Jazz Guitar Chords
for Comping

This section of the website covers everything you need to get started with jazz guitar comping (or improve your current abilities). The jazz guitar chords lessons on this page focus mainly the harmonic aspect of the instrument : chord shapes, progressions, chord melody, etc. You'll find plenty of FREE material.

If this is your first visit, I recommend looking at these jazz guitar chords lessons in order. You should evidently have a few basic chord shapes at your command before attempting chord melody stuff on standards (or more intricate progressions with substitutions.)

Start with the chord charts. As soon as you're familiar with basic jazz guitar chords "grips" (shapes), it is highly recommended to apply them by creating accompaniments on actual jazz tunes.

Always remember : be musical and tasteful in your comping! A bunch of chord changes or cool substitutions simply won't work if the final result isn't SWINGING ...

Have fun and make good music!

Jazz Guitar Chords : Comping Basics

• Jazz Guitar Chord Chart #1
  
  Major, Minor and Dominant. The best starting point for complete jazz guitar beginners : over 30 *useful* chord forms diagrams to get you started. All moveable chord shapes.


• Chords By The Root
  
  *NEW* Special Offer Until December 11th Learn tons of voicing easily and logically with this Jazz Guitar Chord System. Tested and true easy to grasp concept.


• Jazz Guitar Chord Chart #2
  
  Diminished 7th and altered dominants. Spicy chords with some harder fingerings. This is where to go when you see "b9" or "#5" (or both!) in the chord symbols. All moveable chord shapes.


• Chord Progressions #1
  
  The basics of playing and understanding how chords go with one another. Covers the diatonic cycle and the I-VI-II-V progression. Great starting points.


• The No Nonsense Guide to Jazz Harmony - Part 1
  
  "What is a II-V-I and how does it work?" Theory with practical applications on the fingerboard (printable exercises in PDF).


• Videos
  
  See the free videos section for more lessons...

Jazz Guitar Chords : Essentials

• Chord Melody
  
  The fine art of accompanying oneself. Learn to create enjoyable jazz guitar moments by shaping *your own* chord melody arrangements on jazz standards.


• Chords Warmup (the Big Five)
  
  Get your fingers loose for the practice session or gig. Five very useful voicings played up and down the fretboard (all diatonic in C major). Great workout for the left hand!


• Chords in Scales (aka diatonic chords)
  
  Chords found in three scales : Major, melodic minor and harmonic minor. Generate 7 new chords everytime you learn a single voicing! Also : explanations on the nature of drop2 and drop3 voicings.


• Chord Progressions #2
  
  Modulations : how to get to other keys. Let's start by modulating to the almighty IV chord... (heard in many standards and within the blues progressions)


• The No Nonsense Guide - Part 2
  
  Some more clarifications on harmony. Practical suggestions to understand and play secondary dominants, interpolation, back cycling, turnarounds (and more...)


• Chords By The Root
  
  *NEW* Special Offer Until December 11th Learn tons of voicing easily and logically with this Jazz Guitar Chord System. Tested and true easy to grasp concept.


• Blues Stuff - Tunes, Progressions and more
  
  Learning to comp and improvise on blues in a invaluable tool to understand and master harmony on the guitar ... see the blues section here.


• Videos
  
  See the free videos section for more lessons...

Jazz Guitar Chords : Beyond

• Jazz Chord Cycles
  
  Learn to play in all keys using cycles, starting with the cycle of fourths, of course. Next, take a look at some diatonic cycles.


• Chord Progressions #3
  
  Minor Progressions. The final chapter in this jazzy chord progressions survey. The minor diatonic cycle, I-VI-II-V in minor and minor blues progressions.


• The No Nonsense Guide - Part 3
  
  The final article in the "no-nonsense series". Covers more advanced topics and defines harmonic concepts such as tags, back door progressions, extension, inversions and more...


• Chord Substitutions: Jazz Guitarist's Survival Guide
  
  Now that you understand chords and progressions it's time to create effective variations on them. Simple tricks to help you spruce up all the "boring" chord stuff found on leadsheets. Real chord subs used by the pros and jazz guitar greats.


• A Great 13th Voicing : Video
  
  Very useful voicing demonstrated through scales (video + PDF). Based on quartal harmony; learn it and you'll soon be using it everywhere in your comping. Modern sounding and really cool!


• Videos
  
  See the free videos section for more lessons...