Intervallic Playing - Book Recommendations

**dyross** · 12-29-2010, 01:29 AM

I love this sound (Verheyen is one of my favorite rock guitarists), and I've been eyeing these three books on Amazon. Anyone know them?

Intervallic Designs for Jazz Guitar: Ultramodern Sounds for Improvising by Joe Diorio

Intervallic Improvisation - The Modern Sound: A Step Beyond Linear Improvisation by Walt Weiskopf

Mel Bay's Improvising without Scales: (includes CD) The Intervallic Guitar System of Carl Verheyen by Carl Verheyen

The Weiskopf book (instrument agnostic) was recommended by a fellow guitarist and seems like it would be the most "projecty" of all of them, but likely worth the effort. I've heard the Verheyen book nicknamed "60 Carl Verheyen Licks", but I definitely enjoy the lick books from time to time. I don't know much about the Diorio book, but it seems like a good middle ground and is well-reviewed. Thoughts?

**derek** · 12-29-2010, 11:28 AM

Yeah I know 1 & 3. Carl got his stuff from Joe. Joe is the man when it comes to this stuff. Carl's book and vid are very helpful in putting together this material, even though his is geared toward rockers.

I know of Walt, but never have seen his material. Based on his rep, I am certain is it good though.

**wolflen** · 12-29-2010, 11:48 AM

Diorio will change your playing...i have gone through his book intervallic designs twice over the years and now reviewing it again..always learning new twists and sounds...the key here as with any "book" is to transpose the exercises in all keys...and by doing so you eliminate all the "dead spots" on the fretboard...

for me joe covers some major keys of improvisation..symmetric harmony and the use of the diminished scales...with an intense study on 7b5 chords - tri-tone substitution

i would start with joe...your playing will change

play well

wolf

**dyross** · 12-29-2010, 12:54 PM

Thanks for the info...I'm leaning towards getting both 1) and 3) and leaving 2) for later.

How does the Diorio book distinguish itself from a lick book?

**wolflen** · 12-29-2010, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by dyross

Thanks for the info...I'm leaning towards getting both 1) and 3) and leaving 2) for later.

How does the Diorio book distinguish itself from a lick book?

from the very first example...you will see your approach to the fretboard must change...you will not just learn a lick and automatically play it...this study really forces you to change your hearing as well as your playing..it is very intense and takes some work...but well worth the effort...

joe will show you several examples as separate studies..then combine them so you can begin to flow into other examples...so it becomes very melodic not just a patch work of licks which may or may not be melodic..

play well

wolf

**dyross** · 12-29-2010, 02:14 PM

This sounds great - I am ordering it now. I am currently working on becoming a more melodic / play-by-ear improviser (taking the Standring course) and this sounds like it will expand my musical horizon.

You seem pretty passionate about his teachings - any other material I should look into? I'm listening to his music currently and I wish I knew about him before.

**derek** · 12-30-2010, 12:10 PM

I have two of Joe's instructional vids, and I get something out of them each time I view. Highly recommened. Joe was a staple at GIT for many years. He is a good teacher.

**dyross** · 01-02-2011, 02:27 PM

I received Joe's intervallic designs book, and have spent a brief amount of time with it. I'm surprised a little by the lack of accompanying text - it does seem quite like a "lick book". His aim for the reader to internalize the sound of each design so that the intervallic sound comes out in improvisation is motivational, but I'm not quite so certain how to approach this book.

**wolflen** · 01-02-2011, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by dyross

I received Joe's intervallic designs book, and have spent a brief amount of time with it. I'm surprised a little by the lack of accompanying text - it does seem quite like a "lick book". His aim for the reader to internalize the sound of each design so that the intervallic sound comes out in improvisation is motivational, but I'm not quite so certain how to approach this book.

well...you just began..apply what he shows you to YOUR playing...incorporate it in your solo..this will take the "lick book" feel away..also be patient..lots of good stuff yet to come..and again move the studies to as many keys as you can.. example: where he tells you to play over a A7 .. use all the inversions of that chord in a progression and hear the line over it...of course if you can record backing tracks all the better..or just sing the line over the sound of the chord..

you will have to push yourself to get to the good stuff..as joe says several times in the book...these are just SUGGESTIONS as to what chords to play the lines over...and safe suggestions at that..

