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DAILY LESSONS FOR LEARNING RHYTHM & LEAD

YOU’LL LEARN:

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PROGRESSIONS

SCALES, LICKS

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HOW TO PLAY JAZZ GUITAR

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Daily Lessons for Learning

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WEEK 2: RHYTHM CHANGES 41

INTRODUCTION

DAY 8

44

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

DAY 9

49

WEEK 1: JAZZ BLUES CHANGES 7

DAY 10

54

DAY 1
8

DAY 11

59

DAY 2

14

DAY 12

64

DAY 3

19

DAY 13

69

DAY 4

23

DAY 14: WEEK 2 REVIEW:

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 73

DAY 5

28

DAY 6

33

DAY 7: WEEK 1 REVIEW:

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 39

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ISBN 9781674965840 Copyright © 2019 Troy Nelson International

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INTRODUCTION

Play jazz guitar in 14 days?! That’s impossible! If that was your initial
reaction to this book, you’re probably not alone. But the truth is, if
you’re truly dedicated to learning jazz guitar, and you’re willing to put
in the work, you can learn all the tools you’ll need to be a well-
rounded and competent jazz guitarist in just two weeks’ time.

If you’re an absolute beginner looking for a method book to teach

you the fundamentals of playing guitar… well, this isn’t it. Instead,
How to Play Jazz Guitar in 14 Days is focused on teaching you
everything you need to begin playing jazz with another guitarist,
singer, or even in a group setting.

While the book is not written for beginners, the material, while
challenging, shouldn’t be too difficult for intermediate players. So,
whether you’re a guitarist who’s been playing for a few years, or
you’ve been playing for decades but are unfamiliar with jazz, How to
Play Jazz Guitar in 14 Days will get you swingin’…. fast!

The book is divided into 14 sections, one for each day of the two-
week program. Within each section/day are six categories: Chord
Changes, Arpeggios, Scales, Octaves, Lead Phrase, and Walking Bass
Line. The goal is to spend 15 minutes playing the exercises in each
category, for a total of 90

minutes (15 X 6 = 90) per day.

Chord Changes

Each day starts with an introduction to the chord changes that will be
the focal point of the rest of the day’s exercises. The chords are
illustrated in both fretboard diagrams and tab, where a basic quarter-
note rhythm is paired with the chord shapes to create exercises that
will get you accustomed to the new voicings.

The first of two exercises features basic 7th-chord shapes for

intermediate guitarists who are unfamiliar with 7th chords, while the
second exercise features more “jazzy” extended chords, including
9ths and 13ths. Both chord types serve the same function, and it’s
OK if the second exercise is too difficult at first, but the goal is to
eventually gravitate to the more advanced extended chords when
playing jazz.

Arpeggios

The next 15 minutes are devoted to arpeggios—in our case, playing

the notes of the chords from the previous section individually in
preparation for soloing over these changes. Arpeggios are a founda-
tional element of jazz soloing—or any soloing, for that matter—so it’s
imperative to learn how these shapes lay out on the fretboard and to
get acclimated to performing them. Later, we’ll learn how to
incorporate arpeggios into our lead phrases.

Scales

The Scales section is a logical extension of the Arpeggios section.

Whereas arpeggios are most commonly used to solo over their
respective chords, scales can be used to solo over groups of chords
belonging to the same key. Here, we’ll learn scales and scale patterns
that can be used to improvise over the chord changes featured that
day. Some of the scales that we’ll learn include the Ionian (major
scale), Dorian, and Mixolydian modes, as well as more advanced
scales like Phrygian dominant.

Octaves

Like arpeggios, octaves are synonymous with jazz guitar. In this

section, we’re going to revisit the scales we just learned in the
previous section, but this time we’ll perform them with octaves. If
you’re unfamiliar, octaves involve fretting the same note at two
different locations on the neck, one octave (12 half steps) apart.
Octaves are tricky, especially at faster tempos, so spending some
time on them during each practice session is important for aspiring
jazz guitarists. Later in the book, we’ll incorporate octaves into some
lead playing.

Lead Phrase

After all the preliminary work on soloing, this section is an

opportunity to put into action the material we’ve learned up to this
point. Here, we’ll see how arpeggios, scales, and octaves can be used
to create a lead phrase that can be played over the progression that
was introduced at the beginning of the practice session. Over the
course of the week, you’ll accumulate a collection of phrases that can
be played over several chord types, from major and minor to
dominant and altered dominant.

Bonus: Walking Bass Line

The final 15 minutes of the day’s session is a bit of a “bonus,” and so

we’ve labeled it as such. One of the key elements of any type of
swing music, including straight-ahead jazz, is the walking bass line.

The thing is, walking bass lines don’t have to be relegated to the
bass; in fact, in small jazz combos that lack a dedicated bassist, you’ll
often find the guitarist filling out arrangements with walking lines of
his or her own.

We’re also calling this material a “bonus” because this concept is a bit
more advanced than the other material in the book. As such, you can
either tackle it in the same session as the other material, or you can
set it aside and go back to it when you feel like your technique is up
for the challenge. In these exercises, the day’s chords and scales are
combined to construct an accompaniment that works really well when
backing a vocalist or playing in a duo with another guitarist.

Weekly Review: Putting It All Together

After six straight days of 90-minute practice sessions, the seventh

(and 14th) day is dedicated to reviewing the material that was
presented throughout the week.

In Week 1, we’ll work on the 12-bar jazz-blues form, the most

ubiquitous progression in jazz. After six straight days of learning its
chord changes, arpeggios, and scales, on Day 7, we’ll get the
opportunity to review the entire song form and see how an entire
solo can be constructed to improvise over the 12-bar form, using the
lead phrases from Days 1–6.

In Week 2, the focus shifts to a longer, 32-bar form known as

“Rhythm Changes,” which gets its name from George Gershwin’s “I
Got Rhythm,” the tune from which the chords originated. This set of
changes is found in countless jazz compositions, second only to the
blues changes from Week 1. On Day 14, we’ll get the opportunity to
review the entire song form and see how an entire solo can be
constructed to improvise over the changes, using the lead phrases
from Days 8–13.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Granted, 90 minutes of practice per day can seem daunting—and

that’s OK! Just because the book is structured to teach you jazz
guitar in 14 days doesn’t mean you have to follow the program
precisely.

On the contrary, if you have, say, 30 minutes to devote to the book

each day, then simply extend each lesson (day) to a three-day
practice session. The material is there for you to use, whether you
get through the book in 14 days or 40.

While the 14-day plan is the goal, it’s probably unrealistic for some.
The important thing is to stick with it, because the material in this
book will have you playing jazz guitar fluently and confidently. How
quickly just depends on the amount of time you’re able to spend on
getting there.

Before you begin your daily sessions, however, I suggest spending

10–15 minutes listening to the audio demonstrations to get a feel for
the forthcoming exercises, as well as reading through each section’s
introductory material to better understand what you’re about to
learn. That way, you can spend the full 90 minutes (or however much
time you have to practice that day) playing the music examples.

To help keep you on track in your practice sessions, time codes are
included throughout the book.

Simply set the timer on your smart phone to 90 minutes (1:30) and
move on to the next section every 15 minutes. Or, you can set the
timer to 15 minutes (0:15) and move on to the next section when the
timer goes off, repeating this step for each new section.

Next, set your metronome (or drum loop, click track, etc.) to a tempo
at which you can play the exercise all the way through without
making too many mistakes (40–50 beats per minute is probably a
good starting point for most exercises). Once you’re able to play the
exercise cleanly, increase your tempo by 4–5 BPM. Again, make sure
you can play through the exercise without making too many
mistakes. If the speed is too fast, back off a bit until your execution is
precise. Continue to increase your tempo incrementally until it’s time
to move on to the next section.

There will be times when the timer goes off and you feel like you
didn’t adequately learn the material.

When this happens, I suggest moving on to the next section

nonetheless. It may seem counterin-tuitive, but it’s better to continue
progressing through the book than to extend the practice time in
order to perfect the material. After you’ve completed the book, you
can always go back and review the exercises. In fact, I recommend
it. Making steady progress, while not always perfectly, keeps you
mentally sharp and motived. Focusing too much on any one exercise
is a sure way to sidetrack your sessions.

Lastly—and this is important—if you ever feel yourself getting

physically fatigued or pain develops in any part of your body,
especially your hands or arms, immediately take a break until the
discomfort subsides, whether it’s for 10 minutes, an hour, or for the
rest of the day. You never want to push yourself beyond your physical
limits and cause permanent damage. As mentioned earlier, the
material isn’t going anywhere; you can always go back to it when
you’re feeling 100%.
WEEK 1: JAZZ BLUES CHANGES

Below is a 12-bar jazz-blues form in the key of G. These changes will

be the template for the first week of lessons. Before you begin Day
1’s exercises, however, spend some time getting familiar with this set
of chord changes, particularly where the primary chords, I (G7) and
IV (C7), fall within the progression.

