Beginning Jazz Guitar: The Complete Jazz Guitar Method: Beginning-intermediate-mastering Chord/Melody-mastering Improvisation Review

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(More customer reviews)I've played guitar for more than thirty years and have focused on straight ahead jazz for the last 15 or so.All that time I've absorbed bits and pieces of musical knowledge from method books, lick guides and transcriptions as well as from the experience gained playing with others. No resource that I've encountered offers the degree of fundamental understanding that one can gain from this series of books.

Unlike most other method books, "Beginning Jazz Guitar" starts from chapter 1 with a dual track instruction mode of chord and scale studies mixed with a moderate dose of musical theory AND the author wisely limits the first volume to just the major scale.Too many other finepublications insist on bedeviling the student with a bewildering array of scales and modes in rapid fire succession.This volume shines when it comes to supplying answers to real world questions as the student might actually encounter them.Additionally, Jody Fisher presents scales in a format that encourages horizontal rather than vertical playing (one of the most important and most overlooked aspect of improvisation).As a matter of fact, more experienced players may have to relearn scale positions to work through the etudes and excercises in this book since they are fundamentally different than those normally found in most instructional texts.

Likewise, for a beginning book, the text does a credible job in presenting harmony and chord progressions with just enough theory to understand how progressions are structured and how to extend and alter chords. Most books present chordal theory in the first part of the book and then take up lead playing in the second half as if they bore no relationship with one another.Again, the author scores with the dual track approach.

Finally, the information contained in the "Coda" at the end of the book is worth the price alone.One could spend half a lifetime studying jazz guitar and not stumble over some these gems of info.

As a companion to this book I might also recommend "All Solos & Grooves for Jazz Guitar" by Jim Ferguson (Mel Bay) which serves up major scale studies along with more advanced solos utilizing similar techniques.As a matter of fact all of Ferguson's books would fit in nicely with this series.

All in all, an excellent resource for the determined student.

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Product Description:
Anyone with a knowledge of basic chords and guitar scale fingerings can dig right in and start learning to play jazz right away.Spanning from the major scale and basic triad theory all the way up to extended chords and the modes, this book features a full-length etude or song to go with every new concept introduced.Beginning Jazz Guitar breaks the age-old tradition of dry, intimidating and confusing jazz books, and provides an actual step-by-step and enjoyable method for learning to play in this style.

Clearly organized into easily mastered segments, each chapter is divided into separate lessons on harmony or improvisation.All music is shown in standard notation and TAB, and the CD demonstrates the examples in the book. 96 pages.

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The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook (Guitar Chord Songbook) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're used to getting Beatles chords from the internet, save yourself a lot of time, effort, and printing and get this book. Its format is excellent, and the fact that the original keys are used makes the song sound right from first chord. There are almost no errors in placement of chord symbols, and the chord diagrams before each song means you're going to be playing the right form of each chord listed.
All that could be added to make it absolutely perfect would be the signature licks or intros, but often you can work these out from the intro chords given.
I have worn this book out, figuratively. It's the best value for the buck I've ever come across. It even helps you appreciate more the creativity the Beatles showed in their songwriting.
There is no way to be disappointed as long as you understand that this one if for chords and singing the lyrics; it only does that but it does it perfectly.

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Product Description:
This great collection features all 194 songs written and sung by The Beatles, specially transcribed here for strumming guitarists, from the actual recordings, in the original keys. Each song includes chord symbols, guitar chord boxes and complete lyrics. Also features a helpful playing guide and a full discography.

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Elvis Presley (Guitar Recorded Version) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Elvis Presley Guitar Chord Songbook contains 59 songs showing the guitar chords to play the best Elvis Presley Songs on guitar from his early years to the last song he recorded WAY DOWN 1977. The development process of this song book teaches you to play Elvis Presley songs on guitar as a stand alone band. The guitar chord changes sound GREAT on a single guitar, for example, HIS LATEST FLAME, ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT, BURNING LOVE, DON'T CRY DADDY. I give this guitar song book 5 STARS.

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The guitar solos in this book were played by extraordinary lead guitarists - Scotty Moore, Hank Garland and James Burton. 18 songs, including: Heartbreak Hotel * Blue Suede Shoes * Hound Dog * Jailhouse Rock * more! Each song includes tablature and music notation with chord grids and lyrics as well as playing tips. Also features a special section on the techniques of Scotty Moore, Hank Garland and James Burton.

