Bravo, Jens! As a novice guitarist, but trained trumpeter, I so appreciate your commitment to the fundamentals of learning guitar as an instrument. So much of UA-cam is filled with how to play a song or riff, without ever raising a players skill or technical capability, but your teaching helps us all become better musicians (as long as we commit to the practice...). Bravo, Jens, and thank you for the instruction.
Great info as usual. Was blown away by George Benson recently, when I saw him say he's only really comfortable playing in TWO positions and everything in between is just to get him to the other position!
It relaxes me a lot to watch your videos. A few months ago I started to study jazz on guitar and I feel extremely overwhelmed by everything I know I have to study and I find it hard to clear the way when I sit down to practice, but this helps a lot. A hug from Argentina!
+Mitch Berger Thank you Mitch! I am very glad that you find the lessons and the pdf's useful! If you want to help me then share the lesson on social media like Facebook or twitter! :)
Jens Larsen I may have told you before, I have been playing by ear since age 10 . I though it's time to learn music theory and all that goes with it . So Yes, I have found what I'm looking for . Have a great day ;)
I like this lesson. I feel there is a much deeper message about cultivating a "mindfullness" while playing the guitar. When you say that you want to play at a tempo where you know what is going on and you can understand each note being played. Thanks for the marvelous content. I watch your videos regularly and it has definitely helped me on my journey and make me motivated to play.
That is great to hear Adarsh! I think it is indeed about keeping your brain working when doing scales! If you want to help me then you can share one of my videos and help me spread the word with your recommendation 😊
thanks god these lessons exist and are available for free... You made my life so much easier. I hope life rewards you for this great work you're doing, because we all know you deserve it. Thank you so much.
You're welcome! I am glad you find them useful! If you want to help me then share one of the lessons you like on Facebook or Twitter and help me spread the word! :)
I recently purchased a Jazzmaster guitar which I'm so enamored with . . . It's really inspired me to practice my scales over and over, at least an hour a day. The tricky part is linking them all up so that it all sounds seamless and fluid. Great video, Jens. They're always good.
+Jens Larsen One other thing . . . How useful and important is it to practice using a metronome? I just recently purchased one (due to arrive tomorrow).
I miss my Ibanez Artist. I played a gig with a Gibson Les Paul, with hot rodded hum buckets. I played the Ibanez that night too, and we recorded. I sold the Ibanez, “before I heard the recording of that night”. I didn’t think “anything, ever, sounded better than my Gibson”. But there it was, the Artist, sounded “quite a noticeably bit better”, than my “money maker”, the Gibson. Musta been Di Marzio? Don’t know. I didn’t know what I had. Cheers!
I've been searching for the right video for MONTHS!! I could NEVER find it! Dude, this IS THAT VID!!! I learned SOOOO MUCH!! Thank you dude, your the best!!!
You're a great teacher mate. (I say that as a teacher myself, though not a guitar teacher). I've seen a lot of your lessons on here now and they are all very clear, to the point and full of practical advice. Thanks for putting this out for us!
Although I am not a jazz player myself, I find that many of your explanations and exercises can be readily and easily generalized to other genres - and the degree of difficulty or work involved to absorb them are inherent to the skill or concept being taught, and not to your very clear explanations. Thank you!
Really great lesson, the tips on how the actually think about it are excellent. I’ve always thought it is easier to say “what key is this in” and then play the notes of that ley as opposed to thinking “what mode do I need now” for every new chord. It amounts to the same result but the way you demonstrate how to approach emphasising the right notes is invaluable. I’ve known the scales since I was 16 but my solos always sounded terrible..... now that I am 55 and retired this stuff is going change my playing so much. Brilliant, thank you!
Thank you so much for confirming what I have long suspected, and for putting it so clearly for everyone to benefit from! It seems the only thing people have to say about learning scales is "here, these shapes cover the fretboard!" That is so inadequate it isn't even funny. I have wasted so many years and half-quit so many times because of trying to make this limited amount of knowledge take me where I want to go. I wish I had long ago simply resolved myself to learning what you described in the first few minutes. Only actually knowing what it is you are playing (what notes are in this scale? Which of these is the 5th of the chord playing right now? Etc etc) and knowing the notes on the fretboard inside out and upside down like I know my own name or my home address will "unlock the fretboard". All these systems that claim to unlock it don't unlock it. They provide easy beginner level access and then without further study become a crutch that severely limits and confuses. Then everyone ends up "stuck in the box" and needs more lessons on "how to get out of the box"... I think I will just skip the box altogether and establish a good foundation, finally!
A really interesting video on a not so interesting subject. I've played guitar for 40+ years and would have really appreciated your insights all those years ago. This is probably the first time in many years I feel excited about playing scales...thanks Jens.
Jens Larsen I've just ordered you book the advanced jazz concepts....I've already learned a great deal from your videos but I like having a hard copy that I can refer to anytime. I must organise becoming a patron...you do excelleent work Jens. Thank you.
@@JensLarsen After around 20 years of playing with my ears only, i struggle to communicate with other musicians and giving name to the chords and "patterns" i play with my guitar... I really feel stuck with that, and now, i try to handle the theory around it. Very Hard! Mostly to get the gymnastic between what i play, and the names that go with it! Time to practice, even if it feels difficult to slow down and to trust in it as the next step of my musical evolution ... Thanks again for your dedication and your service to music.
