Jens Larsen
Jazz Chord Craftsmanship
Jazz Chords & Comping Step-by-Step
Learn REAL chord skills in 10 weeks!
Get started on your Jazz chord journey.
Learn to make chords flexible and comp with solid rhythm
$99
Regular price – one-time payment
Lifetime access
3 × $39
3 monthly payments of $39
"I'm already noticing improvement"
Jazz Chords: The Best Part Of Playing Jazz
But there is a problem
Playing chords is a lot of fun, and for many of us, me included, it was one of the first thing that we found exciting about Jazz: Hearing the rich chords and how they flow in the progression with changing colors. I love that about Jazz!
Learning to comp and to use Jazz chords is often everything but easy:
You can't memorize 10000 chord grips
How do you combine rhythm, chords, and melody?
Practicing inversions doesn't make you play better.
How do you use it on songs?
The Problem With A Lot Of Methods
How you are taught chords is problematic because everything is split up: You practice voicings and inversions, practice rhythm, and then learn a nice riff. But you are not taught to put it together and use it on songs in any step-wise manner.
Trying to remember a lot of chords and inversions is not the same as making music with them, and it is just getting in the way!
This course is a different more efficient way to approach Jazz chords and comping, so that it is put to use and all fits together on songs.
Does this sound familiar?
Common problems learning Jazz chords and Comping
You can't use the voicings you practice in songs
You don't know how to make phrases across chords
You need a degree in music theory to find the right extensions
Join Now!
A Structured Approach To Jazz Chords
Hi, I'm Jens Larsen
This is how I can help you with jazz chords and comping
I started playing Jazz when I was 22 years old. At the time, I discovered how much fun playing and improvising Jazz was.
A few years later, I was studying at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and got my degree to become a professional Jazz guitarist. I have now performed 1000s of concerts on 4 continents and recorded several albums.
Because I learned most of what I know in my twenties, I had to be very efficient with learning and I was always interested in both being able to play and being able to understand what I was practicing.
This proved to be a huge advantage in teaching students and later also in making YouTube Lessons on Jazz Guitar.
It has always been my mission to figure out exactly what students need to learn and how they learn it in an efficient way. This is probably why my YouTube channel is such a huge success. Something that I am very grateful for and that has put me in touch with so many people who, like me, love Jazz and love learning and playing Jazz.
One of the topics that I remember always asking my teachers about and never getting any really good answers was comping, and I have researched the method in this course for a long time.
This course takes a different approach than what is taught in most other places, but it has worked amazingly well for my students. I am very proud to show you this extensive method, which combines my experience as a student and as a teacher.
What Students Say About Jazz Chord Craftsmanship
What Is Jazz Chord Craftsmanship?
How do you study in the Jazz Chord Craftsmanship course?
I created this course because I see so many lessons focusing on categories and only splitting up the skills you need when comping and making music with chords.
You need to put the skills together to get anywhere!
The lessons in the course are mostly based on songs. You learn techniques, rhythms, and melodic concepts, and then use my examples to create your own and make that a part of your playing.
You can work at your own pace.
Clear information and assignments to level up your playing.
Access to the community of students.
Post videos of you playing assignments to get feedback and suggestions from me.
Don't take my word for it!
What the students say
Petter - 54 years old. Lives in Norway. Is really an amateur on guitar, but has a great desire to be good at Jazz. I have learned more in the last few weeks than years of YouTube. I am now on chapter 5 of 10 (began at 1 - you can jump around) Now when I see what I was struggling with in the previous chapters, I have to smile - I am starting to be good :) A thorough course. Easy to maneuver.
I would recommend this course to anyone looking to become a better jazz guitar player. The lessons have really helped me to lock in the rhythm of swing feel and I'm very excited about where I'll be able to go with comping improv.