give the book several months..try for a lesson a week..what you will get out of it is how much you put into it..a keyword ted greene always stressed in his lessons was...experiment..just learning the lines as written will only sound dry and very "lick book" like...of course...put some life into the lines..jazz it...swing it..not just the eighth notes as written..do dotted eights..triplets etc...

i play alot of "fusion" and now use these lines..but not as written of course..but the wide intervals and unexpected runs are always changing the flavor of what i am playing..

now your just seeing the exercises in context of a book..when they become alive is when you will see the magic of the designs..

play well

wolf

**flugel** · 09-21-2013, 11:48 AM

I am working right now with Diorio's book and it is quite difficult to understand some of the "licks".

The first exercises are ok but then you find some and ask yourself how the hell do I incorporate this in my playing?He says play this i.e over A7 but in some cases it does not sound good.

I really need help to understand and approach this book.

BTW I play mainly or try to something like bossa nova.

thanks

**pkirk** · 09-21-2013, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by flugel

I am working right now with Diorio's book and it is quite difficult to understand some of the "licks".

The first exercises are ok but then you find some and ask yourself how the hell do I incorporate this in my playing?He says play this i.e over A7 but in some cases it does not sound good.

I really need help to understand and approach this book.

BTW I play mainly or try to something like bossa nova.

thanks

listen to Diorio's playing. and the loads of guitarists he influenced eg

**pkirk** · 09-21-2013, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by flugel

I am working right now with Diorio's book and it is quite difficult to understand some of the "licks".

The first exercises are ok but then you find some and ask yourself how the hell do I incorporate this in my playing?He says play this i.e over A7 but in some cases it does not sound good.

I really need help to understand and approach this book.

BTW I play mainly or try to something like bossa nova.

thanks

PS check out diorio's book (misnamed) "FUSION", which has entire solos over well known progressions, including bossas, illustrating his ideas.

**flugel** · 09-21-2013, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by pkirk

PS check out diorio's book (misnamed) "FUSION", which has entire solos over well known progressions, including bossas, illustrating his ideas.

I didn't know about that book.

Thanks.

I guess is this:

http://www.amazon.es/Joe-Diorio-Stra...+diorio+fusion

**flugel** · 09-21-2013, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by pkirk

listen to Diorio's playing. and the loads of guitarists he influenced eg

Amazing video to say the least.

**Rob MacKillop** · 09-21-2013, 04:19 PM

I've just listened to it for the first time, and found it so beautiful - I also feel like giving up!

**marcwhy** · 09-21-2013, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by pkirk

PS check out diorio's book (misnamed) "FUSION", which has entire solos over well known progressions, including bossas, illustrating his ideas.

Excellent book! I studied with Joe for a bit when he was in California, and we used this to analyze ideas, etc. Kind of scary comping for him while he demo'd stuff ... Wonderful guy ..

**pkirk** · 09-21-2013, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by flugel

I didn't know about that book.

Thanks.

I guess is this:

http://www.amazon.es/Joe-Diorio-Stra...+diorio+fusion

this is the one I have, it might be the same as the one you linked to, I'm not sure.

http://tedgreenebookeditions.com/Dal...SION/Edition1/

**pkirk** · 09-21-2013, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

I've just listened to it for the first time, and found it so beautiful - I also feel like giving up!

I've been dying to get his old recordings on Spitball records, which I've never heard, but friends tell me are great and have that vibe from his two original books (Fusion, and 21st century intervallic designs). For a little while they were available on his web site, but they (it?) disapeared before I could get them. Anybdy have these/have comments?

**Patrick2** · 09-21-2013, 07:30 PM

Really glad to see Joe Diorio getting the love and respect he so deserves.

**JazzVocab** · 09-23-2013, 05:50 AM

I've been a huge Joe Diorio fan for years and yes I would recommend all of his books. I have managed to incorporate a little flavour of his approach in the way I play and feel very liberated because of it!
I had the books long before I managed to get hold of some of his recordings and I thought yes these are interesting unusual phrases and loved playing them but I thought 'in the real world' it would be difficult to really incorporate them but when I got to listen to the master snake his way through the improvisations I was blown away. I took the time to transcribe his version of 'Bloomdido'