Once you get through Week 1, you’ll know these changes inside and
out!
DAY 1

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

This first exercise features a pair of common barre-chord shapes, one

whose root is located on string 6 (G7), and one whose root is found
on string 5 (C7). If you’re familiar with these shapes, this exercise
shouldn’t be too difficult; if they’re new to you, get comfortable with
barring your index finger across all six strings at fret 3, keeping the
index in place as you switch between the two chords, moving from
an index-ring-middle combo (G7) to an index-ring-pinky combo (C7).

Notice the accents (>) on beats 2 and 4 of each measure. These

symbols indicated that beats 2 and 4 should be played a little more
forcefully (i.e., louder) than beats 1
and 3. Also, in true jazz fashion, play each chord staccato; that is, cut
their quarter-note durations short, rather than allowing them to ring
out. You can achieve this sound by briefly releasing the finger
pressure of your frethand after striking the chord, and returning the
fingers for each new chord strum. The result should be a “bouncing”
motion in your frethand. Be sure to listen to the accompanying audio
to hear how the chords should sound.

Rhythmically, this exercise is identical to the previous one.

Harmonically, it’s a little different because the 7th chords are replaced
by “jazzy” extended chords, G13 and C9.

These extended chords function in the same way as the 7th chords
(i.e., as dominant chords), only their tonalities are a little more
robust, or “sophisticated.”
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

Now we’re going to turn our attention to playing these dominant

chords as individual notes. The exercise below features a two-octave
G7 arpeggio that ascends and descends all six strings, starting from
the low G root on string 6.

Notice the rhythm prompt above the staff. This indicates that the
eighth notes should be swung rather than played as straight eighths.
If swinging eighth notes is new to you, listen to the audio to get a
feel for this rhythm. Also, for the sake of frethand efficiency, be sure
to follow the fingering suggestions displayed below the staff.

After 7–8 minutes of practicing the G7 arpeggio, it’s time to shift our
focus to C7. This arpeggio is similar to the G7 shape, only now we’re
starting on string 5 and a ring-finger barre is required when moving
from string 3 to string 2 (and vice versa). Once again, be sure to
swing those eighth notes!
SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Now that we’ve got the chords and arpeggios under our fingers for
the G7 and C7

changes, it’s time to turn our attention to a couple of scales that we

can use to improvise over these harmonies. For dominant chords, one
of the go-to scales is the Mixolydian mode, the fifth mode of the
major scale. G Mixolydian (G–A–B–C–D–E–F) works perfectly over G7
because it contains all four pitches that comprise the chord: G, B, D,
and F.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the G7 arpeggio is actually

embedded in the scale, which makes transitioning between the scale
and the arpeggio a breeze! You’ll see why this is handy when we
start working on lead playing. Again, be sure to follow the suggested
fingerings indicated below the staff.

For the C7 chord, we’re going to use the same approach. Below is the
two-octave C

Mixolydian mode (C–D–E–F–G–A–Bb). This scale works great for C7

because it contains all four pitches that comprise the chord: C, E, G,
and Bb. As with previous exercises, be sure to swing those eighth
notes!
OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

As mentioned in the introduction, octaves are synonymous with jazz

guitar, and nobody popularized the technique more than the
legendary Wes Montgomery, who played octave lines as fluid as most
guitarist play single-note lines.

An octave involves playing notes in two locations on the neck that are
an octave (12

half steps) apart. Both notes are exactly the same pitch, only one is
an octave higher than the other (hence the name).

There are a couple of ways to perform octaves on the guitar. One

involves plucking the two strings with the pickhand fingers. This
approach means we don’t have to worry about muting the string that
falls in between the two fretted strings. Another approach is to use
the underside of our index finger to mute the adjacent string while
strumming with either a pick or our thumb. The latter approach was
favored by Wes Montgomery, and for a good reason: it produces a
desirable warm tone.

The first exercise below features one octave of the G Mixolydian

mode played entirely with octave shapes. If octaves are new to you,
don’t overlook the fingerings indicated below the staff. Because of the
guitar’s unique tuning, the two-fret stretch required for string sets 6
and 4 and 5 and 3 becomes a three-fret stretch when moving to
string sets 4 and 2 and 3 and 1. These next two exercises are
challenging, so take them very slow at first (40–50 beats per
minute).

This next exercise is modeled after the previous one, only now we’re
playing the C Mixolydian mode. Again, go slowly at first, especially if
octaves are new to you, increasing your tempo incrementally (4–5
BPM) as you get more comfortable with the exercise.
LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

This two-bar phrase features a three-note motif that is established in

bar 1 and then repeated, starting on the pickup to bar 2. Notice that
the motif’s starting note shifts from B (fret 4, string 3), the 3rd of G7,
in bar 1 to Bb(fret 3, string 3), the b7th of C7, in bar 2, thereby
effectively emphasizing the change in harmony.

In bar 1, the notes are derived solely from the G7 arpeggio, whereas
bar 2 features both the C7 arpeggio and notes from the C Mixolydian
scale, which resolve to the low G note on fret 3 of string 6, signaling
a return to the G7 chord in bar 3 (which we’ll work on tomorrow).

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

When guitarists walk bass lines, they typically incorporate harmony

by mixing their lines with various chord voicings to “nail the changes,”
thereby handling the duties of both the bassists and the
pianist/guitarist. Walking bass lines and “comping” simulta-neously is
no easy task, but with diligent practice, it can become an invaluable
tool in your jazz toolbox. That said, if the material seems too
daunting for your current skill level, then feel free to bypass this
section each day, coming back to it when you feel like you’re ready
for the challenge.

In the exercise below, the G7 and C7 changes are outlined with a pair
of chord voicings that we learned previously (the C9 voicing here just
eliminates string 1). When playing this example, you’re going to use
hybrid picking, which requires you to strike the bass notes on strings
5 and 6 with your pick, and pluck the other strings with a
combination of your middle, ring, and pinky fingers. In other words,
the single bass notes are articulated with the pick, while the chords
are plucked with a combination of your pick and fingers.

Most of the bass notes are diatonic to G major, meaning they are
derived from that scale. However, a popular strategy used by bass
players when walking bass lines is to approach the root note of each
new chord by a half step (i.e., chromatically), which creates
momentary tension that is quickly resolved when landing on the root
on the subsequent beat. You can see this in action on beat 4 of bar
1, where the note C♯ (fret 4, string 5) precedes the root of the C9
chord (beat 1). The same strategy occurs at the end of bar 2, where
the F♯ note (fret 2, string 6) precedes the root of the G7 chord, this
time from a half step below.
DAY 2

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

The exercises below feature the chord changes that comprise bars 3–
4 of our 12-bar jazz blues. The first bar (bar 3 of the 12-bar form)
features a return to the I chord, G7, while the second bar contains a
pair of chords, Dm7 and G7, which is a ii–V (“two-five”) progression
in the key of C, setting up a return to the C7 chord in bar 5 (which
we’ll cover tomorrow).

In the first exercise, we revisit the G7 voicing from Day 1, so this

shape should feel fairly comfortable by now. At the top of bar 2, we
switch to the ii chord, Dm7, which is the same shape as G7, only its
root is located on string 5. Spend 6–7 minutes on this example before
moving on to the next exercise, which is the jazzier version of the
two.

This next exercise presents a new voicing, Dm9, which is quite

common to jazz guitar.

Despite the extension (9th), the new chord functions the same way
as the “stripped down” Dm7 voicing from the previous example.

To voice the Dm7 chord, bring your elbow in towards your stomach.
This will give your frethand a better angle for the requisite stretch.
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

The first arpeggio exercise should look familiar because it’s the same
G7 pattern that we tackled yesterday. Since we have six-beats worth
of G7 harmony—and it’s the I (root) chord of our progression—we’re
going to revisit it. Play it several times before moving on, but leave
yourself enough time work on our next arpeggio, Dm7, which is a
new shape for us.

The Dm7 arpeggio below starts on the root of the Dm7 (and Dm9)
chord from the previous section and features a slight, one-fret shift
up the fretboard when moving from string 3 to string 2. If you follow
the suggested fingerings, you should have this pattern down cold in
no time. But don’t be afraid to experiment with your own fingerings.
The middle-pinky combo on strings 5 and 6 can be a little
uncomfortable for some, so, if that’s the case with you, see if you can
come up with something that works better.

