So I have 4 months to learn jazz guitar

I've been playing clarinet for 5 years, guitar for 3, and I started on tenor sax this summer. Anyway, today in band class I got the music for the International Honor Jazz Band, which will take place next year, in TOKYO! The audition is in February. I decided to take the audition music for both guitar and sax, and I realize that this is gonna take a sh*tload of practice on both instruments. Both auditions involve a written part (the tenor sax being a bunch of arpeggios, some anonymous swing piece, and the main melody of Charlie Parker's "Anthropology," and the guitar being "Autumn Leaves" and then a Cmin blues thing), and an improvised part (Cmin blues for both instruments... well technically Dmin for sax, but you know what I mean). The sax seems to be more reading-oriented as it has the arpeggios, the swing piece, and the "Anthropology" main melody, which is murder (yes, I have to do it at at the same speed as Bird), and the improvisation is optional. The guitar is more improvisation-oriented, as the 2 written things are relatively simple, but the improvisation is compulsory.

Now, the written part is no problem as I can figure that out by myself and all that really takes is constant repetition, but I really have no clue how to improvise. I'm taking AP Music Theory at school, so I know about major and minor scales (natural, harmonic, melodic), triads and seventh chords, but we haven't covered stuff like modes yet. On guitar I've basically been doing those same blues scale runs that every 16-year-old kid who plays the guitar does, but I've never really thought about what I was playing in terms of notes so much as positions (ever the problem with guitarists). But now I've got a big challenge and I want to face it down because I know that if I do this I'll become a MUCH better musician and I'll be very happy with myself. I am prepared to bore myself with 4 hours a day of practicing scales and arpeggios if need be. I'll ask for help from my guitar teacher, and my dad, who plays jazz guitar and also has a lot of Jamey Aebersold things on the computer which I'm sure will prove useful, but I thought I might as well ask here too. It's a Cmin blues, so it's obviously not too complicated, but I want to be able to have a deeper perception of music and improvisation and to really be able to pull off a proper solo when audition time comes. Any help is appreciated.

Here's what I'll be needing to improvise on, by the way: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/superunknown373/honor jazz.jpg

Especially when it comes to Jazz you need a lot of theoretical knowledge about scales and chord progressions, at least if you're not playing for yourself but to other musicians. The key lies in using a combination of scales and deviations from the norm, and at the same time making it sound like you don't use scales.

^ Play your improvisations to other people ... get some feedback. People can be cruel, but they usually give an honest opinion if you ask for it.

Hm ... maybe I'll record some of my improvisations with GuitarPort ... we'll see.

Just a general question.. how do you know which scales to use in a song?
For example, you've got some chords. Lets say chords A, F, G. Do you just pick up a scale that plays along with the chords and keep playing the same notes on the whole fret, or you base your option of scale on something different?

maidenrulez, just to let you know, a good friend of mine played the guitar for 4 years, without any teacher nor theory knowledge. He's improvising as well and since he has taken a teacher and learned some scales, he's got a lot more needed theory knowledge (he's also got a band) and his improvastion is much more accurate and probably sounds even better.

Suki wrote: Just a general question.. how do you know which scales to use in a song? For example, you've got some chords. Lets say chords A, F, G. Do you just pick up a scale that plays along with the chords and keep playing the same notes on the whole fret, or you base your option of scale on something different? maidenrulez, just to let you know, a good friend of mine played the guitar for 4 years, without any teacher nor theory knowledge. He's improvising as well and since he has taken a teacher and learned some scales, he's got a lot more needed theory knowledge (he's also got a band) and his improvastion is much more accurate and probably sounds even better.

Which scale to use for which chord ... that is a very tricky question. There are books on the subject ... well, as a beginner you can use the A minor scale for A minor, etc. etc.. But you can also use the scales in a modal way. For example, you can play the A minor scale for Cmaj7 (ionian), Dm7 (dorian), Em7 (phrygian), Fmaj7 (lydian), G7 (mixolydian), Am7 (aeolian), Bdim7. (locrian).

Looks more complicated than it sounds!

Edited by MikeEnRegalia

I think breaking rules is what music is all about. BUT, you gotta learn the rules before you can break them.

This week, I'm giving all my attention to the clarinet, as I have the audition for the Honor Concert Band next weekend, but as soon as that's over I'm gonna start getting heavy on the jazz.

EDIT: By the way maidenrulez, files on yousendit.com expire on 7 days, so I can't listen to that.

Edited by Biggles

btw you should really try to put on some kind of instrumental track...like the snow goose thingie and try to play along and come up with your own ideas and stuff...it is really fun...and i really think that it is more important to enjoy yourself while playing guitar than practicing Scales and chords and whatever...i remember sitting down for hours practicing scales and scale movements and builups and stuff...and i thought...what the hell!??? i dont play guitar for this! i play guitar to enjoy myself and make music...and that is what is most important