I`m a guitarist from Germany and I`m into jazz about 7 years. I started playing guitar very late (28) and started with Rock and Metal. After years i started with playing jazz, but mostly playing solo`s from Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Grant Green... I didnt spend much time practicing comping (seems boring :-)). But when i started playing in a duo or with more musicans (piano), my comping was terrible....so i tried this Course. It starts easy, so it is also for beginners. The organization is clear, the quality of the sheets, examples and video is brilliant.
Beginner guitarist (63 years old!) who loves jazz here...I started with Jens' Roadmap course - which was foundational and greatly accelerated my understanding of the major scale and how it covers so much ground, and now working through the Chord Craftsmanship course. It breaks down the chords to the essential elements (3rd and 7th, root implied) to keep the music moving without other distractions. This frees up your fingers for adding extensions and other colors while keeping the rhythm and musical flow. I love it and really appreciate Jens' approach to learning jazz guitar. Highly recommend.
Jazz Chord Craftmanship is my second course from Jens (The Jazz Guitar Roadmap was an exceptional course). The elements of Jens courses that impress me the most, and add significant value to my learning experience are: 1) The organizational aspects of the courses: a building block approach that allows for steady, incremental sudies. 2) The detail associated with each lesson and the pdf and guitar pro documentation. 3) Jens Larsen: I find Jens appraoch to teaching to be extraordinary. His explanations are concise, detailed yet understandable and his style is easy and down to earth. As with most guitarists, I've bought a significant number of online course from a multitude of sources. Jens is simply the best. $$ well spent!
"The pathway is enjoyable, especially when you have the tools to succeed"
Bill Atterberry
"I like everything about the Jazz Chord Craftsmanship."
Edward Riviera
What Do You Learn?
Through the 10 Chapters you will learn to:
Comp in phrases with good rhythm and strong melody
A unified way to think about chord voicings
Concepts to develop rhythm and melody
How to comp in a band and in a duo setting
"Demystifying Jazz"
Rob Kandell
Who is Jazz Chord Craftsmanship for?
Guitarists who wants to open up Jazz Chords & Comping
You LOVE playing chords and enjoy exploring what you can do, but you can't get it to work.
You are tired of practicing chords and wondering how to play the right rhythms when you comp.
You want to play phrases when you are comping and sound like music.
You want to combine all the chords and not get stuck in categories of voicings.
30-day Refund Policy
It's important that the course is right for you!
I don't think you should pay for a Jazz guitar course that doesn't work for you. Therefore, if you enroll and you don't improve your comping and what you can do with Jazz chords, I want you to have the option to check it out for 30 days and figure out if it is what you are looking for. If not, you can ask for a refund.
Just send me an email at [email protected]
Course curriculum
Chapter 1 - Shell-Voicing Basics - Songs & Exercise
Getting Started With Basic Shell-Voicings
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
C Major Diatonic Shell Voicings - 5th String Root
C Major Diatonic Shell Voicings - 6th String Root
Diatonic Shell-voicings in 3rds - 5th string root
Diatonic Shell-voicings in 3rds - 6th string root
Practicing Shell-voicing in other keys
Think in groups of Chords : II V I
II V I Cycle #1 - Root on the 6th string
II V I Cycle #1 - Root on the 5th string
Solar - Form and Harmony
Afternoon In Paris - Form and Harmony
Basic Syncopation - The Charleston Rhythm
Charleston Rhythm on Solar
Chapter 1 - Homework
Chapter 2 - The Unfair Advantage of Shells
Splitting the chord
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
Splitting all the chords + Right-hand technique
Basic 1-bar patterns #1-#3
Hearing Rhythms in Chunks
3 Turnarounds with 1-bar Chunks
Secondary Dominants Explained
Turnarounds with V of V
3 Fast Turnarounds
Solar with 2-layer comping
Learning To Practice With 2&4 Metronome
Chapter 2 - Homework
Chapter 3 - Rootless Voicings & Rhythm
Rootless voicings
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks - Chapter 3
Shell To Rootless Voicings - 5th String
Shell To Rootless Voicings - 6th String
Rootless II V I Cycle #1
Rootless II V I Cycle #2
Rootless Voicings And Rhythms - Ladybird
Ladybird Harmonic Analysis (Minor Subdominant chords)
Rootless Voicings And Rhythms - Afternoon In Paris
Video 9 - Homework
Chapter 4 - Adding Melody To Your Comping
Adding More Melody To Your Chords - Overview
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks - Chapter 4
Making Half-note Exercises
Half-note exercise on Ladybird
Tonic Minor and Dominants Resolving To Minor
Breakdown of Half-note Exercise on Solar
Half-note Exercise Solar
Rhythms and Thinking Longer Phrases
Ladybird Rhythm Etude
Chapter 4 - Homework
Chapter 5 - Bring Together Melody & Rhythm
Let Melody & Rhythm Boost Each Other!
