One Of The Best Lessons I Ever Had (Jazz Beginner)

A common problem for any Jazz Beginner is playing solos that actually sound like Jazz. It is not enough to know what notes to play, you also need to learn how to make them into lines that sound right. But that doesn't have to be that difficult, and Barry Harris has a few tricks as well!
Barry Harris' Chromatic Scale:
• Why Barry Harris' Appr...
I Wish Every Jazz Beginner Could Watch This!
• I Wish Every Jazz Begi...
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Content:
00:00 A Less Than Perfect Teacher
00:47 A Great lesson!
03:10 The Beginner's Problem With Phrasing
04:39 It is not Enclosures or Passing notes
05:26 Keeping It Simple Makes It Powerful
07:29 Using Barry Harris For Variations
09:29 Barry Leads The Way To Great Phrasing!
09:40 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page!
My name is Jens Larsen, Danish Jazz Guitarist, and Educator. The videos on this channel will help you explore and enjoy Jazz. Some of it is how to play jazz guitar, but other videos are more on Music Theory like Jazz Chords or advice on how to practice and learn Jazz, on guitar or any other instrument.
The videos are mostly jazz guitar lessons, but also music theory, analysis of songs and videos on jazz guitars.
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[@bobm.4268]

Jens is the G.O.A.T. Also further proof Danish people are some of the funniest people on the planet. Cracking me up!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! 😁

[@jdnepari]

Even if I didn't care about jazz guitar I might watch your videos just for the production aesthetics. The pop-ups kill me. And Denmark in black and white? Genius.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, Jim! :)

[@rudycapistrano4538]

1000% AGREE!!! denmark in black and white had me rolling in laughter as well. Jen's videos are usually full of humor, more important, it's full of knowledge to help us "wanna be" struggiling guitar owners trying to learn jazz.....

[@dominicdemercurio7933]

Good stuff no doubt.

[@RC32Smiths01]

Absolutely important for anyone getting into Jazz, especially beginners. Theory is a tool that leads into music and musicality! Cheers Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Ron!

[@RC32Smiths01]

Always!@@JensLarsen

[@fmarolia]

What a brilliant lesson ❤

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@LuizFelipeLima]

Jens, I'm learning so much from your videos. The way you care about music and teaching is inspiring!

[@JensLarsen]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

What was an important lesson for you? 🙂Share some advice! This is how you get started playing Jazz solos! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJDYpnucp7KZf7M

[@danqodusk8140]

Those are a couple of gems, Jens! Very useful information. I think many of us beginners get caught only thinking about arpeggios and scale tones, totally disregarding all the notes between the scale notes. We sort of view those notes as off limits. I'm certainly guilty of employing this view. Now we now why the chromatic scale contains 12 tones.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@BudiXplorer]

Fantastic lesson! As a jazz beginner, your insights are gold. Thanks for breaking it down so well!

[@JensLarsen]

Great to hear that it is useful! 🙂

[@DavidAlbert-or3qz]

So funny. Absolutely love it. Makes it so much more fun.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@johnklimeck]

Barry Harris chromatic scale, Chris Parks, revolutionary for me. It’s like it springboards you to spontaneously create your own bebop lines, phrases…

[@tristandeschamps3154]

Really excellent! You are the best! thank you

[@rudycapistrano4538]

This lesson is worth it's weight in gold!!!! Need to save this and disect it one portion at a time.

[@lawrenrich6419]

This is gold. Thx Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@petejandrell4512]

Brilliant lesson thanks Jens. Yet another template for excellence!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it, Pete!

[@tangopaparomeo338]

Jens, another outstanding lesson. This from a pianist (!) who's learning a ton about bebop soloing from your videos. My sincere thanks!

[@SnowAngelfish]

These guitar lessons are some of the most polished and best produced on youtube. Amazing content!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@williammaestre9318]

Your conclusions from the comparisons are fantastic, thank you very much

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@ismosavola4691]

Thnx... one of the best ones.