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Like the G7 arpeggio, we’re going to revisit the G Mixolydian mode to

tackle the G7

chords. The pattern below is the same one we worked on yesterday,

so think of this exercise as a refresher.
For the Dm7 chord, we’re going to use D Dorian (D–E–F–G–A–B–C),
the second mode of the major scale (in this case, C major, the key of
our IV chord, C7, which arrives in bar 5). Notice that the notes of this
scale are identical to those of G Mixolydian; the only difference is the
starting point, or root. That’s because these scales are relative,
meaning they share the same notes, or key. In other words, we could
use the C major scale to play over both chords, Dm7 and G7, but in
order to emphasize the tones of each individual chord, we play their
respective modes, D Dorian and G Mixolydian.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s use octaves to practice the scales we just worked on in the
previous section.

Below are the G Mixolydian and D Dorian modes played entirely with
octaves. The Mixolydian exercise is identical to the one from
yesterday, so think of this exercise as a review. The Dorian exercise is
brand new, however, so you’ll want to spend a little more time on this
exercise than on the other.
LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

This two-bar phrase is an extension of the two-bar lick from

yesterday. In bar 1, the line emphasizes the root, G, and 3rd, B, of
the G7 chord, using notes from the G Mixolydian mode. In bar 2, the
Dm7 chord is tackled with a 1–2–3–5 (D–E–F–A) D Dorian scale
pattern, followed by a one-octave G7 arpeggio, which handles the G7
harmony.

In bar 3 (which is bar 5 of our 12-bar form), the C7 chord makes

another appearance.

Here, the chord is functioning as the I chord of our ii–V–I (Dm7–G7–

C) progression (but it’s technically the IV chord in our 12-bar G major
progression). Notice how the last note of bar 2, F (b7th of G7),
moves down a half step to E (3rd of C7) for resolution in bar 3. This
is a very common soloing strategy in jazz.

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

With chords changing every two beats in bar 2, this walking-bass-line
exercise is a bit more challenging than yesterday’s. In bar 1, we’re
going to use the same G7 voicing that we used on Day 1, but now
we’re going to walk up the G Mixolydian mode on string 6 for two
beats before jumping to string 5 to set up a chromatic approach to
the Dm7 chord in bar 2.

You’ll want to pay close attention to the recommended fingerings in

bar 2 because things get a little intense. Notice that the index finger
plays a dominant role here, functioning as the primary finger for
voicing both chords, Dm7 and G7, as well for voicing the bass-line
notes. Fortunately, although played on different strings, the Dm7 and
G7

shapes are identical, so very little finger movement is required.

(We’ve included the C9

chord here for the sake of demonstrating resolution. This is the same
chord shape that we used in yesterday’s walking-bass-line example.)
DAY 3

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Today, we’re going to focus on bars 5–6 of our 12-bar jazz blues. Bar
5 is comprised entirely of C7, which is the same chord change that
we encountered in bar 2 (on Day 1), and was set up by the ii–V
(Dm7–G7) progression in bar 4 (Day 2).

In bar 6, we encounter a new chord type, diminished 7th—in this

case, C♯dim7. Often-times, you’ll see the IV chord played for two
whole measures, but the diminished 7th provides some harmonic
movement to an otherwise static IV-chord change.

The IV chords used in both exercises, C7 and C9, respectively, are

the same voicings we used on Day 1, so bar 5 should be mostly a
review at this point. The C♯dim7 chord, on the other hand, might be
brand new to you, so be sure to get acquainted with it before
attempting to play the exercises. Once you have a grasp on where
your fingers need to go, try playing the chords back to back at a slow
tempo, gradually increasing speed as you get more comfortable with
the changes. In the case of the first exercise, you can leave your ring
and pinky fingers in place on strings 4 and 2, respectively, when
making the change, moving only your index and middle to voice the
C♯dim7

chord.

ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

The first exercise below is a review of the C7 arpeggio that we

learned on Day 1. Since the IV chord, C7, reappears in bar 5, we can
use the same soloing strategy that we used in bar 2—that is, use the
C7 arpeggio to outline the C7 harmony.
Now let’s turn our attention to C♯dim7. The arpeggio sequence below
is played in the same neck position as the C7 arpeggio, only now the
target notes are C♯, E, G, and Bb, which, you may have noticed,
differs from C7 (C–E–G–Bb) by just one note—the root! Once you’re
comfortable with these two patterns, C7 and C♯dim7, try mixing them
up; for example, playing the C7 arpeggio as you ascend the strings,
then switching to C♯dim7 for the descent, or vice versa.

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Like the arpeggio exercises, our first scale example is a review of the
C Mixolydian pattern from Day 1, which can be used to improvise
over the C7 chord. For the C♯dim7

harmony, we’re going to use the eight-note C♯ diminished scale (C♯–

D♯–E–F♯–G–A–

Bb–C), which is featured in the second exercise. Since C Mixolydian is

a review, spend a little more time on the C♯ diminished scale. If you
look closely at the C♯ diminished scale, you’ll notice that the
fingerings alternate between index-ring-pinky and index-middle-pinky
with each string change.
OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now that we have a grasp of the C Mixolydian and C♯ diminished

scales, let’s try playing them with octaves. Once again, the C
Mixolydian exercise is a review of Day 1, while the C♯ diminished
exercise is brand new.

One thing to note is the fact that C Mixolydian is a seven-note scale,

whereas C♯ diminished is an eight-not scale. Therefore, you’ll reach
the apex (higher-octave root) of the scales at different points (the
root of C Mixolydian appears on beat 4 of bar 2 [and repeated on
beat 1 of bar 3]; the root of C♯ diminished appears on beat 1 of bar
3).
LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

Today’s lead phrase starts with a C7 arpeggio line to outline the C7

chord, with one note, the D on beat 4, borrowed from our C
Mixolydian scale pattern. As the harmony shifts to C♯dim7, the phrase
follows suit, quickly shifting to a line derived wholly from the C♯
diminished scale before resolving on octave G notes in bar 3 (bar 7 of
the 12-bar jazz blues, which we’ll work on tomorrow).

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

Although a pair of open strings are incorporated into this walking-

bass-line exercise to assist with transitioning between chords, a tricky
part does occur in bar 2, where the bass-line notes awkwardly
alternate between fret 4, string 5 and fret 3, string 6. The best
strategy for this part is to adjust the way you voice the C♯dim7
chord. Instead of using your index finger for only string 3, try barring
all six strings with it (your other fingers will voice the chord
normally); that way, your index is already in place for the sixth-string
bass note, and therefore no finger adjustments are required. (The G7
chord, once again, has been included to demonstrate resolution back
to the I chord.)

DAY 4

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Our next two exercises represent bars 7–8 of the 12-bar jazz-blues
progression. These two measures feature a return to the I chord, G7,
followed by the premier of the VI chord—in this case, E7b9.
The I-chord voicings used in these exercises, G7 and G13, are the
same ones we’ve used previously, so they should be starting to feel
familiar at this point. The VI chord, however, is brand new, so it’ll
take some time getting used to. Fortunately, the voicing used in the
first exercise is also used in the second, so the learning curve should
be a little less steep. The jump up the fretboard from G7 (G13) to
E7b9 is challenging, so take it slow at first. And remember: accent
those chords on beats 2 and 4!

ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)
A return to the I chord, G7, in bar 7 means—you guessed it—we’re
going to review our trusty G7 arpeggio. Since we’re already familiar
with this pattern, spend only five minutes or so on it, and then move
on to the next exercise, where we’ll need the extra time to learn a
new pattern.

In the exercise below, an E7b9 arpeggio pattern is performed in

fourth position, starting from the root of the E7b9 chord shape that
we learned in the previous section. As you practice the pattern,
remember to swing the eighth notes (again, listen to the
accompanying audio if you have trouble with this rhythm/feel).

Once you have the pattern down, feel free to come up with your own
exercises; for example, alternating between G7 and E7b9 arpeggios
every four beats, then every two beats, etc. You can also ascend or
descend the arpeggios randomly, starting on the root notes or any of
the other chord tones in the arpeggio—anything goes!