Thanks for having this channel, I'm a rock guy trying to gain access to more color and your channel is perfect for my style of learning. Thank you for the lessons.
Very interesting and musical sounding exercises on thirds. Would there also be value in doing the same process with sixths, which are of course the inversion of the third, adding more variety to your lines with the larger intervals?
D'awww I got a name check! haha Enjoyed that - well spoken, and (most importantly) you don't expect anyone to assume your authority - you've already gained my respect before you say a word. I saw comments on the UG comments where people moan that this is more of the same, and yes, while the subject is, the deeper philosophical lesson here is excellent.
also - getting namechecked by a channel with 25k subscribers vs my lowly 1200? I'm the dirt on your shoe! haha Though is you ever want to do some collaborative conceptual stuff - let me know :)
Thank you Levi! I only have 20K subs so don't get stressed :D I have probably seen most of your videos the last few months. I really enjoy your stuff and your honest attitude towards music and teaching! I'd be happy to work together! That could be a lot of fun! We just need a good idea :)
I've got another one dropping today - less about abusing people, and more about inspiring! And I'll have a think - I'm looking to do some cool collab things and build more of a network of youtube guitarists with some integrity :P
Great! I thought you did the troll business ok though! He was giving me a hard time on Reddit a few months ago. I am a bit busy because I have a small tour with my band next week, but I'll start thinking as well. I am sure we can figure something out some time! If I think of something I'll e-mail you, feel free to do the same. I'd imagine you know a lot of people with big UA-cam channels? Maybe we could do something with each going over a short chord progression and talk about what we play on it. That's bound to be different and I would be curious to see what devices you apply, just a thought..
Great player, and great teacher too. Great stuff Jens. You do a very good job at condensing things down and explaining them from a practical point of view. I think a lot of people will tell you what to practise, but few will give a good explanation of how/why. Well, there's a lot to cover, I don't blame them. But you do a very good job. I'll be finding a lot of useful stuff here to anchor myself better in the theory. Thanks!
Jens - you are fantastic man. Your lessons and the way you deliver them are just an awesome resource and you deserve lots of praise. I'm actually going to put together a 13 week seminar for myself in terms of practice based entirely on your lessons and I really look forward to getting into them much deeper. I love how you keep everything musical - a very important lesson in and of itself.
Hi Jens. Very appreciative of your lessons. I always have about 7 windows of your lessons open on my pc that I go back and forth with. It may not be the best way, but it keeps me active on several aspects much of the time.
Wow! Your channel is phenomenal! Thank you for sharing such incredible knowledge and insights! Not to mention the practicality of putting it all to use! God bless you Jens!
Fantastic lesson, Jens. I like your point about following along with your mind to be aware of where you are in the scale. So easy to get lost in soloing. It also helps to approach things from the technical side to keep some variety on the creative side. Cheers.
Great Lesson!! You are a great teacher sir. And I am glad that someone finally said it, Modes are incorporated into all 7 scales patterns based on the Key. So there is no reason to learn the dorian, phrygian, locrian modes....etc. They are already incorporated in each of the 7 patterns. So why search for them. It just depends on which note(s) you accent in each pattern that defines the modal sound.
I use each of the 7 Diatonic Modes as Chord Scales to establish the 7 Chords in each Key, as well as their extensions. So if I see a Dm9, Em7b9 or G13...etc. for example, I just think the 'C' Major Scale or Key of 'C' Major, and not necessarily 'D' Dorian, 'E; Phrygian or 'G' Mixolydian. This simplifies everything for me, and where I found Modes to be most beneficial in both composition and in soloing. So a ii-V-I in 'C' Major can be Dm-G7-C Or Dm9-G13-CM9 Or even: Dm9 - G13 - CM9 - Em7 - Am - Dm9 And the 'C' Major Scale will work over all of them.
This would've saved me so much time. I've been practicing scales for hours with no improvement at all. Learning chords (intervals) helps too. I would also suggest applying this to songs you like with tabs. Instead of learning to play the songs by reading the fingerings use a chromatic scale chart to figure out the other notes in the tab. That way you see notes being moved around the way your favorite guitarist does.
You have become my defacto standard Jazz teacher. Thanks a lot for putting in all the hard work to teach us for free. I have a request. Can you do a lesson on proper use of fingering when moving between different scale positions. I always have trouble with that. No book I follow teach proper fingerings for playing scales.
Thank you! To be honest I don't really believe that there is a proper fingering. Even with playing the scale in 3rds there are 3 or 4 "correct" options so it's hard to really say what is the proper way, which is probably also why the books don't really cover it?
Thank you for your prompt reply. I will definitely keep this mind. I am for years searching for the method of using correct fingering for playing scales in different position. Now that i know its not really relevant. Thank you.
just discovered your lessons jens! great job.... as a metal/hard rock player some of your advices seem to be really useful... thanx for taking the time to produce this!!
Glad you like the lessons!!! Let me know if you have any questions! You can always help me spreading the word by sharing a lesson on Facebook or Twitter!
First of your videos I've seen. Nicely done. Always appreciate having things scored/tabbed - makes the ideas and using them that much more likely to happen.
