Your Best Must Have Jazz Guitar Books?

[Kirk Garrett]

Without looking it up (I've still got the book!) I seem to remember that it doesn't point to a fundamental 'truth' about jazz harmony. That is, ii/V.

He offers ii7/ii6 as a substitute which isn't informative. Sounds fine but there's a time and a place to sound like Carlos Santana.

I bought this book when I was 19 and went to University. I was also simultaneously going to become a jazz guitarist. I quickly got the impression that the book was not a jazz tutor. I learned some life saving chord shapes but not much else. I think he was a jump jive/rock and roll guitarist mainly - or maybe professionally. Nothing wrong with that but not what I wanted.

Yeah, the MB book definitely doesn’t give you an overview or a big picture map of what’s happening. I guess this can be an advantage if you embrace the idea that repeatedly working on the lessons and getting them absolutely down cold will eventually guide you.

I definitely see consistent chord substitutions happening. For example, the fifth note of the scale in a dominant seven chord becomes a useful minor chord substitution, and this makes sense because two of the notes are the same anyway. But I had to let it soak in.

I would just like to see more direct application to songs. But I guess that will come.

[pamosmusic]

Yeah, the MB book definitely doesn’t give you an overview or a big picture map of what’s happening. I guess this can be an advantage if you embrace the idea that repeatedly working on the lessons and getting them absolutely down cold will eventually guide you.

I definitely see consistent chord substitutions happening. For example, the fifth note of the scale in a dominant seven chord becomes a useful minor chord substitution, and this makes sense because two of the notes are the same anyway. But I had to let it soak in.

I would just like to see more direct application to songs. But I guess that will come.

I wonder if this doesn’t exist for the Mickey Baker book because the style it’s geared toward isn’t really in common practice anymore.

[AllanAllen]

I think it doesn't exist because it's literally the homework you're supposed to do when you work through the book. Like I said, about 3 times... there are examples and analysis on the jazzandhotguitar.com website. But, like you said Peter, at a certain point, we have to do some work too.

[pamosmusic]

I think it doesn't exist because it's literally the homework you're supposed to do when you work through the book. Like I said, about 3 times... there are examples and analysis on the jazzandhotguitar.com website. But, like you said Peter, at a certain point, we have to do some work too.

well yeah also this

[GBRow]

I find "Martin Taylor's Complete Jazz Guitar Method Compilation" excellent. It is written in clear explanations and useful practices. It is 3 books (Beyond Chord Melody,Walking Bass for Jazz Guitar, Single Note Soloing for Jazz Guitar) compiled into one book, which is also good value.

Not sure if it is complete as the title says though.

[Beats_and_Guitars]

Randy Vincent - The Guitarist's Introduction To Jazz.

I now have almost all his books but this is the place to start.

New here but I wanted to just mention I'm going through The Cellular Approach right now and really finding it revolutionary.

[jazzloverfat]

Randy Vincent - The Guitarist's Introduction To Jazz.
I now have almost all his books but this is the place to start.

I finally had some time to look at it and well... Im disappointed.
I will attach a page from the book so you see what i mean...

Basically - and pardon me if I sound thick - but I don't get why this economy in jazz books that allegedly teach you how to play the thing... is it that hard to put the damn notes on a staff instead of slashes?? OR write the chord progression notes on a staff instead of just roman numerals??

Ok, I admit, at the time when I started learning, I was lazy and I didn't wanna learn the chord names or theory - much to my teacher's despair - i just wanted to play so I just focused on learning to read the score and play along.
Now it is a bit of an issue when i look at stuff that doesn't use standard notation and I struggle to figure out what it all means or I have to do mental math instead of playing music...
So for me, I need a book that would teach me jazz stuff but using proper notation, not tabs or slashes or whatever else, so that i can learn the damn thing in context.
I am a visual learner - was great at geometry and ass at calculus - so notes on the staff > letters and numbers.


Lastly.. Skimming through the pdf for Three-note Voicings and Beyond I can see that here the dude actually uses standard notation.

So would this and/or Cellular approach mentioned above be of use to me to understand improv and move away from full score?


Also, one last question: in the page from the Guitarists Intro ... what are the "delta", "null" and "slash into diamond" symbols even supposed to mean ?? there's no key to the symbols...

[pamosmusic]

Also, one last question: in the page from the Guitarists Intro ... what are the "delta", "null" and "slash into diamond" symbols even supposed to mean ?? there's no key to the symbols...

First of all, you’re looking for “appendix B” in Guitarists Introduction—the chord names and symbols primer. He references it in the introduction. Appendix A is definitions and Appendix C is chord types.