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Hal Leonard The Best of Eric Clapton Easy Recorded Versions Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're like me, you'll find this book really handy. The format includes only the chords and the lyrics. I'm an experienced guitarist, so I only want the bare bones of a song. I rarely have to turn the pages since most songs fit on a couple of pages (lyrics are hard for me to remember for some reason). The chord changes are placed above the lyrics, so if you know the song, it's easy to make the changes at the right time. So far, all of the songs I've played are in the correct key, but I've only played a dozen or so from this book. The Chord Songbook series has been a real productive one for me. I love 'em. Especially the Beatles Complete Chord Songbook. I've learned more about pop song structure from these books than any other material. Chord diagrams are at the top the every song title page, in case you need them. Songs are in the correct key unless a capo is required. While I don't use these songbooks to learn new material very often, I do use them to play songs I'm familiar with. So, if you want to play songs without having to turn pages for lyrics and tabs, you will probably like these. Happy guitaring y'all.

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Product Description:
12 of his greatest, including: After Midnight; Baby What's Wrong; Badge; Cocaine; Cross Road Blues (Crossroads); Forever Man; Have You Ever Loved A Woman; Hide Away; I Ain't Got You; I Feel Free; Lay Down Sally; Ramblin' On My Mind; Strange Brew; Sunshine Of Your Love; White Room.

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Voicings For Jazz Keyboard Review

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(More customer reviews)This book explains away all the mysteries involved in quartal jazz harmony, as well as provides great insight into using triads over dominant sevenths and voice leading.Frank gets right to the heart of the matterand presents it in a straight-forward, easy to understand manner, which isthe way it should be.Great for ANY instrumentalist and a great resourcefor jazz arrangers.

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Product Description:
A respected soloist, clinician and writer, Mantooth has written this book for any keyboard player interested in developing better jazz chord voicing. Written more as a Õhow-toÕ book than a textbook, Voicings will make a valuable addition to the library of any performer, arranger, teacher or jazz theorist.

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Playing the Changes: Bass: A Linear Approach to Improvising (Berklee Labs) Review

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(More customer reviews)The book contains a lot of information that a bass player needs.. There are progressions (Blue Bossa, Tune up, Valse Hot..) he tries to show us how can we approach as a bass improvisor.. This is a modal approach.. Besides this, we can learn different styles (bossa nova, swing, waltz..)

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Create more expressive solos with this book/CD pack, which presents a unique improvisation strategy based on ear training and a linear interpretation of note relationships. Comprehensive, step-by-step instruction will guide you as you: develop an expectation of sound; master the movement of notes over modes and harmonies; become comfortable improvising over jazz standards; create your own chord pads to use as you practice recognizing the tendencies of pitches within chord progressions.

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Piano Chord Dictionary (Handy Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a handy little book, the only problem is it gives you, I guess, 'their' version of the best hand positions to play certain chords, but it clashes with some of my other chord charts. 'The chord encyclopedia' would probably be a better choice because it gives you several position to play when possible.

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This Handy Guide shows the notation, fingering and keyboard diagrams for all the important chords used in modern popular music. Only the most practical position of each chord is shown. Two bass notes are given for each chord. Major, minor, diminished, augmented, sixth chords, seventh chords, ninth chords, eleventh chords and thirteenth chords are clearly shown. Includes a chord chart and major scale chart.

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The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time: Ranking, Analysis & Photos (Book) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ranking musicians/artists is wrongheaded but some of these picks are just beyond the pale.He ranks the number 1-4 top jazz pianists of all time as Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Bud Powell and Art Tatum.Reasonable picks.So who's number 5?Gotta be along the lines of Chick, Herbie, Keith, McCoy, Cecil, Fatha Hines, Teddy Wilson, Fats, or Jelly Roll, right?Get this- Monty Alexander!and who's number 6?Benny Green!I was in disbelief.As you wade through the rest of the picks you realize that the closer a pianist comes to duplicating Oscar's style the higher he is rated (Gene Harris rates 12 if I recall).Now I have plenty of Monty Alexander and Benny Green recordings and enjoy their playing, but they are hardly the sort of original pianists that would merit their rubbing shoulders with these giants.This book may familarize the jazz piano enthusiast with some players they didn't previously know but a better book in that regard would be Robert Doershuk's "88: The Giants of Jazz Piano."Doerschuk's book features more pianists, is more informative and comes with a CD.I will say that Rizzo's book has some nice photos.

