Three Considerations when Selecting Jazz Guitar Sheet Music


Jazz guitar sheet music can be likened to a map that all travelers use to arrive at the final destination. The importance of jazz guitar sheet music isnt that all travelers arrive at the same destination but that they all travel the same route in reaching the destination. Jazz guitar sheet music reflects the composers composition by reflecting the musical notation, rhythms and rests. Generally all musicians, with the exception of the soloist, follow sheet music that reflects their particular musical discipline.

The jazz guitar is a stringed instrument that plays chords as well as melodies. Guitars generally accompany the melody instruments such as trumpets, saxophones and trombones. The resulting blend of the guitar and melody instruments creates the harmony of the musical piece.

Jazz is distinguished from other musical genres in that it provides opportunities for improvisation. However, even in jazz music, sheet music is necessary to indicate melodies, chord changes and arrangements.

Simultaneity

A melody within the composition is the refrain that generally is repeated throughout the entire song. This series of notes threads its way through the entire musical composition and generally lingers in the hearers mind. Simultaneity simply means that the chords are played at the same time that the melody is played rather than in succession. For the jazz guitarist, jazz guitar sheet music provides chord progressions or simultaneity.

Chords

Chords appear on jazz guitar sheet music and usually consist of two or more musical notes. A progression of chords coupled with the melody creates harmony. The use of chords adds quality to the harmony. Harmony is a sequence of chords, or group of tones that sound concurrently. Often harmonizing notes are below the melody on the musical staff, but this is not always the case. Bold and deliberate chords often translate into more powerful harmonies.

In jazz, harmony is often the groundwork of a presentation. The theme generally occurs at the beginning and end of the composition. In jazz guitar sheet music the chords that accompany the melody may be the only constant musical written.

Arrangements

In music, an arrangement is defined as a reworking of the musical composition that takes in account what instruments or voices are available to those performing. Therefore, in selecting jazz guitar sheet music it is important to realize the arrangement available and the necessary number of performers required for the music selected.