A Modern Method for Guitar Supplemental Material

**VesaW** · 10-05-2020, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by sun

Is Melodic Rhythms meant to supplement book 1 or does it seem more appropriate for Book 2? I ordered the MM Jazz Songbook, which arrived today, so I will already be adding in some supplemental material. Currently on page 72 of MM1.

I am about to complete (last 3 exercises left) Melodic Rhythms. I've also completed Modern Method volumes 1&2. The chords used in the MR can all be found in vol2 of MM, thus making it much easier to comp. There are beautiful harmonies (voice leading etc.) built in the progressions. But you need MM vol2 to be able to play like Leavitt intended.

Still wondering if vol 3 is worth of the effort...

Best regards

Vesa

**GTRMan** · 10-06-2020, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by VesaW

I am about to complete (last 3 exercises left) Melodic Rhythms. I've also completed Modern Method volumes 1&2. The chords used in the MR can all be found in vol2 of MM, thus making it much easier to comp. There are beautiful harmonies (voice leading etc.) built in the progressions. But you need MM vol2 to be able to play like Leavitt intended.

Still wondering if vol 3 is worth of the effort...

Best regards

Vesa

If one makes it through Volume 2 I think it is. Voume 3 gets closer to jazz material in a lot of respects.

**VesaW** · 10-06-2020, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by GTRMan

If one makes it through Volume 2 I think it is. Voume 3 gets closer to jazz material in a lot of respects.

This is a bit out of the subject, but vol 3 does not directly help one to learn how to improvise. This is my biggest concern at the moment, whilst I have to admit that it definitely will help improv indirectly via better fretboard knowledge etc. Anyone who's gone through vol3?

**GTRMan** · 10-07-2020, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by VesaW

This is a bit out of the subject, but vol 3 does not directly help one to learn how to improvise. This is my biggest concern at the moment, whilst I have to admit that it definitely will help improv indirectly via better fretboard knowledge etc. Anyone who's gone through vol3?

I have gone through some of it and am doing more now. And I concur, as stated on the cover it's a "guitar method" - not an "improv method". But every instrument has that. The general consensus is that one should study both, in parallel.

Furthermore, I don't see any reason why a hobbyist/enthusiast can't take 5-7, or even 10 years to go through Leavitt's method and supplementary materials. There's a story about 40-year old contemplating earning his MBA. He said, "nah, if I do that I'll be 43 when I get out". A mentor replied, "well how old will you be if you don't go?"

Anyway, do you feel like you have a good path plotted for improv studies?

**VesaW** · 10-07-2020, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by GTRMan

I have gone through some of it and am doing more now. And I concur, as stated on the cover it's a "guitar method" - not an "improv method". But every instrument has that. The general consensus is that one should study both, in parallel.

Furthermore, I don't see any reason why a hobbyist/enthusiast can't take 5-7, or even 10 years to go through Leavitt's method and supplementary materials. There's a story about 40-year old contemplating earning his MBA. He said, "nah, if I do that I'll be 43 when I get out". A mentor replied, "well how old will you be if you don't go?"

Anyway, do you feel like you have a good path plotted for improv studies?

I recently started with a new teacher, a professional pure jazz guitarist&teacher, in addition to my all around "leavitt" teacher :-)
Trying to develop myself in both fronts. I'm 59, started playing 2 years ago after 40 years of break... Did vol's 1&2 in 18 months and now finishing Melodic Rhythms.
To answer your question - I guess I have a path plotted.

**GTRMan** · 10-07-2020, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by VesaW

I recently started with a new teacher, a professional pure jazz guitarist&teacher, in addition to my all around "leavitt" teacher :-)
Trying to develop myself in both fronts. I'm 59, started playing 2 years ago after 40 years of break... Did vol's 1&2 in 18 months and now finishing Melodic Rhythms.
To answer your question - I guess I have a path plotted.

Sounds like you're doing great.

**swannod** · 01-08-2021, 02:25 AM

It's been said before by many others, but as I work through Volume 2 and review Volume 1, yes ... you really do need to go over a lot of other musical material as well as drills to get the most out of Leavitt. Two books that I discovered elsewhere in the forums, pair so well with Leavitt that I thought they need to be mentioned in this thread.

Mel Bay's Building Right Hand Technique, https://www.melbay.com/Products/9378...technique.aspx. Fantastic, tons and tons of drills as well as proper music around triplets, sixteenth notes, stroke direction, string skipping, etc.. I was starting to not see any benefits from doing the Leavitt ones over and over again, and this shook things up.

Masters of the Plectrum Guitar - https://www.melbay.com/Products/9529...um-guitar.aspx. I love the chord etudes from Leavitt, but I'd done them so many times I was starting to play habits and not improve. This book is a revelation, basically all the of the things learned in the Leavitt books can be brought to bear and because the music is so ... musical - I found myself really working on perfecting everything (for my current level of perfecting). I sometimes find this level of detail hard to muster when I'm just drilling or working on music that's clearly more of a technical study then a musical statement.