Second, the books are written very much in standard notation. There is plenty of notes-on-staff when that’s appropriate to communicate his meaning. Slashes and chord symbols are also standard notation and he uses those when they’re appropriate to communicate his meaning.

Third, the delta is major 7. I believe by “null” you’re referring to the half-diminshed. No idea what you mean by slash into diamond, but the symbols he uses are all pretty much standard circulation.

Due respect but it sounds like you don’t have a firm handle on how to read music in a jazz/popular music context. I’m not knocking you for that. We don’t know what we don’t know. What is a little jarring, however, is the snark, which seems to be coming from a place of ignorance. You won’t get too far playing this kind of music if that’s how you approach unfamiliar material. There are a lot of challenges out there and curiosity tends to be a better approach.

[Mick-7]

No idea what you mean by slash into diamond

minor chord with a major 7th? Like say, C- ^7.

"is it that hard to put the damn notes on a staff instead of slashes?"

Beats to the bar I guess? Like say: | / / / / | If it's about chord changes/comping, no notes would be given.

P.S. - Just looked at the example, the slashes are as I said. Didn't see a Cm#7 (that's how I usually type it) but there are min7b5 chords, a.k.a., the half diminished 7th chord, with a diagonal slash through 0 before 7 to symbolize the half-dim chord.

As Peter said, this is all standard musical jargon.

[jazzloverfat]

All i know is slashes are about rhythm and i have to play a chord as many times as the nr of slashes. My frustration is coming from the author using slashes instead of the actual notes for the chords that i have to play. Like we have notation that shows a note's length no? Why not use that instead of 4 slashes for example? Especially when the book is supposed to teach me the jazz chords.
Going back and forth between page 4 and the appendix is not an elegant solution ...

Thank you though for the heads up on the appendix, it helped explaining: delta = major, o = diminished, null (o crossed) = half diminished. Again... if I were the author, I would've put this on the first page... I've never seen this type of notation previously, only M, m, dim.

Pamosmusic, I'm not trying to be snarky on purpose, but I do call things as I see them. And right now it really is frustrating being able to decipher a stupid classical sheet and fail so hard with smth like this...
Compared to a classical book or score, jazz feels more like math than music T_T

To give you more context, this is what I can do: I know my fretboard and I can read the notes, duration, rhythm, dynamics, "special effects" (i.e. grace notes, slides, hammers and pulls,), i can play chords including barre and half-barre etc; I can play scales but i do have a cheat sheet on my music stand to remind me how many sharps and flats in each key. If you tell me to play a note I can immediately play it across the neck. If you tell me to play a chord AND tell me what the notes are, again, I can play it. But if you tell me to play G7 or you tell me to play a chord using string and fret numbers as instructions, i get confused So I can learn and play an arrangement if everything is on paper, but as i mentioned before, when I look at the realbook for example, and even some of the page in Guitarist's Intro, Im like the "surprised pikachu face" meme

EDIT: forgot to say, for what it's worth - i did read up a bit on the history of jazz and i watched documentaries on various periods and players so I know of the different genres and i know where to place the big names and some of the archetypal songs and sounds. I do like swing, vocal, hard bop over bebop just because it sounds more bluesy and hits harder, and then fusion and modern / post-whatever labels are used today. I hate stuff like Kenny G and anything that sounds like restaurant music/background music. LOVE everything Miles but don't care for Coltrane.

I want to find a way - book, whatevs - that uses the system I am familiar with and would help me to translate the skills that I already have into easily being able to deal w jazz stuff.

I stand corrected re: standard notation... I thought it only refers to just the traditional staff with notes. Muh bad....

Mick, for the diamond thingie, i'll just add a picture. Worth a thousand words they say




Thank youuu!

[alltunes]

My educated guess on “slash into diamond” is that he just wants you keep that chord ringing.

[pamosmusic]

All i know is slashes are about rhythm and i have to play a chord as many times as the nr of slashes. My frustration is coming from the author using slashes instead of the actual notes for the chords that i have to play. Like we have notation that shows a note's length no? Why not use that instead of 4 slashes for example? Especially when the book is supposed to teach me the jazz chords.
Going back and forth between page 4 and the appendix is not an elegant solution ...

Again, slashes are not rhythm. Slashes denote “playing time” — or comping. Meaning you choose the rhythm.

Pamosmusic, I'm not trying to be snarky on purpose, but I do call things as I see them. And right now it really is frustrating being able to decipher a stupid classical sheet and fail so hard with smth like this...
Compared to a classical book or score, jazz feels more like math than music T_T

No, it’s just that in jazz you’re required to make choices, so the music guides you on the choices but doesn’t make them for you. Classical music is written (more or less) as it’s intended to be played.