[@davidgaughran5450]

I love these ideas, they're so simple to use, and I now have something sounding a bit more filled out. And just with arpeggios, no scales. And they're great fun.

[@JensLarsen]

Great to hear!

[@plouf1969]

3:22 - 3 levels of beginner jazz lines - this is golden. I am a pianist and I often wonder what it is that is missing to make my lines more exciting. The explanation about changing directions on downbeats is exactly what is missing in my lines (unless I steal licks from the masters)

[@rish1459]

Jens - I really wish I had these lessons 35 years ago. I still am bad at jazz, but now I have something with which to work. I tried teachers & they always say: "just do jazz licks". This is a ton of information in a short amount of time -- it requires a lot of practice, but it gives me hope.

[@George-jo7mi]

Really love your clarity and patience. It reveals to me what Mark Levine said in his' Jazz Piano Book' that it's 99% practice and 1% magic! Thank you Jens!❤❤

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

Yes . I like sports analogies. As in, music is more sport than it is art. You cannot play what you have in your head tilyou have trained your body and mind to perform those tiny athletic moves. It took Jordan and Rodman and Steph and LeBron YEARS of4-6 hours per day of hard boring repetitive practice of fundamentals and strengthening and conditioning exercises to be able to make the "magic". Same with music. It is NOT easy to bang away for hours per day, every day for years on the piano or guitar, on dry repetitive technical exercises. Or to get on the bike for 45 minutes after playing 45 minutes in an NBA game or to practice all summer in the off season, But if you don't , you won't get to the playoffs, or onto the bandstand with good musicians.

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

if you're a pianist, check out Dave Frank's "learn to burn" vid. If you use his practice method with these kinds of enclosures in mind, your right hand speed will increase more than you can imagine., you will be able to "play what you have in your head"..... ......after a few weeks or months of repetitive but not too boring practice for an hour or so per day. A very easy to use structured practice method. But it works. Worked for me. I will goback to it again now, for a while, playing these enclosures. I think it will double the payoff.

[@TheGurner1]

Thanks! Very great info Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kendevries3212]

Looking forward to this one.

[@enricosenno7767]

Just finished your rhythm changes course. Really helped me out. Cheers Jens 🎉

[@JensLarsen]

Fantastic! That is really great to hear

[@ramilak]

I'm so glad I was able to provide inspiration for your video jens 😂😂😂😂 we're getting there though🎉

[@61crossroad]

It was the greatest jazz lesson I've ever taken... Thank you so much!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was useful!

[@GregoryPearsonMusic]

Great lesson Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you

[@sirhilaryflange]

Aside from the brilliant and informative lesson your editing skills are so good and very funny, i laughed out loud at the “food” part, keep up the great work mate, all the best and have a great Christmas. 😎

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it! 😁

[@amno1000]

The information you give seems like stuff people charge for, I really appreciate this

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was useful 🙂

[@jamescopeland5358]

Great lesson Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks James!

[@eliasmsv3156]

The Barry Harris approach is so fantastic. I always fumble around when trying to target the correct notes so having a system to rely on when starting out is nice. Thanks for the lesson champ

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@rudycapistrano4538]

Important lesson for me now is joining your Roadmap to Jazz Guitar course. The motto of "Learn Jazz Make Music" is so relevant to me. (hope i got that quote right). So much information on the internet nowadays hard to find where to start, your course is a good compass in trying to learn jazz...note..."trying..." 😅😅😅

[@ramilak]

Won't disappoint!

[@nicklasjensen4189]

Dejlig informativ video, tak Jens :)

[@JensLarsen]

Det var så lidt 🙂

[@joeldelacour937]

Hi Jens. Very good lesson. Clear and simple. I will work with it this week. With my teacher i'am working on L--O-V-E with three II V I. You gave me some ways to progress. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

That's great to hear Joel! 🙂

[@heimenitaia5862]

Wow I just noticed that yesterday I played the Barry Harris concept about half step chromatic enclosure. Thank you for all your contents, that helps me a lot with understanding what I've played and tried to associated with. Great day.

