This book is all about making good use of resources. Time is limited so the goal is always to achieve progress in a limited time spawn. I will reiterate one of the principles that made me progress faster : the material played in practice in NOT necessarly performace material. The goal is not to “ apply ” any of it; in fact it is better to simply play through stuff with a maximum of rigor. Try not to learn it! I know it sounds vague, but by doing that, musical material becomes part of the unconscious and your playing is informed of everything you played; you do not necessarly remember all of it clearly and it’s ok. (Like when learning a new language, the goal is not to memorize a whole novel!)
In short, it goes back to the connection between the physical instrument and your “ inside ”;
YOU are the instrument, your ears, instincts and feel are the real instrument. Practice diligently and perform freely; let go in performance and don’t try to control everything you
“ say ” on the guitar, your unconscious will do a way better job! It’s all about getting YOU out of the way of the music that’s pouring through you. (Have you ever spoken in public and tried to “ control ” your speech? It’s easier to let go isn’t?)
Use the following resources to pursue your musical goals. They are the bulk of the material I came across in my personal musical quest. In your free time, make sure you “ dig ” more resources, there are so many! Become part of associations (like IAJE) and keep in touch with the “ scene ”; also, use the internet and enjoy the free stuff.
Good luck!
Expansion - Contraction
You read that many times within that book already but I never labelled it that way.
Expanding and contracting is another way of saying “ make the most out of what you are working on ”. It is zooming in and out of a particular subject. (For example, looking at fingerings for lines, you can play on one string at a time, or six strings at a time.)
It is very important to go back to the real roots (contraction) of whatever material you are studying. It is also relevant to push the material to a more ” complex ” level (expansion). The reason why this is such an amazing tool is simple : most of the musical material we learn or come accross is neither completely basic nor complex; it’s somewhere in between. By going
“ back ” with contraction or “ forward ” with expansion, new pathways become available for anything we are working on.
Sometimes you can be working on something, zoom out a little bit, and then come accross a completely new and fresh idea. I once was working on chord voicings and by “ contracting ” them, I found out another way to play my lines! (This may sound vague to you but just make sure you to look at everything from many angles, it’s priceless!)
Learning The Notes on the Guitar (in < 15 minutes)
Start by learning the “ natural ” notes on the first, smallest string. They consist of the notes E, F, G, A, B, C and D. They are located respectively at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10. It is the C major scale (all the white notes on a piano).
Then derive and “ map out ” all the natural notes on the others strings. The sixth (big E) string will be the same as the first one. Use your ears to determine if the notes sound the same or simply use logic (by knowing the names of the open string and knowing there’s always two frets between each notes EXCEPT B-C and E-F wich are one fret). Don’t memorize them, just know how to find them.
After that, it’s easy to name any note since you found seven out of the twelve possibilities. If you play a note that you did not “ map out ”, it’s going to be a fret away from a note you know. Play the C major scale up and down many times on single strings, it will sink in quickly.
Learning The Relationship Between Strings
This is what I call “ string transference ”. Always make sure you know how to play the same material on different sets of strings. It can be chords or single notes. If playing a chord -- for example -- on the first three strings, learn how to play to same chord of the other three string sets on the guitar.
If playing a melody that is played on two adjacent strings, learn it on other set of strings as well.
Reading Music (ouch…) Instead of Tabs
If you’re a hardcore “ tabs only ” reader, let me tell you something : I UNDERSTAND and respect you! I did that for more than ten years (no kidding!). At some point I decided to learn to read music because the guitar is no different… you know, any professional player on any instrument can read treble or bass clef (even drummers!).
If you start to learn, I recommend some specific written material (below) and FIVE MINUTES (yes, only) daily; set a timer. To do it DAILY is more important than the amount of time spent. Always read stuff you can play but make sure it’s not too easy; you need to make a couple of mistakes to get better. Also, make sure you have a good balance of written pieces you learn and written pieces you sight read . Sight reading is good to improve your “ first take ” reading ability.
