Featured Book: Melodic Improvising for Guitar: Developing Motivic Ideas Through Chord Changes

Author: Bruce Saunders

Publisher: Mel Bay

Year Published: 2005

Type: Musical Instruction

Format / Pages: / 88 pages

Review:

Melodic Improvising for Guitar by Bruce Saunders is a pleasant learning experience.  The book comes with a play-along CD. Bruce Saunders records, teaches, and writes.  Two of his other publications are Jazz Pentatonics, and Modern Blues.  His first CD as a leader was released during 1996 and was titled "Forget Everything."  His 2nd CD, "Likely Story" was released in 1998.  The play-along CD gives some keen insights into his jazz guitar techniques.

Chapter One features stepwise movement.  Chapter Two features the use of intervallic movement, and Chapter Three features use of patterns, triads and chords through changes. The appendix presents more intervals, and the focus is on melodic minor and harmonic major.

Jazz guitarists will find this an interesting study, and the material is concise and clearly written. For a great way to learn melodic improvising for guitar, Bruce Saunders has created a fine collection of hands-on instruction.

Additional Information: Check it out @ Amazon.com

ISBN: 0786668458

Reviewed by: Lee Prosser

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