Jazz Standards

Explore the Jazz Standards that have influenced musicians for decades. In these lessons, you will have the opportunity to learn (1) the chord voicings that Tomo uses in playing these Standards, and (2) elements of jazz harmony. These lessons will also lead to much improvement in your rhythm playing.

To benefit from these lessons, you will need to become familiar with these tunes and buy your own sheet music. Most of the Standards here are included in The Real Book, a compilation of sheet music available at halleonard.com. The Real Book is not for beginners, or for anyone with an aversion to reading music. It is a collection of lead sheets, showing melodic lines and chord names. There are no chord diagrams and no tabs.

Although these lessons will be challenging for many of our subscribers, they will present a real growth opportunity for any guitarist who would like to learn how to work with lead sheets.

JS01 Another You
JS02 Autumn Leaves
JS03 All of Me
JS04 Blue Bossa
JS05 Take the A Train
JS06 Blue Monk
JS07 Bessie's Blues
JS08 Anthropology
JS09 Tenor Madness
JS10 Straight, No Chaser
JS11 Blues for Alice
JS12 All the Things You Are
JS13 Confirmation
JS14 Black Orpheus
JS15 Donna Lee
JS16 Four on Six
JS17 The Girl from Ipanema
JS18 The Days of Wine and Roses
JS19 Stella by Starlight
JS20 Wave

16:54

JS01 Another You

JS01 Another You

There Will Never Be Another You. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Playing. Left-Hand Muting. Guitar: Orangewood Berkeley. D’Addario XS (.012-.053) Strings. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
12:26

JS02 Autumn Leaves

JS02 Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Playing. Muting.

This version of Autumn Leaves is in the key of G minor. The version included in The Real Book is in a different key. This is one of a few instances where you may want to find a stand-alone lead sheet...
15:48

JS03 All of Me

JS03 All of Me

Jazz Standards - All of Me. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Playing. Left-Hand Muting. Guitar: D’Angelico EXL-1. Fender Pro Reverb (2). D’Addario NYXL (.012-.052) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
08:04

JS04 Blue Bossa

JS04 Blue Bossa

Jazz Standards: Blue Bossa. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Playing. Guitar: D’Angelico EXL-1. Fender Pro Reverb Amp (2). D’Addario NYXL (.012-.052) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
10:05

JS05 Take the A Train

JS05 Take the A Train

Jazz Standards: Take the A Train. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Playing. Guitar: D’Angelico EXL-1. Fender Pro Reverb Amp (2). D’Addario NYXL (.012-.052) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
10:06

JS06 Blue Monk

JS06 Blue Monk

Jazz Standards: Blue Monk. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Changes. Special note regarding time stamps 7:53 and 9:10 of this video: see Guitar Wisdom lessons on (1) Jazz Blues Solo Melodic Phrasing and (2) Bb Blues Soloing (BL08). See also: "Three on Six" blues etud...
12:12

JS07 Bessie's Blues

JS07 Bessie's Blues

Jazz Standards: Bessie’s Blues. Chord Voicings: R 3 7 Chords. Working with lead sheets. Rhythm Changes. Singing Melodic Phrases. Guitar: Gibson ES-330T. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2) with Lehle P-Split. D’Addario ECG25 CHROMES (.012-.052). Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
15:03

JS08 Anthropology

JS08 Anthropology

Jazz Standards - Anthropology. Rhythm Changes. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Try to transition from Jazz to Funk. Guitar: Gibson ES-330T. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2) with Lehle P-Split. D’Addario ECG25 CHROMES (.012-.052) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Sign...
12:50

JS09 Tenor Madness

JS09 Tenor Madness

Jazz Standards: Tenor Madness. Bb Jazz Blues. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Tritone Substitution. Guitar: Vox Bobcat V90. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). D’Addario EXL-110 (.010-.046) Strings. Lehle P-Split. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
13:56

JS10 Straight, No Chaser

JS10 Straight, No Chaser

Jazz Standards: Straight, No Chaser. F Jazz Blues. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Using II V and Sub V. Guitar: Ibanez AZES31. Fender Pro Reverb Amp (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario ECG25 (.012-.052) CHROMES. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.

Note: Tomo plays...
10:48

JS11 Blues for Alice

JS11 Blues for Alice

Jazz Standards: Blues for Alice, Key of F. Parker Blues. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Guitar: Ibanez AZES31. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario ECG25 (.012-.052) CHROMES. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
14:37

JS12 All the Things You Are

JS12 All the Things You Are

Jazz Standards: All the Things You Are. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Guitar: Ibanez AZES31 Prototype. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL-110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
11:01

JS13 Confirmation

JS13 Confirmation

Jazz Standards: Confirmation. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Guitar: PRS Silver Sky SE. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL-110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
11:52

JS14 Black Orpheus

JS14 Black Orpheus

Jazz Standards: Black Orpheus. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Working with lead sheets. Fingerpicking. Guitar: Gibson ES-335. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL-110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
14:43

JS15 Donna Lee

JS15 Donna Lee

Jazz Standards: Donna Lee. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Chord Changes. Working with lead sheets. Guitar: Ibanez AZES31. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL-110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
12:20

JS16 Four on Six

JS16 Four on Six

Jazz Standards: Four on Six. R 3 7 Chord Voicings. Chord Changes. Lead Sheets. Walking Bassline. Continuous II V. Tritone Substitution. Guitar: Kanji TF Signature. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signa...
13:05

JS17 The Girl from Ipanema

JS17 The Girl from Ipanema

Jazz Standards: The Girl from Ipanema. Bossa Nova. Fingerpicking. R 3 7 Chords. Chord Changes. Lead sheet. Tritone Substitution. Guitar: Gibson ES-335. Fender Pro Reverb (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario XS (.012-.053) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
13:24

JS18 Days of Wine and Roses

JS18 Days of Wine and Roses

Jazz Standards: The Days of Wine and Roses. Fingerpicking. R 3 7 Chords. Sub V. Chord Changes. Lead sheet. Wes Montgomery. Pat Martino. Guitar: Kanji Hard Tail. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
10:47

JS19 Stella by Starlight

JS19 Stella by Starlight

Jazz Standards: Stella by Starlight. Fingerpicking. R 3 7 Chords. Chord Changes. Lead sheet. Guitar: Kanji TF Signature. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.
12:31

JS20 Wave

JS20 Wave

Jazz Standards: Wave. Fingerpicking. R 3 7 Chords. Chord Changes. Lead Sheet. Chord Melody. Guitar: 1965 Fender Stratocaster. Fender Pro Reverb Amps (2). Lehle P-Split. D’Addario EXL110 (.010 - .046) Strings. Providence E205TF Cables. Pickboy 1.00 mm TF Signature.