Once you’re comfortable with the basic 3 note jazz guitar chord shapes, it’s time to start applying them to chord progressions. Chord progressions are sequences of chords that fit together in a key song. If you don't know the basic 3 note jazz guitar shapes yet, click here. From a practical standpoint, playing a chord progression means smoothly moving from one chord to another. While you could jump straight into learning songs, there is a simple chord progression that you should probably learn first. The 2 5 1 (or ii V I) progression is an extremely common progression to come across in jazz music, and it is a great place for you to start when you are comfortable with your basic jazz guitar chords. Because it is so common, this progression should be internalized and it’s a good idea to practice it in every key. In this lesson you will learn 2 different patterns for the 2 5 1 progression that you can use at any point of the guitar to play in different keys. One of these patterns starts and ends on the 6th string, so we’ll call it the 6th string pattern. The other pattern starts and ends on the 5th string, so we’ll call it the 5th string pattern. What is a 2 5 1?in this case 2, 5, and 1 refer to the chords built off of the second, fifth, and first notes of a major scale. It is common to see this written with Roman Numerals - ii V I. To keep things simple, I’m using Arabic Numerals in this lesson. These are the more familiar numbers for most students at first. The 2 chord is going to be a minor 7th chord, the 5 chord is going to be a 7th chord (also called a dominant 7th), and the 1 chord is going to be a major 7th chord. Not sure what minor 7, dominant 7, and major 7th chords are? Click here. When talking about 2 5 1, we always use the 1 chord as our reference to the key (2 5 1 in C means that C is our 1 chord - 2 5 1 in F means that F is our 1 chord, etc). Why do I need to know this?2 5 1 progressions are extremely common in jazz music. If you see a minor 7 followed by a 7 followed by a major 7, chances are it’s a 2 5 1 progression. If you have these 2 5 1 patterns under your fingers so they are almost automatic, you won’t have to think as hard about where your fingers are going during songs when those types of progressions appear. Not only are 2 5 1 progressions helpful in playing songs, they are also a great way to work on your minor 7th, 7th, and major 7th chord shapes all in one exercise. Keep reading to learn the patterns. 6th String 2 5 1 PatternThis one is called the 6th string pattern because the 2 chord and the 1 chord are both found on the 6th string. You can see that other than the root note, none of the other chord tones need to move very far. Try playing this one around the cycle of 4ths to get used to it. Get comfortable with this 2 5 1 pattern before moving on. Below you’ll find a practice progression and a fretboard map to help you find the correct root notes. 2 5 1 Cycle of 4ths:5th String PatternThis one is called the 5th string pattern because the 2 chord and the 1 chord are both found on the 5th string. Try playing this one around the cycle of 4ths to get used to it. Get comfortable with this 2 5 1 pattern before moving on. Below you’ll find a practice progression and a fretboard map to help you find the correct root notes. 2 5 1 Cycle of 4ths:Things To Think About2 5 1 progressions are an essential skill to master in order to play jazz guitar. Luckily, getting these basic 2 5 1 patterns under your fingers can be pretty simple, and let you get off the ground quickly. 2 5 1 patterns don’t just let you play common chord progressions - they are also a good drill for refining your basic jazz chord shapes all in one drill or exercise (you’re working on all 3 main types of chords). Practice the 2 5 1 patterns in this lesson, and apply them to jazz songs as soon as possible to really get the hang of them. Before too long, these chords will be second nature to you. Keep practicing, and let me know how things are going. If you get stuck, feel free to contact me - I’m always happy to help! Jazz Guitar LessonsDo you need extra help learning to play jazz guitar? I can help you streamline your learning process by showing you exactly what to do to improve your jazz guitar playing.
Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced jazz guitar player, I can help you improve by helping you get the mechanics and theory of jazz guitar playing in a ways that is simple to understand, and easy to put into practice for yourself. Click the links below for more information about jazz guitar lessons in Portland Oregon, or online jazz guitar lessons. If you're ready to get started improving your jazz guitar skills, contact me today to get started!
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