Jens, I agree about reading music. It is definately useful if you want to be a serious musician, but as you have stated in another video, it is not worth spending too much time on it. Yes Wes didn't read music, but who has that immense talent??? I find in the morning first thing with coffee, doing your scale suggestions, without reading the tab, but the actual notes both improves my reading speed, and makes me say the notes in my head at the same time, hence improving my reading skills, and my fretboard knowledge. I know you do not use the caged system, but I have used it for years, and so I am comfortable with it. I take your exercisces that you have here and transpose them into the five positions of that system so I can easily find my arpeggios and triads anywhere on the neck. Just a thought.
I like how the upper frets on your guitar are more accessible then the Epiphone Sheraton behind you. I've had the Sheraton for 16 years and the upper frets is the only thing I don't like about it.
Agree it is about precision, good technique and slow until you build these areas and can slowly increase speed with a metronome. That works well for me.
@@JensLarsen I wanted to ask what again is the reason you don't need Lydian Dominant? I've never heard of it, are those notes you may land on in improvisation to get a certain sound? such as a #4 .
Very thoughtful take on using scales. I find myself thinking about notes and establishing a fingering when I have a specific tune to learn... otherwise .. I’m in lick learning and chord learning mode for my current gigging... just don’t have the time to go in depth but trying to add something ....
I've played guitar for a time now,,,and always thought feel was the thing , influenced by american blues , I love the sound of Jazz, it would be good to cover improvisation leaning to the feel of the blues . You might have covered this already...It's great to know someone like yourself Jens to teach the way to play Jazz.... Thanks again.Peace...
phrasing sounds good , I've always liked the thought of learning jazz and now with your video lessons it can become a reality ... also just started listening to Wes Montgomery...he sounds brilliant...
I have one of those same Ibanez guitars in wine red, beautiful instrument and plays extremely well. Thanks for this very helpful video, the format is perfect and you are great with explaining these concepts. Stay safe!
great lesson, I wish I kind of had this in the beginning vs wood shedding it for so long as a self taught player. one thing I started doing which relates to the last example, I got from brain may on about 4:50 of bohemian Rhapsody official video, atleast to put scales in a context/harmonic value. he kind of does a power chord then runs the scale, but I just do the caged form triads and run the scale. not so much the exact key or scale but kind of the rhythm/idea he had. it helps make it kind of musical and helps you understand the harmonic value against the chord. trying to get some variations on it now, but check it out.
+Jens Larsen it's the part where they are ending the big rock moment just before the piano part and then it switches to the section where Freddie sings "nothing really matters" at the end
Thank you very much Ricardo! I am glad you found it useful! If you have any suggestions for topics or things you are looking for the feel free to let me know 👍
Jens. As always I loved this video but I've always thought there was only 5 positions on the guitar. I would love it if u made a video explaining the 7 positions.
There are two systems with 7 positions. It is pretty logical: One position for each note in the major scale. There is a video on scale fingering systems on the channel and you can download diagrams on my website 🙂
I have been doing this exact thing with scales for the last 5 years....This opened so many doors for me in my soloing.. Sadly I thought I Came up with this....I guess great minds think alike, lol....
Great stuff. Question: in jazz , when you play a minor scale, do you come back down the same way as going up? In classical , the melodic minor comes back down as a natural minor. Thanks!
I also play towards the NUT as I ascend . Since triads stacking is every other note. It helps me to see different chord shape with the root on each string. it help alot...when the root starts on the G string.lmao.... I also play the center position..it's just to help me navigate differently. I also play single strings and stack triads on top of each note accordingly..This helps me navigate or see the entire fretboard as a whole..when I do different riff..I wont get lost. Plus different sounds of slide up or down...not just a tone above or below...up to the 3rd, 4th or 5th or down half way. It's different than just picking in a box shape. Plus it visually looks cool when i combine it with everything else...Im wearing out the entire fretboard.lmao..My band always freak out when they watch me improve.lmao You have to know where all the notes are at if you wanna TAPP. I study the mode and their intervals of each note. That's why I play to the left and to the right...so I'll see those notes. If i DONT SEE the NOTES...I WONT PLAY THEM.. It is what it is.... I also play that pattern you showed..but I just move everything up a string each time...So I know what it looks like if it starts on different strings. I so that to all the modes...thou ( 28 modes) By playing over the same tone cetner and going through different modes...this helps me modulate easier. It still takes lots practice no matter which way i do it. Just trying to attack it from every angle.lol It seems like a lot at first but once you start going through them alot of it are overlapes or just shifting up one more note at a time..(maj7. maj6. #4 shifting up to make Major intervals on the second half of the scale) To me it's just not the modes..it's the different chords you can make when playing spainish or classical guitar.... As you said..I know what note distinguish what mode...to these 4 different scales..Natural, harmonic minor, melodic minor and hamonic Maj. I havnt nail down the double harmonic ,yet. I know what it is...I played it plenty starting different root note. it's just the Lydian b3 with b6...Im never going to be a jazz...jazz guitar player..More towards like Satriani or Via.lol..I bend and play more crazy evil (desonant diads) double stops.lmao On my way to the next chord.lol
Jens thanks a lots your ideas for scale practicing are really great . Is going to take me a while to master this but I can see how much are going to help again Thank U BCastro.
