Playing solo jazz is a struggle

For all us neophyte jazz players out there...

I've got a boatload of books that I'm just now getting into.

I am working out of the "Jazz Guitar Bible" which is several hundred
pages of transcribed solos and chord melodies. I'm currently working my
way through the chord melody arrangement for Misty. It's 3 pages with
lots of chord voicings I've not used before.

My sight-reading skills are poor, so I have to plod thorugh. The book
has tabs, which I use now and then to see suggested fingerings.

If I can't make the stretch, I modify fngerings and use open strings,
different voicings. I'm thankful that I at least know enough to be able
to change things to make it easier to play while still staying true to
the song. I can't imagine what it'd be like if I felt like I had to
stick strictly to the arrangement.

I'm finally near the end of page one. The reason it takes me so long is
because I commit everything to memory and then use the *** music as a
crutch to stay on track duruing playback, eventually weaning myself
from that.

When committing to memory, I have to learn a note at a time; then a
bar; then several bars, gluing the pieces together, often with slight
hiccups and pauses as I work out the glue.

So for me, playing solo jazz guitar is a struggle. Not an unpleasant
one, though. It's a healthy challenge, but one I have to take in
pieces. This is s good mental exercise as I grow older, too.

This particular arrangement is the hardest/longest I've tackled so far.
Once I get through the other 2 pages, I'll have 6 solo tunes under my
belt; not at the expert level, but good 'nuf.

So, if you're a neophyte, what's your struggle?

Greg

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