A collection of studies and compositions written to provide a creative approach to a common problem. Most guitar students have not worked through a methodical approach to reading music notation, which limits their personal progress and sometimes their career development. The author has approached the studies from two directions: horizontal, or up the fingerboard on individual strings, and positional. The first two parts of the book are extensively fingered and designed to make intervals and melodic patterns more visually apparent by repetition of similar ideas in different locations on the neck. The third part contains five extended compositions, which draw from the author's jazz background. The first four include chord changes for duo practice, as well as challenging melodic lines in a variety of meters that may be used for the study of improvisation. The fifth piece is written in the Indian Raga style. Basic music theory and rhythmic studies are included in the appendices.

Introduction

Part One: Horizontal Studies
Horizontal Chromatic Scales
Chromatic Scale Exercises
Etude 1
Etude 2
Etude 3
Etude 4
Etude 5
Etude 6
Etude 7
Etude 8
Etude 9
Etude 10
Etude 11
Etude 12

Part Two: Position Studies
Position Etude 1
Position Etude 2
Position Etude 3
Position Etude 4
Position Etude 5
Position Etude 6
Position Etude 7
Position Etude 8
Position Etude 9
Position Etude 10
Position Etude 11
Position Etude 12

Part Three: Extended Compositions
Blues Dues
Dancing With the Monk
Three Jitterbugs
A Balinese Puppet Show
Raga Rishy

Appendix One: The Basics of Music Theory
The Staff
Ledger Lines
Time Signatures
Rhythmic Notation
Triplets
Rests
Ties and Slurs
Key Signatures
Notes on the Guitar

Appendix Two: Rhythm Exercises
Rhythm Exercises 1-2
Rhythm Exercises 3-4
Rhythm Exercises 5-6
Rhythm Exercises 7-8
Rhythm Exercises 9-10
Rhythm Exercises 11-12
Rhythm Exercises 13-14
Rhythm Exercises 15-16
Rhythm Exercises 17-18
Rhythm Exercises 19-20
Rhythm Exercises 21-22
Rhythm Exercises 23-24
Rhythm Exercises 25-27
Rhythm Exercises 28-29
Rhythm Exercises 30


About the Author

Discography