Hello Jens, I wanted to ask if you could do a video improvising using all the info you played on this video. It would be very helpful to see how it sounds. Thanks (:
If you want to check out which 3 Scales you need to know for Jazz then take a look here: ua-cam.com/video/NEvBZTD-f6s/v-deo.html 🙂👍
1:48 Ex 1 - Straight up & down
4:50 Ex 2 - Diatonic 3rds
5:11 Ex 3 - Diatonic 3rds (descending)
5:22 Ex 4 - Diatonic 3rds (Mixed directions)
6:54 Ex 5 - Diatonic triads
7:26 Ex 6 - Diatonic triads (3 1 5 pattern)
7:40 Ex 7 - Diatonic triads (3 5 1 pattern)
9:48 Ex 8 - Diatonics 7th chords
10:10 Ex 9 - Diatonics 7th chords (1 5 3 7 pattern)
Great!
this is absolutely genius and yet so simple, i'm ashamed i never thought about praticing like this :'(
Nice
Bravo, Jens! As a novice guitarist, but trained trumpeter, I so appreciate your commitment to the fundamentals of learning guitar as an instrument. So much of UA-cam is filled with how to play a song or riff, without ever raising a players skill or technical capability, but your teaching helps us all become better musicians (as long as we commit to the practice...). Bravo, Jens, and thank you for the instruction.
Glad you like the lesson and my approach in the videos!
If you have any questions then just comment, I try to get back to everybody :)
you, good sir, are a godsend for the beginner in jazz!
Thank you very much! I am glad you find it useful :)
Great info as usual. Was blown away by George Benson recently, when I saw him say he's only really comfortable playing in TWO positions and everything in between is just to get him to the other position!
The best jazz guitar channel
+genjurosama Thank you!
good channel but are there any other jazz guitar channels?
legoyunusJazz Jamie Holroyd Guitar, Adam Neely, Rowan J Parker, Rick Beato. Also Julian Lage I don't think he teaches though.
thanks i only knew adam neely from your list
Morten Faerestrand!
It relaxes me a lot to watch your videos. A few months ago I started to study jazz on guitar and I feel extremely overwhelmed by everything I know I have to study and I find it hard to clear the way when I sit down to practice, but this helps a lot. A hug from Argentina!
+Gero Really glad you find the videos useful and relaxing! Good luck with the jazz journey! 👍👍👍
+Mitch Berger Thank you Mitch! I am very glad that you find the lessons and the pdf's useful!
If you want to help me then share the lesson on social media like Facebook or twitter! :)
Thank you for asking me to check out you channel, these are very good lessons . I'm catching on very quickly and really enjoying them .
Dspeir You're very welcome! I hope you find what you are looking for 😊
Jens Larsen I may have told you before, I have been playing by ear since age 10 . I though it's time to learn music theory and all that goes with it . So Yes, I have found what I'm looking for . Have a great day ;)
Thanks Jens! You Rock! Even though you are a jazz guy! Appreciate you and your work helping others grow as musicians!
I like this lesson. I feel there is a much deeper message about cultivating a "mindfullness" while playing the guitar. When you say that you want to play at a tempo where you know what is going on and you can understand each note being played. Thanks for the marvelous content. I watch your videos regularly and it has definitely helped me on my journey and make me motivated to play.
That is great to hear Adarsh! I think it is indeed about keeping your brain working when doing scales!
If you want to help me then you can share one of my videos and help me spread the word with your recommendation 😊
love the tone
Thank you 🙂
thanks god these lessons exist and are available for free... You made my life so much easier. I hope life rewards you for this great work you're doing, because we all know you deserve it.
Thank you so much.
You're welcome! I am glad you find them useful!
If you want to help me then share one of the lessons you like on Facebook or Twitter and help me spread the word! :)
I recently purchased a Jazzmaster guitar which I'm so enamored with . . . It's really inspired me to practice my scales over and over, at least an hour a day. The tricky part is linking them all up so that it all sounds seamless and fluid. Great video, Jens. They're always good.
+Jason Brayshaw Thank you so much Jason! It's great to hear you can use them!
+Jens Larsen Shared on Facebook.
+Jason Brayshaw Thank you so much Jason! :)
+Jens Larsen One other thing . . . How useful and important is it to practice using a metronome? I just recently purchased one (due to arrive tomorrow).
+Jason Brayshaw That's very useful since it is probably the most efficient way to improvie your time and groove :)
I miss my Ibanez Artist. I played a gig with a Gibson Les Paul, with hot rodded hum buckets. I played the Ibanez that night too, and we recorded. I sold the Ibanez, “before I heard the recording of that night”.
I didn’t think “anything, ever, sounded better than my Gibson”.
But there it was, the Artist, sounded “quite a noticeably bit better”, than my “money maker”, the Gibson.
Musta been Di Marzio? Don’t know.
I didn’t know what I had. Cheers!
This lesson has got me going for 10s of hours and I'm still going. I was always stuck with running scales and arpeggios up and down
Keep at it! It pays off :)
Great discussion, Jens. You do have a gift for teaching.
Thank you, Richard!
I've been searching for the right video for MONTHS!! I could NEVER find it! Dude, this IS THAT VID!!! I learned SOOOO MUCH!! Thank you dude, your the best!!!
You're very welcome Robert! I am glad you found it! 🙂
Probably the best video I have ever seen on scales. Good stuff man.