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
Bernie's Tune - Form and Harmony
Half-note Exercise Bernie's Tune
An Important Part of Comping: The Riff
Riff with Conclusion - Solar
Riff with Conclusion - Ladybird
Chapter 5 Homework
Chapter 6 - Extend The Melodic Range & Rhythm
The Full Range Of Melody Notes
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
10 Major II V I exercises
10 Minor II V I exercises
Half-note Exercise Bernie's Tune
Call-Response - Making Rhythm and Chords Melodic
Afternoon In Paris - Call Response
Chapter 6 - Homework
Chapter 7 - Chromatic Passing Chords
Chromatic Passing Chords - Morten's exercise
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
Important Rhythm: Anticipated Chords
Turnaround Exercise With Anticipated Rhythm
3 II V I Examples With Anticipated Chords
Chromatic Passing Chords - 5 II V I examples
Solar Call-Response with Chromatic Passing Chords
Ladybird with Chromatic Passing Chords
Chapter 7 - Homework
Chapter 8 - Advanced Duo Comping
Advanced Duo Comping - Complete Voicings 2.0
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
5 Major II V I examples
5 Minor II V I examples
Bernie's Tune - Duo Comping
Bernie's Tune - Breakdown
Ladybird - Duo Comping
Ladybird - Breakdown
Chapter 8 - Homework
Chapter 9 - Diatonic Passing Chords
What are Diatonic Passing Chords?
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
5 Major II V I examples
3 Minor II V I examples
Solar - Diatonic Passing Chords
Solar - Breakdown
Ladybird - Diatonic Passing Chords
Ladybird Breakdown
Chapter 9 - Homework
Chapter 10 - Inner-voice & Chromatic Voice-leading
Inner-voice Movement Introduction
Sheet Music and Backing Tracks
10 Inner Voice Concepts & Melodies
Rootless II V I Examples - Chromatic Voice Leading
Afternoon In Paris - Chromatic Voice Leading
Afternoon In Paris - Breakdown part 1
Afternoon In Paris - Breakdown part 2
Bernie's Tune - Chromatic Voice Leading
Bernie's Tune - Breakdown
Chapter 10 Homework
About this course
100 lessons
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work at my own pace?
Yes, the course is designed with something like a chapter per week in mind, but people are different and life changes so you do not have to follow that. The course is there for you to work with in a tempo that fits you
Are there PDF downloads?
The exercises and examples are all available as PDF's and GuitarPro8 files. The course also have mp3 backing tracks to practice with since some of the exercises are on chord progressions.
How long do I have access
Once you have paid the full price either in 1 or in 3 payments you have lifetime access. The important thing is that you get something out of it!
I hope you take your time and work through it in a way that works for you, and it doesn't have to be fast!
Can I get a refund?
If you have purchased the course and find that it is not for you then you can get a refund within 30 days of making the purchase. You should have plenty of time to evaluate if it is right for you and only buy it if you learn from it.
Learn REAL chord skills in 10 weeks!
Get started on your Jazz chord journey.
Learn to make chords flexible and comp with solid rhythm
$99
Regular price – one-time payment
Lifetime access
3 × $39
3 monthly payments of $39
Jens Larsen
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