Mickey Baker’s Complete Course in Jazz Guitar has been around for over 50 years. It’s definitely an “old school” style of music book. But if you’re an intermediate player, can read standard notation, and want to get started playing jazz guitar, this book will get you started.
Watch the video briefing for Mickey Baker’s Complete Course in Jazz Guitar.
| Title | Mickey Baker’s Complete Course in Jazz Guitar Book 1 |
| Author | Mickey Baker, born in 1925, began playing guitar professionally at the age of 19. He worked with Woody Herman, Ella Fitzgerald, Dina Washington, Ruth Brown, and others. |
| Pages | 64 |
| Recommended for | Intermediate guitar players who want to learn to play jazz guitar. |
| Prerequisites | Readers will need to know how to play advanced chords such as barre chords and “broken” chords. This book does not have tablature, students will have to know how to read standard notation. |
| Contents | The book includes 52 lessons. Twenty-three lessons cover jazz chords and rhythm playing. Lessons include:
The other 29 lessons cover single-note playing and solo improvisation.
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| Suggested Study | Mickey Baker suggests that the student augment book study with written exercises. He also recommends that the student apply the lessons learned by playing along with recordings, and with live musicians. (Note that the book was written before the advent of computerized accompaniment software such as Garage Band and Band In A Box.) |
| Recommendations | This book is an excellent resource for the intermediate guitarist serious about getting started with jazz guitar. |
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Adam Perlmutter, an acclaimed guitar journalist and editor of ‘Acoustic Guitar’, holds a master’s from New England Conservatory. Based in Culver City, he excels in writing, transcription, and engraving. His works, including ‘Color Your Chords’, blend music theory with practical guitar insights. At Fretterverse, Adam’s expertise enriches content for guitar enthusiasts of all levels.