A Modern Method For Guitar

**TOMMO** · 04-23-2013, 10:31 AM

...by William Leavitt - what exactly is it about? All encompassing book for learning the guitar, more jazz related, more about learning to sight read?

The Complete issue with Vol.1,2 and 3 seems to be a steal but before I purchase another book that I wouldn't really need and that'll only be sitting on the shelf I thought I'd ask around here where it's being studied, so it seems....

I actually don't need a book to get me started (been playing for @45 years) but since I'm teaching myself I'm hoping for some content that could be used in lessons, also I don't read standard notation well but wouldn't mind learning it.

Any comments welcome.

Thanks

Tom

**pierre richard** · 04-24-2013, 10:28 AM

First thing to do is to get your standard notation reading skills up a few "clicks"...

I went through those a few years ago...

It's about learning to play the guitar...jazz related...and music notation reading....good stuff..

Maybe try the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method first...to get your reading skills up...atc..

time on the instrument..

**TOMMO** · 04-25-2013, 11:07 AM

Thanks Pierre! Just ordered.

**fumblefingers** · 04-25-2013, 10:17 PM

Mel Bay's method has a lot of stuff to read. But it's traditional music and a lot of the arrangements don't sound very elegant. (hymns, classical stuff worked out for plectrists, original studies, corny old songs).

Leavitt was a skilled arranger. he was the chair for the guitar department at Berklee after the founder of the department (Jack Peterson) left (for UNT?). anyway, Leavitt's stuff, even very simple stuff, is very musical and a pleasure to play. it's based on modern harmony and has lots of chromaticism in it, etc. i would use his series and maybe supplement with Mel Bay vs. the other way around. Once you're in Volume 2 of Leavitt, start playing a few standards too. you can start improv studies whenever you like but certainly no later than after book 2.

cheers.

**TOMMO** · 04-26-2013, 01:24 AM

Cheers, fumblefingers - good info and advice you gave there. Like I said, the book is ordered and I'm sure it'll give me lots of material to learn from and work on.

**Cemil** · 04-26-2013, 04:29 PM

I am going through vol 1 right now. I've been playing guitar on/off for 30+ years, but always by ear and as hack. Leavitt is often frustrating, but puts my fingers through positions they are not used to being in, many of the exercises are designed to trip you and so on. However, as a net result, my playing is much more precise, my fingers seem to be more ready to do strange things, my right hand is so much more adept at skipping strings and so on.. Oh, plus I can read now, or at least decipher in an acceptable time frame. I would highly recommend it for beginners or for someone who would like to reboot his playing in a proper fashion

**TOMMO** · 04-27-2013, 05:59 AM

Thanks, cemil - a helpful review!

**Rob MacKillop** · 04-27-2013, 07:49 AM

You could master Leavitt, all three books, and still not be able to play jazz. It's not a jazz method. But you will learn a lot of stuff that will help make you a competent reader, with a good knowledge of scales and chords. It needs to be supplemented with other books or courses.

Jazz is a BIG art form, with many sub genres. Try to come to a decision about what style you like most, and how realistic it might be for you to study in the time you have available. Then go looking for books/courses which target that style. But whatever you do, it will help a LOT if you can read reasonably well, and Leavitt will help with that, no question.

**TOMMO** · 04-27-2013, 08:43 AM

Thanks Rob! I have no expectations for the book to be a jazz method, really but to help me improve my skills in terms of technique (in relation to playing jazz which seems to require technique that's different from what I've been doing up to now) , theory and especially forcing me to teach myself to read standard notation (if not sight reading but at least being able to learn melodies and stuff from standard notation).

**fumblefingers** · 04-27-2013, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

You could master Leavitt, all three books, and still not be able to play jazz. It's not a jazz method. But you will learn a lot of stuff that will help make you a competent reader, with a good knowledge of scales and chords. It needs to be supplemented with other books or courses.

Jazz is a BIG art form, with many sub genres. Try to come to a decision about what style you like most, and how realistic it might be for you to study in the time you have available. Then go looking for books/courses which target that style. But whatever you do, it will help a LOT if you can read reasonably well, and Leavitt will help with that, no question.

yep, sure.

but then playing through the Real Book or Omnibook won't teach you to play the guitar in a well rounded fashion either.

