Dire Straits - Sultans Of... JAZZ! - Guitar Cover

About Sultans Of... JAZZ!

The signature guitar work in "Sultans Of... JAZZ!" sits at a fascinating crossroads, asking you to bring a jazz sensibility to the fingerwork that Dire Straits built their name on. Playing in D minor gives you a rich, moody tonal centre, and the key rewards players who lean into chord voicings beyond the basic open shapes: think minor sevenths and extended chords up the neck rather than straight cowboy chords. The feel here is the real challenge. Jazz phrasing demands space and a lighter pick attack, or even a fingerstyle approach, so your right hand habits may need deliberate rethinking. If a particular chord transition or melodic run keeps tripping you up, set the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until the movement becomes automatic. Getting the timing feel right, with that slight behind-the-beat looseness that jazz phrasing often calls for, is where most guitarists will need to put in extra focused repetition.

• Playing in D minor opens up rich minor seventh and extended chord voicings up the neck, which are central to nailing the jazz feel.
• A lighter pick attack or fingerstyle technique will help you achieve the cleaner, more articulate tone this jazz context demands.
• Focusing on phrasing and note spacing, rather than just hitting the right pitches, is the key practice challenge in this arrangement.