Recommended for reading and sight-reading : -Books by William Leavitt :
Modern Method for Guitar, Melodic Rhythms, Reading Studies and others (published by Berklee Press)
-Reading jazz tunes :
Reading known or unknown tunes out of a fakebook.
-Etudes (jazz or classical) :
This is material to learn over a period of time. If you plan on spending a certain amount of time with a piece (let’s say a week), make sure it’s challenging enough. Also work on the dynamics, phrasing and articulation.
-Classical guitar pieces :
My main experience is learning tunes from conservatory “ repertoire ” books.
The advantage is that they are all graded in difficulty.
Best of luck! Remember that most of the time, the guitar player who reads is the one that’s going to be hired! (…even if he’s less talented or doesn’t have “ killer chops ”)
Transcriptions (Learning Solos) and LIVE Music
I could write a whole book on transcribing solos to play on the guitar. I’ll try to be brief here : learn solos (in parts or entirely) regularly on your instrument and refresh the solos you learned from time to time. You don’t have to write down what you are learning, you are training your ears more than anything else. However, writing is a good idea only if you want to work on your rhythms transcription skills (make sure you don’t toss the recording away after the solo’s on paper). Imitate the solo to perfection (rhythmically, melodically) and come as close as possible to the original nuances, phrasing and accents. You should be listening to the solo for a certain period of time before attempting to learn it; some heavy teachers (such as David Liebman) recommend singing the solo to perfection before even attempting a single note on the instrument!
Also, aim for playable yet challenging material that you can pickup by ear. Obviously, the level at which you can transcribe is directly proportional to the amount of experience in that area. Don’t underestimate the power of “ walking in somebody’s shoes ” for a few choruses.
As mentionned in this chapter’s introduction, don’t worry about playing any of the material you learn in your own solos; going through the process (the path) is much more crucial than the actual notes and chords. Use transcription software to slow down fast lines (such as “ The Amazing Slowdowner ” or “ Transcribe ”) if needed, but always try with the original recording straight in a CD player; it’s often easier to learn by “ chunks ” than note-by-note.
Finally, there’s an even better source of inspiration for jazzers : attending live jazz concerts. I know you can’t come back from a concert and learn improvisations (unless you recorded incognito) but that is the good part. Jazz is always new and fresh; tunes that have been played a million times can sound as good, or better, tomorrow night in an unknown venue in a small town. The fact that you can’t bring home the notes and chords from a live solo you enjoyed forces you to recall only the feel, mood and spirit of the music. Those are NOT available on recordings! Whenever I attend a memorable and touching concert, I feel like I’m swimming in the music; it is so physical that I shiver, smile, laugh or cry. This is definitely not happening when listening to a recording or a video. Transcribing favorite recordings is good but limited; never forget that a recorded track is only a footprint in time. It is best seen as
“ how the musicians felt at that very unique moment ”; like taking a picture (sometimes a very good one indeed), it only represents a blink in a endless ocean of time.
Practice Sessions
The best idea is to practice a little bit everyday. Make sure you planify well exactly what you will be working on. The best advice I ever had from one of my mentor is : KEEP A LOG!!! It doesn’t have to be strict but it helps putting everything together in your mind.
Make sure melody, harmony, time/rhythms and repertoire are covered in your learning process. Aim to get a good grip on the basic elements first and then derive the material you wish to explore. Slowly but surely!
I also believe deeply in learning to play in all keys. On the guitar it is so easy : play something in A, move everything one fret up and you are in Bb! I’ve been alternating the keys I play in on a weekly basis. It means that after twelve weeks (three months) I covered all the keys. I keep rotating because everytime I come back, I play different material. Time changes, so do we. don’t forget to include blues, rhythm changes and ballads (very slow tempos).