To give you more context, this is what I can do: I know my fretboard and I can read the notes, duration, rhythm, dynamics, "special effects" (i.e. grace notes, slides, hammers and pulls,), i can play chords including barre and half-barre etc; I can play scales but i do have a cheat sheet on my music stand to remind me how many sharps and flats in each key. If you tell me to play a note I can immediately play it across the neck. If you tell me to play a chord AND tell me what the notes are, again, I can play it. But if you tell me to play G7 or you tell me to play a chord using string and fret numbers as instructions, i get confused So I can learn and play an arrangement if everything is on paper, but as i mentioned before, when I look at the realbook for example, and even some of the page in Guitarist's Intro, Im like the "surprised pikachu face" meme

Frankly, I don’t care so much what you can do. It’s clear Jazz is new to you and your stance on that is that you’re going to be defensive and argue that it’s the musics fault. I’m an excellent Jazz player. I’m a terrible country player. If I want to learn country guitar, I need to be ready to be a beginner and not know some stuff. Acting like the music is wrong won’t be helpful.

I want to find a way - book, whatevs - that uses the system I am familiar with and would help me to translate the skills that I already have into easily being able to deal w jazz stuff.

Unfortunately, if you want to do something new, you may have to learn something new.

Mick, for the diamond thingie, i'll just add a picture. Worth a thousand words they say

This is rhythmic notation. When the music does not intend to voice the chord for you but would like you to play a specific rhythm. Lines for quarter/eighth note heads. Diamonds for open half or whole note heads. So that’s a quarter tied to a whole.

[GBRow]

I finally had some time to look at it and well... Im disappointed.
.

I bought the book from Amazon, and tried to work with it due to positive recommendations.
But I found the book not easy to get on with. And also the problem with having to flicking through the pages for the chord shapes felt time consuming and tedious. Another problem I felt was that the book was not "introduction" book to Jazz at all, but for more for the intermediate level folks.

So, I returned the book requesting exchange for another book. Being able to return for full refund or exchange for another item is cool in Amazon shopping. The book I got for exchange was written by "Joseph Alexander". He has written a whole load of series of Jazz guitar books, and seems be getting good reviews.

I was not sure how the books would be like first, but they read very well. Great strength of the books by Joseph Alexander is that they are written in clear and friendly detailed instructions on all the topics, it feels as if you have a real guitar teacher beside you telling you what to do, and how to do in practicing.

If you are an absolute beginner, you could start from "Modern Music Theory for Guitarists", and "Guitar Fretboard Fluency" books. And get more advanced titles later or at the same time, and work tandem. I only have had the books for 3-4 days, but so far find them good to work with. Not sure how I will feel about them after 3-4 weeks time, but will see.

[Beats_and_Guitars]

I really like Randy’s approach to teaching in his books. Everything is usually explained at least with the cellular approach. He’s really known for his teaching If there’s something you don’t quite understand I’d suggest reaching out to get clarification…getting that clarification and continuing on through the material would be really beneficial.

A quick side note the Joe pass books uses the same slash marks for rhythm.


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[pamosmusic]

I bought the book from Amazon, and tried to work with it due to positive recommendations.
But I found the book not easy to get on with. And also the problem with having to flicking through the pages for the chord shapes felt time consuming and tedious. Another problem I felt was that the book was not "introduction" book to Jazz at all, but for more for the intermediate level folks.

I did say …

Its an outstanding book.

Just remember that jazz is kind of tough. So an introduction might not mean it’s a walk in the park. There’s years worth of material in that book.

And ditto everyone who recommends Randy Vincent in general.

[Tal_175]

So I can learn and play an arrangement if everything is on paper, ...

This seems to be your issue. In jazz, the performer is the arranger. You are given the basic harmony. You decide on how to realize it. That includes, your voicings, reharmonizations, extensions, textures, dynamics, added/subtracted chords (ie changes in the implied harmonic rhythm), how these voicings move etc. If you expect that someone else do that work for you and tell you what to play, then I don't think jazz is right for you.

People who come to jazz from other styles where they play specific, rehearsed arrangements/parts often initially struggle with two paradigm shifts they have to overcome. Both of them involve developing a more abstract view of things that they used to encountering in highly specific forms.

One of them is going from a chord being a specific voicing or a grip to a chord being an element of harmony that can be realized in many ways with different note choices and voicings. A single chord can be realized with different voicings, extensions, substitutions, as small sub-progressions or lines etc.

