Are you struggling with playing guitar licks? Would you like a great way to practice licks that can be done in 2 minutes and proves that licks do not have to be long, nor do they have to be very complex in order for them to be highly effective in teaching a number of more advanced guitar concepts...

 

In this video, I’m going to show you a 2 minute jazz lick exercise that utilizes a popular chord harmony. It also incorporates the swing feel, chromatic notes, and chord tone targeting. The chord harmony is based off of the common jazz movement of, "I-VI-II-V."

 

WATCH THE VIDEO:

The best part about learning licks is that when these ideas are done from a number of different fret-board positions on the neck they offer an entirely unique impact on your; sense of mechanical skill along with your ability to learn licks and chords more quickly, plus better commitment to memory and a higher level of technical skill.

In this lesson we’re going to light up the guitar fingerboard with a jazz guitar lick. And, the cool thing is that this lesson will not only get you playing a brand new jazz lick – which by the way sounds really cool – but, we’ll also discuss the backing chords played behind it.

Plus, I will explain how to convert this lick into a moveable exercise on the neck. Probably you’ve played your fair share of blues licks and maybe even a few jazz licks in the past, but this time it is going to be different. This time you’re going to learn this in a different way.

Our focus will be on helping you learn this idea so that it allows you to be more flexible with your practice. And along with that, this method will help get your hands and fingers to become more nimble so that this lick (and other licks you’ll learn after this one) – will feel easier and you’ll commit them to memory much faster. 

So, grab your guitar – and let’s get started with learning this lesson’s jazz lick.

Working with jazz changes requires exposure to certain rhythmic ideas, as well as, having a good grasp for the larger chord harmonies that are found in jazz pieces. 

This means that you’ll want to start building a strong awareness of the jazz swing feel along with a good background for being able to perform many types of the seventh quality chords. 

Coming up I’ve got a simple way to help you with both of these ideas. But, first I want to tell you about a special promotional offer related to my Handouts Collection eBook.

Example 2):
Making licks and chord progression movable. 

Here’s that same lick we had back from example one, but now it’s been relocated up a whole step into the key of “Eb Major.”

For expanding the skills that are involved with performing chord changes at a higher level of skill, we’re going to treat those chord patterns that we had back from example one, as being rooted to a string – but their positions will be located across different areas of the fingerboard.

For example; here’s our group of chords from the first example, but now we’ll practice moving them along the fingerboard to build higher levels of technical skill and a better technical awareness for the chord patterns. 

Movable Major 7:
Play this 5th-string root shape for the Major 7 chord across the guitar neck laterally and get to know the root locations, so the naming of the chord can be applied correctly as you'd need it.

Movable Minor 7:
Play this 6th-string root shape for the Minor 7 chord across the guitar neck laterally and get to know the root locations. Be clear on how to name the chord so that it can be applied correctly as you would need it in a song.

Movable Minor 7:
Play this 5th-string root shape for the Minor 7 chord across the guitar neck laterally and get to know the root locations. Be clear on how to name the chord so that it can be applied correctly as you would need it in a song.

Movable Dominant 9:
Play this 6th-string root shape for the Dominant 9 chord across the guitar neck laterally and get to know the root locations. Be clear on how to name the chord so that it can be applied correctly as you would use it within a song.

I’m sure that you enjoy the challenge of learning new licks and new chord progressions. But maybe you’re a little bit intimidated by music styles that are not a part of the Top-40 list of songs... like Jazz. 

There’s no need to be intimidated. All it takes to learn a new music style is to apply a practice routine like the one I’ve just gone over here in this video.

Basically, you learn a part and then treat that part as more of a mechanical idea that is basically shape oriented. Then, you move it along and across the neck to train your hands to recognize it in a more mechanical way. In other words, you’re treating the new ideas more like a technique work-out. 

And, this approach will help you to nail down new styles, new licks and new chords a whole lot faster. Plus, it has the added bonus of also helping your guitar technique improve at the same time.