+William Hamby Thank you William! :)
You're a great teacher mate. (I say that as a teacher myself, though not a guitar teacher). I've seen a lot of your lessons on here now and they are all very clear, to the point and full of practical advice. Thanks for putting this out for us!
Thank you Chris! A compliment from a colleague means a lot!
This is *so, so* useful! Thanks so much!
Glad it was helpful!
Incredibly helpful lessons and style of teaching. Better than any teacher I have had yet. Can't thank you enough for the free lessons!
+Zac Hummel You're very welcome Zac!
Although I am not a jazz player myself, I find that many of your explanations and exercises can be readily and easily generalized to other genres - and the degree of difficulty or work involved to absorb them are inherent to the skill or concept being taught, and not to your very clear explanations. Thank you!
You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂
This is the kind of lesson I need as an amateur, Thanks sir!
You are THE MASTER!! From Neuquen Patagonia Argentina thank you friend
You're very welcome, Ariel 🙂
La verdad que el tipo explica bastante bien me aclaro unas dudas, yo también soy de Neuquén 😎. Thanks you Jens for this videos.
Really great lesson, the tips on how the actually think about it are excellent. I’ve always thought it is easier to say “what key is this in” and then play the notes of that ley as opposed to thinking “what mode do I need now” for every new chord. It amounts to the same result but the way you demonstrate how to approach emphasising the right notes is invaluable. I’ve known the scales since I was 16 but my solos always sounded terrible..... now that I am 55 and retired this stuff is going change my playing so much. Brilliant, thank you!
Thank you so much for confirming what I have long suspected, and for putting it so clearly for everyone to benefit from!
It seems the only thing people have to say about learning scales is "here, these shapes cover the fretboard!" That is so inadequate it isn't even funny. I have wasted so many years and half-quit so many times because of trying to make this limited amount of knowledge take me where I want to go. I wish I had long ago simply resolved myself to learning what you described in the first few minutes. Only actually knowing what it is you are playing (what notes are in this scale? Which of these is the 5th of the chord playing right now? Etc etc) and knowing the notes on the fretboard inside out and upside down like I know my own name or my home address will "unlock the fretboard". All these systems that claim to unlock it don't unlock it. They provide easy beginner level access and then without further study become a crutch that severely limits and confuses. Then everyone ends up "stuck in the box" and needs more lessons on "how to get out of the box"... I think I will just skip the box altogether and establish a good foundation, finally!
Glad to hear that you find it useful Tom! I completely agree with you on the shapes solutions 🙂
A really interesting video on a not so interesting subject. I've played guitar for 40+ years and would have really appreciated your insights all those years ago. This is probably the first time in many years I feel excited about playing scales...thanks Jens.
That's great Robin! Glad you feel inspired by the video :)
Jens Larsen I've just ordered you book the advanced jazz concepts....I've already learned a great deal from your videos but I like having a hard copy that I can refer to anytime. I must organise becoming a patron...you do excelleent work Jens. Thank you.
@@robinmarwick1982 Thank you Robin! I hope you find something you can use in it :)
Thanks for that man ! Sharing is Loving, all the best for your way ... through your own life scale !
Glad you find it useful!
@@JensLarsen After around 20 years of playing with my ears only, i struggle to communicate with other musicians and giving name to the chords and "patterns" i play with my guitar... I really feel stuck with that, and now, i try to handle the theory around it. Very Hard! Mostly to get the gymnastic between what i play, and the names that go with it! Time to practice, even if it feels difficult to slow down and to trust in it as the next step of my musical evolution ... Thanks again for your dedication and your service to music.
I've seen three of your vids in a row, they've covered my needs for what I'm working on this week. Thank you SO MUCH!
+Magí Batalla Rodríguez You are very welcome! I am glad you found the video's useful!
The descending 3rds, the way you played them, is so freaking difficult for me. Thanks for your vids, they are awesome.
You're very welcome! I am sure you will get there quickly if you keep at it! 👍
This has improved my soloing. Thanks so much! You are concise.
You're very welcome Marie! I am glad you like it! 🙂
Thanks for having this channel, I'm a rock guy trying to gain access to more color and your channel is perfect for my style of learning. Thank you for the lessons.
+Chromaesthesia You're welcome! Glad to hear that you find the videos useful!
Very interesting and musical sounding exercises on thirds. Would there also be value in doing the same process with sixths, which are of course the inversion of the third, adding more variety to your lines with the larger intervals?
Yes, you can approach pretty much anything like that. Try triads 🙂
D'awww I got a name check! haha
Enjoyed that - well spoken, and (most importantly) you don't expect anyone to assume your authority - you've already gained my respect before you say a word.
I saw comments on the UG comments where people moan that this is more of the same, and yes, while the subject is, the deeper philosophical lesson here is excellent.
also - getting namechecked by a channel with 25k subscribers vs my lowly 1200? I'm the dirt on your shoe! haha
Though is you ever want to do some collaborative conceptual stuff - let me know :)
Thank you Levi! I only have 20K subs so don't get stressed :D
I have probably seen most of your videos the last few months. I really enjoy your stuff and your honest attitude towards music and teaching!
I'd be happy to work together! That could be a lot of fun! We just need a good idea :)
I've got another one dropping today - less about abusing people, and more about inspiring!
