Ed Byrne Vs. Jerry Bergonzi

[Silence]

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I am positive these books are great in their own respective rights, but I just wanted to know any of your experiences with either The inside improvisation series or Byrne's Linear Jazz.

Thanks.

Silence,

Tough call. I like Bergonzi's series because he covers so much ground, from basic bop lines to crazy intervallic stuff. Plus the book on rhythm is really amazing.

I also really like Ed's stuff. His stuff is great because it deals w/ reducing the melody down and basing your improv around that. It is, my opinion, very overlooked as a method. He has some other books that deal w/ other concepts like bi-tonality as well. I think on his approach often when the harmony gets too crazy.

Either way, you are going to learn a ton if you work through them systematically. I hate to make a recommendation because both series are really well done. Just depends on how you want to approach improvisation -- melody-based or based around some type of concept (like pentatonics, hexatonics, etc).

[ljistudent]

I have worked with the books for about a year and a half and privately with dr. Byrne himself for some months. I've been through books 1-3, Blue Funk, am continually reading Speaking of Jazz, which is a very comprehensive book with tons of ideas that blew off my mind, first contact with it. I am studying now book 4, Bichordal Pitch Collection Etudes. .

I was into the mud of chord-scales for too long and very frustrated, because I never barely heard myself sounding melodic, you know. Why can't I sound like those guys in the albums, I would ask myself.

I tell ya, I have been playing and studying Jazz and improv for 10 years now. Went thru a lot of books, transcribing and all that jazz. Nothing helped me more than Linear Jazz Improvisation. Ed himself liked my phrases later, dude.

Linear Jazz Improvisation, for me, is the most direct approach into the sound you want to make. The books are very precise and Ed cuts the bs directly to the point.

I recommend you start with Book 1 for a better clarification on the subject. Then, take Blue Funk and have fun with it. You'll be improvising like a pro sooner than you think.

[Silence]

Thanks for the suggestion guys! I think I am going to go with linear jazz after doing some research.

I am going to be taking a lesson or two with a jazz guitar great every few months, using Jimmy Bruno's method, and hopefully linear jazz. I think this should remedy any improvisational needs I have.

[ljistudent]

That's great. Also, try some classes with Ed Byrne. You'll see it'll worth it. Just one more thing... Focusing on one thing at a time is always a good idea.

[Rickh]

Bergonzi all the way. The man is a genius and volume 4 - melodic rhythms is unbelievable!