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

By now, you should be fairly comfortable with the first exercise

below, which is the same G Mixolydian pattern that we’ve practiced
on previous days. Spend about five minutes on this example, and
then move on to the second exercise.
Now we’re going learn a new scale, E Phrygian dominant (E–F–G♯–A–
B–C–D), which, without getting too deep into music theory, is the
fifth mode of A harmonic minor (A–B–

C–D–E–F–G♯). This scale works well when soloing over E7b9 because
it possesses each of the chord’s tones: E–G♯–B–D–F (1–3–5–b7–b9).
The pattern shown here starts on the root of our E7b9 chord, but it
can be a bit awkward in certain places, so be sure to follow the
fingerings indicated below the staff.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s test drive the scales with octaves. The first exercise is a
review of the G Mixolydian octaves that we’ve practiced on previous
days, while the second exercise features our new E Phrygian
dominant scale. Although the fingerings for the latter scale are a bit
awkward, the pattern actually makes playing octaves easier
compared to more common scales like G Mixolydian.
LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

This two-bar phrase leads off with the same pair of G notes (octaves)
that concluded our lick from yesterday. Following this octave jump
(string 1 to string 4) is a run straight up a G triad (G–B–D). Once at
string 1, the root of the G7 chord smoothly transitions via a half-step
slide to G♯, the 3rd of E7b9. In bar 2, the lick culminates with
stepwise descent of the E Phrygian dominant scale and resolution on
a pair of Am7 chord tones, A (root) and C (b3rd). (Am7, the ii chord,
is the harmony that comprises bar 9 of the 12-bar progression, which
we’ll work on tomorrow.)
BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

The G7 voicing used in this exercise is the same one we’ve used
previously, and the bass line walks up string 6 in the same manner as
the example in Day 2. However, now we’re targeting an E7b9 chord
in bar 2, so note the change in approach tone (beat 4, bar 1). In bar
2, the bass line alternates between the E7b9’s root (fret 7, string 5)
and 5th, B (fret 7, string 6), both of which are handled by the
frethand’s middle finger.

We’ve included the Am7 chord (bar 9 of the 12-bar form) here for the
sake of resolution. This voicing consists of a six-string index-finger
barre and the ring finger, which is tasked with voicing the chord’s 5th,
E, on beat 2. Feel free to experiment with your fingerings, however,
particularly in bar 1, where you can walk up string 6 entirely with
your index finger instead of switching to your ring finger (as
suggested).
DAY 5

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

The chord changes we’ll be working on today, Am7 and D7, represent
bars 9–10 of our 12-bar jazz-blues form. This is a ii–V (“two-five”)
progression and sets up a return to the I chord, G7, which occurs in
bar 11, as we’ll see tomorrow.

Our first exercise below features the six-string Am7 barre-chord

shape from yesterday’s walking-bass-line exercise, followed by the
same dominant 7th voicing that we used for C7 on Day 1, only here
it’s played up two frets and voiced as D7.

Instead of lifting your frethand from the neck to change chords, keep
your index finger barred across all six strings, adjusting only your ring
and pinky fingers. Then, just avoid string 6 when you strum the D7
voicing (although the A note at fret 5, string 6 is a D7

chord tone, so it’ll sound perfectly fine if it’s included in your strums).

This jazzier version of our ii–V (Am7–D7) progression features a

minor 7th voicing that is prevalent in the world of jazz guitar, and a
D9 voicing that is identical to the one used on Day 1 for the C9
chord, only here it’s played two frets higher.
When switching from Am7 to D9, simply shift your middle finger and
ring-finger barre up one string higher and add your index finger to
fret 4, string 4. Use a similar strategy when returning to the Am7
chord, only now you’ll remove your index finger, using the underside
of your middle finger to mute string 5.

ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

Our first exercise is a two-octave Am7 arpeggio that starts on the

root note of our Am7
chord from the previous section. This is a great pattern to use when
soloing over a minor 7th chord, whether it’s Am7 or another key. To
do so, simply adjust your starting point, playing the pattern from the
root of your desired key.

This next arpeggio pattern should look familiar because it’s identical
to the C7 pattern from Day 1, only here it’s played two frets higher so
as to outline the D7 harmony. As always, be sure to swing the eighth
notes as you practice the pattern. If you want to sound like a
legitimate jazz guitarist—and I know you do—then you’ve got to
swing those eighths!

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

On Day 2, we learned how to play D Dorian in second position,

starting on the root of our Dm7 chord. Today, we’re going to learn
another Dorian pattern—this time, in fifth position and starting from
the root of our Am7 chord. A Dorian (A–B–C–D–E–F♯–G) is the
second mode of G major (G–A–B–C–D–E–F♯)—the key of our
progression—and works great over Am7, particularly when the
harmony functions as the ii chord, like it does here.
The D Mixolydian (D–E–F♯–G–A–B–C) pattern below is the same
pattern that we learned for C Mixolydian on Day 1, only it’s played
two frets higher, starting from the root of our D7 (and D9) chord
voicing. A Dorian and D Mixolydian are relative scales, meaning they
contain exactly the same notes. The only difference between the two
scales is which note is considered the root; in other words, if we start
on A, the scale is A Dorian (A–B–C–D–E–F♯–G), whereas, if we start
on D, the scale is D Mixolydian (D–E–F♯–G–A–B–C).

Once you’re comfortable with these two patterns, pull up the audio
for today’s Chord Changes exercises and practice playing the scales
over the changes. You can do this for all of the scale and arpeggio
exercises in this book. You just need to adjust the length of the
patterns to fit the one-bar changes.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s play our two scales, A Dorian and D Mixolydian, as octaves.
Remember to mute the middle string with the underside of your
index if you’re strumming the octaves, being careful not to press too
hard; otherwise, you’ll create a two-finger barre and add an
unwanted note to the mix.
LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

This two-bar phrase offers our first opportunity to perform octaves in

a lead setting.

After a pair of Am7 chord tones, A and C, on beat 1, the line

transitions to a short A Dorian octave phrase, followed by a similarly
short D Mixolydian phrase. One thing worth noting is the note choice
at the top of bar 2, where F♯, the 3rd of D7, signals a change in
harmony from Am7 to D7. And, to further drive home the D7
harmony, the line ends with a trio of D root octaves that are briefly
offset by a quick C (the b7th of D7) octave.
BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

For today’s walking bass line, we’re going to include bar 11 of the 12-
bar form so that we can hear how the V chord, D7, resolves to the I
chord, G7, in the ii–V–I progression that comprises bars 9–10 and the
first half of bar 11.

You should already be familiar with the three chord voicings in this
exercise because they were used in previous examples. Notice that
the index finger plays a prominent role in this figure for both the
chords and for the walking bass line. If you follow the suggested
fingerings, this example should take less time to get under your
fingers than some of the previous, more challenging examples.
DAY 6

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Bars 11–12 represent the 12-bar form’s “turnaround.” We call it the

turnaround because the four-chord progression, which includes a
one-bar version of the ii–V change from bars 9–10, creates tension
that wants to resolve, or “turn back,” to the I chord, which arrives
again in bar 1.

This progression begins with the I chord (G7), moves to the VI chord,
voiced here as an altered dominant (E7b9), and ends with the
aforementioned ii–V change (Am7–D7).

The first exercise features four voicings that we’ve encountered

previously.

Our second exercise employs the same E7b9 voicing that was used in
the first example, but now we’re substituting jazzier G13, Am7, and
D9 chords in place of “stock” 7th-chord voicings. With chords
changing so quickly, jumping up the neck to grab the E7b9

voicing with accuracy will take some time, so don’t get frustrated if
you struggle. Just remember to take it slow and steady, increasing
your tempo incrementally as you get more and more comfortable.
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

For today’s arpeggio exercises, we’re going to try something a little

different: Instead of practicing each arpeggio pattern in isolation,
we’re going to perform them back to back, like we would if we were
soloing over actual changes.

In the first exercise, each arpeggio is ascended, in order, from its root
to its 7th: 1–3–

5–7 (the 3rds and 7ths are adjusted for changes in chord quality).
Since we’re using eighth notes, and each of the chords lasts two
beats, we’re able to include the fundamental chord tones of each
change: G7 (G–B–D–F), E7b9 (E–G♯–B–D), Am7 (A–C–

E–G), and D7 (D–F♯–A–C). The only chord tone that is not included is
the b9th in the E7b9 chord, F. Otherwise, each of the chord changes
are spelled out in their entirety.

In this next exercise, the G7–E7b9–Am7–D7 progression is outlined

with a series of descending arpeggios. Once again, the arpeggios
start on the root of the chord, but now we’re using a 1–7–5–3
pattern. The one exception is E7b9, which starts on its 3rd, G♯, and
ends on its 5th, B, for a 3–9–7–5 pattern. Notice the chromatic
movement that is created along string 1 as the chords change: G
(root of G7), G♯ (3rd of E7b9), and A (root of Am7). Also notice how
effectively the harmonies are emphasized; that is, you can hear the
chords change without someone actually playing the chords behind
the lines.

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

For our scale exercises, we’re going to use an approach similar to the
one that we just used in our Arpeggios section; that is, we’re going to
play all four of our scales—G Mixolydian, E Phrygian dominant, A
Dorian, and D Mixolydian—back to back. But, instead of playing the
scales from root to root, we’re going to play a short, four-note
pattern, 1–2–3–5, over each change.
If you look closely at the pattern, you’ll notice that three of the four
notes are chord tones—specifically, the root, 3rd, and 5th. The one
exception is the 2nd, which is the sole tone that differentiates this
pattern from an arpeggio.

