{"id":97,"date":"2012-12-21T13:13:18","date_gmt":"2012-12-21T13:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/184.172.173.12\/~jazz\/blog\/?p=97"},"modified":"2022-06-12T11:13:01","modified_gmt":"2022-06-12T09:13:01","slug":"top-50-guitar-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jazzguitar.be\/blog\/top-50-guitar-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 50 Jazz Guitar Books"},"content":{"rendered":"

The book lists on this page are the result of a poll on our forum, in which I asked everyone to list their favorite guitar books. There are 4 categories: jazz guitar books, guitar books (that are not jazz-related), theory & reference books, and other music books (biographies, music psychology, …)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span><\/span>\n

Top 50 Jazz Guitar Books<\/h2>\n

Here’s the Top 50 of Jazz Guitar Method Books.<\/p>\n

The Advancing Guitarist<\/i> is on number 1, as I expected. It’s a great book, although not for beginners.<\/p>\n

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\"The<\/div>\n

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    \n
  1. The Advancing Guitarist – Mick Goodrick<\/li>\n
  2. Complete Jazz Guitar Method – Jody Fisher<\/li>\n
  3. Chords and Chord Progressions for Jazz and Popular Guitar – Arnie Berle<\/li>\n
  4. Jazz Guitar Single Note Soloing – Ted Greene<\/li>\n
  5. Chord Chemistry – Ted Greene<\/li>\n
  6. Best of Wes Montgomery – Wolf Marshall<\/li>\n
  7. The Berklee Jazz Chord Dictionary – Rick Peckham<\/li>\n
  8. Mickey Baker Complete Course in Jazz Guitar Vol 1 & Vol 2 – Mickey Baker<\/li>\n
  9. The Joe Pass Guitar Method – Joe Pass<\/li>\n
  10. Linear Expression – Pat Martino<\/li>\n
  11. All Blues Soloing – Jim Ferguson<\/li>\n
  12. Modern Chord Progressions – Ted Greene<\/li>\n
  13. A Guide To Chords, Scales, and Arpeggios – Al Di Meola<\/li>\n
  14. Contemporary Chord Khancepts – Steve Kahn<\/li>\n
  15. Chord-Melody Guitar – Bruce Buckingham<\/li>\n
  16. Jazz Guitar Soloing – Joe Elliott<\/li>\n
  17. Voice Leading For Guitar – John Thomas<\/li>\n
  18. Jazz Guitar Structures – Andrew Green<\/li>\n
  19. Jazz Guitar Technique – Andrew Green<\/li>\n
  20. Guitar Compendium – Howard Roberts<\/li>\n
  21. Arpeggio Studies on Jazz Standards – Mimi Fox<\/li>\n
  22. Pat Metheny Songbook – Pat Metheny<\/li>\n
  23. Jazz Guitar Voicings Vol 1 – Randy Vincent<\/li>\n
  24. The Art of Solo Guitar – Jody Fisher<\/li>\n
  25. Jazz Improvisation for Guitar: A Melodic Approach – Garrison Fewell<\/li>\n
  26. Creative Force – Pat Martino<\/li>\n
  27. Power Jazz Guitar – Larry Coryell<\/li>\n
  28. Best of Pat Martino – Wolf Marshall<\/li>\n
  29. Harmonic Mechanics – George Van Eps<\/li>\n
  30. Guitar Style – Joe Pass<\/li>\n
  31. Jazz Guitar Comping – Andrew Green<\/li>\n
  32. The Jazz Style of Tal Farlow: The Elements of Bebop Guitar – Tal Farlow<\/li>\n
  33. Building a Jazz Guitar Solo: a Guide to The Art of Chord Melody Playing – Fred Sokolow<\/li>\n
  34. Masters of the Plectrum Guitar – Mel Bay<\/li>\n
  35. Mastering the Dominant Chord – Don Mock<\/li>\n
  36. Guitar Secrets: Symmetrical Scales Revealed – Don Mock<\/li>\n
  37. Guitar Secrets: Harmonic Minor Revealed – Don Mock<\/li>\n
  38. Complete Jazz Guitar Method – Mike Christiansen<\/li>\n
  39. All The Shapes You Are – Herb Ellis<\/li>\n
  40. A Comprehensive Study of Gypsy Jazz Guitar – Romane Sebastian<\/li>\n
  41. Lenny Breau Finger Style – Lenny Breau<\/li>\n
  42. Intervallic Designs for Jazz Guitar: Ultramodern Sounds for Improvising – Joe Diorio<\/li>\n
  43. Giant Steps – Joe Diorio<\/li>\n
  44. Jazz Structures for the New Millenium – Joe Diorio<\/li>\n
  45. Fusion Guitar – Joe Diorio<\/li>\n
  46. Playing Guitar in a Jazz Big Band – Tom Anderson<\/li>\n
  47. Almanac of Guitar Voice Leading – Mick Goodrick<\/li>\n
  48. Gypsy Rhythm Volume 1: a Tutorial for Gypsy Jazz – Michael Horowitz<\/li>\n
  49. Mel Bay’s Complete Book of Harmony, Theory, and Voicing – Bret Willmott<\/li>\n
  50. Jazz for the Skeptical Guitarist – Bruce Emery<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Jazz Guitar Books For Beginners<\/h2>\n

