What I Learned From Joe Pass

Carl once took a lesson from Joe Pass, who showed him his five-step procedure for mastering a jazz tune.

Step 1: Learn to play the melody in all positions all over the neck.

Step 2: Harmonize the melody with small chord voicings.

Step 3: Come up with a chord-melody arrangement that you can play unaccompanied.

Step 4: Be able to improvise over the tune’s chord changes.

Step 5: Learn the tune in other keys.