Leavitt's Modern method for Guitar worth it for experienced guitarist?

[ItsTheSebbe]

Hi there! I have been playing for close to 15 years as a bedroom guitarist, mostly learning songs through by ear or through tabs. I would like to get a proper grasp on theory. I have not done any formal theory learning but I have picked up a fair share of theory passively over the years. I recent got the book 'Music Theory for Guitarists' by Tom Kolb, which was a nice refresher of the basics. Still, I have the feeling that my brain has some catch up to do to reach the level of my hands.

Now I would like to delve a bit deeper into jazz style theory; chord progressions, improvations, etc. I read that the 'A Modern Method for Guitar' volumes by William Leavitt could be a nice to delve deeper into jazz theory, with the added benefit of improving my sightreading along the way. I was wondering what you guys think, and if you have any other books you can recommend. Thanks!!

[maxsmith]

I love the Leavitt "Modern Method" books, I'm actually going through the whole set again 40 years after first working through the books at age 20 - just into Book 3 now.

I don't think these books teach jazz theory per se, though there are "jazz" progressions embedded in some of the studies and chord solos. The Modern Method is a technical studies manual, trying to be for guitar something like the Klosé book for clarinet or the Arban book for trumpet.

With Leavitt, you'll learn plectrum guitar technique, fingerings for scales, arpeggios, triads, and chord voicings, standard notation reading, and smoothly playing solo guitar pieces. I would highly recommend it for someone who wants to learn to read standard notation and gain a methodical knowledge of the fretboard.

A Modern Method for Guitar: Volumes 1, 2, and 3 complete with 14 hours of video lessons and 123 audio tracks

This is my favorite jazz harmony book:

The Jazz Harmony Book - David Berkman

This is my favorite chord/harmony book for guitar:

Creative Chord Substitution for Guitar - Eddie Arkin

Have fun!

[Jimmy blue note]

Many great players have gotten solid proficiency from working with the Leavitt books. They will give you familiarity with a certain language, but always remember that you create that language yourself by understanding WHAT they're doing and not just the notes. That's where Leavitt doesn't spend his time.
If you want theory, learn the essentials of diatonic harmony and play standards WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
Train your ear to hear harmonic movement. Can't do that from a book alone.
Learn dominant chord movement and functional harmony, how chords can create a sense of movement, and for every concept you're introduced to, work with it relentlessly until you not only believe it, but you own it.
Once you have the foundations down (it doesn't necessarily come from how many years you've been playing, but how much you've learned about what you hear), then the next tier of your development may be finding the individual way you put those elements together.

Foundation. Diversity. Synthesis.

Some find the concrete teachings of Barry Harris to be essential.
Some find Walter Piston to be essential (virtually all the greats of an era used Piston and Persichetti the old school bibles)
Some find spproaches of Mark Levine hugely helpful in quantifying modern theory
I found The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick to be an incredible doorway to possibilities but no laid out roadways beyond that doorway. It's an essential work for modern players looking to create their own sound.
Playing jazz is a compositional process. You need to understand the rules of movement and how that translates to your playing is your time on the instrument. That last one is THE one to make gospel. You ask a question, get someone's advice on their answer and play play play until the answer comes to you on your own terms.
See live music. A lot of it. Living the music will give you something no book(s) can.
Good luck. Have fun!

[Christian Miller]

Hi there! I have been playing for close to 15 years as a bedroom guitarist, mostly learning songs through by ear or through tabs. I would like to get a proper grasp on theory. I have not done any formal theory learning but I have picked up a fair share of theory passively over the years. I recent got the book 'Music Theory for Guitarists' by Tom Kolb, which was a nice refresher of the basics. Still, I have the feeling that my brain has some catch up to do to reach the level of my hands.Now I would like to delve a bit deeper into jazz style theory; chord progressions, improvations, etc. I read that the 'A Modern Method for Guitar' volumes by William Leavitt could be a nice to delve deeper into jazz theory, with the added benefit of improving my sightreading along the way. I was wondering what you guys think, and if you have any other books you can recommend. Thanks!!

Leavitt was a great syllabus guy, I know a lot of players swear by them. I have a little experience with them and the word I would use is ‘dry’

However in combination with other material I think they would build a strong technical and fretboard knowledge foundation. I suspect they probably appeal most to those who learned via them and are intimately familiar with the materials in them and therefore can use them intelligently and seamlessly in their own teaching.

However I don’t really like the way the material in the books sounds. I have his sight reading books but I find them very unmusical. I’d rather read other things.

[Jimmy blue note]

Hey if you want to immerse yourself in the idiom, I can say that although I don't play bebop as the music of my taste, learning to read out of the
Charlie Parker Omnibook
was incredibly helpful.
For sheer reading challenge, Modus Novus by Lars Ecklund is a master class on intervallic ear and finger training.
As a guitar oriented work, Jazz Guitar Etudes by Greg Fishman is an information packed set of studies on standard changes.
You'll need to suppliment these with good theoretical and ear training but for mastering the idiomatic use of the jazz language, these are the equivalent of dropping yourself in the middle of a country and learning the language through use.
Listen to a lot of records.
Blue Note. Lee Morgan. Hank Mobley. Lee Konitz. Lester Young. All the usual suspects.

[Christian Miller]

The Omnibook is a good reading text. It doesn't train you to read key signatures tho because there aren't any used.

I also recommend any fake or real books you can get your filthy mitts on. The New Real Book is quite challenging (and therefore good) as it has sometimes quite intricate arrangements, so you can practice your rhythm section reading as well as melody reading.

For graded material the Adam Levy book is really good (Sight reading for Jazz Guitar) but alas too short

Tedesco had a book. Also Galbraith's two part inventions on Aebersold are good.

But read real music as much as you can.

In terms of learning language, that's best done from the records. Start with practical bite size chunks before you try anything big, like a whole solo. Just a few licks can keep you going for a while, if you use them right.

[Litterick]

Tedesco's book is a treasure: alongside the music, many anecdotes and tips about studio work.