    A lot of the books listed above are not for beginners. Here’s a selection of books that are great for beginning jazz guitar players.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"Beginning<\/div>\n

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      \n
    1. Beginning Jazz Guitar – Jody Fisher<\/li>\n
    2. Chords and Chord Progressions for Jazz and Popular Guitar – Arnie Berle<\/li>\n
    3. The Berklee Jazz Chord Dictionary – Rick Peckham<\/li>\n
    4. Mickey Baker Complete Course in Jazz Guitar Vol 1 & Vol 2 – Mickey Baker<\/li>\n
    5. Jazz Guitar Voicings Vol 1 – Randy Vincent<\/li>\n
    6. The Art of Solo Guitar – Jody Fisher<\/li>\n
    7. Jazz Improvisation for Guitar: A Melodic Approach – Garrison Fewell<\/li>\n
    8. Jazz Guitar Technique – Andrew Green<\/li>\n
    9. Jazz Guitar Comping – Andrew Green<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Top 10 authors of jazz guitar books<\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. Ted Greene<\/li>\n
      2. Mick Goodrick<\/li>\n
      3. Jody Fisher<\/li>\n
      4. Arnie Berle<\/li>\n
      5. Wolf Marshall<\/li>\n
      6. Mickey Baker<\/li>\n
      7. Joe Pass<\/li>\n
      8. Andrew Green<\/li>\n
      9. Pat Martino<\/li>\n
      10. Joe Diorio<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

        General Guitar Books<\/h2>\n

        The Top 30 of guitar method books.<\/p>\n

        I never heard about the book on number 1, guess I need to check it out.<\/p>\n

        I’m surprised William Leavitt<\/i> books are so popular, I never really liked them.<\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        \"Pumping<\/div>\n

         <\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Pumping Nylon – Scott Tenant<\/li>\n
        2. Solo Guitar Playing Volume 1 and 2 – Fredrick Noad<\/li>\n
        3. Melodic Rhythms for Guitar – William Leavitt<\/li>\n
        4. Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar – Troy Stetina<\/li>\n
        5. Advanced Reading Studies for Guitar – William Leavitt<\/li>\n
        6. A Modern Method for Guitar – William Leavitt<\/li>\n
        7. The Guitar Grimoire: A Compendium of Guitar Chords and Voicings – Adam Kadmon<\/li>\n
        8. The Brazilian Guitar Book – Nelson Faria<\/li>\n
        9. Fretboard Logic – Bill Edwards<\/li>\n
        10. Chord Progressions for Guitar – Tom Kolb<\/li>\n
        11. Fretboard Mastery – Troy Stetina<\/li>\n
        12. Arpeggios for Guitar – Don Latarski<\/li>\n
        13. The Chord Factory – Jon Damian<\/li>\n
        14. Blues You Can Use – John Ganapes<\/li>\n
        15. Guitar Fretboard Workbook – Barrett Tagliarino<\/li>\n
        16. The Guitarist’s Guide to Composing and Improvising – Jon Damian<\/li>\n
        17. Modes for Guitar – Tom Kolb<\/li>\n
        18. Soloing Strategies for Guitar – Tom Kolb<\/li>\n
        19. The principles of Correct Practice for Guitar – Jamie Andreas<\/li>\n
        20. Rock Discipline – John Petrucci<\/li>\n
        21. Music Reading for Guitar – David Oakes<\/li>\n
        22. Classical Studies for Pick Style Guitar – William Leavitt<\/li>\n
        23. The Guitar Cookbook – Jesse Gress<\/li>\n
        24. Hot Guitar – Arlen Roth<\/li>\n
        25. The Guitar Handbook – Ralph Denyer<\/li>\n
        26. Guitar Player Repair Guide – Dan Erlewine<\/li>\n
        27. Mel Bay’s Complet Book of Guitar Improvisation – Vincent Bredice<\/li>\n
        28. Bach Lute Studies for Guitar – Jerry Willard<\/li>\n
        29. The Complete Sor Studies for Guitar – Fernando Sor and David Grimes<\/li>\n
        30. Diatonic Major and Minor Scales – Andres Segovia<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Theory & Reference Books<\/h2>\n