Learning “ common ” tunes enables you to play with other people more easily. The music should be a “ communal ” activity, right? Also, try not to play everything from a leadsheet or fakebook. It’s a common mistake for beginners; if working on a specific song, discard the sheet of paper as soon as possible. Bring a list of tunes you know well when playing with a band; it will cut the time consuming “ what do you wanna play? ” in half…
Jams
In order to meet more musicians, attend local jam sessions. People hanging out are often actively looking for musicians to play with. Have your networking chops ready. You don’t have to play but always make sure to talk with the hosting band members before you play. Every jam has it’s own kind of “ etiquette ”; use common sense. Be there earlier, listen to and respect the older, more experienced players; you could learn a lot. When playing, don’t exaggerate (usually two tunes and solos of reasonable length), make “ friends ” with the people you are playing with. Knowing a handful of common tunes is very handy…
Rehearsals
Rehearsing with a band is very special regardless of the level. Be professional and be there on time with all your gear, ready to play; learn the tunes beforehand if possible and play your heart out. You will earn respect and appreciation from other players.
Rehearsing original music is usually a process and can be hard for the musicians. Stay groove the composer didn’t think about, the piano player may suggest alternate chords or the form might change (more or less sections) for example. Keep in mind that, much like learning guitar, the art of writing songs can be “ practiced ”. The more you write, the better it will sound.
As a starting point, I recommend you write original melodies over the chords of tunes you are very familiar with. For instance, write a few blues melodies (in different keys) and then write something original on “ Autumn Leaves ” if you like this tune. After a while you will naturally modify the chords to fit what you hear and feel (that is usually referred to as reharmonization). It’s a fun exercise and other musicians can relate more easily to chord changes they know than to completely original songs and structures.
Another way of composing that is derived from the above exercise is “ composition by interpretation ”. It is to write a new composition inspired by how a certain song makes you feel. It is not reharmonization nor keeping the same structure with another melody. It is asking yourself the question : “ What if I wrote this tune? ”. Most of the time, your original will not have the same chords or melody and it is ok. When I do that, I try to keep the same feeling and spirit. I’m often inspired by non-jazz (believe it or not)… I got a lot of inspiration in metal and alternative music!
The “ Modern ” Sound
In many ways, contemporay jazz players aspire to a more “ modern ”, up-to-date sound. This can be debated. While I believe it is not necessary to sound like Duke Ellington, I find there’s a substantial part of the “ modern ” sound in old music. Logically, there is no other source of music than music played in the past! (Do you have a jazz recording from the future? Can I hear it?!)
My vision of “ modern ” is quite simple : what sounds contemporary is an interpretation of tradition. So modern (up-to-date and influential) musicians are, more often than not, influenced by the far (or not so far) past. A musician influenced directly by people of his time is often referred to as a “ rip-off ”, “ copy cat ” or simply an imitator.
A prime example of a modern sounding artist deeply rooted in the past is J-S Bach (1685-1750); his music sounded very much like the early 1600’s and some qualify his work as a synthesis of the baroque music. In short, learning modern will not necessarly make you sound modern; learning tradition on the,other hand, and making it your own, will. (Transcribe Wes Montgomery before John Scofield)
Some Books I Found Useful
The list is no particular order but I put in bold the ones that touched me the most.
Improvisation
Hearing the Changes by Jerry Coker
How to Play Bebop (3 volumes) by David Baker
The Barry Harris Workshop Videos + Booklet (DVD’s) Charlie Parker Omnibook (transcribed solos)
Patterns for Improvisation by Oliver Nelson A Guide to Jazz Improvisation by John Laporta
A Chromatic Approach to Melody and Harmony by David Liebman Forward Motion by Hal Galper
Clear Solutions for Jazz Improvisations by Jerry Coker
The Jazz Musician’s guide to Creative Practicing by David Berkman Guitar
A Modern Method for Guitar by William Leavitt Melodic Rhythms by William Leavitt
Reading Studies for Guitar by William Leavitt The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick
A series of article on jazz guitar by Mark White *free online*
Jazz Guitar Study Series (5 volumes) by Barry Galbraith [Specifically Volume #3 : Guitar Comping]
Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene
The Barry Harris Harmonic Method for Guitar by Alan Kingstone Time and Rhythms
The Log Story
(This is a true story that changed my playing)
I had a one-on-one appointment with one of my mentors one day. He told me : “ Kid, you’re an OK player but I think you should look into keeping a log. “… I looked at him skeptically. After all, I was improving and playing some gigs here and there. What was wrong with the way I practiced ? Charles sensed my lack of interest and told me “ You HAVE to do it! Just do it! “. I was not enthusiastic about this idea at all.
