Jazz Guitar - Learn To Improvise with CD - Santorella Publishing
Jazz Guitar - Learn To Improvise with CD - Santorella Publishing
Jazz Guitar • Learn to Improvise with CD published by Santorella Publications is a melodic approach to improvisation written by a respected Boston based author & educator, Ed O’Brien. Learn to Improvise is the first in a series of jazz guitar books designed to familiarize students with fundamental techniques and concepts of jazz improvisation.
The process of learning jazz improvisation is a vast area requiring much study and practice. Many books have been written on this expansive topic, but typically cater to a specific era or style; i.e., Swing, Bebop, etc. Jazz Guitar • Learn to Improvise takes a broadminded approach, and provides the student with concepts and examples that can be applied to jazz of any era.
The performance CD contains every example, played at a moderate tempo, which allows students to not only read the exercise, but hear it as well. Scales, arpeggios, chord voicings, II/V7 progressions and chromatic voice leading are just a few topics covered.
“This is truly a comprehensive approach to melodic improvisation. A must-buy product from Santorella Publications.”
Section 1 - Scale Sequences • Relative Keys • Exercises 1-2 • Combining Sequences •
Section 2 - Intervallic Sequences • Exercises 3-5 • A Study in 6ths • Chord Voicings •
Section 3 - Harmonized Scales • Arpeggio Sequences • A Study in Sequences •
Section 4 - II V7 Progression • Examples 1-10 • Minor Key II V7 • Examples 1-8 •
Section 5 - Chromatic Approach • Chromatic Etude • Exercises 7-10 • Conclusion • Appendix - Harmonized Scales: Major • Minor • Harmonic Minor • Circle of Fifths •
Learn To Improvise is divided into five sections. Each section is begun with appropriate theoretical and background information to provide the student with a clear understanding of the musical examples that follow. Note that many of the techniques and concepts discussed are not necessarily reserved for jazz alone, but may be applied to other styles of music as well. Most useful for adaptation is the study sections on sequences as related to scales & arpeggios. The concept of chromatic approach, although much more commonly associated with the study of jazz, should also be considered for application to other styles.
The CD provided contains examples of all the exercises within the book played at a moderate tempo; faster tempos were avoided so as not to discourage the beginning student. It is expected that the student will have some previous playing experience, and a moderate competency at reading basic notation and tablature.