I don’t consider myself a Jazz guitarist, but having studied it for the past 4 years as a complete noob, I have to confess, it has become my favorite medium to perform. I still have a long way to go in terms of my ability, vocabulary, and rep, but I have the desire because nothing hits me harder than a good swinging jazz guitar (i.e. Wes, Grant, Herb, Kenny, Barney).
Something that I have recently struggled with is keeping a solid practice schedule. Now that I’m a college graduate with a stamp on my head that says “You’ve given us your money, now here’s a piece of paper” and without the consistency of my instructors (Ron Miles, Dave Divine), I have found myself in a haze of debilitating uncertainty with how to start off my day in terms of expanding and maintaining my chops.
Transcription has been on the top of my list and with my work schedule (I work from home 4 days a week) I am afforded the opportunity to take 15 minute or so breaks and jump on my axe and make some time for my art, but there are many other facets of the medium that I’m missing out on.
I am hoping to get in some lessons here and there with my previous instructors, but that isn’t always the easiest thing to do being here in Colorado Springs whilst everyone else is in the Denver/Metro area. So I turn to the internet. In these moments of research, I find many diligent peers with great thoughts and ideas on the matter. Here are 2 that I will begin applying immediately.
http://mattwarnockguitar.com/practicing-jazz-guitar-5-tools-for-effective-woodsheding
http://mattwarnockguitar.com/6-steps-to-an-organized-jazz-practice-routine
I hope these are beneficial to you as I’m assuming they will be for me. Cheers and keep sheddin’.