I'm a high school jazz band guitarist; what are some books that can help me improve?

Question

Okay, I recently made it into my high school's jazz band as a guitar player. Even though I have quite a solid background on several basic things, I still have a long way to go since I've only been playing for a year and a half. I've already gotten pieces that I need to practice on for rehearsals and they are all very challenging for me.
I know I should be learning a LOT of chords (in many different positions) and practicing on sight reading (both chords and notes) as much as I can, but I don't have any instructional books to guide me in this process.
So, I was wondering, if you guitar experts out there could help me with finding a few perfect books for me. What I need the most are obviously a book with all the essential jazz guitar chords and possibly another book with instructions for solos/improvisations. Well, I already have a book that I think would help me be better at sight reading notes, but I'm gonna state the title here in case some of you actually know or possess this book and to get opinions about if it would really help me improve. The book's called "50 Essential Bebop Heads Arranged For Guitar" by the publisher Hal Leonard. Also, please tell me anything and everything about how to be a better jazz guitarist overall: like the books that you think are great and stuff.
One love, thanks.

Answer 1

Jazz instruction books by Mickey Baker are great. I bought these books back in the '80s and still have them. Also check out "Chord Chemistry" by Ted Greene, one of the all time greats.



http://www.amazon.com/Mickey-Bakers-Complete-Course-Guitar/dp/0825652804/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b



http://www.amazon.com/Chord-Chemistry-Ted-Greene/dp/0898986966

Answer 2

Get a theory book - I recommend RCM Grade 2 theory. Doesn't help if you know how to play the chord if you don't know WHY you are playing the chord in the first place. So when you see that Caug#7b13/Eb You'll know how to spell it, and how to chord it based on what fits the music, plus you will know all the inversions.



After that, learn the major bebop scale, all the modes, and major and minor arppegio's up to the b13.



Is there a book that can help you? Yes. That theory book. Love it, hate it, doesn't matter. Just learn it. Most of the jazz bebop riffs are straight out of the syllabus for scales.



Start by listening to jazz standards from the the 20's + 30's, then slowly work you way up to bebop. It'll make what you're hearing have some context instead of that frantic workout. I personally think most bebop is simply awful - I don't mind the actual tune/head, but the overall dimished tonality that everyone seems to go for when solo'ing just doesn't do it for me.

Answer 3

Lord Valentine's Castle is incredibly long as well as being part of a series. Some of the problem might be getting books short enough to be read within a semester. Haven't read the other books you referenced so I can't say. They are also looking for specific things when they choose reading assignments such as 'can you find the metaphor, allegory or whatever. I do agree with you that English class turns a lot of people off to reading. If class sizes were a good deal smaller than they are, students could choose their own books and the teacher could choose somewhat more generic questions. The students could find the answers in whatever book he selects.

Answer 4

Learn how to play the guitar from your own home with the Jamorama online class for guitar that you will think it is here https://tr.im/eIob7

One of the interesting and valuable offering you will discover in the Jamorama course could be the "Jam Trails ".As you feel the lessons, they give you sheet audio to a song, and then 2 audio tracks to accompany the song.

The very first music track will have the guitar part inside (so you can hear how it's designed to sound), and one other sound track has the tune with the guitar eliminated (so you can enjoy with yourself!)

They arrange the Jam Paths in an exceedingly easy to understand manner.

Jam Paths is one among the many things from Jamorama that is likely to make learning the guitar simple even for the novices (especially if you don't have a guitar instructor there to assist you once you produce mistakes).

Answer 5

Learn how to perform the guitar from your own house with the Jamorama online course for guitar you will find it here https://tr.im/hsVva .

Among the fascinating and beneficial offering you will find in the Jamorama course is the "Jam Trails ".As you go through the classes, they give you sheet audio to a song, and then 2 music tracks to get along with the song.

The 1st sound track could have the guitar part inside it (so you can hear how it's designed to sound), and another sound track gets the tune with the guitar removed (so you can play with yourself!)

They manage the Jam Trails in an exceedingly straightforward manner.

Jam Tracks is just one of the numerous points from Jamorama that can make understanding the guitar easy even for the newcomers (especially if there isn't a guitar teacher there to assist you whenever you make mistakes).