Many aspiring jazz guitarists mistakenly believe that the path to mastery lies within the pages of a book. They assume that finding the right instructional book is the key to unlocking their musical potential. However, this approach overlooks the fundamental nature of music, particularly jazz, as an aural art form.
My perspective on this topic is shaped by years of experience both as a jazz guitarist and observing the world of literature through my former spouse, a fiction author. Living in a home filled with books was enriching, and I gained a deep appreciation for the power of the written word. Just like music, great literature can move, inspire, and educate us. Aspiring novelists are expected to be well-read, immersing themselves in the literary canon to build upon the giants who came before.
It’s tempting to apply this literary model to jazz guitar. One might think, “To master jazz guitar, I need to read all the books about it.” However, this logic is fundamentally flawed. While books can be valuable supplementary resources, they cannot replace the core elements of jazz guitar education: listening and practical, hands-on learning.
Unlike literature, which is processed through reading, music is primarily an aural art form. To truly learn jazz guitar, you must immerse yourself in the sounds of jazz. This means listening actively and extensively to the masters, absorbing their nuances, and internalizing the language of the music. Reading books about music without this foundational listening is putting the cart before the horse.
Furthermore, a crucial aspect of guitar playing, particularly jazz guitar, is technique – the physical positioning of your body, hands, and fingers. The subtleties of efficient and effective technique are best learned through direct observation and personalized guidance from an experienced teacher. A teacher can see your posture, hand position, and finger movements in real-time, offering immediate feedback and demonstrating proper technique. Books simply cannot provide this level of personalized, interactive instruction.
Consider the learning journeys of the jazz guitarists we admire most. Figures like Wes Montgomery, for example, didn’t learn from books. They learned by listening intently to their heroes, attending live performances, and, in most cases, studying with private instructors. Wes Montgomery famously immersed himself in the recordings of Charlie Christian.
Wes Montgomery wore out his Charlie Christian records from listening so intently.
Charlie Christian on guitar
Many other jazz giants, including Lester Young, Joe Pass, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins, began private lessons at a young age. Whether self-taught like Wes, or guided by a teacher from the start, a common thread unites them: incessant listening. They absorbed the music by ear, memorizing solos, singing along, and then translating those sounds to their instruments.
The emphasis on book learning in contemporary jazz education might be partly attributed to the growth of jazz programs in higher education, coupled with a decline in live jazz venues compared to previous eras. However, the accessibility of recordings today far surpasses what musicians like Wes Montgomery had available. There is no excuse for aspiring jazz guitarists to prioritize books over dedicated listening and in-person instruction.
One type of guitar book that I find particularly unhelpful is the “1001 Chords (or Scales) To Know!” variety. These books, in my opinion, are akin to novelty items. They often lack real educational value, potentially causing confusion by presenting chords in isolation, redundantly naming voicings, and failing to adequately explain chord symbols or harmonic principles. They do not teach you how chords are constructed or how to navigate harmony on the guitar effectively.
There’s no substitute for hands-on exploration on your guitar or personalized instruction from a teacher to guide your learning.
Early in my own guitar journey, I was given a transcription book of Joe Pass’s Virtuoso album. While I deeply admire Joe Pass, I ended up giving the book away. The recipient, more enamored with books than I was, couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t want to learn Joe Pass note-for-note. But I instinctively knew that simply copying notes from a book wouldn’t teach me how Joe Pass developed his unique style or what went on in his musical mind. Without understanding his underlying process, the notes themselves were just that – notes on a page. My goal was to develop my own musical voice, not to become a carbon copy of someone else. While transcriptions can be valuable for analysis and ear training, mindlessly copying entire solos from a book, instead of training your ear, is a misallocation of time and effort.
We should emulate the masters of jazz by prioritizing aural learning.
Immerse yourself in listening before diving too deep into books. Consider books as supplementary resources after you can hum your heroes’ solos note-perfectly without your guitar in hand.
Another crucial takeaway from the jazz masters is the importance of a teacher. Finding the right teacher might take time, but avoid the mistake of believing that you can truly master jazz guitar solely through books.
When seeking a teacher, prioritize those who can articulate how they learned and guide you in developing your own style. They should be able to explain their processes, help you avoid common pitfalls, and focus on the essential information. Beware of teachers who simply demonstrate without providing context or those who struggle to answer your questions clearly. As Albert Einstein famously said, “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”
