Swedish pop group ABBA was a rage in the seventies and songs composed and sung by them could he heard everywhere, from discotheques and night clubs to beach parties and weddings. Their catchy tunes and captivating lyrics appealed to people of all ages and their songs were constantly aired on all radio and television music channels.

Swedes, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog made up this famous quartet and the name of their group is an acronym of the first letters of each one’s names. Winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with a foot-stomping rendition of “Waterloo” was just the beginning of a singing career that took the world by storm. Their popularity continued to rise unabated with a string of stupendously successful hits including “Mamma Mia”, “S.O.S” and “Honey, Honey”. By now ABBA fever had reached all corners of the globe and their songs featured in the top ten charts of almost all countries including Australia.

March 1976 saw a release of a compilation of “Greatest Hits” of ABBA, which included the song “Fernando”. The album quickly rose to the top of the charts in the UK and “Fernando” went on to become one of ABBA’s most popular and best-known tracks ever. This was the album that finally gave them a breakthrough in the US album charts where it stormed into the Top 50 and sold more than one million copies.

“Arrival” was the band’s next album and it took them to even greater heights. Songs from the album included the mega-hits “Dancing Queen”, “Knowing me, Knowing you” and “Money, Money, Money”, which rose to the to of the charts and stayed there with no signs of coming down for a long time.

Hit after hit followed with “Voulez-Vous”, “Chiquitita”, “I Have a Dream”, “Take a Chance on Me”, “The Winner Takes it All” and the group’s signature tune “Thank You for the Music”.

ABBA’s songs have stood the test of time and thirty years later are still heard on radio and television stations all over the world.

Jazz guitar is an extremely popular guitar style and learning this style of music can pose quite a challenge. There’s no doubt that it can be very time-consuming with many hours of practice to put in if you are to master this rather difficult style. Determination is a deciding factor in those who eventually ‘get there’ and can call themselves ‘jazz guitarists’!

There are many unusual harmonies and chords associated with this style and, at first, this might seem unusual to your ear. However, practice is the key and over time, your ear will adapt and get used to these slightly more ‘exotic’ sounds. You will also need to be very familiar with your guitar and listen to as much jazz guitar music as possible. Get used to the different beats and rhythms, surround yourself with the style. Don’t forget to explore different eras as well. Modern pop often incorporates jazz guitar styles, but also listen to the ‘hot’ jazz of such luminaries as Django Reinhardt. Remember, Reinhardt had fingers missing and he was still a gifted guitarist. There’s hope for you yet!

Use a metronome. This is an invaluable tool that will help to keep you in time. Many musicians have a tendency to speed up as they play, especially if they are solo. This is a natural phenomenon, but one that need to be curbed. Many jazz styles need to be ‘laid back’ with a lazy style of playing that isn’t rushed. Keeping a steady metronome pulse will also allow you to feel the subtleties of ‘syncopation’ (the notes falling ‘between’ the beats). Electronic or wind-up, it doesn’t matter, but get a metronome at once!

Open up your mind to the new sounds, harmonies and rhythms that you will experience over the coming months and years. Invest in some good jazz guitar CDs (do a quick search on Google or visit Amazon), find a reputable local guitarist/teacher who can demonstrate this style of playing. Make sure that whoever you decide on to teach you has good references (ask around, listen to him/her play, what qualifications have they got, etc).

Finally, don’t be afraid to have fun and experiment with jazz guitar. More than perhaps any other style, it is free and diverse with a variety of ‘sub-styles’ or ‘sub-genres’ to explore.

At the end of the day, just get out there and ‘play guitar’, don’t hang back.

I wish you well with your musical exploration!