3 Things that Ruin Your Jazz Practice And Stops Your Progress

[@JensLarsen]

What are you working on getting into your playing? ✅ 5 Jazz Myths That Kill Your Progress: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4ndZoWNapqloKc ✅ The Basic Theory You Want To Know For Jazz: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXucc6B-bqeehpI

[@jazznotes3802]

Your videos (including the production) keep getting better throughout the years. Just want to say thanks for taking the time and effort, it’s much appreciated 👏🏻. The vast knowledge you share is second to none.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I really appreciate that :)

[@maybe8205]

they have been always fantastic through the years - but thanks yess

[@jcomm120]

The inserts are blissfully clear!!!! Bravo !

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! :)

[@blindsteinofthemountain3831]

Your notes of levity are in a scale by themselves. Almost fell out of my chair coming across the Indifferent(9,13). Great Stuff. Thanks Again!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I really appreciate that :)

[@theAxehound]

All great tips and a different way of looking at things.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@elpkhan]

You are teaching taste . I think your spot on in explaining a very touchy subject . Congratulations

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@Bordres]

Was just playing my Les Paul 2 minutes ago.. time to pick it up again.. Perfect timing to play again and procrastinate haha

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it :)

[@lucagianquitto]

Spectacular, lesson and video!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Luca! :)

[@glennbasile314]

Great advice! Thanks, again, Jens👍

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful 🙂

[@peterbowen7193]

Clarity and simplicity = inspiration. I will be working on this! 👍🏽

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it :)

[@milest1732]

@@JensLarsen Am I visible? I think the algorithm has shad*wbanned me.

[@chappahx]

You're just an excellent teacher! Man. Would be great to take lessons directly from you.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! The closest I can offer is my course, but I do give feedback on how you work on the assignments in that.

[@building436]

Brilliant learning video, like all of your sophisticated clips, thanks!

[@jeffreydelisle7337]

I have watched dozens of your videos and this is one of the best

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Jeffrey! Really glad to hear that :)

[@sergequirion3829]

Thanks very much, great video love it, and the jazz lesson.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jamescopeland5358]

Thx for another great lesson Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@jroc2201]

We all start out thinking the magic is in the speed, the magic is in the music

[@jaymagen]

This video is very helpful. Thank you so MUCH.

[@gianlucapolitano3228]

Inspiring as always!!!! Illuminante! Great!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@gianlucapolitano3228]

@@JensLarsen my pleasure Jens, you are great as humble, this is super, because your passion and love about music, guitar and studies are so transparent and genuine!!! Thank you!

[@jamjar4553]

I bought your two books and i never thought that i should the conten from these books in the way you have just shown. Thanks nan!

[@JensLarsen]

Awesome, thank you! Hope you find the books useful!

[@tinaseiffert1759]

you are a very good instructor...thank you

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I am glad you think so 🙂

[@michaeldusso6882]

THNX Jens, I’m in the process of working on building my own embellishments and I found that taking your time to find the best runs is indeed what it takes. All the notes are there, you just have to find them.

[@cfibanez]

I really like the new format. Well done! Looking forward to the next ones to come.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad to hear it! :)

[@markslist1542]

Jens, this is the video I needed to hear. I sort of discovered what you're saying on an implicit level. For you to state it explicitly is helpful.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@azbluesdog]

I've been trying to incorporate jazz concepts into my blues and rock playing for 20+ years (and almost gave up). Now I'm listening to more straight-up jazz, especially bebop, and you are coming through loud and clear!

[@picksalot1]

That was a particularly useful video. It hit on so many points that I can sort of hear subconsciously, but not clearly enough. By identifying and demonstrating each one, I have a much better on what to focus on and how to use it. You really are an excellent teacher, and your video production is outstanding, always focusing on what needs to seen at the right time. 👍😎

[@Alan-zi2rs]

Great video Jen's 👍🎸🎶

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@mikiegood]

Thanks Jens. Another great lesson.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@RiccardoChiarionMusic]

Nice video, thanks for sharing!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! :)

[@williamstanford7994]

Thanks. I needed this...

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful 🙂

[@ВиталийЯныков]

Jens you amazing teacher ❤️

[@rogeranderson6688]

Thank you again Jens, this video is so helpful. I love the way way you walk through the process of drawing on a range of big ideas, experimenting with them and then rejecting solutions that don't quite work and finally choosing the lines that best suit what you want to say. This is the first time I have heard all of this articulated so clearly including the gem "Composing becomes ear training". Inspirational.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much, Roger! 🙂

[@karlderdelinckx]

By hearing the wrong examples against the good ones you get a really good idea of what jazz language actually is. And how you’re teaching that language. You’re like explaining the system that makes it sound like jazz.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! That is indeed the goal of this video :)

[@Meddled]

Some of those wrong examples sound valid, musically.