The fingerings and fretboard jumps required in our first exercise are a
bit tricky, so take is slow at first. And feel free to experiment with
your own fingerings if the ones suggested below the tab staff don’t
work for you.

Our next exercise is a variation of our first example. Here, we’re

going to descend the scale patterns, starting from the 5th of each
chord: 5–3–2–1. The only other adjust made here is to the G
Mixolydian pattern in bar 1, which is played an octave higher than the
pattern in the first exercise.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

For today’s octave exercises, we’re going to use the same four scales
from the previous section—G Mixolydian, E Phrygian dominant, A
Dorian, and D Mixolydian—but our strategy is going to be different.
Instead applying a specific pattern to each scale, we’re going to use a
“next available chord tone” approach. In other words, as we
ascend/descend each scale, we’re going to target the first available
chord tone for each new chord, which eliminates the need to make
large intervallic jumps and results in fluid-sounding lines.

If you look at our first exercise below, you’ll notice that our first four
octaves are the first four notes of the G Mixolydian mode: G–A–B–C.
Then, as the harmony changes to E7b9 on beat 3, we move in
stepwise fashion (in this case, a whole step) from C to D, the b7th (a
chord tone!) of our new chord. To continue our eighth-note line, we
just move stepwise up the E Phrygian dominant scale: D–E–F–G♯.

This puts us in an advantageous position for our next chord, Am7,

because now we can move via a half step from G♯, the 3rd of E7b9,
to A, the root of Am7. However, when we reach the end of our Am7
chord (on the “and” of beat 2), we happen to be to sitting on the
note D, which is also the root of our next chord, D7. So, what do we
now?

Simple: we just start our descent and move from D to C, thereby

landing on the b7th (another chord tone!) at the top of the D7 chord
(beat 3)!
We use the “next available chord tone” approach for our second
exercise, as well, only now we’re descending the strings, starting
from the note D, the 5th of the G7 chord. As we descend, we land on
the following chord tones: G♯ (3rd of E7b9), C (b3rd of Am7), and F♯
(3rd of D7). And this all happens while staying within the parameters
of our four scales.

LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

Today’s lead phrase features a steady stream of eighth notes that

outlines the G7–

E7b9–Am7–D7 progression almost exclusively with arpeggios, with

the exception of the G7 chord, which features a 1–2–3–5 G
Mixolydian scale pattern—the same one we learned in the Scales
section. Starting at E7b9, however, the remainder of the line is a
series of arpeggios.

If you look closely at bar 1, you’ll notice that the three-fret index-
pinky shape that begins on beat 2 (second half of the G7 chord) is
repeated on the subsequent two beats, only it’s shifted up one string
and one fret on each repetition. In addition to being efficient, the
shape also outlines nearly every note of the E7b9 chord, starting
from the b9th: F–G♯–B–D (9–3–5–7). The only note missing is the
root, which is typically handled by the bass, anyways.
BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

Now let’s try walking our I–VI–ii–V (G7–E7b9–Am7–D7) turnaround

progression. Once again, we’re going to include resolution to the G7
chord, which represents a return to the top (bar 1) of the 12-bar
form.

The biggest challenge of this exercise is making the jump up to fret 8

(beat 2, bar 1) for the chromatic approach tone, F, which leads into
the E7b9 chord. Here’s a tip: as you move up the neck with your
frethand, start shifting your middle finger from string 3

to string 5. By using the middle finger for the approach tone, you’re
ready to voice the E7b9 chord on the subsequent beat (beat 3). Use
this same strategy for each of the approach tones in this exercise,
whether it’s with the index finger or the middle.
DAY 7

WEEK 1 REVIEW: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER (1:30–0:00)

This is the day we’ve been waiting for! Now, we get to apply six days
of hard work to the full 12-bar form. The exercise below is an
aggregation of the Chord Changes, Lead Phrase, and Walking Bass
Line examples that we’ve practiced throughout the week.

Since you’re already familiar with the material, albeit in smaller two-
bar increments, the real challenge is getting comfortable with playing
through the solo and chord changes (and bass line, if you’re up for it)
for all 12 bars. Before you begin, be sure to pull up the audio and
listen to how the three parts sound played separately, as well as
together. Then, practice the chord changes first, working towards
playing all 12 bars cleanly and without interruption.

Next, string together all six of the two-bar phrases that we learned
throughout the week into one complete 12-bar solo. Finally, if you’re
up for it, you can take a crack at the walking bass line, which, like the
other parts, is an aggregation of the two-bar patterns that we worked
on throughout the week. When you’re done, you’ll know how to solo,
comp, and walk a bass line over of a 12-bar jazz blues!

After 90 minutes, if you feel like you don’t have a good grasp on any
part of this example, feel free to go back and review it as often as
you need. While 90 minutes is the allotted time, that doesn’t mean
you’re expected to have the material down cold. However, don’t let
today’s example hold you up from moving on to Week 2. Instead,
find some additional time to review the material from Week 1 while
you work through Week 2. Another option is hold off on reviewing
Week 1 until you get through the entire book.
WEEK 2: RHYTHM CHANGES

On the next page is a 32-bar song form know as Rhythm Changes,

arranged here in the key of Bb. Rhythm Changes consists of an A
section and a B section. The A section is played twice, with a first
ending (bars 7–8) that mirrors the changes in bars 3–4

(iii–VI–ii–V, or Dm7–G7–Cm7–F7), and a second ending (ii–V–I, or

Cm7–F7–Bbmaj7) that sets up the B section.

After 16 bars of chords that change every two beats, the eight-bar
middle (B) section features a collection of dominant 7th chords (D7–
G7–C7–F7) that last two bars each.

Finally, the last eight bars are simply a reiteration of the A section
with the second ending, resulting in a 32-bar AABA song form.

These changes will be the template for the second week of lessons.
Before you begin Day 2’s exercises, however, spend some time
getting familiar with this progression.

A couple of things that will help with memorization is that fact that
the ii–V (Cm7–
F7) progression is used repeatedly throughout, and the B section
contains just four chords, with the two pairs, D7–G7 and C7–F7,
having the same intervallic relationship (i.e., root movement).

Once you get through Week 2, you’ll have a good handle on one of
jazz music’s most important progressions!
DAY 8

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

The first two bars of the eight-bar A section features a I–VI–ii–V

(Bbmaj7–G7b9–Cm7–

F7) progression. We’ve seen these changes before, because they’re

the same changes found in the turnaround (bars 11–12) of our 12-
bar jazz-blues form, only in the key of Bb.

Notice the bass-note movement of the first three voicings, which

ascends chromatically along string 5: Bb–B–C. This is a good example
of efficient voice leading and ramps up tension that is ultimately
resolved when the I chord reappears. The Bbmaj7 and G7b9
voicings in the first exercise are new, so spend a little extra time
getting acquainted with them. Meanwhile, the Cm7 and F7 voicings
are ones we used last week, so they shouldn’t give you too much
trouble.

Our second exercise is a jazzier version of our Bbmaj7–G7b9–Cm7–

F7 progression.

Again, the I and VI chords are new voicings, so they’ll need a little
extra attention, while the ii and V chords are voicings that we learned
last week. Similar to our previous example, notice the chromatic
movement that’s created along string 6 by the voice leading. The
tricky part here is quickly switching from our index to middle finger
on string 6

as we move from Bbmaj7 to G7b9. Fortunately, we can keep the

middle finger affixed to string 6 when we move to Cm7. You might
want to loop these three chords (Bbmaj7–

G7b9–Cm7) for practice before including F9.

ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

With the chords changing at a swift, two-beat pace, we’re going to

employ the same strategy that we did for the turnaround progression
on Day 6; that is, perform the arpeggios back to back, like we would
if we were soloing over actual changes.

In our first exercise, we’ll be ascending each arpeggio, starting from

the root. The one exception is G7b9, which begins on the b9th, Ab,
and ascends to the b7th, F. By starting on the b9th, we’re able to
create efficient, half-step voice leading from the Bbmaj7

chord’s 7th, A. Notice how this approach really brings out the
tonalities of the two chords.

Now we’re going to descend the arpeggios, using a 1–7–5–3 pattern.

Again, the one exception is G7b9, which begins on the b9th, Ab, and
uses a 9–7–5–3 pattern. Frethand fingers are indicated below the
staff, but feel free to experiment with your own fingerings until you
find one that works best for you.