[@JensLarsen]

That's great to hear 🙂 Go for it!

[@-solidsnake-]

I just listened to everything you said (paying about 10% attention) and I didn’t instantly get better at music without practicing. So you’re obviously not the teacher I’m looking for. In all seriousness, thanks for sharing your wisdom.

[@johnnyblue1101]

Great lesson. Let’s apply these lines and lessons to actual standards in future tutorials. Thanks.

[@stevenponte6655]

as a very "experienced" jazz beginner, your videos have been amazing. Being a pianist I have often heard of Barry Harris but never realised his importance, and probably thought it was too advanced for me. Thanks again

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! It's great to hear that you can put the material to use!

[@pierrepineau5988]

The notes before the arpeggio are also called an enclosure with a target note.

[@JensLarsen]

Are you referring to a specific example?

[@Attia29]

Grazie 🎸

[@stivotassinari]

Jens this video is great, as usual I'd say. I still have plenty to work with this concept to make it automatic but at times I wonder what the next level is. It would be wonderful to have a guitar road map course level 2.... I would subscribe not immediately, yesterday! Thanks again cheers!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I will make a Roadmap 2 at some point, first chords 🙂

[@robertwjtaylor]

thanks Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like the video, Robert!

[@hycus4292]

Jens, I like your humor (Danish Jazz scene)😄😄

[@boomerdell]

Jens is the best!😊

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! 🙂

[@fenderben]

Love your editing. Lol

[@kevindonnelly761]

I too remember as a student living on two minute noodles. I lived on Campus. One day one of my mates had vegetables mixed in with his noodles. I was so jealous !

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! Indeed! 😁

[@Neuer13542]

Hello Jens, I'm starting to get back into playing guitar after a ten-year hiatus. I was wondering if there are any guitars that you would recommend to me, videos that I can watch from your channel, and also, some advice. I am currently in a college jazz combo playing the clarinet and I really like those "jazzy chords. I love the sounds coming from those chords. Grant Green and Wes Montgomery are the only jazz guitarists that I've heard and I can listen to some more jazz guitar greats on KZbin. Thanks so much! -Mitch

[@yy77able]

Mr Larsen. Love your lesson. Have you ever talked about movable do or fixed do regarding memorizing melody in your video? Would you give advice on which is better for jazz style music?

[@JensLarsen]

I guess the way I think is moveable do, I just don't use that terminology.

[@yy77able]

@@JensLarsen thank you for anwsering. wish you the best

[@obus4186]

I think connecting these licks is the challenge for me. I can do these isolated ideas which are good for half a measure or so. If i play just using my ear, my solo will sound better than if i think about arpeggio shapes, etc. and approach it visually. By ear, i dont know if im playing enough chord tones on the beat however and possibly not playing jazz or limiting my potential.

[@kristopherswenson2717]

All good comments. Something not touched on here. Hearing and listening then feeling. How many notes are in a scale? Root to tonic. Frets are all half steps. Think about it. It’s not only where you play the note, but where you don’t. But, all this good too. Thanks

[@kristopherswenson2717]

Oh, Jen, one other thing. I’ve been playing for 54 years. Still learning. That’s what makes guitar fun. Tedious too, but fun. Always a student.

[@DaddySantaClaus]

hey Jens, nice stuff as usual. Do you have any tips to improvise over ballads in a solo guitar setting? besides, don't play 8 notes hahaha. or do you have any videos that you made previously?

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Maybe this one, and the next two in that playlist as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnKUoIJuabJ4p68

[@DaddySantaClaus]

@@JensLarsen thanks man...