[@ВиталийЯныков]

Nice lesson, Jens. You were able to tell in simple language about very difficult things. Now I need to learn all this thoroughly. I hope I can do it. I dream of playing jazz guitar well.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sgazzz]

I never thought to compose a line and end up playing robotic stuff when trying to do it off the cuff. By slowing down and building lines you can really experiment and see what works and ingrain it into your playing when finally going back to full speed. Another great lesson!!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! :)

[@edesbalazs]

Ok this one arrived just at the right time. I have been stuck on being able to take a progression, and really blandly play the arpeggios, connected with scales on demand, but it often doesn't sound like music too much, as it takes too much brain power to focus on staying in sync with the chords. This really expands the riff library building ideas. Thanks Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Go for it!

[@BauKim]

I've found something that helps for me is to keep the melody in mind and utilize scales, arpeggios, and the original melody to improv.

[@charleshartlen3914]

A+ guitar lesson!! Subbed!

[@JensLarsen]

Welcome aboard!

[@rdpatterson2682]

always great stuff. thx.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you find it useful 🙂

[@JohnsonSmithson]

I really enjoyed this video format

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@alexander89gogo]

Gonna say, you are the greatest Jazz guitar teacher I'ver ever seen😄, not saying the others or the great players not good, but you are totally basic on the learner's view to explain the point, it's easiler to get into the ideas😉

[@TheRmoroni]

great approach! thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@woohoo3021]

diminished interest 7th 🤣, died with that one , Great class!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂 👍

[@maxb4107]

Very cool editing work! And awesome lesson♥️

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Max B I am glad you found it useful! 👍

[@ModestOutlaw]

Great lesson as always Jens, thank you for uploading. As a beginner these are good to think about coming into jazz!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful, Alex!

[@steamedyams18]

I don't even play jazz but this stuff is exactly what I want to get better at. It gives me lots of ideas, even for something like death metal. Thanks Jens

[@samuelemahtolo]

Thank you Jens, this is PRECIOUS advice ! I've also learned (from you and a few others) that great lines are generally a juxtaposition of "building blocks". For example, I've been studying a prettty fast and long Pat Martino lick (alternating minor AND major variations) and at some point, I decided to chop it in pieces and begin looking for the various " blocks" in it ! And guess what ? I quickly got it all, and I was like a student solving a mathematical equation and that made me real happy. Again, thank you very much !

[@JensLarsen]

That's great to hear! Go for it :)

[@jimconnelly2851]

Well done, although sometimes it takes a few tries to get there.

[@Dave_Sacca]

This video is great. Building an authentic vocabulary is difficult for me. These tips really help. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@seattlevegas66]

Well done. It is nice to move into the creative process of making beautiful music, while having the theoretical aspects for support and communication as invaluable tools.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much!

[@patbreacadh]

Really nice lines!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them!

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

Nice one Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks :)

[@solomann940]

thanks for the lesson

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!

[@SpartanLaserCanon]

Thanks for this Jen. I have noticed I have been working on some of the same stuff as I was getting better at jazz with chord tones and stuff. I don't mind hearing the root not in solos sometimes even.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Go for it 🙂

[@salimbaghli8040]

One of the best lessons of all ! Thank you Jens. I think taking a chord like this one and show that kind of exercise is very helpful and encouraging. Also, how it connects to the pentatonic scale in immense. I will try to do the same with the 2 other chords of the II - V - I When I played rock and blues, I used a backbone structure 3-2-2-2-3-3 as a baseline and work around it. Is there such a thing you use on the II - V - I ? That would a giant help to know about if there is such a thing. Thank you again for all you Jens !!!!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Salim! I don't think there is a pentatonic scale that you can think of as a shape and play around, it will be much more efficient to just understand the harmony instead of some attempt at a shortcut that anyway doesn't work 🙂

[@markthompson6552]

I like that you include the licks that you don’t like, encouraging for a beginner like me seeing that even somebody like you isn’t perfect with their playing. The only issue is every one of the licks sounded nice to me😬

[@JensLarsen]

Don't worry about it, in the end it is about what you like when you write licks :)

[@michaelschaefer7962]

Terrific lesson--now I know what I'm going to be doing the rest of my life . . .

