Jazz Guitar Elements :
Exploring Chords, Scales and Arpeggios

Jazz Guitar Elements - Exploring Chords, Scales and Arpeggios - by jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator Michael Berard is a wonderful self-study manual that covers all the basics of the instrument.

My "Jazz Guitar Elements" story started when I was about 19. I had so many questions about all this "jazz" stuff... and I especially wanted to know where to put my fingers to make sounds like the guys on the recordings.

Jazz Guitarist
Michael Berard

That's about when I encountered Mike Berard's sparkles of jazz guitar knowledge on the (then relatively new) interweb thingy! (-:

When I found this book, I studied really hard through it in the summer (I printed it and got a nice spiral binding), and then I moved to Montreal and started private lessons with the author in September.

To make a rather long story short, this is where I learned most (if not all) of my personal "foundations" in jazz guitar ... from Michael Berard and his Jazz Guitar Elements book!

Really?

Indeed.

When I'm talking about the laying "my foundations" on the instrument, I really do mean the *bulk* of my playing. I remember being first introduced to certain music and guitar topics from this very book : drop 2 voicings, voiceleading, jazz chord progressions, arpeggios, extensions, modes, applying scales to progressions, etc. I also discoverd the basics of real jazz harmony : modal interchange, secondary dominants, chord functions, "rules" for chord extensions, etc.

Now, looking back on this learning experience, I understand why some students ask me pretty much the same questions I asked myself a few years back... with Jazz Guitar Elements I can really point out to the exact source where I got all of this stuff *in the first place*. (-:

So What's In There?

Even though it may sound like an big encyclopedia, Jazz Guitar Elements is about 130 pages. It contains lots, it's well organized and, most of all, easily digestable if you're wiling to put in the practice.

The author really designed it as a self-study course, so you have to "connect the dots" on many pages. For instance you'll write out voicings, progressions, extensions or a chord-melody. This was perfect for me, as I'm definitely more of the self-taught kind. (-:

Jazz Guitar Elements is designed so that once you tackle a topic and "get it", well, you "get it" for life. Period.

Some keys points here :

• Neatly organized three big sections : chords, scales and arpeggios. You always know what you're practicing and why.
• Each section covers various approaches and has numerous examples for study AND practice on your instrument.
• Since it's not a method, you can start anywhere and still grasp the materials. Go at your own pace.
• Contains numerous example of actual jazz repertoire. Your learn jazz by playing jazz, not in a vacuum with random unrelated examples!
• Has been tested on hundreds (if not thousands) of students.
  
  Michael felt the need to stop repeating himself. He wrote the book so he could address differents topics when teaching lessons (the stuff that can't be put down on paper).
• Jazz Guitar Elements has been scrutinized on the pedagogical level for maximum efficiency. There's a whole scientific aspect behind the learning, throughout the book.
  
  The material went through tedious research before ending up in this final format!

So if you've ever dreamed of ...

... learning all the Drop 2's on the guitar (including inversions), applying smooth top-note countour to standard progressions, inventing your own amazing chord melodies, controlling the melodic direction of jazz chords, understanding jazz harmony better (progressions, extensions, secondary dominants, modal interchange, etc.) ...

... nailing all positions of major, melodic and harminor minor scales, blazing through scale patterns (with different rhythms) while maintaining a solid and effecicient scales practice schedule, understanding modes and their applications on the fretboard, freeing yourself from "boxes" using the single-string (or horizontal) approach, ...

... knowing the diatonic arpgeggios through positions, getting the most used one-octave fingerings for all arpeggios, applying arps on standards, knowing when and how to apply extensions to your arpeggios...

... you just found the right materials to study!

Looks intimidating? I'm telling you, it's so well organized in this Jazz Guitar Elements eBook that you won't feel overwhelmed. It was precisely designed to avoid this situation. Musical material becomes much easier to cope with when it's well written like that. Thanks to Michael Berard! (-:

I hope you like it. Please, let me know if you have any questions.

The Usual JazzGuitarLessons.net Support

Most visitors who know me (see the "About" page) understand that I'm willing to go the extra mile to help people out. I answer all emails, comments and phone calls I receive (365 days a year). So, I'm still offering this type of support regarding Jazz Guitar Elements.

... and since I've gone through the book several times myself, I can answer any / all questions that may come up when you're using it! (-:

This is an EXCLUSIVE Offer!

Jazz Guitar Elements used to be available only to Michael's students. Now that it's gone "public", you can only get it through JazzGuitarLessons.net, but we don't know for how long. This is a test-run so grab it while it's there!

Want a physical book?

PRINT & SHIP OPTION : If you'd like the Jazz Guitar Elements eBook printed double-sided with a spiral binding, (for study on a music stand), I will gladly take care of that for you. Simply add 35 bucks on the next page for S&H. You'll receive the PDF immediately and I'll print / ship within 2 business days. Thanks!

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About the Author

Michael has studied in New York with guitarist Gene Bertoncini, in Boston with Mick Goodrick and in Montreal with trumpeter Charles Ellison and pianist Art Roberts. Michael has performed with international artists such as Cleo Laine / John Dankworth, Don Thompson, Nathalie Choquette, David Pomeranz and under conductor Erich Kunzel with the NAC Orchestra. Locally he has performed and recorded with many Montreal jazz artists.

Michael's first CD, "Good News," is a collection of original compositions and favorite standards. "Little Voices," is Michael's second CD under his own name. Michael can also be heard on over 20 CD's including Toronto jazz singer George Evans, Frederic de Granpre, the Valentino Orchestra and Dianne Nalini. Michael teaches jazz guitar, improvisation, jazz harmony and arranging at Concordia University.

Want a physical book?

PRINT & SHIP OPTION : If you'd like the Jazz Guitar Elements eBook printed double-sided with a spiral binding, (for study on a music stand), I will gladly take care of that for you. Simply add 35 bucks on the next page for S&H. You'll receive the PDF immediately and I'll print / ship within 2 business days. Thanks!