The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hello everyone,

    I’m looking for modern educational and explanatory materials, to reach a deeper, more modern sound. Something along the line of approaches by modern guitarists Joe Pass, Abercrombie, or Scofield, altered modal theory, or any interesting new approach is welcome.

    If you have any materials or suggestions where to find them online, I would be grateful for your help.

    Thanks in advance!

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    you could explore the many YouTube lessons on theory...some are far better than others..there are many with well known players..

    OR

    this would be my choice...TRUE FIRE series...explore the many lessons by some top players ..Larry Carlton is one of the best..
    this is a pay site for the series..they do give you previews of the lessons so you may find what you are looking for there

    they seem to get great reviews and the lessons are presented in a very clear professiional manner..

  4. #3

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    Andrew Green's books are what you are looking for, I'd wager: BOOKS – Andrew Green

    As John Abercrombie said: “Andrew Green’s book addresses points about Jazz improvisation on the guitar or any other instrument for that matter that are totally on the money and invaluable for all musicians.”

    His whole website is well worth a visit: Andrew Green, Jazz Guitarist

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by sheila999
    Hello everyone,

    I’m looking for modern educational and explanatory materials, to reach a deeper, more modern sound. Something along the line of approaches by modern guitarists Joe Pass, Abercrombie, or Scofield, altered modal theory, or any interesting new approach is welcome.

    If you have any materials or suggestions where to find them online, I would be grateful for your help.

    Thanks in advance!
    You have to use your ears.

    This might seem intimidating, but it gets easier and it is so much fun.

    Once you've got something to study, the theory books will make more sense.

    TBH, a lot of what makes modern playing sound modern is not just not choice - a lot of it is articulation, sound and feel. To approach it from a books perspective will always be frustrating.

    Even if you get like one Sco lick and work with it, that's worth a hundred theory books. After all, Sco isn't that theoretical himself... He knows his modes etc, but that's not what makes his music sound like him.

  6. #5

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    If I were going to explore modern playing I'd check out some of the videos on My Music Masterclass

  7. #6

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    Ron Miller's "Modal Jazz Composition and Harmony" will be a great source for you.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by joe2758
    If I were going to explore modern playing I'd check out some of the videos on My Music Masterclass
    Yeah I gave up that addiction when I realised just one video would provide me with stuff to practice for the next 20 years. It's too much. There's just too much out there. Like one player gives you what they've worked at everyday for 20 years. You can't do it all.

    At some point you have to make a decision.

    Listen to and working out music makes me a lot happier.

  9. #8

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    When the math starts moving in, I start tuning out

  10. #9

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  11. #10

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    Hey, hello!

  12. #11

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    My favorite book on music ever is A Harmonic Experience by W A Mathieu. It basically explains music from the most basic parts (the overtone series), teaches you how to hear all 12 tones against a drone (invaluable) and shows how the chromatic scale and pretty much every other scale is derived.

    I've only worked through a third of the book but it radically improved my understanding of how music works and gave me a framework for theory I never had before. Can't recommend it highly enough. Total fluke as to how I came onto it but it was deeply helpful to me.

    Not jazz specific but fundamental to all music.

  13. #12

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    Some great recommendations, and selecting any one of them, and digging into it, will get you some results!

    Just to make matters worse (with more choices!), Bergonzi's series -- Vol 6, specifically -- gives you all you will ever need.

    Welcome!

    Marc

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Yeah I gave up that addiction when I realised just one video would provide me with stuff to practice for the next 20 years. It's too much. There's just too much out there. Like one player gives you what they've worked at everyday for 20 years. You can't do it all.

    At some point you have to make a decision.

    Listen to and working out music makes me a lot happier.
    In response to this thread I clicked on some links and ending up reading two lessons on tetrachords, which, somehow I'd managed to avoid heretofore.

    The material breaks down scales into four note segments in an interesting way, and I can see how it might open a door to some different paths through chord changes.

    But, it was multiple tables of two different tetrachords for each scale/mode, major, melodic minor, harmonic minor and probably some more.

    If I decided to pursue it, it would be a huge amount of work (a lot of drill) to get it under my fingers and to get the theory ingrained in my brain to the point where I might get it into my playing. And, some of it is already there (like thinking Gm against C7), but arrived at from a different angle.

    And, that was just a few minutes reading. I've read dozens of posts and lessons over the years, each of which would take months (or longer) to fully assimilate. And, if I ever finished any of them, I'd still be in a position where I have to think of a cool line and play it.

    So, all that theory, inevitably, comes down to a means to find some cool lines to play. Some players can utilize that approach to their benefit. Others avoid it and just find lines on records they like and learn them. For what I'm trying to accomplish, I don't see it as the best use of my time (bearing in mind that I know some theory, albeit in a rather haphazard way). But, others have different goals and learn in different ways.

  15. #14

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    I think this is the reason top players practice a lot. Pat M seems to be a consistent multiple hour a day practicer. And he can probably free associate any sort of theoretical idea against any tune because he shreds all of it.