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

Top notch stuff, Jens! You often seem to have a video that precisely addresses whatever psychological music stuff I’m going through at that moment. I appreciate how you showed the process of trying different endings to your phrases before you come upon one that you really like. Incidentally, and to your point, I have noticed Charlie Parker and Pat Martino sometimes ending phrases with descending Pentatonics

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Adam! :)

[@petrux]

Grazie Jens, oro puro. (It means "Thanks Jens, pure gold" in Italian... :-))

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Giulio! I actually understood (and felt really proud :D )

[@JensLarsen]

@@gpz904 haha! I have quite a few Italian friends 🙂

[@kevindonnelly761]

Wicked ! 🤘

[@steveandsheilalauder8261]

Being on vacation from the snow and cold since Dec, I have limited my practice to learning your solos (Bb jazz blues), slowing at first, analyzing it within the context of what i already know well, then building speed. Its not a bad thing :) I,ll book mark this vid and likely put it to practice when i get home next month.

[@JensLarsen]

Nice! Hope you are enjoying your vacation 🙂

[@אריק-צ5ר]

I am watching the AlphaGo documentary and it occurred to me that Guitar is tech proof! Why? Because of love. Machines don't enjoy practice, playing, and listening to beautiful music.

[@JensLarsen]

Interesting! I don't know that documentary :)

[@MathisEverding]

Hey Jens, which Pickups are you using in the Ibanez 2630? greetings! love your work

[@JensLarsen]

I have a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover in the Neck position and the original in the bridge

[@bluesrockguitaristmikesall2708]

Thanks Jens,great advice. What's up with the perfect lip synching in the Chinese film clip ?

[@JensLarsen]

I don't know, it was like that when I found it 😁

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

I would quibble with the last point (and I understand you have to teach things a certain way sometimes)… Plenty of great bop phrases that finish on a downbeat; the secret is playing them with the right phrasing, articulation and accentuation to make them swing…. Anyway it’s the same point really differently put… Hal Galper’s book ‘forward motion’ was very helpful here. A very simple thing an intermediate player can do is slur into the downbeat leading to a natural upbeat accent.

[@JensLarsen]

I don't think that I am presenting it as a "Rule" but as a skill to develop. In my experience, most students are naturally good at emphasizing beat 1 and 3 but find it very hard to get the other skill down and it makes a huge difference in how they sound if they work on this.

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

@@JensLarsen yeah of course…. It’s a tricky one… I understand the needs of trying to teach intermediate players and actually sometimes rules/guidelines like this are about breaking an existing habit as much as making a new one (like accenting upbeats in lines etc); as I say it’s more a quibble, but I have students who also watch your channel so I want to say my bit to try and defuse the inevitable ‘why is Christian telling me to resolve to downbeats and Jens says it’s wrong?’ haha. Anyway great video, I think this process is the one that I’ve found most helpful as teacher and learner. .

[@JensLarsen]

@@JazzGuitarScrapbook But I am not saying that you should not resolve on the downbeat. In fact all the examples do resolve on the downbeat, they just don't end there. You can even use the video as an example of that :D

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

@@JensLarsen cool. Actually students have brought in material from your vids into lessons before, so may well do that. Anyway, cheers!

[@benkatof5852]

This is really useful Jens. Also, your trial and error stuff looks a lot like my line writing process! Not sure if that's a good thing or not.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! I think that a trial an error thing should be like that, not sure how it could really be different?

[@mannoplanet]

very good.. I really like this approach. I would like to see you demonstrate how to navigate longer phrasing when there is more than 1 set of ii-V's for example. Not a whole song exactly (which you also do well) but 8 or 12 measures with 2or 3 different tonal centers. (hope I explained that OK)

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! There isn't really much of a difference when there are more chords. I will be doing a blues in the Patreon livestream, maybe check that out? 🙂

[@mannoplanet]

@@JensLarsen I was thinking more `'making the changes` or getting across the bar lines.

[@herculesrockefeller8969]

BZZZZZZ! 🤣 Thanks, Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it :)

[@jimmrvos2930]

I really like your emphasis of going slow and experimenting Jens. Watching you compose those lines was very illuminating. The thing that gets hard for me is when the chords change quickly like when there are two or three chords in one measure. The lines you composed were a bit longer. What is your approach to fast chord changes?

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks, Jim! There are a few different approaches to more dense progressions, but often I just make a line that catches all of them, really just using the same building blocks as what I use here.

[@jimmrvos2930]

@@JensLarsen Thanks Jens! I’m going to have to think about this more. Maybe I’m just too intimidated by dense progressions. I usually default to playing something that kind of fits. Figuring out how to put together the building blocks within one or two beats is going to take some work on my part. Work that I’m willing to do!