SCALES (1:00–0:45)
For today’s scales, we’re going to continue with our pattern playing,
using the same strategy that we first implanted on Day 6. As the
chords change, the scales change along with them, moving from
Bbmajor (Bb–C–D–Eb–F–G–A) to G Phrygian dominant (G–Ab–B–C–
D–Eb–F) to C Dorian (C–D–Eb–F–G–A–Bb) and, finally, to F
Mixolydian (F–G–A–Bb–C–D–Eb). The pattern applied to each scale is,
once again, 1–2–3–5, including for G Phrygian dominant. However,
the second step of this pattern is the b9th, Ab, which requires just a
half step when moving to it from the root, G.
Now we’re going to use a 5–3–2–1 pattern to descend the scales.
This is the same pattern that we used in the previous exercise, only
now we’re starting from the 5th and moving backwards.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s apply octaves to our scale patterns. Our first exercise is the
1–2–3–5 pattern.

In order to make it playable with octaves, we have to lower by one

octave the original Cm7 and F7 patterns; otherwise, the phrases are
exactly the same.
Our second exercise is identical to the 5–3–2–1 pattern from the
previous section (only played with octaves, of course).

LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

Today’s lick starts with a reverse Bbmaj7 arpeggio—the same 1–7–5–

3 pattern that we learned in the Arpeggios section—and transitions to
the 9–7–5–3 pattern (also from the Arpeggios section) for the G7b9
change. In measure 2, the lick wraps up with the 1–2–3–5 pattern
(over the Cm7 chord) and a reverse F7 arpeggio that starts on its
3rd: A–F–Eb–C (3–1–7–5).

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

In today’s walking-bass-line example, we’re going to tackle the I

chord, Bbmaj7, with a major 6th voicing, and the VI chord, G7b9,
with the same voicing we used in the Chord Changes section, only
this inversion includes the b9th, Ab, in the bass rather than the 3rd,
B. Meanwhile, the ii–V progression, Cm7–F7, features a pair of
voicings that we learned in Week 1.

By using these voicings, we’re able to keep the frethand’s middle

finger affixed to string 6 for the first three chords (Bbmaj7, G7b9, and
Cm7), which mitigates the difficulty of making the jump up to fret 9
for the Cm7 approach tone. For help, refer to the suggested
fingerings located below the tab staff.
DAY 9

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Bars 3–4 of the eight-bar A section features a iii–VI–ii–V (Dm7–G7–
Cm7–F7) progression. This set of changes is very similar to our four-
chord progression from yesterday, Bbmaj7–G7b9–Cm7–F7 (I–VI–ii–
V). Here, the progression starts on the iii chord, Dm7, instead of the I
chord, Bbmaj7, and the VI chord is voiced without the b9th
alteration.

Other than those differences, the two progressions are identical,

including the ii–V

(Cm7–F7) change.

In our first exercise, standard fifth- and sixth-string barre chords are
used exclusively. Notice that the voicings for the Dm7 and G7
changes are repeated in bar 2, only they’re played two frets lower
(i.e., transposed to Cm7 and F7).

A similar strategy is used for our second exercise, but in place of

standard barre-chord shapes, we’re going to apply “jazzier” minor 7th
and dominant 9th voicings—chords we’ve used previously. To
transition between these voicings, simply shift your ring-finger barre
from strings 2–4 to strings 1–3 and adjust your index and middle
fingers ac-cordingly.
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

In our first exercise, all four arpeggios are played in ascending

fashion, starting from their respective root. In bar 1, the Dm7 pattern
begins on the fifth-string root and is followed by a fourth-string
pattern for the G7 chord. Meanwhile, the Cm7 and F7 arpeggios are
identical to the ones from yesterday.

In our next example, the arpeggios are performed in descending

fashion, using a 1–7–5–3 pattern. At the end of bar 2, the phrase
moves from A (fret 5, string 6), the 3rd of F7, to Ab, the b3rd of Fm7
(from bar 5 of the eight-bar A section, which we’ll work on
tomorrow). Emphasizing 3rds is an effective way to outline a major
(or dominant) chord that moves to its parallel minor (i.e., minor chord
sharing the same root).

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Once again, we’re going to practice scale patterns in context; that is,
we’re going switch scales as the chords change (every two beats). In
the first exercise, we’re going to apply the 1–2–3–5 pattern to each
chord, deriving the notes from the D Dorian, G
Mixolydian, C Dorian, and F Mixolydian modes. While the phrase in
bar 1 is brand new, the one in bar 2 should look familiar because we
used it over yesterday’s Cm7–F7

progression. Notice that, as the chords change, the pattern is

repeated on a new, adjacent string, with adjustments made to
accommodate changes in chord quality (minor or major/dominant)
and for finger-efficiency purposes.
Now let’s reverse the pattern, using a 5–3–2–1 sequence to outline
the chord changes.

Although we’re now starting the patterns on each scale’s 5th instead
of the root, the patterns remain exactly the same. And, like the
previous exercise, notice that we move to a new, adjacent string at
the start of each new chord/pattern.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s apply octaves to the scale patterns that we just learned.
Spend 7–8 minutes on the first exercise before moving on to the
second.

In bar 1 of our first example, the notes match the 1–2–3–5 scale
pattern from the previous section, with a slight adjustment to the B
octave (beat 3), whose lowest note is voiced here on string 3 (fret 4)
instead of string 4 (fret 9)—although either location is fine.
Meanwhile, the notes in the second half of the exercise have been
transposed down one octave to accommodate the octave shapes.
In our second exercise, the 5–3–2–1 pattern is applied to each
change and performed entirely with octaves. The fingerings here are
identical to the previous example, only in reverse order.

LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

This lead phrase is comprised of a series of alternating scale patterns

and arpeggios.

In bar 1, a 1–2–3–5 D Dorian line transitions seamlessly to a

descending G7 arpeggio, starting from the chord’s 3rd, B.

A similar approach is taken in bar 2, as well. After outlining the Cm7

chord with a 1–2–

3–5 C Dorian line, the two-bar phrase concludes with a descending

F7 arpeggio, this time starting from the chord’s root, F.

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

This example is essentially a walking-bass-line version of the second

exercise from today’s Chord Changes section. The only real
adjustment that needs to be made is the way the 9th chords are
voiced. Whereas the earlier example featured a three-string ring-
finger barre, the 9th chords here exclude the note on string 1 in favor
of a more concise four-note voicing, one we’ve encountered
previously.

As with all of our walking-bass-line examples, use your pick for the
bass notes, plucking the chords with a combination of your middle,
ring, and pinky fingers. And, if you’re still having trouble with the
swing feel, listen to the audio to hear how it should sound in this
context.

DAY 10

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Today, we’re going to focus on bars 5–6 of the eight-bar A section.

Theoretically, the progression in these two bars, Fm7–Bb7–Ebmaj7–
Ebm7, can be examined a couple of different ways. One way is to
view the chords as relative to the song’s key, Bb, which would result
in a v–I–IV–iv progression.
Another way is to view the Fm7–Bb7 change as a ii–V progression in
the key of Eb (i.e., a temporary key change). This new key, Eb,
happens to be the IV chord in our original key, Bb, and is also the
chord that immediately follows the ii–V change, thus giving us a brief
ii–V–I–i progression in Eb. For our purposes, we’re going to go with a
combination of the two; that is, we’re going to consider the Fm7–Bb7
change as a ii–V progression in the key of Eb, but we’re going to view
the Ebmaj7 and Ebm7 changes relative to the song’s key, Bb; in other
words, as the major and minor IV chords, respectively.

In our first exercise, the first two chords, Fm7 and Bb7, are voiced in
first position, using common six- and five-string barre-chord shapes,
respectively. In bar 2, we’re going to shift up to sixth position and
play the Ebmaj7 and Ebm7 changes with a pair of fifth-string-root
barre-chord shapes that we’ve used previously.

In our next exercise, we’re going to perform the ii–V progression with
a pair of voicings that we first encountered on Days 1 and 2, which
are played here as Fm9 and Bb13.

For the IV chord, Ebmaj7, we’re going to use a voicing that’s new to
us, Ebmaj9. This major 9th shape is a popular alternative to standard
major 7th voicings, so be sure to get to know it intimately.

This two-bar progression ends with an Ebm9 chord, which is the

same shape as the Fm9 chord, only it’s voiced a whole step (two
frets) lower. These chords are taxing on the frethand, especially the
minor 9th shape, so be sure to give your hand a rest if it becomes
fatigued or you encounter pain.
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

Our first exercise commences with one-octave Fm7 and Bb7

arpeggios that start on the root of each chord and end on the 7th: 1–
3–5–7. In bar 2, where the harmony moves from the major IV chord
to the minor iv, a one-octave Ebmaj7 arpeggio (1–3–5–

7) is stacked on top of a one-octave Ebm7 arpeggio, creating a

seamless transition. If you listen closely to this section, you can
clearly hear the harmony change from major (beats 1–2) to minor
(beats 3–4).