The other thing is their mental place holders as to where they are in a tune when they are performing. When you are playing a specific arrangement, certain musical events become your place holders (often subconsciously) because they reliably happen in the same moments everytime. In jazz, these markers become more abstract. You have to develop the ability to navigate a tune's form and harmony without relying on specific cues. That means you have to develop your ears and inner pulse to hear the harmony and feel the form.

[Tal_175]

One may argue that this playlist of Virtuoso transcriptions is as complete as it gets in terms jazz guitar education, more than any book can give you. A good selection of standards, chord voicings, harmonic devices, bass lines, straight-ahead style solo sections, chord-melody techniques. All with chord-symbols, standard notation, tabs and performed with a good viewing angle. It's even properly amplified, lol, unlike the original recording. What else do you want?

Joe Pass Virtuoso Complete Transcription - YouTube

[GBRow]

I did say …

I could get the book again later when I am intermediate level, and feel the need for the book. But for now I would be better off with the books I can work with. I didn't want any books just sitting in the shelf not being used for a long time taking up space.

[GBRow]

One may argue that this playlist of Virtuoso transcriptions is as complete as it gets in terms jazz guitar education. More than any book can give you. A good selection of standards, chord voicings, harmonic devices, bass lines, straight-ahead style solo sections, chord-melody techniques. Chord-symbols, standard notation, tabs and performed with a good viewing angle. It's even properly amplified, lol, unlike the original recording. What else do you want?
Joe Pass Virtuoso Complete Transcription - YouTube

Yes, that youtube channel has excellent learning resources. Thank you for sharing.

[Beats_and_Guitars]

I could get the book again later when I am intermediate level, and feel the need for the book. But for now I would be better off with the books I can work with. I didn't want any books just sitting in the shelf not being used for a long time taking up space.

I wish I had the foresight to see when something is going to sit on my shelf and take up space. I’ve got more than a few books that I just haven’t gotten to and some that just didn’t gel with me. All in all I don’t regret the books on my bookshelf lol.


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[GBRow]

I wish I had the foresight to see when something is going to sit on my shelf and take up space. I’ve got more than a few books that I just haven’t gotten to and some that just didn’t gel with me. All in all I don’t regret the books on my bookshelf lol.


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If there was no option, then probably I would have kept the book for future use. But there was option to either get refund for return or return for exchange, which I opted to exchange with another book. The new book arrived next day, and it is far friendlier book to work with, which I was happy with for now.

My wife hates many books piling in the house, so I need to keep them low and not too conspicuous in the bookshelf.

[Beats_and_Guitars]

If there was no option, then probably I would have kept the book for future use. But there was option to either get refund for return or return for exchange, which I opted to exchange with another book. The new book arrived next day, and it is far friendlier book to work with, which I was happy with for now.

My wife hates many books piling in the house, so I need to keep them low and not too conspicuous in the bookshelf.

Totally understandable.

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned but the Tim Lerch books are really good. I know he just released a new one that’s all 2,5,1 licks. I’ll probably pick that up at some point myself. He’s generally regarded as a great teacher.


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[Mick-7]

Mick, for the diamond thingie, I'll just add a picture. Worth a thousand words they say.

This is from a book sample I found online.....



The notation used in the page above has been around a long time, I first encountered it in big band charts in college over 50 years ago. They suggest particular rhythms, e.g., the notation of the eighth note tied to the "diamond" note in the 1st/2nd bars indicates a dotted whole note that starts in the first measure and is held over into the 2nd measure. In this instance, the diamond is a whole note but it's also used to represent a dotted half note in the first bar (a stem is added to the diamond to indicate a half note).

The sample did not include the book's appendices, which I would think explains the notation symbols used in the book? If it doesn't explain them all, it would be a deficiency.

[GBRow]

Totally understandable.

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned but the Tim Lerch books are really good. I know he just released a new one that’s all 2,5,1 licks. I’ll probably pick that up at some point myself. He’s generally regarded as a great teacher.


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Yes, I will still be getting the book back, when I managed to become an intermediate guitarist. It looked like a good book, but felt more advanced level than I am at now.

I have been trying to flick through as many guitar books as possible keeping the ones I can work with, but returning the ones which were not my level.

[Beats_and_Guitars]

Yes, I will still be getting the book back, when I managed to become an intermediate guitarist. It looked like a good book, but felt more advanced level than I am at now.

I have been trying to flick through as many guitar books as possible keeping the ones I can work with, but returning the ones which were not my level.

I had the same issue with the Vincent books initially…I knew I wanted to get to them but i wasn’t quite ready when I bought them.


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