[@JensLarsen]

@@jimmrvos2930 It is hard for me to say a lot about it, maybe bring it up with an example in a live stream?

[@jimmrvos2930]

@@JensLarsen OK. I will! Here’s a quick preview from something I’m working on right now: In Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” (in A flat), there’s a measure that is B flat minor 7 for two beats followed by C minor 7 and D flat 6 for a beat each (these two are in parentheses). The progression lands on D diminished in the next measure.

[@jazzmachine]

It's like a writer. Knowing the right words don't make an interesting story. Going places you probably shouldn't go make an interesting story.

[@JensLarsen]

Exactly :)

[@egordanilov3295]

Спасибо! С удовольствием изучаю все Ваши уроки. Извините, что пишу на русском.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you find them useful! :)

[@alainbergmans6999]

Hi Jens, just out of curiosity, we always see you playing a semi-acoustic guitar and never an archtop guitar. Why is that ? Thanks for all the great jazz lessons !

[@JensLarsen]

Semi hollows fit my way of playing better 🙂

[@chrisegonmusic]

I'm sure you answer this all the time Jens, but is that a John Scofield signature with a modified bridge? Great lesson as always

[@JensLarsen]

No, it is an AS2630. The model before the AS200 :)

[@chrisegonmusic]

@@JensLarsen Ah cheers!

[@bassyey]

Let's say I already have a lot prepared lines I can choose from (which I don't because I suck), how do I go choosing among those? What's your thought process on this? I know experience will just dictate it over time, but maybe something can be explained to beginners. Great video by the way.

[@JensLarsen]

You don't really want to make conscious choicesw hile you are playing. You practice using them in solos and learn to put them together in ways that you like. I talk a bit about it in the "What are you really practicing" section :)

[@bassyey]

@@JensLarsen Thanks Jens. I really like these 'practice videos'/'what to lookout for videos'. Really helpful for someone learning from a book.

[@adewaleadeyinka8868]

This lesson has given me some authorities... Thanks so much!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome!

[@mato219]

I did not know Barry passed away recently. I'm so sad now. :(

[@JensLarsen]

That is indeed sad! But a lot of people he taught are carrying on!

[@Euro.Patriot]

Go at full speed = bad Learnt that after feeling like my left hand was going to crumple up after trying to play Bach and Wes.

[@JensLarsen]

Indeed, warming up is important too :)

[@BassGuyNL]

Hey Jens, I totally agree that slowing things down to consciously compose lines “off-line”, so to speak, is helpful and I do it a lot. However, when I then try to improvise using a backing track or iRealbook, even at a much slower tempo compared to what would be considered appropriate for the tune, I seem to forget everything I just worked on when the chords keep flashing by. Do you have any tips how to bridge that gap between composing and actually improvising over a track?

[@j.andrews2287]

Hi man, i've been practicing for a while and about to remember phrases the best thing is to memorise one by one, by heart in all keys, then when you got it practice it in many tunes i many contexts and then when you master it go to the other lick.

[@JensLarsen]

Are you composing lines on the song you want to solo over?

[@BassGuyNL]

Jens Larsen Yes, I go through an entire tune slowly or isolate a 2-4 bar sequence. I try deliberately to come up with solid lines, keeping in mind chord tones, 7 to 3rd resolutions, enclosures, occasionally quoting parts of the melody etc. However, when I try this using a backing track, suddenly this all gets lost and I resort to playing simple arpeggio based lines, just to keep up.

[@Elemy69]

Funnily enough I can watch a chinese movies with chinese subtitles but I can't improvise good bebop lines yet!

[@chrispoole2438]

great vid - however, I struggle with a 4th thing - procrastination...🤥

[@JensLarsen]

Watching too many YT videos? :D

[@chrispoole2438]

@@JensLarsen You got me! Btw Stich method sent me your way...

[@JensLarsen]

@@chrispoole2438 Thanks! Ian rocks! :)

[@thomasnikolaou8331]

I was thinking about it a lot. The actual harm of tablature is that it doesn't allow you to see the music score. My eyes are driven at the numbers and despite I'm hearing what you play, I can't configure the "musicality" behind it. I mean for me it would work really great without tabs and only with the score.

[@JensLarsen]

I am not sure that it is really worth obsessing about?

[@thomasnikolaou8331]

@@JensLarsen you the man mate. Me and my best man have you "teaching" us through your videos. I come from a classic guitar background and now I m studying piano, I used a lot of tabs as a heavy metal teenager but I think in the long term it did me harm. Now when I see tabs, my eyes are fixing on the numbers. That's why you cherish a lot your masterclass with Bart Harris, it was about music not how to figure it on the fretboard. Of course your job is top tier , I am not misjudging you. After all I watch your videos for free, I can go f@k myself if I don't like them. Good job mister Larsen.