          The Top 25 of Theory and (non-guitar) music books.<\/p>\n

          Not surprised that the Jazz Theory Book is on number 1, it’s the best jazz-related theory book around.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \"The<\/div>\n

           <\/p>\n

            \n
          1. The Jazz Theory Book – Mark Levine<\/li>\n
          2. The Jamey Aebersold Series<\/li>\n
          3. The Real Book Vol 1 – Chuck Sher<\/li>\n
          4. Harmony – Walter Piston<\/li>\n
          5. How to Play Bebop – David Baker<\/li>\n
          6. Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns – Slonimsky<\/li>\n
          7. Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization – George Russell<\/li>\n
          8. The Lead Sheet Bible – Robin Randall<\/li>\n
          9. The Serious Jazz Practice Book – Barry Finnerty<\/li>\n
          10. The Charlie Parker Omnibook – Jamey Aebersold<\/li>\n
          11. Jazzmaster Cookbook – Jim Grantham<\/li>\n
          12. Best Chord Changes for the World’s Greatest Standards – Frank Mantooth<\/li>\n
          13. The Salsa Guidebook – Rebeca Mauleon<\/li>\n
          14. The Real Book 6th Edition – Hal Leonard<\/li>\n
          15. Jazz Theory Resources – Bert Ligon<\/li>\n
          16. Comprehensive Technique for Jazz Musicians – Bert Ligon<\/li>\n
          17. Modern Reading Text in 4\/4 – Louis Bellson<\/li>\n
          18. The Swing Era: 1936-1947 (The Jazz Bible Fake Book Series) – Rob Duboff<\/li>\n
          19. Encyclopedia of Reading Rhythms – Gary Hess<\/li>\n
          20. Metamorphosis of the Jazz Solo – Sam Most<\/li>\n
          21. Music Theory for Guitarists – Tom Kolb<\/li>\n
          22. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Compostion – Michael Miller<\/li>\n
          23. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory – Michael Miller<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Other Music Books: Psychology, Biographies, Guitars, …<\/h2>\n

            The Top 15:<\/p>\n

            \"Effortless<\/div>\n

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            1. Effortless Mastery – Kenny Werner<\/li>\n
            2. The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music- Victor Wooten<\/li>\n
            3. The Inner Game of Music – Barry Green<\/li>\n
            4. Charlie Parker: His Life and Music – Carl Woideck<\/li>\n
            5. Talent is Overrated – Geoffrey Colvin<\/li>\n
            6. Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones – Quincy Jones<\/li>\n
            7. The Gibson L5 – Adrian Ingram<\/li>\n
            8. Blue Guitar (aka the Blue Book) – Ken Vose<\/li>\n
            9. All You Need to Know About the Music Business – Donald S. Passman<\/li>\n
            10. The Pat Metheny Interviews – Richard Niles<\/li>\n
            11. Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation – Paul Berliner<\/li>\n
            12. Early Jazz: Its Roots and Musical Development (History of Jazz) – Gunther Schuller<\/li>\n
            13. Gibson Guitars: 100 Years of an American Icon – Calter Carter<\/li>\n
            14. This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession – Daniel Levitin<\/li>\n
            15. Miles: The Autobiography – Quincy Troupe<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

               <\/p>\n

              ALSO CHECK OUT:<\/p>\n