Our second exercise is essentially the inverse of our previous

example. Here, all of the arpeggios are performed in descending
fashion, starting from the root and ending on the 3rd: 1–7–5–3. The
one exception is bar 2, where the Ebmaj7 and Ebm7 arpeggios are
played in parallel (rather than stacked on top of each other), with the
3rd and 7th each lowered a half step to accommodate the new,
minor chord quality (Ebm7).
Also worth noting is fact that, although the last note of the phrase,
Eb, is the root of the Ebm7 chord, it functions here as the b3rd of
Cm7 (the first chord of bar 7, which we’ll cover tomorrow).

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Now let’s create some scale patterns that we can use to solo over our
Fm7–Bb7–

Ebmaj7–Ebm7 progression. In our first example, we’re going to use

our familiar 1–2–
3–5 pattern over each chord, deriving the notes from the F Dorian
(F–G–Ab–Bb–C–D–

Eb), Bb Mixolydian (Bb–C–D–Eb–F–G–Ab), Eb major (Eb–F–G–Ab–

Bb–C–D), and Eb Dorian (Eb–F–Gb–Ab–Bb–C–Db) scales. Again,
notice how the pattern is adjusted in bar 2 when moving from
Ebmaj7 to Ebm7—specifically, the major 3rd, G, is lowered one fret to
the minor 3rd, Gb, to accommodate the new harmony.

Now we’re going to descend the patterns, starting from each scale’s
5th: 5–3–2–1.

Note for note, these scale patterns are identical to our previous
exercise, just played in inverse fashion.

OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s apply octaves to the scale patterns we just learned. In the
first exercise, the ascending patterns are played entirely with octaves.
Despite some fingering adjustments and octave displacement, the
notes are identical. As you play through the exercise, remember to
mute the adjacent string (unless you’re plucking the notes) so only
the two fretted notes ring out.
Octaves can be tricky to read in tab, as well as to visualize and
accurately move from fret to fret along the neck, due to having two
notes to manage. The best way to mitigate this problem is to focus
on just one of the two notes that comprise each octave—specifically,
the one played by your index finger. This approach should eliminate
confusion and increase accuracy when moving from fret to fret—so
long as you’re accurate with the requisite octave shapes for each
string pair. Give it a test drive as you play through this next example.

LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

Today’s lead line kicks off with our familiar 1–2–3–5 scale pattern—in
this case, derived from F Dorian—to outline the Fm7 change. This
two-beat phrase then transitions smoothly to a descending Bb7
arpeggio that starts on the root and ends on the 3rd: 1–7–5–3 (Bb–
Ab–F–D).

At the end of bar 1, the Bb7 chord’s 3rd, D, shifts up one fret to the
root of the Ebmaj7

chord (efficient voice leading!), where a one-octave Ebmaj7 arpeggio

(Eb–G–Bb–D) unfolds. This arpeggio pattern then seamlessly segues
to a short Eb Dorian scale pas-sage to outline the Ebm7 chord. Notice
the voicing leading that takes place at the end of bar 2, as well,
where the b7th of the Ebm7 chord, Db, leads efficiently to the root of
the Cm7 chord.

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

Now let’s walk a bass line over our Fm7–Bb7–Ebmaj7–Ebm7

progression. The example below is a hybrid of the two exercises from
today’s Chord Changes section: the chord voicings in bar 1 are
borrowed from exercise 2, while the chords in bar 2 are from exercise
1.

Meanwhile, the bass line is most easily performed with the fingerings
suggested below the tab staff. Be careful in bar 2, however, where
you’ll need to adjust the chord voicing ever so slightly to
accommodate the change in chord quality (i.e., major to minor) while
the bass line alternates from string 5 to string 6 (and back).

DAY 11

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

The exercises today represent bars 7–8 of the eight-bar A section.

The progression we’ll be working on here is a straightforward ii–V–I
in the key of Bb, the song’s primary key: Cm7–F7–Bbmaj7.

If you go back to the beginning of this week and look at the full 32-
bar AABA song form, you’ll notice that the A section contains both a
first ending and a second ending.
Since the first ending is just a duplicate of bars 3–4, and we’ve
already practiced these chords and how to solo over them, we’re
going to jump ahead to the second ending, which contains the
aforementioned ii–V–I progression (which also occupies bars 7–8 of
the final A section).

In our first example, common barre-chord shapes are used

exclusively for the Cm7, F7, and Bbmaj7 changes. All three voicings
are borrowed from previous examples, so this exercise shouldn’t give
you too much trouble. The same goes for exercise 2. In fact, we
practiced all three of these chords—Cm7, F9, and Bbmaj7—together
back on Day 8, only in a different sequence and with one extra chord
(G7b9).

ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

In our first exercise, we’re going to start by ascending straight

through a pair of arpeggios, Cm7 (C–Eb–G–Bb) and F7 (F–A–C–Eb),
starting on the root and ending on the 7th of each chord. In bar 2,
we’re going to adjust our approach to accommodate the Bbmaj7
chord’s two additional beats. After a run up the Bbmaj7 (Bb–D–F–A)
arpeggio on beats 1–2, the line continues up to the octave root note
at fret 6, string 1, where a pull-off helps to reverse course and begin
our descent back down the chord.

This next example is partially modeled after the Bbmaj7 arpeggio

from our previous exercise. Like the Bbmaj7 chord, the Cm7 arpeggio
in bar 1 starts on the octave root, pulls off to the b7th (Bb) and
continues on through the 5th (G) and b3rd (Eb). When the harmony
changes to F7, the line follows suit, descending an F7 arpeggio from
the root to the 3rd, A.

Beats 1–2 of bar 2 are a replication of beats 3–4 of bar 2 of the

previous exercise. After pulling off from the root of the Bbmaj7 chord
and descending to the lower-octave root, the line reverses course
and works its way back up the arpeggio. Feel free to experiment with
your fingerings in bar 1, as there are a few options that may work
just as good—or better—than the ones suggested below the tab staff.
SCALES (1:00–0:45)

In our next two exercises, we’re going to use the C Dorian (C–D–Eb–
F–G–A–Bb), F

Mixolydian (F–G–A–Bb–C–D–Eb), and Bb major (Bb–C–D–Eb–F–G–A)

scales (all contain the same notes, incidentally, just starting from a
different note/root) to outline the Cm7, F7, and Bbmaj7 chords,
respectively.

The first exercise commences with a pair of 1–2–3–5 scale patterns

to cover the Cm7

and F7 changes, followed in bar 2 by a 1–2–3–5–7 pattern for the

Bbmaj7 change. The exercise wraps up by reversing course upon
reaching the 7th, A, on string 1 and working its way back down the
scale with a 7–5–3–2 pattern (the original pattern, only in reverse).

The first half of exercise 2 is simply a pair of 1–2–3–5 patterns played

in reverse (5–3–

2–1) to outline the Cm7 and F7 changes. In bar 2, the same strategy
is implemented on beats 1–2, where a 5–3–2–1 Bb major scale
pattern outlines the Bbmaj7 chord. The line reaches the root note,
Bb, on the “and” of beat 2 but descends one more fret to include the
7th, A, before reversing course and working back up the scale.
OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s use octaves to perform the scale patterns that we just
learned. In our first exercise, the octaves in bar 1 mirror the original
Cm7 and F7 patterns, while bar 2 is played an octave lower to
accommodate the shapes.

The same approach is taken in exercise 2. As always, be sure to

maintain just enough arch in your index finger to mute the adjacent
string (unless you’re plucking the strings); otherwise, you’ll get
unwanted chords instead of octaves.
LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

Today’s lead phrase starts with a quick, little C Dorian lick that
includes a hammer-on/

pull-off of the b7th, Bb, and root, C. A reverse F7 arpeggio pattern

(1–7–5–3, or F–

Eb–C–A) handles the F7 chord, followed in bar 2 by a Bb major scale

pattern (1–2–3–

5–7–5–3) that’s similar to one we practiced in the Scales section. If

you find yourself struggling with the triplet on beat 1, be sure to
listen to the audio demonstration to hear how it should sound.
BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

This walking-bass-line exercise is modeled after the second exercise

in today’s Chord Changes section—with one minor change, albeit and
important one. In bar 2, you’ll need to voice the Bbmaj7 chord with
an index-finger barre. That way, your pinky is freed up to play the
bass note on beat 2. The benefit of this voicing is that you’re able to
maintain the voicing throughout the measure (except beat 4, where
the Cm7 approach tone is played).

