What is Jazz? (And Why Most Guitarists Get It Wrong)

Master jazz guitar with premier online lessons serving Alpharetta, Milton, and the Greater Atlanta area. My curriculum simplifies jazz through real-world improvisation, tailored for students who value expert, flexible instruction. 

Have you ever wondered what jazz is? It's a genre that's spanned 100 years of style changes and countless subgenres. You probably have some idea of what you think jazz is—or isn't. 

Common Jazz Guitar Misconceptions

Let's clear up some common myths about jazz guitar theory:

• Jazz is not a rhythm. Although the "swing & shuffle feel" is common, many jazz songs also have a straight beat.

• Jazz is not a type of chord. The phrase "jazz chords" is very commonly used in guitar circles to refer to various seventh chords (maj7, min7, dom7, dim7, m7b5), as well as altered chords. However, these were all used in classical music long before the first jazz period.

• Jazz is not a scale. Modes, altered, and diminished scales were all used in traditional music theory long before jazz was born.

Why Improvisation is the Core of Jazz Guitar

So what's left... improvisation! Playing with and embellishing the melody is a central function in jazz. Of course, earlier forms of music had improvisation, but nowhere close to this degree. Pushing the boundaries of improvising the melody, chord substitutions, and rhythm is what makes jazz unique from every other style. It's what makes jazz difficult for beginners and exciting for masters. Jazz, starting in the early 1920s, was probably destined to self-destruct.

Jazz is Chaos and Evolution

Jazz is chaos. A jazz song should never be played the exact same way twice. It should always evolve. Improvisation accomplishes this, as long as the boundaries are always pushed. First playing the melody, then harmonizing it (often called chord melody), then implying it, then going deeper into extensions, alterations, syntax, and unwritten space. We should never lose sight of the song, but some of the best jazz masters cannot help but push the song to an unrecognizable state.

If you go to see a jazz trio play two nights in a row, the second night you see them, their songs should have evolved or changed slightly. Otherwise, they're playing "period music"—music from an era called jazz. During the golden age of jazz, when Miles Davis performed the jazz standard So What, he never played it the same way twice. If we simply memorize a specific solo to So What and play it the same way every day, we're playing period music, not true jazz.

The Evolution of Jazz Subgenres

When you push the boundaries of anything far enough, it will lose its original form and become unrecognizable. The later subgenres of fusion and free jazz were the last efforts to form a style that could sustain the constant transient nature of jazz, with its ever-changing melodies and chord substitutions.

Some of the most talented jazz guitarists play so many "levels" deep that the songs they're playing become unrecognizable to the average listener. It's interesting and complex, but unfortunate in the sense that something original was completely lost. This is why I believe jazz is no longer "popular" music. It evolved too much, too fast, and too wild.

Master Jazz Guitar Online: Serving Alpharetta, Roswell & Nationwide  

Take heart, my guitar friends! For you, jazz is new and fresh. If it’s new to you, I’ll hear that curiosity in your playing, and that’s what makes this journey so rewarding for both of us. 

Offering premier online jazz guitar coaching for students in Alpharetta, Milton, and the North Atlanta metro—as well as remote instruction for aspiring guitarists in cities like Austin, Seattle, and Raleigh. 

Thanks for reading!

— Dan Dresnok 

Guitar Instructor | North Atlanta & Nationwide 

NWGA Guitar 

About the Author: Dan Dresnok | NWGA Guitar 

Dan is a professional jazz guitarist and the founder of NWGA Guitar, specializing in improvisation, advanced theory, and the blues. Based in the North Atlanta metro, Dan provides premier online guitar lessons to students in Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek, and nationwide. By teaching exclusively via a professional online studio, Dan helps dedicated guitarists master the instrument from the comfort of their own homes while providing the elite, one-on-one attention of a high-caliber instructor.