The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Posts 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Hi! I am curious about people who finished 3 volumes of Leavitt's method. After you complete it could you play score sheet music easily?

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    The three-book method series is not intended to be the "be all and end all" for reading, but it most certainly helps.

    You should note that Leavitt also wrote his Melodic Rhythms for Guitar book, plus two full volumes devoted to reading. A few Melodic Rhythms are included in the 3-volume series of course. So check 'em out!


    That said, you should also read fake books and scores if that is a goal. Be direct, and go straight to the source - music.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    There is no better foundation for reading than the Leavitt method. Any additional materials, especially under his name, are also excellent and fundamental.

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    I could not agree more! Leavitt's material is worth of it. Especially the Melodic Rhythms, it develops sight reading and comping (expanding one's chord vocabulary).

    Sight reading e.g. Real Book material has become much easier for me.

    I'm about to start vol 3 Modern Method. Looks very heavy stuff. Is it worth of it?

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    I went to the public library today, to borrow Leavitt Vol 1, to see what all the fuss was about.

    I took it home, opened it and found the first four pages were missing.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    And it's in those first four pages he teaches you how to be a great musician, and answers the question of what is the meaning of life! Now you'll never know

    Just gently pulling your leg. Pages 1 to 4 don't show much at all.

    His books won't teach anyone how to play jazz, but they do give you necessary background stuff, scales, chords, reading.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Aye. Had I known about him when I was starting to learn, I could have saved a lot of time and effort.

    But I probably would have found his approach discouraging.
    Last edited by Litterick; 10-13-2020 at 02:44 AM.

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    If you work through “Melodic Rhythms for Guitar”, Leavitt’s two “Reading Studies...” books and Mike Szymczak’s “Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms” you will be well on your way to being a good reader.

    Put the chords into Band in a Box or iReal and make yourself try different speeds, positions and styles.

    Don’t worry about thinking the music is old-fashioned and irrelevant to cutting edge music in 2020. Your trumpet and saxophone playing friends are still learning to read from 100-200 year old method books. Notes are notes.

  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    You can find backing tracks for Melodic Rhythms for Guitar done by a Spanish musician Ivan Suarez:

    ivangigs335 - YouTube

    Vesa

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    The key to success with the Leavitt books is to not slavishly follow the order he delivers the exercises in. Feel free to search for pages relevant to problems you want to solve, to skip what might appear to be unnecessary (you can always go back later), etc. I studied with Leavitt and that was his advice. As the title states, this is Modern Method for Guitar, not jazz guitar or rock guitar, just fundamental plectrum guitar based on the work of Johnny Smith and George Van Eps, the two great masters of 20th century guitar technique and knowledge. Volume 3 has several pages on chord-scale relationships and tips as to what works in knotty situations, a giant step towards jazz playing. Unfortunately, much of the tutelage in these 3 volumes is hardly necessary any more because the demands of harmonically-advanced plectrum guitar are seldom called upon. Still, the technique and reading ability one can achieve in mastering these materials will certainly increase skills and confidence, and give a great foundation for jazz playing.

  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by VesaW
    You can find backing tracks for Melodic Rhythms for Guitar done by a Spanish musician Ivan Suarez:

    ivangigs335 - YouTube

    Vesa
    Nice - here they are for Band in a Box
    Melodic Rhythms for Guitar - Band in a Box Tracks.zip