onto the guitar. This chord study uses a standard jazz rhythm, playing
chords on the & of 1 and 3 in each bar.
Start with this rhythm, then move on to other rhythms as you expand this study in your practice routine.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Uses major and minor key progressions
Introduces the diminished chord and scale for improvising
Has famous chord alterations such as those used by Miles Davis that are an introduction to chord subs
Can be played at a wide range of tempos
Often called by singers, both male and female, on jazz jams and gigs
Here’s a Freddie Green style chord study that you can learn in your jazz guitar studies.
Work the study on your own first, then jam with it over the backing track as you get it up to speed in the woodshed.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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One of the most popular, and a definite must know, jazz standard
Often played in two keys, so it’s a good intro to learning standards in multiple keys
Features ii-V-I progression in both the tonic minor and relative major keys
The melody line has built in space that make it perfect as a first chord melody arrangement
Here’s a chord study to help you learn how to comp the chords to Autumn Leaves on guitar.
Notice the repeat sign for the first-eight bars, which is easy to miss on the sheet. Also, work this study with a metronome first, then bring it to the
backing track when ready.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Introduces the bossa nova comping rhythm
Introduces a tricky key with the ii-V-I in Db major during the second half of the tune
Pat Martino recording is a solid source for licks over this tune
Uses syncopated rhythms in the melody that are an introduction to Brazilian and jazz melodic rhythms
Here’s a Blue Bossa chord study that you can learn to get this song onto the guitar. In this study, you’ll use a standard bossa nova guitar pattern over
each chord.
This pattern helps you sound authentic with bossa songs, but it’s tough to get down for beginner jazz guitarists.
Because of this, start by learning the first bar from memory. When you can do that comfortably, play the entire study on your own and with the backing
track.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Introduces the II7 chord, a commonly used chord change in the jazz literature
The melody is largely based on chord tone and arpeggio shapes, so you can draw ideas from the melody when soloing
Has one of the most famous intros and endings in jazz, great intro to an arrangement than head-blowing-head
Played at a wide variety of tempos, and often called by singers on jams and gigs
To help you learn this classic jazz standard, here’s a chord study over Take the A Train.
Work these chords with the given rhythm before personalizing these shapes in your studies both on your own and over the backing track.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Nice intro to a modal jazz tune that mixes the Dorian and Aeolian minor sounds
The bridge shifts into a Latin groove, introducing A section swing and B section Latin form commonly used in jazz
The horns are harmonized in a way that sits easily on the guitar, creating a ready made chord melody
Faster tempo than other tunes, forces you to build up your guitar technique
Here’s a Milestones chord study that you can learn and add to your comping vocabulary.
Notice the repeat signs, which make it easier to read but sometimes you miss them and skip a section, be aware of that.
Also, the rhythms in this study mimic the melody to the tune, just different notes, in case you want to practice these chords along with the original
recording.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Chord Studies]

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Features ii-V-I progressions in three keys, introduces chordal sequences
Great tune for building ii-V-I comping and blowing vocabulary
The melody sequences down the keys with the progression, introducing melodic transposition and development
Wes Montgomery recording is an excellent resource for transcribing ii V I lines
To introduce you to this essential jazz standard, here is a chord study that you can workout in your studies.
Start by learning the chord study as written, with the given rhythm, before changing the rhythms and personalizing the chords in your practice routine.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Uses 7#11 chords, acts as an introduction to the Lydian Dominant sound in jazz
Opening two choruses are solo bass lines, which are easy to transcribe and learn on guitar
Sonny’s solo is filled with 7#11 licks that jazz guitarists of any level should get under their fingers
Introduces jazz blues chord variations beyond the typical major and minor blues forms
Now that you know why you should study this song, here’s a Blue Seven chord study that you can work out in your practicing.
Each chord uses a 7#11 sound, reflecting the melody line and the overall sound of the tune.
Since these chords are hard on the ears for beginner jazz guitarists, they’re written with a simple rhythm.
Once you’re used to the 7#11 sound, change the rhythms and personalize this chord study in your playing.
Backing Track
Click to Hear
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Chord Studies]

Voicings

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10 Must Know Beginning Jazz Guitar Standards | MATT WARNOC... http://mattwarnockguitar.com/10-must-know-tunes-for-the-beginning-...

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4. Bye Bye Blackbird

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

1. They’re commonly called at jam sessions or gigs.

2. They offer an important learning tool such as an essential chord progression.

All the Things You Are

There is No Greater Love

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

Form is common to many musical genres

Usually the most common form called on a jam session or gig

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

The progression is common in the blues, rock and soul genres

Introduces the iim7b5-V7alt or the bVI7-V7alt progression

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

Introduction to minor key sounds, including the minor ii-V-I

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

Uses major and minor key progressions

Introduces the diminished chord and scale for improvising

Can be played at a wide range of tempos

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

Introduces the bossa nova comping rhythm

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar

Major and Minor Blues Scales –

Features ii-V-I progressions in three keys, introduces chordal sequences

Great tune for building ii-V-I comping and blowing vocabulary

Wes Montgomery recording is an excellent resource for transcribing ii V I lines

How to Play Jazz Blues Chords [8

Drop 2 Chords – Essential Guitar