Please recommend best online gypsy jazz lesson for beginner

Bones

Oh man, Dennis. That video was soooo bad!!!

Play like Da-jango!!??? WTF!?

Bob Holo

dennis wrote:

there's no method book out there that teaches guitar from the beginning using GJ as the reference style... No matter what, the student will need to get used to the instrument , it probably takes 6 months to a year for anyone who practices somewhat regularly to get a general feel of the instrument...

True true, Dennis.

Mike Christiansen's Complete Jazz Guitar Method is very beginner friendly. It teaches jazz chord voicings and it focuses on starting people with the concepts of using deadening and doublestopping to create moveable forms. It was about the 5th beginner book I tried and it was magnitudes better than the others.

In two chapters, Christiansen (heavily paraphrasing from what I remember) says: "OK - memorize the fact that the 3 lowest dots on the fretboard are G/A/B on the bass string and C/D/E on the string right next to that... let's call them the E-root and the A-root. OK, now here is a major chord form... a minor form... a 7th form that you can root on the E-root... now here is a major form... a minor form... a 7th form that you can root on the A-root... now you know all the notes except F... so find "F" on the E & A roots. OK - Congratulations, you may not realize it, but you now know enough to read a lot of simple jazz charts - and to prove it - here are some. Practice switching between the forms and moving the forms along the fretboard to find the right roots and build your calluses - don't be discouraged, the chords will become easier to play as your fingertips develop calluses. When you feel comfortable enough to move forward, we're going to learn some more forms so you can play more songs - and we're going to take a look at why chords have a natural order that is called resolution..."

That book was an epiphany for me. It is far and away the best "total beginner" book I've ever seen.

rob.cuellari

This is probably a bit bias since I am one of Stephane's students, but you should check out his book getting into gypsy jazz. I knew a few things about the regular open chords and barred chords using the 5th and 6th notes on the strings, but other than that I was a total beginner. Find a teacher if you can!

anthon_74

Wremble's getting gypsy Jazz is certainly a great book, but I'm in total agreement with those who have recommended finding a local teacher to get you started.
Without a teacher, I just don't see how you can get the feel of good pompe'. Strumming basic rock and roll is very hard for beginners, and most beginners who teach themselves spend many years using bad technique. Gypsy jazz rhythm (and lead) requires nearly perfect technique to be played well, and trying to do that from scratch is going to be daunting.

Get a teacher.

Cheers