And I'll have a think - I'm looking to do some cool collab things and build more of a network of youtube guitarists with some integrity :P
Great! I thought you did the troll business ok though! He was giving me a hard time on Reddit a few months ago.
I am a bit busy because I have a small tour with my band next week, but I'll start thinking as well. I am sure we can figure something out some time! If I think of something I'll e-mail you, feel free to do the same.
I'd imagine you know a lot of people with big UA-cam channels?
Maybe we could do something with each going over a short chord progression and talk about what we play on it. That's bound to be different and I would be curious to see what devices you apply, just a thought..
✌🏻
Excellent, straight forward, making sense of all things music and jazz. Thank you!
Glad it is useful!
Thank so much Jens, wonderful ideas.
+Vitor Martins You're welcome Vitor! Glad you can use them!
Great player, and great teacher too. Great stuff Jens. You do a very good job at condensing things down and explaining them from a practical point of view. I think a lot of people will tell you what to practise, but few will give a good explanation of how/why. Well, there's a lot to cover, I don't blame them. But you do a very good job. I'll be finding a lot of useful stuff here to anchor myself better in the theory. Thanks!
You're very welcome Stian! Great to hear that you can use the lessons!
Thx Jens, learning is the ticket! Music is just like math, it takes practice to learn both.
Exactly! 🙂
lots to think about when practicing scales.....thank you sir
Always welcome
Teachers like you inspire me. Thank you Jens!
You're very welcome Jeremy!
Jens - you are fantastic man. Your lessons and the way you deliver them are just an awesome resource and you deserve lots of praise. I'm actually going to put together a 13 week seminar for myself in terms of practice based entirely on your lessons and I really look forward to getting into them much deeper. I love how you keep everything musical - a very important lesson in and of itself.
+RealCrops Thank you! That sounds ambitious! I hope it works out :)
Really enjoy your videos. Thank you for posting
You're very welcome!
If you want to help me then share one of the videos and help me reach more people :)
this is a great mind opener and a dexterity thing. helps the mind and fingers see and move diff with what you may already know. love this lesson.
Thank you very much Trevor 👍🙂 Glad you found it useful
Hi Jens. Very appreciative of your lessons. I always have about 7 windows of your lessons open on my pc that I go back and forth with. It may not be the best way, but it keeps me active on several aspects much of the time.
Thank you very much, William! Really glad you hear that you find the lessons useful! If you are looking for something then don't be afraid to ask.
Wow! Your channel is phenomenal! Thank you for sharing such incredible knowledge and insights! Not to mention the practicality of putting it all to use! God bless you Jens!
You are very welcome 🙂 I am glad you like the videos
Thanks, Jens! I play flute and these triad/arpeggio/7th chord exercises will really help me move in the direction I want to go. Much appreciated.
Go for it!
Fantastic lesson, Jens. I like your point about following along with your mind to be aware of where you are in the scale. So easy to get lost in soloing. It also helps to approach things from the technical side to keep some variety on the creative side. Cheers.
+Rob theQuiet Thank you Ron! ☺
Great Lesson!! You are a great teacher sir.
And I am glad that someone finally said it, Modes are incorporated into all 7 scales patterns based on the Key. So there is no reason to learn the dorian, phrygian, locrian modes....etc. They are already incorporated in each of the 7 patterns. So why search for them. It just depends on which note(s) you accent in each pattern that defines the modal sound.
You are of course very welcome!
And I agree that modes are getting way too much attention in online guitar teaching on a lot of levels! :)
I use each of the 7 Diatonic Modes as Chord Scales to establish the 7 Chords in each Key, as well as their extensions. So if I see a Dm9, Em7b9 or G13...etc. for example, I just think the 'C' Major Scale or Key of 'C' Major, and not necessarily 'D' Dorian, 'E; Phrygian or 'G' Mixolydian. This simplifies everything for me, and where I found Modes to be most beneficial in both composition and in soloing.
So a ii-V-I in 'C' Major can be
Dm-G7-C
Or
Dm9-G13-CM9
Or even:
Dm9 - G13 - CM9 - Em7 - Am - Dm9
And the 'C' Major Scale will work over all of them.
WDux That's also pretty much how I think about it :)
thank you for putting the tab up there when you show us these exercises this is so helpful
You're very welcome Tyler! Glad you find the videos (and the tabs 😀) useful
Merci Jens.
+Gérard Létang You're welcome Gerard!
This is a great lesson that I'm definitely going to re-watch multiple times.
Thank you Ronald! Glad you like it!
If you want to help me then help me spread the word by sharing the lesson :)
This would've saved me so much time. I've been practicing scales for hours with no improvement at all. Learning chords (intervals) helps too. I would also suggest applying this to songs you like with tabs. Instead of learning to play the songs by reading the fingerings use a chromatic scale chart to figure out the other notes in the tab. That way you see notes being moved around the way your favorite guitarist does.
Solid advice! Glad you like the video Xavier!
these lessons are really getting my attention, subscribing right now!!
+Nelson Ricardo Pons Piñeyro Thank you! I hope you find something useful!
This is a great exercise, im not a jazz guitarist but its really useful. Thanks so much, wish i found this sooner.
Glad you found it useful 🙂
I have been looking for a Channel like this! Thank you Jens Larsen!