Berklee Press covers the jazz guitar fairly well. beyond Leavitt's course, his reading studies, and melodic rhythms, there are sources for Guitar Voice Leading, Modal voicings, Ed Tomassi's Improv DVD, and two excellent jazz guitar improvisation books by Garrison Fewell.

the bottom line is that Leavitt's books are a great core. the only word of caution that i would advise is around the stretch fingerings. i would go with CAGED.

**TOMMO** · 04-27-2013, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

the bottom line is that Leavitt's books are a great core. the only word of caution that i would advise is around the stretch fingerings. i would go with CAGED.

That would be right up my alley!

With all the transcriptions/tabs that are available for free on the web I always work out different fingerings that to me would be more logical (to me at least). I'm looking forward to receive the book.

I enjoy learning new stuff!

**fep** · 04-27-2013, 01:34 PM

Hi Tommo,

You might be interested in this thread:

https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/getti...ead-index.html

I believe there is discussions and recorded examples of every exercise in the volume 1 book.

**TOMMO** · 05-08-2013, 02:48 AM

Thanks, fep! I was aware of that thread and already did some reading there but it didn't make any sense without having the book myself.
Received it yesterday and it scares the sh*t out of me....

Already started with the first exercises to learn how to read - good stuff!

**Cemil** · 05-08-2013, 03:39 AM

My advice is to take it slowly and not give up. Stick with a page until you can do a reasonable job of it before moving on, and even then keep going back until you perfect the page/exercise. Take your time with the more complicated stuff, practice them 4 bars at a time. There were/are times when I first thought 'this is ridiculous - I'll never be able to play this', but sure enough I eventually got to play it well.

Regarding the Duets, since I do not have someone to practice those with, you can either record and duet with yourself or use a music notation software to enter the parts. The first method is easier, but the second one allows you to play with the tempo, loop and so on. I do recommend that you try do them properly - my sense of time has really improved.

**TOMMO** · 05-08-2013, 04:31 AM

Thanks, Cemil!

**fumblefingers** · 05-09-2013, 10:56 PM

there are CD and DVD versions available (or there were).

so, you don't need another player, recording device, or loop. you can play-a-long.

**onehippie** · 06-26-2013, 11:29 AM

me thinks new slide jazz
for future to us
from you outward

**TOMMO** · 06-26-2013, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by onehippie

me thinks new slide jazz
for future to us
from you outward

Good idea, knight of the Chalice but it has been done alraedy....

**aaronagre** · 07-10-2013, 04:59 PM

has anyone done this book? Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms: M.T. Szymczak: 9780634018299: Amazon.com: Books

i'm going through it right now, and it's curb stomping me

**docbop** · 07-10-2013, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by aaronagre

has anyone done this book? Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms: M.T. Szymczak: 9780634018299: Amazon.com: Books

i'm going through it right now, and it's curb stomping me

I went thru most of it back in the day. If having issue try going thru and clapping the rhythms of the notes first and get that down before playing on the guitar and dealing with the pitches.

Learning to sightread is mainly learning to see rhythmic patterns and just know what they sound like, the way you look at the words in a book and just know what they are.

**Torito** · 07-15-2013, 04:38 PM

Not for volume 3 as far as I know, though...

**fumblefingers** · 07-15-2013, 08:44 PM

right, not for volume 3, which is mostly technical studies

**Agate** · 08-16-2013, 02:01 PM

I'm going to do these along w/ my little brother. He knows how to read very little, and I want "reset" as mentioned. I'm tired of Mickey Baker's Blues Solo throwing me a curveball just because it leaves my comfortable position of the neck.

**Drumbler** · 08-29-2013, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

You could master Leavitt, all three books, and still not be able to play jazz. It's not a jazz method. But you will learn a lot of stuff that will help make you a competent reader, with a good knowledge of scales and chords. It needs to be supplemented with other books or courses.

Agreed. It is an excellent way to learn to sight read on the guitar which I think is it's best use.

Investing 15 minutes per day working through the Modern Method to improve sight reading is a worthwhile idea.

**TOMMO** · 08-29-2013, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by Drumbler

Agreed. It is an excellent way to learn to sight read on the guitar which I think is it's best use.

Investing 15 minutes per day working through the Modern Method to improve sight reading is a worthwhile idea.

That's the main reason I purchased it. Been working with it for over three months now and although there's frustration all along and I can't sight read yet (which I didn't expect) I am able to turn notation into music which I wasn't three months ago. I'll be sticking with it!

Thanks

Tommo