[@andrewjaman4697]

Educational and FUNNY!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@castengutitar]

But…..I speak Chinese….. Nice video as always🥰

[@JensLarsen]

Then you are not trying to learn it at least :) Feel free to substitue Hungarian or similar :D

[@acousticmonkey2209]

4:43 - Does anyone know what program that is? Do you just type in the frets/strings and it transcribes it to notes?

[@JensLarsen]

That is GuitarPro 7. There is an (afiliate) link to it in the video description :)

[@tbird_musica]

But Jens, Megadeth is Jazzy too :( Great video, cheers!

[@JensLarsen]

Their biggest hit: Swingphony of Bopstruction!

[@DWScores]

@@JensLarsen hahah. Jens, love your lessons. If you have any time check out the solo on Megadeth song Lucretia, Marty is something else from the average metal player. I think he has some kind of gypsy jazz approchs to soloing. Of course all in the context of metal.

[@DWScores]

I mean the first solo, not the 2nd one! The first one that Marty plays, after that it comes Daves solo, just pentatonic bullshit at high speed (but it does the job thought)

[@JensLarsen]

@@DWScores Marty is great, I really like his playing, and I know the solo. But it has very little to do with Jazz. The Hotel California solo uses arpeggios too, it takes more than notes to make it Jazz in my opinion, and I don't really understand why we have to say that it is Jazz if it is clearly a metal song. For me, it can be great without being Jazz.

[@DWScores]

@@JensLarsen Of course its not jazz, I didnt say that :) And of course its also great hehe. I was just saying, that the way Marty approaches that solo, with melodic lines with arpeggios and chromatic notes in 8ths is very rare in the genre and has a little more in common with jazz approach than what almost all the other metal players do. Of course the genre is 100% metal and the good one.

[@paristexas919]

Asking myself at 4:44: "Why the hell am I watching this?? I don't even play guitar..."

[@JensLarsen]

This isn't really that specific to guitar is it? Practice at a slow tempo, learn to make melodies, work on your phrasing.

[@paristexas919]

@@JensLarsen I don't even play an instrument 😅 Although I have a classical guitar making diploma with reward that was never useful because here in France they don't want women to make guitars, they have to make violins...

[@cunecao]

Jens doing looks easy, but the reality its sad. Its been like aomost teen years that im trying to play jazz and im look like a fool. Its hard, but i eill keep trying.

[@jefffranklin2294]

Jens, I really like this lesson. But can you explain why the examples that you choose that you chose that got X'd out, why did in your teaching NOT work. Sometimes it's easier to understand what is right, by also knowing what is wrong So you don't start going downloads that are a waste of time.

[@JensLarsen]

Those are subjective choices, so it was not what I wanted them to sound like. There is no theoretical reason (that I am thinking of at least) Does that help?

[@jefffranklin2294]

@@JensLarsen thank you. If I had made those lines you rejected I would've been satisfied. So I guess I'm asking, why did you reject those lines you did, when they sounded kinda good themselves also. In other words, "What is a "Bad Jazz Lines" in your teaching. I think that would be a very interesting video.if you don't already have one out there.

[@JensLarsen]

@@jefffranklin2294 That is very subjective and context sensitive, so a video like that would be super vague and probably not that useful for anybody :)

[@juanbusquier8546]

Jens porfavor subtítulos en español y en poco tiempo tocaré mejor!

[@patpogoallroundguitarist5814]

I don't know how it is possible, but every time you demonstrate the lines that start with a quarter rest note it sounds like you play on the first beat in the measure.

[@JensLarsen]

Perception. It is just because you don't have a reference and maybe a little bit because you don't hear the rhythm that clearly inside when you hear it.

[@maxwellshammer5283]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@gustavopardiplaz4301]

👍👍👍

[@thijs199]

btw I didn't practice blue bossa at 180, I did try it for fun. but makes no sense indeed, I have brain

[@nononouh]

7

[@A_Voice_In_The_Ocean]

I hope the "buzzing x" featured in this video never make's another appearance.

[@JensLarsen]

I can't promise that 😁

[@A_Voice_In_The_Ocean]

@@JensLarsen hahaha Another hope dashed

[@JensLarsen]

@@A_Voice_In_The_Ocean we aim to please 😂

[@moebetta4224]

What a ridiculous notion that everybody conform to one method of doing anything.