DAY 12

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Today, were going to start working on the B section. Since each chord
in this section lasts for two whole measures, were going to increase
our focus from two-bar increments to four bars. So, for the next 90
minutes, we’ll be practicing bars 1–4 of the eight-bar B section (bars
17–20 of the 32-bar form).

The first four bars of the B section feature two measures each of the
III chord, D7, and VI chord, G7. In the key of Bb, these chords are
typically minor (Dm7 and Gm7), but when they appear as dominant
7ths like this, they’re known as “secondary dominants”

(F7 is the only “primary” dominant in the key of Bb).

The first exercise features a pair of common dominant 7th voicings,

ones we’ve encountered in previous examples. The same goes for
exercise 2, although the 7th chords are replaced by extended chords
(D13 and G9) here. Make sure you accent the chords on beats 2 and
4 of every measure. When chords last this long, it’s easy to turn on
autopilot and get sloppy with your technique.
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

Now that our chord changes are lasting longer than two beats, we
can get back to ex-panding the length of our arpeggios. In exercise 1
below, we’re going to practice ascending and descending a two-
octave D7 arpeggio (D–F♯–A–C), played here in ninth position. This
pattern should look familiar because it’s a pattern that we learned
back in Week 1. Nevertheless, spend the next 7–8 minutes getting
reacquainted with it before moving on to exercise 2.

Our next arpeggio exercise features a two-octave G7 arpeggio (G–B–

D–F) in the same area of the neck as the D7 pattern. Like the D7
arpeggio, this is a pattern that we learned back in Week 1—with one
exception. Instead of starting on the root, G, this pattern begins on
the b7th, F. This creates a series of two notes per string on all but
one string.

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Like the arpeggios we just practiced, the scale patterns in this section
are ones we first encountered in Week 1. So, let the next 15 minutes
be a refresher.

The first exercise is a two-octave D Mixolydian (D–E–F♯–G–A–B–C)

pattern played in the same area of the neck as the D7 arpeggio that
we just practiced. The same goes for the G Mixolydian (G–A–B–C–D–
E–F) pattern in exercise 2, which is another two-octave pattern
played in ninth position, just starting on string 5 instead of string 6.
OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now we’re going to take the scale patterns that we just learned and
perform them with octaves. However, since single notes are much
easier to perform than octaves, we’re going to slow down the pace a
bit and use a quarter-note rhythm in place of eighth notes. And,
because our range is limited, we’re going to stick to a one-octave
pattern, playing root to root, and back.
Exercise 1 features our D Mixolydian pattern. Remember: as you play
through the scale, focus intently on the index-finger notes, which will
help you navigate the octaves from fret to fret, and string to string.

Our second exercise features the G Mixolydian pattern, starting on

string 5. Again, use the aforementioned navigational technique to
move from pitch to pitch. If you get bored with the quarter-note
rhythm, feel free to give eight notes a try—just remember to swing
’em!

LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

Today’s lead phrase derives its notes entirely from the D Mixolydian
and G Mixolydian patterns that we just worked on. Notice that, when
the harmony changes from D7 to G7 at the end of bar 2, the line
moves from F♯, the 3rd of D7, to F, the b7th of G7—two notes that
help define their respective harmonies. This type of strategic note
placement really helps to “nail the changes,” so much so that you can
hear the chords change without someone actually playing them!

BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

In this walking-bass-line exercise, we’re going to use a standard six-

string barre-chord shape and a common 9th chord voicing to
navigate the D7 and G7 changes, respectively. We’ve worked with
these voicings extensively, so the bigger challenge is the bass line.
But, if you follow the fingering suggestions indicated below the tab
staff, you shouldn’t have too much trouble. Just remember to take it
slow and steady!
DAY 13

CHORD CHANGES (1:30–1:15)

Today, we’ll be focusing our attention on bars 5–8 of the eight-bar B

section (bars 21–

24 of the 32-bar form). These four bars feature two measures each
of the II chord, C7, and the V chord, F7. In the key of Bb, C7 is a
secondary dominant because the ii chord in a diatonic major
progression is minor—in this case, Cm7. The F7 chord, however, is
the “primary” dominant because the V chord is dominant in a diatonic
major progression. This placement of the F7 (V7) chord (bars 7–8 of
the B section) is strategic; it creates tension and a feeling of wanting
to resolve to the I chord, Bb, which just so happens to arrive in the
next measure (bar 1 of the next A section).

The two exercises in this section are identical to the ones from
yesterday, only the chords are played two frets lower to acknowledge
the changes in harmony. Once you’re comfortable playing both
examples, try practicing them along with yesterday’s exercises; in
other words, practice all eight measures of the B section together.
ARPEGGIOS (1:15–1:00)

Like the Chord Changes exercises, the examples in this section are
identical to yesterday’s arpeggio exercises, just played two frets
lower. Therefore, use a similar approach when practicing these
examples; that is, once you’re comfortable with these two-bar
examples, try stringing all four arpeggios (D7, G7, C7, and F7)
together, practicing them as a complete eight-bar B section.

SCALES (1:00–0:45)

Like the previous two sections, the exercises here are identical to the
patterns from yesterday’s Scales section, only they’re played two frets
lower. The first exercise is a two-octave C Mixolydian (C–D–E–F–G–A–
Bb) pattern played in the same area of the neck as the C7 arpeggio
(C–E–G–Bb) that we just practiced. The same goes for the F

Mixolydian (F–G–A–Bb–C–D–Eb) pattern in exercise 2, which is

another two-octave pattern played in seventh position, just starting
on string 5.
OCTAVES (0:45–0:30)

Now let’s use the C Mixolydian and F Mixolydian patterns to practice

our octaves.

Once again, we’re going to use a quarter-note rhythm and limit the
patterns to one octave due to the range limitations.

LEAD PHRASE (0:30–0:15)

In today’s lead phrase, different strategies are used for each chord.
In bar 1, the C7

chord is predominantly handled by the C7 arpeggio, both ascending

and descending.

Then, in bar 2, the phrase shifts to a more scale-based (F Mixolydian)

lick to outline the F7 chord. Notice that, like yesterday’s lick, this
phrase handles the change in harmony by moving from the 3rd of the
C7 chord, E, to the b7th of the F7 chord, Eb.
BONUS: WALKING BASS LINE (0:15–0:00)

Staying with today’s theme, this walking-bass-line exercise is identical

to yesterday’s, just played two frets lower. Again, we’re going to use
a standard six-string barre-chord shape and a common 9th chord
voicing to navigate the C7 and F7 changes, respectively. As always,
pay close attention to the fingering suggestions indicated below the
tab staff, but if you find something that works better for you, then go
for it!
DAY 14

WEEK 2 REVIEW: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER (1:30–0:00)

Like the Week 1 review, today we get to apply six days of hard work
to the full song—

in this case, the 32-bar AABA form. The exercise below is an

aggregation of the Chord Changes, Lead Phrase, and Walking Bass
Line examples that we’ve practiced throughout the week.

Since you’re already familiar with the material, albeit in smaller two-
and four-bar increments, the real challenge is getting comfortable
with playing through the solo and chord changes (and bass line, if
you’re up for it) for all 32 bars. Before you begin, be sure to pull up
the audio and listen to how the three parts sound separately, as well
as together. Then, practice the chord changes first, working towards
playing all 32 bars cleanly and without interruption.

Next, string together into one complete 32-bar solo all six of the two-
and four-bar phrases that we’ve learned throughout the week. Since
the A section repeats three times (and comprises 24 of the 32 bars),
we’ll just repeat the solo in those eight bars three times, as well.
That will give us less material to memorize. Note that, since we
bypassed the first ending earlier in the week in favor of the second
ending, we’ll just repeat the lead from bars 3–4 (which contains the
same Dm7–G7–Cm7–F7 progression) in bars 7–8.

Finally, if you’re up for it, you can take a crack at the walking bass
line, which, like the other parts, is an aggregation of the two- and
four-bar patterns that we worked on throughout the week. When
you’re done, you’ll know how to solo, comp, and walk a bass line over
of Rhythm Changes in Bb!
Obviously, this is a lot to go over in just 90 minutes. The best
strategy is to spend 45

minutes on chords and 45 minutes on soloing. Or, if you plan to learn

the walking bass line, then split it equally among the three parts: 30
minutes on chords, 30 minutes on soloing, and 30 minutes on the
bass line. But, instead of trying to memorize the whole form and
playing it perfectly, just work towards getting familiar with each part.
You can always go back and review the material at a later time, as
often as needed. Whatever you decide, just make sure you’re having
fun, and not pushing yourself too hard. You don’t want your practice
sessions to feel like a job. Good luck!
Document Outline
How to Get the Audio
Introduction
How to Use This Book
Week 1: Jazz Blues Changes
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Week 2: Rhythm Changes
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14