Jazz Chords and How to Practice Them
Easy Jazz Chords
Shell Jazz Chords
Drop 2 Chords
Drop 3 Chords
Jazz Chords and Altered Dominants
Dominant Chords
Diminished 7th Chords
Dominant 7b9 Chords Guide
Inner Chord Voicings
Essential Jazz Chord Exercises
Jazz Chord Studies
Easy Jazz Chords
Jazz guitar online is a great resource for organizing ideas around cords and how to practice them.
Start with the following:
https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/17-essential-jazz-guitar-chords-beginners/
Includes a great practice idea (Kenny Burrell vamp)
Kenny Burrell vamp
Practice Video
Shell Jazz Chords
Basic three note chords (aka guide tone chords) - work great for walking bass accompaniment
https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/shell-jazz-guitar-chords-beginners/
Drop 2 Chords
Drop 2 chords are seventh chords that are built by dropping the second highest note of a closed position chord down one octave, making that note the bass note of the chord.
https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/drop-2-chords/
Drop 3 Chords
Drop 3 chords are seventh chords that are built by dropping the third highest note of a closed position chord down one octave, making that note the bass note of the chord.
https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/drop-3-chords-and-inversions/
Jazz Chords and Altered Dominants
Dominant 7th (b5) or Dominant 7th (#11) Chord Shapes
Dominant 7th (#9) Chord Shapes
Dominant 7th (#5) and Dominant 7th (b13) Chord Shapes
Dominant 7th (b9, b13) Chord Shapes
Dominant 7th (b9, b5) Chord Shapes
As with the root in the #9 chord earlier, it's easier to avoid the root altogether in the shape on the left. The bass player will usually take care of it, anyway!
Dominant 7th (b5, #9) Chord Shapes
Furthermore, it’s more convenient NOT to play the root in the C7(b5 #9) shape on the left.
Dominant 7th (#5, #9) Chord Shapes
So, it’s more convenient NOT to play the root in the C7(#5 #9) shape on the left.
Dominant Chords
In music theory, a dominant seventh chord, or major minor seventh chord, is a chord composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. It can also be viewed as a major triad with an additional minor seventh.
A Few Basic Dominant (Mixolydian) Chord Shapes

Diminished 7th Chords
Have you ever seen a chord with a diminished 7th symbol and not understood the harmonic function?
Perhaps you weren’t sure how to play the chord on the guitar.
Or maybe you could play it, but did not understand how the harmonic function.
This lesson teaches you everything you need to know about diminished 7th chords.
Dominant 7b9 Chords Guide
The b9 is the most commonly used extension on resolving dominant 7th chords. The natural tendency of a b9 in both soloing and comping is to resolve. Dominant 7b9 chords also act as diminished 7th chords.
Essential Jazz Chord Exercises
To help you expand your playing from memorizing shapes to comping with confidence over jazz tunes, here are 5 essential jazz chord exercises for guitar. Each of these exercises will take your chord playing to the next level, expanding your confidence and chord vocabulary at the same time.
https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/jazz-chord-exercises/
Jazz Standards Chord Studies
There is no better way to learn how to play jazz guitar chords than practicing jazz standards. The following chord studies each focus on certain type(s) of chords as they are applied to jazz songs.
This is an excellent collection that includes:
- Jazz Standards Chord Studies
- Jazz Chord Progressions
- Jazz Guitar Chord Exercises
- Bossa Nova Chords
Also check this video out (shell voicings)