Thank you Angelo! I glad you like the videos! 🙂
Beautiful teaching man God Bless your life with more knowledge
+Daniel Hernandez You're very welcome Daniel! I am glad you like the video! ☺️
These tutorials are helping me not only to learn jazz, but even start writing prog metal. Thanks so much man🤘🤘
Glad you find it useful 🙂
You have become my defacto standard Jazz teacher. Thanks a lot for putting in all the hard work to teach us for free. I have a request. Can you do a lesson on proper use of fingering when moving between different scale positions. I always have trouble with that. No book I follow teach proper fingerings for playing scales.
Thank you! To be honest I don't really believe that there is a proper fingering. Even with playing the scale in 3rds there are 3 or 4 "correct" options so it's hard to really say what is the proper way, which is probably also why the books don't really cover it?
Thank you for your prompt reply. I will definitely keep this mind. I am for years searching for the method of using correct fingering for playing scales in different position. Now that i know its not really relevant. Thank you.
You're welcome! I talk a bit about it here: ua-cam.com/video/rqMi_j5DALs/v-deo.html around 19 minutes (there's a list of contents in the description)
Thanks a lot. God bless you.
just discovered your lessons jens! great job....
as a metal/hard rock player some of your advices seem to be really useful... thanx for taking the time to produce this!!
Glad you like the lessons!!! Let me know if you have any questions!
You can always help me spreading the word by sharing a lesson on Facebook or Twitter!
First of your videos I've seen. Nicely done. Always appreciate having things scored/tabbed - makes the ideas and using them that much more likely to happen.
Glad you like it! Hope you can put it to use!
Another really good Lesson Jens, great explanation and information. :)
Great man. I'm a bass player and work on this stuff all the time. You have a great channel, thank you!
This lesson is GOLD. Thank you!
Glad you like it! :)
If I think back to when I started guitar, it was reading that also helped me learn the notes all over the fretboard
Jens, I agree about reading music. It is definately useful if you want to be a serious musician, but as you have stated in another video, it is not worth spending too much time on it. Yes Wes didn't read music, but who has that immense talent??? I find in the morning first thing with coffee, doing your scale suggestions, without reading the tab, but the actual notes both improves my reading speed, and makes me say the notes in my head at the same time, hence improving my reading skills, and my fretboard knowledge. I know you do not use the caged system, but I have used it for years, and so I am comfortable with it. I take your exercisces that you have here and transpose them into the five positions of that system so I can easily find my arpeggios and triads anywhere on the neck. Just a thought.
Nice! moving things around in different positions is very useful!
I like how the upper frets on your guitar are more accessible then the Epiphone Sheraton behind you. I've had the Sheraton for 16 years and the upper frets is the only thing I don't like about it.
+Doctor McFarland Studios That is true, though I find that I don't go up there that much for what I do.
Hi Sir, I have learnt quite a lot from you. Do you have a book with a compilation of all your lessons?
Hi Eugene, No I don't. I do have books on amazon though. You can check out my first book here: geni.us/Y69J4
i don't like Jazz too much but i love your way to teach many thanks :)
Glad to hear that John! Thanks for checking out the video!
this is gold for beginners
thank you sir!
You're very welcome!
This will keep me busy...THANKS Jens!
Go for it! 🙂
A comment on one of Jamie Holroyd's lessons brought me here. Great ideas. Subscribed! Looking forward to checking more lessons out. Thanks!
Thank you! Glad you like it and I hope you find what you are looking for. You can always ask in a comment :)
Thanks Jens this is just what I was looking for.
Glad to hear that Scott! Keep at it! 🙂
Really would like to see more of the 1-1-2 type information/exercises.Great video. Thank you.
Great video. I revisit it again and again. Thanks.
Agree it is about precision, good technique and slow until you build these areas and can slowly increase speed with a metronome. That works well for me.
Thank you! 🙂
@@JensLarsen I wanted to ask what again is the reason you don't need Lydian Dominant?
I've never heard of it, are those notes you may land on in improvisation to get a certain sound? such as a #4 .
@9:09 & @10:48 this information could save you YEARS of frustration! 🙌🏻.
from now on im gonna sing the name of the notes im playing ! Im sure its gonna be really useful
I am sure that's a great idea as well!
great lesson! Thank you for posting, Jens.
You're very welcome Richard! I am glad you like it!
Very thoughtful take on using scales. I find myself thinking about notes and establishing a fingering when I have a specific tune to learn... otherwise .. I’m in lick learning and chord learning mode for my current gigging... just don’t have the time to go in depth but trying to add something ....
Hey Jens! very motivating stuff. Thank you very much for the useful info and keeping it fresh with every video!
Thanks man! Glad you like the videos!
These are excellent videos Jens. Just started watching your channel. Thank you so much for your knowledge!
Glad you like the videos 🙂
Absolutely fantastic.
Thank you 🙂
just discovered your guitar videos...pure inspiration, practice will be more enjoyable ,thanks...
Thank you very much Mike! I am really glad you like the videos!
Do you have suggestions for topics?
I've played guitar for a time now,,,and always thought feel was the thing , influenced by american blues , I love the sound of Jazz, it would be good to cover improvisation leaning to the feel of the blues . You might have covered this already...It's great to know someone like yourself Jens to teach the way to play Jazz.... Thanks again.Peace...
