2-5-1 or ii-V-I or II-V-I (there are a few variations) is a very common chord progression used extensively in Jazz, consisting of the 2nd, 5th and 1st chord in a key, or in other words, the chords built on the Supertonic, Dominant and Tonic degrees of the scale.

This is a 32-bar musical form, where the A section is is 8-bars long (usually called the verse) and the B section is also 8-bars long (usually called the bridge.) A famous example that uses this form is the Jazz standard, "I Got Rhythm".

A right hand guitar technique where a plectrum/pick is used to play single note melodies in an up-and-down fashion, i.e. alternating between down-strokes and up-strokes regardless of the direction of the melody.

When referring to an interval, augmented means to widen that interval by a semitone. When referring to a triad/chord, augmented means that the chord contains an augmented interval, e.g. the augmented 5th in an augmented triad (in the key of C, this would be: C-E-G#).

A Jazz form originating in the 1940s. It is characterized by fast tempos, extended harmonies and solos.

Any combination of three or more notes sounded simultaneously.

A chromatic note or chord is one which does not belong in the current key. For example, an F# is a chromatic note within a C Major scale, since it does not exist in the natural C Major scale. A Chromatic scale is one which consists of all 12 semitones, starting from any note and ending on that same note an octave above.

A Jazz form originating in the 1950s. It is characterized by experimental arrangements and a relaxed, atmospheric feel.

The opposite of Augmented (see above), this means to make an interval shorter by one semitone.

A Jazz form developed in the 1900s, by small-bands whose sound was characterized by group improvisation over steady two-beat ragtime rhythms.

Economy picking is a right hand technique for guitar. It involves playing single lines using a pick but instead of the alternating motion used in alternate picking, this method uses successive down-strokes or up-strokes to make the movement from one string to another as fast as possible, by using less motion.

A Jazz form originating in the 1960s. This form is characterized by the general lack of anything pre-determined, including harmony and melody. A very characteristic aspect of this type of music are the complex and abstract solos.

A Jazz form originating in the late 1960s. This form is the fusion (hence the name) of Rock and Jazz music. It characterized by the notable rock elements which include loud, electric sounds and rock rhythms.

A derivative of Bebop coming from the mid-1960s which was characterized by extended solos and funky/blues rhythms.

The head is a name given to the main melody of a Jazz piece, the one usually played in the beginning before the solos start coming in.

This guitar right-hand technique uses both a pick (usually held between the thumb and index fingers) and fingers (the remaining three fingers) to play. This especially useful to master since it incorporates the benefits of using a plectrum and the sound produced by finger-picking chords. It is extensively used in the solo jazz guitar kind of playing.

An interval is the distance between two musical tones/notes.

A small section consisting of only a few bars usually played to smoothly lead in to the head.

Jazz standards are Jazz pieces/tunes which have been played by Jazz musicians over time and which are widely known within the Jazz circles. There is no set list of standards and no rules by which a tune can instantly be made a standard. Examples of such standards include Autumn Leaves, Misty, Ornithology and Take the A-train.

A Jazz form with influences brought in by musicians from places like South America and Cuba, which also describes styles influenced by Bossa Nova or Samba.

A mode is a scale which uses the same notes as a diatonic scale but starting and ending on a different degree, i.e. has a different tonic. For example E Phrygian (E F G A B C D) is a mode of C Major (C D E F G A B) since it contains the same notes but has a different tonic.

A scale is a succession of musical tones in ascending and/or descending order.

A scale degree is the name of a note in relation to the tonic of a scale. These can be described by number (1,2,3 etc.), word (first, second, third etc.) or by their assigned names (tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant and leading tone). For example, E is the 3rd, Third or Mediant of the C Major scale (C D E F G A B).

Scat singing is a form of vocal improvisation or improvisation using the voice instead of an instrument and is usually done by speaking/singing nonsense syllables (like tu, ta, la, le, pu etc.)

In a Jazz context, a solo is the coming forth of one of the musicians in the band to play/improvise over the chord changes in a prominent manner, making this section his or her solo. Solos can be single line melodic solos or chord solos, drum solos or even voice/scatting solos.

A big-band Jazz form originating in the 1930s. It is characterized by the synonymous eighth note feel played like this instead of like this .

To transpose means to take a piece of music (including melody and harmony) and take it into another key.

A triad is a group of three notes which is made by stacking thirds (either minor or major) on top of one another. there are three main types of triads: Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented.

A tritone is the distance of three whole-tones or a diminished 5th between two notes (e.g. the interval between a C and an F# is a tritone).