[@davidpatrick1813]

tank you ... multiple times.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@Attia29]

Lezione veramente importante

[@drewserafini1237]

Great video as usual, Jens! I gotta admit though, anyone who claims that enclosures "don't work" either a) doesn't know what they're talking about or b) doesn't know how to use them properly. Like you said, literally every jazz player worth their salt knows how to use them and jazz wouldn't sound like jazz without them. The fact that someone would try to NOT use them is insane and demonstrates ignorance of one of the basic building blocks of jazz improvisation.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! you would be shocked at how often I have had that comment 😁

[@Mike-rw2nh]

My KZbin feed has been swamped with reviews/demos of the new Wampler Germanium Tumnus. I’ll deep dive your excellent uploads until my GAS abates. Edit: A Barry Harris deep dive is the perfect antidote. Thanks Jens. 👍

[@JensLarsen]

Glad to hear it Mike! 😁

[@bozakarlin9034]

Jens, I learned a lot today, thank you very much.

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!🙂

[@paulmullen2620]

Excellent video! I've noticed the lower note in an enclosure always seems to be a half step under the target, as opposed to a whole step. Does it always work that way?

[@JensLarsen]

No, not always, but it is more common 🙂

[@markslist1542]

Jens, your lessons are the best on the web, by far. If you want the channel to take off though, I advise more style. Use a Benedetto guitar, a catchy background, and wear a blazer. I think you'll get a lot more subscribers that way.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! I actually think it is better if I am honest and not trying to be someone I am not (which is also what has gotten me this far 🙂)

[@mer1red]

I also never liked or practiced bebop scales. Out of curiosity I once searched where this concept came from. After reading about it, I was even more convinced that this would not work for me. Regarding Barry Harris: I hear a lot of praise about him, but unfortunately he did not write any book explaining his method, as far as I know. The only information available is partial aspects from his students, which makes having a comprehensive and integrated view of his system nearly impossible.

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

Hello guitarist 🍀🙏❤️🎼🎵🎶👌✌️🎸

[@kylem2151]

Great video. Would this be considered jazz beginner material, though? Maybe for those who already have some fundamentals under their belt (i.e. arpeggios, scales/modes, chords/changes). I guess I kind of lump that stuff into jazz beginner instead...

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! An enclosure and a one octave arpeggio is not super complicated, but it is also not stuff you do the 1st month you play guitar 🙂

[@kylem2151]

​@@JensLarsenhaha fair enough. Thanks!

[@StevenPD]

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 as a hobby. At 46 I’m feeling like I’ll might never understand Jazz

[@JensLarsen]

You'll get there 🙂

[@paulgordon3113]

Hi Jens I'm having trouble getting from the Barry Harris chromatic scale (7:31) to the variations (8:39). I don't see the connection between the two. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

You need to look at the first phrase and then see how I use the BH chromatic scale to move that enclosure down the C major scale. Maybe go look at it on my website so you can see the examples next to each other. It isn't super complicated 🙂

[@paulgordon3113]

Thanks Jens. The half-step variation was throwing me off. Great lesson.@@JensLarsen

[@dountoothers]

I just may be able to play jazz yet

[@JensLarsen]

You'll get there! Just go for it!

[@Adamswelltroddenpathways]

I aim to stay away from the tonic (“Doe”) on a Major 7th unless it’s used as a passing note off the beat

[@JensLarsen]

I don't really think it's useful to worry about avoid notes while playing

[@Adamswelltroddenpathways]

@@JensLarsenit’s become a 2nd nature habit. The same for “Fa”

[@connshawnery6489]

Are they variations or Barryations? That is the question.

[@motcrue64]

Hi. Jazz newbie here. Question. At 5:51 you say that the first note is diatonic but the second note is chromatic however all three of those notes are in the C major scale so why would the second note be considered chromatic? Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

That probably becomes clear by 6:14 A note can be chromatic and diatonic

[@motcrue64]

@JensLarsen gotcha thank you! I'm a guitar teacher but I primarily play rock and one of my students has been wanting to learn Jazz and your videos have been very helpful.