I went back home thinking to myself “ I’ll try it for a week, in the worst case, I will waste ink and a couple of sheets a paper… and my time. “ Within a month of doing the “ log thingy “ I felt like I had never improved so fast before. I was hailed by fellow musicians and friends.
Charles noticed after 6 months, he said “ You’re looking it up! “ after I played a solo for him.
I didn’t believe in writing a log for everything I played and for how long and how, and why etc. because I felt like it would be a waste of my time in the first place. It turned out to be the exact opposite! After a year, I was totally addicted to my log. It was not a detailed, exact, note-for-note book, it was just enough information to keep track and focus on the right things.
That being said, I believe anyone trying to get better at what they’re doing should have some kind of “ planning ”. (Whether it be body-building, music, dancing, flying a plane or cooking.)
A Word about Gear
Everyone has many tools to pursue their musical journeys. If you have books, CDs/DVDs, playalongs, electronic devices or softwares aim to use them without wasting your time. I find that guitar players in general tend to have much more stuff “ to mess with ” than they need to practice and perform. Here’s an example :
I just bought a new chorus pedal. I have a recording session tomorrow and I want to work on a specific tune right now. I sit down with my guitar, amplifier and the new chorus pedal. I start playing the song, stop right in the middle to fix the chorus sound. I start over, stop again… Play some unrelated stuff just to “ check the sound “. Go back to the tune… I did NOT learn it properly and I’ve been sitting here two hours tweaking knobs. Do you think the new pedal really improved my sound?!? I would personally assign a “ knob-tweaking “ time and then start REALLY WORKING on material.
Another thing : owning the “ right ” equipment doesn’t make the “ right ” music. I was a guitar gear freak for at least ten years. I’m better now, but still tempted by some
“ toys ”…you know what it’s like… Anyways, I just wanted to mention that buying an archtop and a polytone amp won’t make you sound like a jazz player; your ears and fingers will!
While in jazz school, I was playing a Parker solid-body (pictured on the cover) through a fender amp… some people listened to my demo and asked me what kind of archtop I used!!!
Listening
Listening to all kinds of music is good; listening to specific music is even more important. Be critical in your listening and choose wisely. I pick my music pretty much the same way I choose friends. It is extremely important to listen to music somewhat related to areas you are working on musically. I played a whole year with a drummer that was putting alot of time learning jazz… but all he was listening to was hardcore and death-metal. Would you think he improved very much? Whenever you have a musical question, be assured that there is an answer somewhere on a recording. (Some people even go as far as “ The answer is Miles ”!!!)
Also, listening to yourself is a very good tool to improve your playing. Record your practicing, rehearsals and performances whenever possible. Don’t be too critical or negative, just aknowledge what you hear. Pocket recorders are accessible and inexpensive nowadays and it is always good to have different perspectives on your playing. (Remember, the advent of recording technologies is really what crafted the history of jazz! It was the first “ commercial ” music!)
Let’s Get Physical
[A word about playing physical instruments like piano, bass, drums or guitar.]
ALWAYS WARMUP before you play or you could suffer from severe injuries. Get rid of unnecessary tention in your back and neck. Be active, eat well, sleep and don’t abuse
ALWAYS WARMUP before you play or you could suffer from severe injuries. Get rid of unnecessary tention in your back and neck. Be active, eat well, sleep and don’t abuse