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Handy resource for jazz listeners and hardcore fans.Spanning players from eighty years of history, this bold book steps forward and claims who are the greatest. Compiled from an extensive survey conducted with the best jazz minds in the ed

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From Liverpool to Abbey Road: A Guitar Method Featuring 33 Songs of Lennon & McCartney (CD) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're beyond the absolute beginning stage of guitar or you're looking for a book with accurate guitar riffs like you hear in their songs, this is not it.

If you're just learning guitar and using a book like Hal Leonard's Guitar Method and you're tired of playing "Ode To Joy" and "Tom Dooley", this is a great compliment.It starts with notes on the 1st string and keeps building until you're playing all 6 strings while including some basic music theory and chords as you go.

The Beatles songs are very basic and easy.The first song in the book is "With a Little Help From My Friends" and is played with 6 notes on the first 3 strings.As I said before, this is a "learn to play guitar" book that uses Beatles songs instead of the standards in many other books (although it does have a few of the standards near the beginning).

The song list:*All My Loving*, *And I Love Her*, *Eight Days A Week*, *Eleanor Rigby*, *The Fool On the Hill*, *Here, There and Everywhere*, *Hey Jude*, *I Am the Walrus*, *It's Only Love*, *Michelle*, *Norwegian Wood*, *Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da*, *Paperback Writer*, *Penny Lane*, *Rain*, *Revolution*, *Sgt. Pepper*, *With a Little Help from My Friends*, *Yellow Submarine*, *Yesterday*, *You've Got To Hide Your Love Away*.

It also includes a 64 track CD that you can play along with (basic guitar and drums accompaniment, not the actual Beatle tracks).

Excellent book for the beginner if you want some song variety while learning. 4 stars because I would have liked to see a spiral binding

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Product Description:
A basic course designed to teach the fundamentals of guitar while playing 33 all-time Lennon & McCartney hits.Songs include: Yesterday; Michelle; Hey Jude; Yellow Submarine; Revolution; Here, There and Everywhere; Norwegian Wood; Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da;Eleanor Rigby and many others.The CD demonstrates songs in the styles of the originals.

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The Bill Evans Guitar Book: by Sid Jacobs (Guitar Solo) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is really a great book for what it is.I feel that the author really translates the works of Bill Evans to guitar really well.All of the songs are even in the original key.My only gripe is that they are all very short.The longest one is less than three minutes, which is why I gave it a 4 and not a 5.

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In this book/CD pack, Musicians Institute instructor Sid Jacobs, who organized the school's Jazz Guitar elective, translates the playing of quintessential jazz pianist Bill Evans for guitarists to enjoy. Includes music, instruction and analysis of 14 Evans' pieces, all in their original keys and with full demonstration tracks on the accompaniment CD. Songs include: Funkallero * Laurie * Letter to Evan * My Bells * Orbit * Peace Piece * Peri's Scope * Remembering the Rain * A Simple Matter of Conviction * Time Remembered * Turn Out the Stars * The Two Lonely People * Very Early * Waltz for Debby."Sid's marvelous transcriptions of Bill Evans' tunes for solo guitar have just raised the guitar to a new level. This is contemporary guitar at its harmonic best."- Joe Diorio

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Berklee Basic Guitar - Phase 2: Guitar Technique (Guitar Solo) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have recently just started playing the guitar and I have found Berklee Basic Guitar, Phase 1& 2 to be extremely helpful. In phase one I was helped to learn the basics of chords. Now in Phase 2 I am really beginning to develop my own personal style. I have enjoyed reading and discovering new techniques in Phase 2 and my playing abilities are soaring to new heights. This is a must-have for all beginners.

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Product Description:
A continuation of Phase I, this volume is ideal for beginning to intermediate guitar students or classes ready to progress beyond the basics. It includes solo, two-part, and three-part ensemble arrangements of traditional and contemporary music to help players create a unique and personal sound.

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Tommy Tedesco - Confessions of a Guitar Player Review

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(More customer reviews)Lots of spelling errors mar this otherwise interesting collection of studio stories. Lenny Bruce's name is spelled Lennie and then once sentence later it's spelled properly. Mike Nesmith of the Monkees is constantly referred to as "Nesbett". Maybe that's what Tedesco remember's his name as, yet it would be better if there was a 'sic' after the name.

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Tommy Tedesco was the most-recorded guitarist in the history of the music business. His four-decade career earned him a reputation among his peers as one of the world's best musicians, and his contributions have been instrumental in shaping the sound of popular music. This autobiography traces his career and includes many studio photos and quotes from some of the world's most famous musicians.