[@JensLarsen]

@@motcrue64 Great to hear! 🙂

[@inflatedear7131]

Great lesson!👍

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@Attia29]

Grande Jane Larsen

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! (also from Jane!) 😁

[@Attia29]

@@JensLarsen scusami sbagliato 🙏🎸

[@JensLarsen]

No worries!@@Attia29

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

As Dave Frank instructs us, it's not a piece of cake, it's a "piece A pizZA pie" one AND two AND or one E and a TWO e and a and triplets.......basic be bop phrasing language. And like the man here says, ye can not think about these concepts when you're on stage at the session. It will sound mechanical. Live, on the bandstand, it's too late to apply conceptual thinking to your playing. You have to do it at home. Slowly, so you can play the figures "perfectly" and then speed it up, gradually . If you practice consistently very very slowly, say, spending a week playing "how high the moon" or " what is this thing called love" any tune with a series of relatively easy ii-V changes. at a ridiculously slow 60- 70 bpm FOR A WEEK, just repeating that basic "piece of pizza pie" rhythm figure with whatever melody notes you want, with these enclosures for example, For an hour per day for a week . at 65-70 bpm Then you bump the tempo up 3-5 bpm notches to 68-the 70 and play the basic phrases (triplets and "piece of pizza pie" ) doubling the length of the phrases, and alternating triplets with the "piece of pizza pie for another complete week. then one week at 75 etc. Yes, 5 x 10 = 50 so it will take you 10 weeks to get to 125 bpm from 65. .But when you get there, at 125 bpm you will have very solid phrasing and a big bunch or well articulated licks and patterns to solo with. Check out Dave Frank's "Learn to Burn" vid if you're a pianist for sure, but it will work for any instrument I and sure "learn to burn"... It gives you a practice template that you can use easily and play along with.

[@unsatura]

one of my very first improv lessons, my teacher said just go up and down the scale ! but every time i decided to turn, it felt WRONG !!! and sounded wrong ... lol

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, it can be difficult to teach 🙂

[@els1f]

"Denmark was in black and white back then"🤣😂💀

[@JensLarsen]

😁🙏

[@eemusik1]

I love your content, explaining and playing jazz. I dont like the cartoon style edit.

[@gonzalo836]

I’ve proven muself that donkeys can do arpegios pretty good. Please respect 🐴

[@colinbuhler3860]

actually im now getting a grasp on how to get this stuff into my. eye opener to me is that actually its not so much about the chord, rather about the note. i can use the same targeting to note "A" on so many different chords. legit. u stop worrying about all thos arp notes and just see how the notes sound on different chords and how they feel. this is what i love about blues. it kinda starts feeling liek this in jazz now. thanks.

[@liveguitarcast]

Fuck it. I'm just gonna memorize Ted Green tabs and go get gigs.

[@JensLarsen]

Whatever works for you 🙂

[@liveguitarcast]

@@JensLarsen I love your channel, nice playing, but I still think your tone knob is too high.

[@ErebosGR]

Shorter answer: Cram The Lick everywhere you can. 😁

[@BiteSizeEarTraining]

Alright now

[@sydrose13]

Danish jazz scene 😂

[@JensLarsen]

👍🙂

[@hueysharapova7175]

Its about as prominent as the Danish WW2 response.

[@arvh1952]

Lovely lesson but teaching students “licks” to advance in jazz is the worst thing to do ..

[@JensLarsen]

It depends on how you do it of course.

[@arvh1952]

@@JensLarsen absolutely. Upon rereading my own comment.. it sounded downright condescending.. while I was actually agreeing to something u said i believe and i am an eager follower of ur fantastic and generous lessons. Thank you.

[@hank252]

You talk too much.

[@marceli155]

bla bla bla bla bla !!👎👎👎👎👎👎