Chord Melody and Soloing Are the Same Thing
Most jazz guitar players are taught to treat chord melody and soloing as two separate skills. Chord melody is the "arranging" skill — you take a tune, harmonize the melody, and play it as a self-contained statement.
Approaches to Comping and Visualization
Good comping comes from knowing your chord melody. Learn how to visualize lines and voicings together for better accompaniment.
Are You Just Memorizing Shapes? How to Truly Understand the Fretboard with Chord Degrees
Jazz guitar doesn’t have to be an endless memorization game.
By learning to see chords as degrees and functions—rather than shapes—you can finally understand how harmony works across the fretboard and start playing with clarity and intention.
How to Start Self-Taught Jazz Guitar: A 3-Step Method to Master Your First 'Real Book' Tune
Feeling lost when opening the Real Book? Many guitarists jump straight into chords or melodies without truly understanding the tune’s structure. This three-step approach—focusing on melody, bass, and shell voicings—shows how to internalize any jazz standard from the inside out.