I think by feel you maybe mean phrasing?
phrasing sounds good , I've always liked the thought of learning jazz and now with your video lessons it can become a reality ... also just started listening to Wes Montgomery...he sounds brilliant...
That's great! Go for it!
I have one of those same Ibanez guitars in wine red, beautiful instrument and plays extremely well. Thanks for this very helpful video, the format is perfect and you are great with explaining these concepts. Stay safe!
Brilliant!!! Great information and I love your vast knowledge!
+Texman4268 Thanks man! I am glad you find the video useful!
great lesson, I wish I kind of had this in the beginning vs wood shedding it for so long as a self taught player. one thing I started doing which relates to the last example, I got from brain may on about 4:50 of bohemian Rhapsody official video, atleast to put scales in a context/harmonic value. he kind of does a power chord then runs the scale, but I just do the caged form triads and run the scale. not so much the exact key or scale but kind of the rhythm/idea he had. it helps make it kind of musical and helps you understand the harmonic value against the chord. trying to get some variations on it now, but check it out.
+Bradley Stroup Sounds good. I don't remember what that place in the song sounds like though
+Jens Larsen it's the part where they are ending the big rock moment just before the piano part and then it switches to the section where Freddie sings "nothing really matters" at the end
I am sure it's fine!
Very useful lesson, thanks Jens.
Glad you like it Garrett!
Great lesson man!
Thank you! I am glad you found it useful! 👍
great lesson, thanks!
it really opened my mind in relation to scales.
Thank you very much Ricardo! I am glad you found it useful! If you have any suggestions for topics or things you are looking for the feel free to let me know 👍
Jens. As always I loved this video but I've always thought there was only 5 positions on the guitar. I would love it if u made a video explaining the 7 positions.
There are two systems with 7 positions. It is pretty logical: One position for each note in the major scale.
There is a video on scale fingering systems on the channel and you can download diagrams on my website 🙂
You're a great Guitar Player and Person...thanks for the work! greetings from Germany :)
You're very welcome ! 🙂
I have been doing this exact thing with scales for the last 5 years....This opened so many doors for me in my soloing.. Sadly I thought I Came up with this....I guess great minds think alike, lol....
Great stuff. Question: in jazz , when you play a minor scale, do you come back down the same way as going up? In classical , the melodic minor comes back down as a natural minor. Thanks!
Yes I do!
I also play towards the NUT as I ascend . Since triads stacking is every other note. It helps me to see different chord shape with the root on each string. it help alot...when the root starts on the G string.lmao....
I also play the center position..it's just to help me navigate differently. I also play single strings and stack triads on top of each note accordingly..This helps me navigate or see the entire fretboard as a whole..when I do different riff..I wont get lost. Plus different sounds of slide up or down...not just a tone above or below...up
to the 3rd, 4th or 5th or down half way. It's different than just picking in a box shape.
Plus it visually looks cool when i combine it with everything else...Im wearing out
the entire fretboard.lmao..My band always freak out when they watch me improve.lmao You have to know where all the notes are at if you wanna TAPP.
I study the mode and their intervals of each note. That's why I play to the left and to the right...so I'll see those notes. If i DONT SEE the NOTES...I WONT PLAY THEM..
It is what it is....
I also play that pattern you showed..but I just move everything up a string each time...So I know what it looks like if it starts on different strings. I so that to all the modes...thou ( 28 modes) By playing over the same tone
cetner and going through different modes...this helps me modulate easier. It still takes lots practice no matter which way i do it. Just trying to attack it from every angle.lol
It seems like a lot at first but once you start going through them alot of it are overlapes or just shifting up one more note at a time..(maj7. maj6. #4 shifting up to make Major intervals on the second
half of the scale) To me it's just not the modes..it's the different chords you can make
when playing spainish or classical guitar....
As you said..I know what note distinguish what mode...to these 4 different scales..Natural, harmonic minor, melodic minor and hamonic Maj. I havnt nail down the double harmonic ,yet. I know what it is...I played it plenty starting different root note. it's just the Lydian b3 with b6...Im never going to be a jazz...jazz guitar player..More towards like Satriani or Via.lol..I bend and play more crazy evil (desonant diads) double stops.lmao On my way to the next chord.lol
Thanks Jens great lesson🤘
Många tack! This is superb practice.
Glad you like it! 🙂
Jens thanks a lots your ideas for scale practicing are really great . Is going to take me a while to master this but I can see how much are going to help
again Thank U
BCastro.
You're very welcome! Great that you find it useful!
I enjoy your lessons, thank you!
+Larry Robinson Thank you very much Larry!
I'm digging this channel .. love that jazz sound!!!
Thank you! I am glad you like the videos! 👍
Have UA-cam broadcasting from iPhone to 55" tv ,
woo hoo!!!
now I have to see if my Marshall amp produces that jazz sound ..
Hello Jens, I wanted to ask if you could do a video improvising using all the info you played on this video. It would be very helpful to see how it sounds. Thanks (:
+Daniel Puentes I already did, there's one on using triads in solos and also one on diatonic arpeggios (actually a few)
+Jens Larsen nice but are improvising in a song ?
Daniel Puentes In most jazz the improvisation is over a song (like a 12 bar blues or a 32 bar standard)