Inventory your playing and list your repertoire to get prepared for gigs and evaluate areas for improvement.
There are two kinds of practice: repertoire practice, and the other kind. Weāve examined the other kind here in months gone by, and there will be plenty more of that to come. This time, however, letās get some repertoire practice underway and start booking some gigs.
āWanna play some tunes?ā āSure, what do you wanna play?ā āUh, I donāt know, what tunes do you know?ā āOh, I donāt know, I know a lot of tunes, really. What do you like to play?ā āWell, do you know Stella?ā āUh, letās see⦠(noodle noodle)ā¦Um, how ābout a blues? Do you know any blues heads?ā And on and on it goes.
It turns out that knowing a song and being able to play it are two entirely different things. As a jazz guitarist, itās important to know the following four aspects of a song: 1.) Melody (playing āthe headā); 2.) Chords (comping); 3.) Melody and Chords Together (playing a chord-melody solo); and 4.) Improvising (taking a solo over the chord changes or harmony of the tune).
These four aspects of a tune are all related and helpful to each other. While not all tunes will fall neatly on the neck as a chord-melody solo, learning to express at least some of the chord quality behind a melody will give you the best understanding of the song. The more fully you understand a song, the better you will be able to improvise on it. The better you have the melody down, the better you can interpret it freely and refer to it in a solo. The better you know the chord progression, the more confident you can be while soloing and playing a chord-melody solo.
Write it down
Thereās nothing like seeing something in writing to make it seem so much more official. To illuminate exactly which songs you āknowā and enjoy playing in different ways and in different ensemble contexts, letās get a few lists going. It might start with one song in one category, or you might find that you have several songs already at your disposal, but the important thing is to begin. I recommend one piece of paper with three column headings across the top: HEADS, CHORDS, CHORD SOLOS.
Begin.
Take an honest inventory of your playing. Weāre talking about memorized melodies and chords here. Songs you can play if you have a chart in front of you can go on a separate listāthatās worthy, too, but not quite in your repertoire. It will be a good feeling to discover that you actually can play the head to āStella,ā for example, and you just didnāt realize it. You might surprise yourself to know that in fact you do have the chords to āDonna Leeā memorized quite easily, you just need to work on the melody some more. Write it all down in the proper place. Watch your list grow.
Go through fake books and try playing songs youāve heard for many years, but youāre just not sure if you know the changes. Try not to look unless you really get stuck. Then try it again. Write it down. Just learned a new song last night on the bandstand by someone calling out the chords to you? Youāll probably never forget it. Write it down in your comping category. So you worked out a comfortable fingering for the head to āBillieās Bounce?ā Write it down. Then go over it a few times every day to be sure. (Thatās likely one you can add to the chord category, as well, if you know the modified 12-bar blues form).
It seems that if we learn a song without having read it from a written part, we will never need a chart for it. If, however, you have always used a chart for a song that youāve played again and again, youāll need to wean yourself from it. Try going chart-free during a practice session. More often than not, youāll impress yourself by knowing at least one part of the song: the chord changes or the melody. Youāll be able to visualize the phrases and the form as you play. Youāll gain freedom and a deeper understanding of the tune by playing it intuitively rather than relying on exactly whatās on the page.
I used to watch and listen to jazz guitarists play tunes all by themselves as if they had just decided to pick up the guitar that moment and see how it goes. I couldnāt imagine how those gorgeous voicings and reharmonization ideas were just flowing out so effortlessly. Then, dawn broke. There, as if written on the sky, I saw so clearly what had been going on: they had practiced! Be creative and reach for the unexpected harmony when making choices in a chord-melody solo. Take your time and craft it and let it build in a way that you like. Listeners will appreciate that, too, when the time comes to perform the piece.
Make notes to yourself as much as you need to. Many players and arrangers for solo guitar performance write out their chord-melody arrangements in notation for other players to use and perform. Again, the power of visual representation is considerable. Write your ideas down for future reference, either your own or someone elseās. Then play it, play it, play it. Add it to your chord solo list. The longer that part of the list gets, the more comfortable you will be at playing solo gigs, duo gigs and even trio gigs. Whatever role you are called upon to play as a guitarist, you will be prepared. It will say so right there on your list.
Jane Miller
Jane Miller is a guitarist, composer, and arranger with roots in both jazz and folk. In addition to leading her own jazz instrumental quartet, she is in a working chamber jazz trio with saxophonist Cercie Miller and bassist David Clark. The Jane Miller Group has released three CDs on Janeās label, Pink Bubble Records. Jane joined the Guitar Department faculty at Berklee College of Music in 1994.
janemillergroup.com
IK Multimedia is pleased to announce the release of new premium content for all TONEX users, available today through the IK Product Manager.
