Jerry Coker - Patterns in Jazz

[Jazzyteach65]

I have recently dusted off the Jerry Coker "Patterns in Jazz" book, which is almost like a dictionary, FILLED with patterns, cells diminished, whole tone, augmented etc vocabulary.

A lot of the vocab in the book I have heard in player's solos like Miles and Coltrane.

Has anyone else used this book?

jerry-coker-patterns-for-jazz.pdf

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I had that book way back when. Lost it somewhere along the way, like most things.

[bkdavidson]

Yeah, that's a great book. I used it back in college. I've actually done a few gigs with one of the co-authors. Talk about mad scientist!

[wizard3739]

I have had that book for many years but only use it for reference when I feel like I need something new to experiment with.

wiz

[Jazzyteach65]

It's crazy, know looking back-most of my teachers both privately and collegiately have at some point taught me some of those patterns and ideas, especially the diminished ect. Then years later I re-open the book and find those same patterns in the book.

[pierre richard]

Yea I have it too..

Great stuff when you need it..

time on the instrument..pierre

[derek]

I have it, and worked with it for a while, but got really bored with it during the first couple of chapters. Seemed monotonous. What am I missing?

[MarkRhodes]

I had it years ago but never got too far with it. (Not the book's fault; for the first few years I was *interested* in jazz guitar, I was still more of a rock and blues player and I neglected many needful things.) I recently tried to get it through my local library but the request was denied because the work is classified as a 'score' rather than a 'book.' I'll try again. It's time for me to do just that sort of work now.

[Jazzyteach65]

Derek,

The first few chapters only deal with traids, and playing them up to certain intervals, inverting them ect, playing them up chromatically, through the cycle ect You can skip that. Then at exercise 38, where cells start to happen in all kinds of way, it starts getting interesting.

Each chapter on the three chords, maj, min and dom start off boring, but they all get interesting and usefull towards the end.

Some of thos exersices are challenging as hell. Then come to the digital ii-V's THOSE are helpfull! Then comes the chapter on plychords, whcih REALLY clears up and shows what kind of triads you can fit over a dominant. Then comes whole tone, diminished ect all symmetrical exercises, then scales and triads in fourths.

Trust me, about seven years ago I thought the same thing, this book is boring, then I delved deeper.

[FatJeff]

I've got an old copy of this book - I never did go through it. Maybe it's time to revisit it over the summer...could be a good project.

[peterk1]

I have it, and worked with it for a while, but got really bored with it during the first couple of chapters. Seemed monotonous. What am I missing?

That's the main problem with the book.
I worked on it diligently (on sax) for over two years....got about 30 pages in. Moved on.

It's a marvelous book, but requires enormous discipline and time-commitment to go right through it and master it.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I used to shake the I Ching sticks and use that to determine where to dip in

[FatJeff]

I used to shake the I Ching sticks and use that to determine where to dip in

Now that's a great idea!

[FatJeff]

anyone pdf ??

It was out of print when I tried looking for it on Amazon, but I was able to get a used copy for a pretty low price (like $7.95 or something).

[MarkRhodes]

There's an old saying: "A shortcut is the long way round." Meaning, the ways we decide to save time don't save us time but only delay our decision to finally learn what we hoped to avoid having to. I would be ten years further down the road as a player if I'd given up trying to 'save time' sooner...

[TommyD]

There's an old saying: "A shortcut is the long way round." Meaning, the ways we decide to save time don't save us time but only delay our decision to finally learn what we hoped to avoid having to. I would be ten years further down the road as a player if I'd given up trying to 'save time' sooner...

Some wag said, "Why is there always time to do it over, but never enough time to do it right in the first place?"

[drobniuch]

I would be ten years further down the road as a player if I'd given up trying to 'save time' sooner...

I think this isn't the true.. IMHO the best way to learn jazz guitar is to take randomly the best things U like in the music, then if it's boring give it some time and learn something new, and then if its worth come back.. simply come back. (sometimes this way U feel like it has a need to start from the beggining but now U now that it's worth it-and really it's just refresch)
it is better becouse
1 U dont get stack
2 U learn to make the best practice rutine
3 U've got better chance to find a "gold lesson"
4 When U like practicing u do it longer, and you focuse on it better
So again trying to lern something hard and boring is not the goal.. the goal is just practice a lot things u like from diffrent angels makeing simply a step forword

there R things that dont come over night, month and even a year... so dont got depressed just give it some time

[MarkRhodes]

Some wag said, "Why is there always time to do it over, but never enough time to do it right in the first place?"

That is a great question.