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Alfred's Essentials of Jazz Theory Complete Self Study Course: A Complete Self Study Course for All Musicians Review

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(More customer reviews)The book kinda assumes you have some understanding of Jazz Theory, which I did not so the book wasn't for me. But it has useful information if you already have some training.

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Product Description:
Alfred's Essentials of Jazz Theory is designed for jazz enthusiasts and musicians who want to learn jazz concepts and terminology.To get the most out of this course, it is recommended that you have a good understanding of basic theory, such as the lessons in Books 1-3 of Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory.The book contains lessons with both written and music reading exercises and ear-training and listening are addressed through the included CDs.Each unit is complete with a review section.Playing and/or singing along with each example is encouraged throughout the book.The Self Study Course includes lessons, a complete answer key to check your work, and three listening and ear-training CDs.

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David Baker's Jazz Pedagogy: A Comprehensive Method of Jazz Education for Teacher and Student Review

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(More customer reviews)I love the book, except chapter 1. Now some of the information in this chapter is good, but, a little on the racist side.

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This volume was the first published jazz teaching method. One of America's greatest musician-teachers, David Baker, shows how to develop jazz courses and jazz ensembles, with lesson plans, rehearsal techniques, practice suggestions, improvisational ideas, and ideas for school and private teachers and students.

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Ukulele Gig Bag Book Of Picture Chords (Gig Bag Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is great! It has tons of pictures on each page with three different depictions of how to form the chord with your fingers. Very helpful and the size is very convenient for flipping through pages. Along the border, you can also see where the next chord section starts as there are markers to guide you. Overall, a great buy for beginners and experienced players to have in their gig bag providing those just wanting a quick reference guide to chord shapes on the fretboard.

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The Gig Bag Book of Ukulele Chords contains over 1000 chord shapes for the ukulele. Chords are arranged by key and by type, making it easy to find just the right chords for your favorite songs.

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Gospel's Greatest (Fake Books) Review

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(More customer reviews)This fake book has a very comprehensive listing of old time hymns, traditional spirituals, gospel songs of the past century and some contemporary praise songs.The type-face is small typical of fake books, and songs are crammed in.Lyrics and verses are included, as well as the chords.There is also a reference of guitar chord finger patterns at the end of the book.The entire book lays flat, having the plastic tabbed binding.Songs are listed alphabetically making them easy to find.Very nice reference, and songbook for all "C" instruments, as well as keyboards, vocals and guitar.

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This excellent resource for Gospel titles features 355 songs, including: Amazing Grace * At the Cross * Because He Lives * Behold the Lamb * Blessed Assurance * Church in the Wildwood * The Day He Wore My Crown * Give Me That Old Time Religion * He Looked Beyond My Fault * He Touched Me * Heavenly Sunlight * His Eye Is on the Sparrow * Holy Ground * How Great Thou Art * I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy * I Saw the Light * I'd Rather Have Jesus * In the Garden * Joshua (Fit the Battle of Jericho) * Just a Little Talk with Jesus * Lord, I'm Coming Home * Midnight Cry * Morning Has Broken * My Tribute * Near the Cross * The Old Rugged Cross * Precious Memories * Rock of Ages * Shall We Gather at the River? * There Is Power in the Blood * We Shall Wear a Crown * What a Friend We Have in Jesus * and hundreds more!

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The Contemporary Keyboardist and Expanded (Instructional) Review

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(More customer reviews)John Novello is an amazing musician.Having a book that gives insite into his approach would be quite valuable all by itself, but he has put together a very comprehensive work that is a must have for any musician looking to expand his/her knowledge and abilities.In this modern age where the electronic keyboard provides the easiest access to the world of instrumentation, as a songwriter/arranger I find John's Contemporary Keyboardist to be an essential reference, especially as my main instrument is the guitar.

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This comprehensive, 562-page method, called "Solid, readable and relevant" by Keyboard magazine and "The major work for today's pianists" by International Musician, is divided into four sections. The first, "A Philosophy of Music," deals with communication, cause-effect principles and practice disciplines. The second section, "Mechanics," covers all the basics of keyboard music and playing (notation, harmony, improv, sight reading, etc.), as well as their applications. The third section, "The Business Scene," contains guidelines and industry advice for contemporary keyboardists. Section four, "Interviews," provides insights into the artistry and technique of famous players such as Herbie Hancock, Henry Mancini, Edgar Winter, Keith Emerson, Paul Shaffer and many more. Includes an index.

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