The latest TONEX Factory Content v2 expands the creative arsenal with a brand-new collection of Tone Models captured at the highest quality and presets optimized for live performance. TONEX Tone Models are unique captures of rigs dialed into a specific sweet spot. TONEX presets are used for performance and recording, combining Tone Models with added TONEX FX, EQ, and compression.
Who Gets What:
TONEX Pedal
- 150 crafted presets matched to 150 Premium Tone Models
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- 30 Banks: Amp & cab presets from classic cleans to crushing high-gain
- 5 Banks: FX-driven presets featuring the 8 new TONEX FX
- 5 Banks: Amp-only presets for integrating external IRs, VIRā¢, or amps
- 5 Banks: Stompbox presets of new overdrive/distortion pedals
- 5 Banks: Bass amp & pedal presets to cover and bass style
TONEX Mac/PC
- 106 new Premium Tone Models + 9 refined classics for TONEX MAX
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TONEX ONE
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Gig-ready Tones
For the TONEX Pedal, the first 30 banks deliver an expansive range of amp & cab tones, covering everything from dynamic cleans to brutal high-gain distortion. Each bank features legendary amplifiers paired with cabs such as a Marshall 1960, ENGL E412V, EVH 412ST and MESA Boogie 4x12 4FB, ensuring a diverse tonal palette. For some extremely high-gain tones, these amps have been boosted with classic pedals like the Ibanez TS9, MXR Timmy, ProCo RAT, and more, pushing them into new sonic territories.
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Well-designed pickups. Extremely comfortable contours. Smooth, playable neck.
Middle position could use a bit more mids. Price could scare off some.
$2,999
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II
A surprise 6-string collaboration with Cory Wong moves effortlessly between ā70s George Benson and Blink-182 tones.
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wongās new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itchānamely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wongās rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmateās namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Double the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. Thatās where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ā90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I canāt remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay IIās curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, letās talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wongās preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce thatās rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and brightāespecially with the Vibroverbāand dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldnāt fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wongās love for ā90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I donāt think Iāve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ā70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ā90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, itās not out of line. Wongās involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic modelāan admirable accomplishment considering EBMMās long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
StingRay II Cory Wong - Charcoal BlueThe Melvins' Buzz Osborne joins the party to talk about how he helped Kurt Cobain find the right sounds.
Growing up in the small town of Montesano, Washington, Kurt Cobain turned to his older pal Buzz Osborne for musical direction. So on this episode, weāre talking with the Melvins leader about their friendship, from taking Cobain to see Black Flag in ā84 to their shared guitar journey and how they both thought about gear. And in case youāve heard otherwise, Kurt was never a Melvins roadie!
Osborneās latest project is Thunderball from Melvins 1983, something of a side trajectory for the band, which harkens back to this time in Osborneās life. We dig into that and how it all relates and much more.
Adding to the companyās line of premium guitar strapsand accessories, Fairfield Guitar Co. has introduced a new deluxe leather strapdesigned in collaboration with Angela Petrilli.
Based in Los Angeles, Petrilli is well-known to guitar enthusiasts around the world for her online videos. She is one of the video hosts at Normanās Rare Guitars and has her own YouTube lesson series, the Riff Rundown. She also writes, records and performs with her original band, Angela Petrilli & The Players, and has worked with Gibson, Fender, Martin Guitars, Universal Audio, Guitar Center and Fishman Transducers.
Angela Petrilli's eye-grabbing signature strap is fully hand cut, four inches wide and lightly padded, so it evenly distributes the weight of the instrument on the shoulder and offers superb comfort during extended play. The front side features black "cracked" leather with turquoise triple stitching. The "cracked" treatment on the leather highlights the beautiful natural marks and grain pattern ā and it only gets better with age and use.The strapās back side is black suede for adhesion and added comfort, with the Fairfield Guitar Co. logo and Angela's name stamped in silver foil.
Features include:
- 100% made in the USA
- Hand cut 4ā wide leather strap with light padding -- offering extra comfort for longgigs and rehearsals.
- Black suede back side avoids slipping, maintains guitarās ideal playing position.
- Length is fully adjustable from 45ā - 54ā and the strap has two holes on thetailpiece for added versatility.
The Fairfield Guitar Co. Angela Petrilli signature strap is available for $150 online at fairfieldguitarco.com.