Do others on here find the chord scale theory approach is detrimental to many guitar players learning jazz? I spent a long time learning all my scales and arpeggios but I could never get the hang of playing over complex progressions shifting to a new scale for each chord. Frankly it didn't sound musical and the limited results discouraged me from continuing this route.

I then took to analysing chord function and focusing on "playing the key", playing by ear, forcing myself to "feel" where the song was going and which notes to play. While I am still very much a beginner jazz player it totally opened it all up for me and it is actually enjoyable to play again!

While I am far far far away from a great like Grant Green, now that I play like this I feel my lines sound a lot more like how he plays than many tutors on Youtube I have heard who focus on CST where there doesn't seem to be any blues to the sound. I am not saying learning scales (although arpeggios were more useful) was a waste of time for me as I know the notes of each chord but as soon as I "forgot" it all I played better.

I'm not saying they are wrong but I wish I had been told the following when I first started.

1)learn the melody 2) play by ear 3) focus on playing melodies over a progression, some will work some wont but you will remember the ones that do 4) don't be afraid to play "avoid" notes, take a chance 5) don't learn lots of different scale names, just look at what notes change as you play 5) the harmony does most of the work, you can play something super simple and a beautiful progression will make it sound a million dollars!

Any thoughts from other players, experienced or beginner?